Scissor-Like Flat Mop Carrier Plates for Easy Unfolding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art foldable flat mops are difficult to return to the unfolded position after dipping and pressing, requiring manual effort and time, especially when used for large or heavily soiled areas, and existing solutions with springs are either too hard or too soft, adding complexity and cost without effectively biasing the carrier plates.
Innovation Solution
A foldable flat mop with a scissor-like arrangement of carrier plates and biasing members that allow the plates to move between unfolded, folded, and deflected positions, with pivot axes positioned opposite to the plate tips, enabling easy transition between positions with minimal user effort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If springs are added to bias carrier plates towards the unfolded position, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring mechanism entirely from the carrier plate assembly. Instead of adding a biasing element, the design relies on the geometric arrangement of the plates and pivot points to enable automatic return to the unfolded position through the user's own operational movements, particularly the pressing motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier plates are designed to return to the unfolded position using the force already applied by the user during the pressing operation. The mechanical geometry of the scissor-like arrangement ensures that the pressing motion inherently generates the necessary force to reset the plates without requiring additional biasing components.
2Ease of operation
If springs are added to bias carrier plates towards the unfolded position, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the spring component from the design, thereby removing the associated manufacturing costs of sourcing, producing, and assembling spring elements into the carrier mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The design uses simple, inexpensive pivot points and plate connections that can be manufactured with basic fabrication processes, avoiding the need for precision-engineered spring components that would increase manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Ease of operation
If the mop is spun with sufficient force to allow centrifugal forces move the plates outward, then the ease of operation is improved, but the user stress and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plates automatically return to the unfolded position by utilizing the pressing force already applied by the user during normal operation. The mechanical geometry converts the downward pressing motion into the rotational movement needed to reset the plates, eliminating the need for separate spinning or manual resetting actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The design integrates the plate return function into the existing pressing operation, allowing the user to perform both the pressing and the plate resetting in a single continuous motion, thereby maximizing the efficiency of each operational cycle.
4Device complexity
If manual movement is used to return plates to unfolded position, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier mechanism automatically resets the plates to the unfolded position using the force generated during the pressing operation itself, eliminating the need for separate manual resetting actions and maintaining high cleaning productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate return function is integrated into the pressing operation, allowing the user to complete both pressing and plate resetting in one continuous motion, thereby maintaining a fast and efficient cleaning cycle without interruptions for manual plate adjustment.
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 design allows for efficient movement between folded and unfolded positions with reduced effort, enhancing cleaning efficiency and reducing user stress, while maintaining a mechanical advantage to facilitate fluid pressing and easy repositioning of the mop.
Implementation Method 1
one or more biasing members that bias the carrier plates to an intermediate position between the folded and unfolded positions
Implementation Method 2
The carrier plates can have a scissor-like arrangement with the tips of the carrier plates being on an opposite side of the centerline from that pivot axis of that carrier plate
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable flat mop is provided that has a pair of carrier plates, which define an unfolded position, a folded position with a minimum distance between the tips of the carrier plates, and a deflected position where the carrier plates are deflected towards one another to reduce the minimum distance between the tips. The foldable flat mop can include one or more biasing members that bias the carrier plates to an intermediate position between the folded and unfolded positions. The carrier plates can have a scissor-like arrangement with the tips of the carrier plates being on an opposite side of the centerline from that pivot axis of that carrier plate.