Flat Mop Bridge Seat Mechanism for Gap Cleaning and Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flat mops have a fixed design that prevents the mop handle from moving levelly to the left and right, making it difficult to clean small spaces and occupying excessive storage space, with existing solutions experiencing issues like limited movement, instability, and wear-related failures.
Innovation Solution
A flat mop design featuring a bridge seat that can levelly displace relative to the mop head, equipped with a mobile connecting mechanism allowing rotation and featuring positioning points and locking portions for secure alignment and easy storage, which includes a guide track with positioning points and a sliding body to prevent wear, and a mobile connecting mechanism for multi-directional rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the mop handle and mop seat have a fixed design, then the structure is simple, but the mop cannot enter small gaps and under furniture, reducing cleaning adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The mop handle is designed to be movable relative to the mop seat through a guide groove and slider mechanism, allowing the handle to shift left and right dynamically. This dynamic structure enables the mop to adapt to different cleaning spaces including gaps and areas under furniture, while maintaining operational simplicity through guide grooves that constrain movement to predetermined paths.
2Volume of moving object
If the mop handle and mop seat have a fixed design, then the structure is simple, but the storage space occupied is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The movable handle design allows the mop to be collapsed into a more compact configuration for storage. When the handle is shifted to the extreme position and locked, the overall length and volume of the mop are reduced, enabling more efficient storage space utilization compared to fixed-handle designs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a biasing force is used to allow handle movement, then the handle can displace, but the handle attachment becomes unstable and prone to damage, shortening the mop lifecycle
Solution Approach 1:
The guide groove and slider mechanism provides controlled movement without relying on biasing forces. The guide groove constrains the slider to move only along the predetermined path, preventing unintended displacement while allowing intentional adjustment. This mechanical constraint system enhances stability and reliability by eliminating the need for elastic components that can wear out or fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The slider acts as an intermediary component between the handle and the mop seat, enabling smooth movement through the guide groove. This intermediary mechanism distributes contact forces evenly and reduces direct friction between the handle and seat structures, minimizing wear and improving durability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a strip-like elastic piece is used for positioning, then the handle can move, but the elastic piece wears out easily and causes groove wear, leading to positioning failure
Solution Approach 1:
The slider serves as an intermediary that replaces the strip-like elastic piece for positioning purposes. The slider moves along the guide groove with controlled friction, providing reliable positioning without the wear issues of elastic materials. The guide groove itself is designed with appropriate clearance and surface finish to minimize wear while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic piece positioning mechanism is replaced with a mechanical slider-guide groove system. This substitution eliminates the wear and fatigue problems associated with elastic materials while providing more consistent and predictable positioning through precise mechanical geometry and controlled contact surfaces.
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 effective cleaning of small spaces, reduces storage space requirements, and enhances user convenience by allowing the mop to be easily collapsed and stored without external elements, while preventing wear and improving stability.
Implementation Method 1
an abutment elastic body (22) installed at the base (21), and a sliding body (23) disposed correspondingly to the abutment elastic body (22)
Data Source
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AI summary
A flat mop includes a mop head (1), a bridge seat (2), a mop handle (3) and a mobile connecting mechanism (4). The mop head (1) includes a guide track, which is installed with the bridge seat (2) therein and includes at least two positioning points (12). The bridge seat (2) includes a base (21), an abutment elastic body (22) installed at the base (21), a sliding body (23) disposed correspondingly to the abutment elastic body (22) and stopped at one of the positioning points (12) when the bridge seat (2) displaces levelly relative to the mop head (1) to limit the movement of the bridge seat (2), and two locking portions (24) respectively located at two opposite sides of the base (21). The mop handle (3) includes a movement space (31) for allowing the bridge seat (2) to move therein, and a positioning portion (32) disposed correspondingly to the movement space (31) and fastening with one of the locking portions (24) after the bridge seat (2) moves relative to the mop handle (3).