Deformable Adapter for Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Accessory Connection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless electric brooms face difficulties in connecting accessories or flexible tubes due to unconventional shapes and sizes of their motor units, making it impractical to use in narrow environments or for tasks like pet grooming, and standard hoses cannot be easily attached.

Innovation Solution

An adapter device with a hollow tubular body made of deformable material, featuring a cylindrical first end and a conical second end with multiple taper sections and radial sealing rings, allowing it to engage both the vacuum cleaner and accessories or hoses, adapting to various shapes and sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If wireless electric brooms have fixed rigid tube connections, then structural simplicity and manufacturing ease are improved, but flexibility in reaching narrow environments and diverse surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidaccessibility to narrow environments
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs flexible tubes instead of rigid tube connections. The flexible tube can be bent and shaped to reach narrow environments, furniture, vehicles, and diverse surfaces while maintaining the structural simplicity of the overall system. The flexibility allows the tube to adapt to various geometries without complicating the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Adaptability or versatility

If standard hoses are used with non-standard vacuum cleaner tubes, then accessory availability and user choice are improved, but connection reliability and sealing performance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessory availabilityVSAvoidconnection sealing
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter incorporates sealing elements at specific locations where connections are made. The sealing features are localized to the interface areas between the adapter and both the vacuum cleaner motor unit and the standard accessories. This local quality approach ensures reliable sealing at critical connection points while maintaining the overall simplicity of the adapter design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Enables efficient and hygienic use of wireless electric brooms in diverse environments by maintaining suction efficiency and allowing connection of standard hoses to non-standard vacuum cleaner tubes, improving usability and cleanliness.

Implementation Method 1

the hollow tubular body is at least partially of a deformable material with elastic return

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3858207B1Adapter device for a cordless electric vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2023.07.12 NEW ERMES EURO
  • EP3858207B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3858207B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3858207B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

It is disclosed an adapter device for a vacuum cleaner comprising a hollow tubular body comprising a first end configured to engage a part of the vacuum cleaner and a second end configured to engage an accessory or a flexible tube, wherein the hollow tubular body is at least partially of a deformable material with elastic return and comprises a ring protruding radially outwards from the external surface of the tubular body. The adapter device could comprise a plurality of rings protruding radially outwards from the external surface of the tubular body. The rings of the plurality of rings could have an increasing diameter.