Dual-Blade Floor Squeegee for Adaptable Cleaning on Uneven Surfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floor cleaning tools are not versatile enough to handle different substrates and types of dirt effectively, lacking adaptability to uneven surfaces and being unsuitable for various cleaning tasks such as snow removal and ice loosening.

Innovation Solution

A universal scraper with two scraper blades of different materials (one softer and more flexible, the other harder and more inflexible) that can be easily swapped, allowing for adaptable cleaning on various surfaces and tasks, with the softer blade for quiet snow removal and the harder blade for ice loosening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single scraper blade is used for floor cleaning, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot effectively handle different substrates and types of dirt

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different substrates and dirt typesVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The scraper blade is divided into two distinct segments: a first scraper blade and a second scraper blade, each with different material properties (softer vs. harder). This segmentation allows each blade to be optimized for specific cleaning tasks while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure through the common fastening element.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fastening element is designed as a universal component that can accommodate both the first scraper blade and the second scraper blade. This multi-functionality allows a single fastening element to support different blade configurations, enabling the device to handle various substrates and dirt types without requiring multiple separate tools.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If a hard and inflexible scraper blade is used, then it can loosen ice effectively, but it cannot adapt to uneven floors and creates noise during snow removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveice loosening capabilityVSAvoidadaptability to uneven surfaces
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Different parts of the scraping system have different material properties tailored to specific functions. The first scraper blade is made softer and more flexible for adapting to uneven floors and quiet snow removal, while the second scraper blade is made harder for effective ice loosening. Each location has the quality needed for its specific task.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If a soft and flexible scraper blade is used, then it can adapt to uneven floors and remove snow quietly, but it cannot effectively loosen ice

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to uneven floorsVSAvoidice loosening capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs local quality by providing a first scraper blade with softer, more flexible material for areas requiring adaptation to uneven surfaces and quiet operation, while providing a second scraper blade with harder material for areas requiring ice loosening capability. The user selects the appropriate blade for each specific task.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Device complexity

If the scraper blade is made as a single integrated piece with the fastening element, then the structure is simple, but the blade cannot be replaced when worn or when different characteristics are needed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidblade replaceability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The scraper blade and fastening element are segmented into separate components. The fastening element remains as a stable base structure, while the scraper blade is a separate, replaceable component. This segmentation enables blade replacement without replacing the entire device, balancing structural simplicity with component replaceability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3243961B1Universal slider for cleaning of floor
Publication Date: 2019.10.23 OPTIMO S
  • EP3243961B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3243961B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3243961B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a universal squeegee for floor cleaning, having a first squeegee blade and a second squeegee blade which are arranged on a fastening element and which are both fastened to a handle by means of the fastening element. The invention is characterized in that at least the first slider blade and the fastening element are separate elements or elements that can be separated from one another, in particular non-destructively and/or without tools, and that the first slider blade and the second slider blade differ at least in that they are made of different hardnesses and/or differently elastic and/or differently flexible materials, the first cleaning lip (6) protruding further beyond the fastening element (4) than the fastening element (4) is wide, and/or the first cleaning lip (6) by more than 5 cm or more than 7 cm or more than 10 cm or exactly 7 cm beyond the fastening element (4).