Flat Cleaning Swab for Narrow Bottle Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bottle tank cleaning tools, such as swabs and brushes, face inefficiencies due to their bulky design, limited access through the narrow opening of bottle tanks, and the need for multiple types adapted to different bottle geometries, leading to imperfect cleaning and storage issues.
Innovation Solution
A compact, flat, and flexible swab design with a thin volume of cleaning elements arranged in a U-shaped configuration, allowing for easy insertion and effective residue removal, and a modular structure for easy storage and versatility across various bottle sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional swabs or brushes are used for cleaning bottle tanks, then cleaning action is provided, but the bulky design limits access through narrow openings and creates storage problems
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a three-dimensional radial brush structure to a two-dimensional flat cleaning element structure. The cleaning elements are arranged in a substantially planar configuration that can be easily inserted through narrow bottle openings and flattened for compact storage, directly resolving the contradiction between access ease and volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning elements are designed as flexible, thin structures that can bend and conform to the bottle interior surfaces while maintaining a compact form factor. This flexibility allows the flat cleaning element to navigate narrow openings and adapt to curved surfaces without requiring bulky three-dimensional structures.
2Ease of operation
If the base volume is reduced to pass through bottle necks, then access is improved, but the number of tufts is limited making cleaning inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention redistributes cleaning elements from a three-dimensional radial arrangement constrained by base volume to a two-dimensional flat arrangement. This dimensional change allows significantly more cleaning elements to be packed into a thin profile that easily passes through bottle necks while maintaining high cleaning efficiency through increased element density in the planar configuration.
3Reliability
If multiple types of brushes are provided for different bottle geometries, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flat cleaning element design serves as a universal solution that can effectively clean various bottle geometries and sizes. The two-dimensional configuration and flexibility allow it to adapt to different curvatures and dimensions without requiring multiple specialized brush types, thereby achieving both cleaning effectiveness and universal applicability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning elements are designed to be flexible and dynamic, allowing them to adapt their shape and orientation to match different bottle geometries during use. This dynamic adaptability eliminates the need for multiple rigid brush types designed for specific bottle shapes, simplifying the overall system while maintaining cleaning effectiveness across various configurations.
4Ease of manufacture
If bristles are repeatedly contacted during transport, then storage is simplified, but the bristles become flattened and lose effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The flat cleaning element structure is inherently resistant to permanent deformation from compression during transport. The thin-film design allows it to be flattened for compact storage and then easily rebound to its functional shape upon use, maintaining bristle effectiveness while enabling simple storage in bags with other utensils.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a brush (1) including a gripping handle combined with a cleaning head (3), the cleaning head including: a base (5) forming an extension of the handle, including a peripheral wall and an end wall (10), the latter being located opposite the handle; and cleaning elements (7) in the form of hairs attached onto the base. The base is, for example, substantially planar and has a rectangular cross-section, the hairs only being arranged on two opposite sides of the base and at the end thereof, i.e. in the same plane as the base.