Dust Mop Joint Locking with Foot-Operated Sled Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dust mop devices require complex and costly mechanisms to lock and unlock the articulated joint between the handle and plate in the longitudinal direction, which are inconvenient to operate with the hands.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a sled element with cantilever extensions that allows users to lock and unlock the articulated joint using their feet, utilizing a fork configuration with conchoidal imprints and a male appendage for engagement with the base element, enabling foot-operated longitudinal articulation control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing locking devices are used to lock the articulated joint in the longitudinal direction, then the joint can be locked, but the device becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The locking device is segmented into functional components: a sled element with a male appendage for insertion into the female hollow, cantilever extensions for actuation, and guide surfaces within the fork arms. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while maintaining locking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted from complex existing mechanisms and implemented through a simple sled element that slides into a female hollow. This extraction removes unnecessary complexity while preserving the essential locking capability, resulting in a cost-effective solution.
2Reliability
If existing locking devices are used, then the joint can be locked, but hand operation is required which is inconvenient for users
Solution Approach 1:
The sled element is designed to be actuated by the user's foot through the cantilever extensions, allowing the locking and unlocking operations to be performed without using hands. This self-service approach enables users to maintain locking capability while improving ease of operation during cleaning tasks.
3Device complexity
If a simple locking device is used, then cost is reduced, but the ability to lock and unlock the joint may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sled element features a male appendage with a curved surface that complements the female hollow's geometry. This curved interface ensures reliable engagement and disengagement while maintaining a simple device structure, preventing compromise of locking capability despite reduced complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sled element extends slightly beyond the minimum required length, with cantilever extensions that provide adequate leverage for foot actuation. This partial excess ensures reliable locking capability while keeping the overall device structure simple and cost-effective.
4Ease of operation
If the sled element is designed for foot operation, then ease of operation is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation function and locking function are merged into a single sled element structure. The cantilever extensions serve dual purposes: they provide the necessary leverage for foot actuation and simultaneously form part of the locking mechanism when engaged with the female hollow. This merging reduces overall device complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Device for locking the articulated joint in the longitudinal direction between the plate of a dust mop and the handle, which permits deactivation and subsequent reactivation of the locking of the articulated joint between the handle and the plate in a longitudinal direction, carried out by the user with his feet instead of his hands.