Curved Suction Nozzle Channel for Low-Loss Hard Floor Cleaning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hard-surface suction devices require large suction units for effective cleaning, leading to high energy consumption and noise, and are prone to flow losses and vortex formation, which can separate dirt and water droplets within the suction channel.

Innovation Solution

A suction nozzle with arcuately curved side walls and an additional air guiding part, along with flexible wiper lips of varying thickness, reduces flow losses and vortex formation, enabling effective suction with a smaller negative pressure source and minimizing particle separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a large-sized suction unit is used to achieve strong suction flow, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device size, energy consumption, and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The suction channel features arcuately curved side walls that guide the suction flow smoothly from the suction mouth through the channel. This curved geometry reduces flow separation and turbulence, minimizing energy losses and enabling effective cleaning with a smaller, lower-consumption vacuum source

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Productivity

If a large-sized suction unit is used to achieve strong suction flow, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device size and portability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The arcuate side walls create a streamlined suction channel that maintains effective flow patterns without requiring a large channel volume. This allows the suction nozzle to achieve good cleaning performance in a compact form factor suitable for portable devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional suction channel geometry is used, then manufacturing is simple, but flow losses increase and vortex formation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidflow losses
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The side walls of the suction channel are designed with arcuate curvature rather than straight or angular geometry. This curved configuration promotes smooth flow transition, reduces flow separation at wall boundaries, and prevents vortex formation, thereby minimizing energy losses while remaining manufacturable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Device complexity

If conventional suction channel geometry is used, then structure is simple, but vortex formation and particle separation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel structureVSAvoidparticle transport reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The arcuately curved side walls ensure that the suction flow moves smoothly through the channel without creating regions of recirculation or vortex flow. This reliable flow pattern prevents dirt particles and water droplets from separating from the stream, ensuring consistent transport to the vacuum source

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design achieves an effective suction flow with low energy consumption, reducing the risk of vortex formation and particle separation, allowing for efficient cleaning with a portable suction device using a rechargeable energy source.

Implementation Method 1

By providing arcuate side walls, the flow losses in the suction channel can be significantly reduced

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow losses reduction through curved geometry:

Implementation Method 2

the risk can be kept low that little or no moving air meets strongly moving air in the suction channel and vortices form as a result

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVortex formation prevention: Vortex Ring

Implementation Method 3

a vacuum source can be connected to form a suction flow, the suction channel having a bottom wall and a top wall

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction flow: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP2567648B1Suction nozzle
Publication Date: 2015.11.18 ALFRED KARCHER SE & CO KG
  • EP2567648B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2567648B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2567648B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Suction nozzle (50), in particular of a hard surface vacuum cleaner (10), with a suction opening (70) to which a suction channel (60) is connected, at the end of which a negative pressure source (16) can be connected to form a suction flow, wherein the suction channel (60) has a bottom wall (82) and a top wall (83) which are connected to each other by arcuately curved side walls (84, 85). The suction nozzle (50) comprises a housing (55) with a first and a second half-shell (56, 57) which accommodate an air guide element (59) between them, wherein the first and/or second half-shell (56, 57) and the air guide element (59) define the suction channel (60) with its walls (82-85).