Cleaning tool for a surface cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface cleaners, particularly extraction cleaners, face challenges in effectively capturing large debris and liquids, which can clog hoses and recovery systems, leading to performance issues and foul odors.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning tool with a tool housing, suction pathway, adapter coupling, and filter receptacle that captures debris while allowing air flow, designed for selective attachment to extraction cleaners, includes a removable filter basket with specific pore sizes and mesh regions to inhibit large debris and liquids from entering the hose and recovery tank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If extraction cleaners are used to clean surfaces, then cleaning capability is improved, but large debris and liquids can clog hoses and recovery systems
Solution Approach 1:
The filter basket is positioned at the inlet of the cleaning tool to preliminarily capture large debris and liquids before they can enter the hose and recovery system. This preliminary filtration action prevents clogging issues downstream while maintaining the extraction cleaner's effective operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter basket acts as an intermediary component between the cleaning tool inlet and the hose/recovery system. It mediates the flow by intercepting problematic particles (large debris and liquids) while allowing clean air and fine particles to pass through to the recovery system, thus protecting the downstream components.
2Reliability
If filter material is added to capture debris, then debris capture is improved, but air flow through the suction pathway may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The filter basket employs different mesh sizes in different regions to provide localized filtration quality. The front portion has a first mesh size for capturing larger debris, while the rear portion has a second mesh size for finer particles. This graduated approach ensures effective debris capture while maintaining adequate air flow through the suction pathway.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter basket is constructed with porous mesh materials that have specific pore sizes configured to capture debris while allowing air to pass through. The porous structure provides the necessary filtration capability without completely blocking the air flow path, thus balancing debris capture with maintained suction performance.
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 tool effectively captures large debris and liquids before they reach the hose and recovery system, reducing maintenance and odor issues, and allows for easy access to clean internal components, enhancing cleaning efficiency and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
a filter receptacle that is disposed within the tool interior and includes a filter material that is configured to capture debris within the filter receptacle while allowing air to flow through the suction pathway
Implementation Method 2
Surface cleaners, such as vacuum cleaners, use suction to collect debris and/or fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A cleaning tool adapted to couple with a hose of an extraction cleaner including a suction source includes a tool housing and a filter receptacle. The tool housing at least partially defines a suction pathway. The tool housing includes a body defining an access opening to a tool interior, a suction nozzle defining a tool nozzle inlet that is in communication with the suction pathway, and an adapter coupling that is configured to selectively attach the cleaning tool to an extraction cleaner hose. The adapter coupling defines an outlet to the suction pathway. The filter receptacle is disposed within the tool interior and is configured to capture debris within the filter receptacle while allowing air to flow through the suction pathway.