Damped Vacuum Cleaner Rollers for Quiet Obstacle Traversal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor-type vacuum cleaners experience sound and vibration issues due to uneven floors and obstacles, causing material damage and discomfort during operation on hard floors and when traversing obstacles like door sills or power cables.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum cleaner incorporates rollers with a rigid hub and an air-filled, rubber damping tire, or alternating concentric layers of rigid and flexible components with air inclusions, along with antitwist protection mechanisms and damped roller axles to mitigate these issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rollers are made with resilient material covering to reduce vibrations, then vibration damping is improved, but sound transmission and resonance prevention are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is constructed as a composite structure with a resilient material core (for vibration damping) surrounded by a rubber covering (for sound damping and resonance prevention). This multi-material approach allows simultaneous achievement of vibration isolation and sound reduction, resolving the contradiction between vibration damping and sound transmission.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rollers use solid structure to maintain stability, then structural stability is improved, but damping of travel sounds and vibrations is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The roller design applies local quality by using a resilient material core in the central region for vibration absorption and stability, while incorporating a rubber covering on the outer surface for sound damping. This localized differentiation of material properties allows the roller to maintain structural stability while effectively dampening travel sounds and vibrations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If vacuum cleaner travels over obstacles on hard floors, then cleaning versatility is improved, but forces from floor unevenness cause material damage
Solution Approach 1:
The roller is designed with resilient material core and rubber covering that provide beforehand cushioning against impacts from floor unevennesses and obstacles. This pre-established damping capability protects the vacuum cleaner housing and components from damage when traveling over door sills, tile joints, or power cables, while maintaining the ability to navigate various cleaning surfaces.
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
This configuration effectively dampens travel sounds and vibrations, preventing resonance and material damage, while allowing smoother operation over obstacles by reducing the force required to navigate them.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the rollers comprises a rigid hub and a damping tire, and in that the resilient tire is formed as an air-filled rubber tire
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the rollers comprises a rigid hub and a damping tire
Implementation Method 3
the resilient tire is formed as an air-filled rubber tire
Implementation Method 4
at least one of the rollers comprises alternating concentric layers of rigid and flexible components with air inclusions
Implementation Method 5
at least one of the rollers comprises alternating concentric layers of rigid and flexible components with air inclusions
Data Source
AI summary
A floor-type vacuum cleaner includes a housing and rollers attached to the housing that are configured to provide movement of the housing. Each roller is disposed on a roller axle so as to be rotatable. At least one of the rollers includes a rigid hub and an air-filled, rubber, resilient, damping tire. Alternatively, at least one of the rollers has a damping property and includes alternating concentric layers of rigid and flexible components, with air being disposed between at least one of the rigid components and at least one of the flexible components.