Flexible Cleaning Brush for Complex Containers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bottle-cleaning brushes are inadequate for cleaning complexly designed containers, such as hookahs, due to their inability to effectively reach narrow openings and broad bottoms.

Innovation Solution

A cleaning brush with a unique design featuring a twisted wire structure, silicon sleeves for ergonomic handling and protection, and a flexible cleaning head with varying bristle lengths and hardness, allowing it to bend and clean hard-to-reach areas without applying excessive force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a conventional bottle-cleaning brush is used, then it can clean plain bottles, but it cannot effectively clean complexly designed containers like hookahs with narrow openings and broad bottoms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning capability for different container typesVSAvoidbrush structure simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The brush is divided into multiple functional segments: a flexible twisted wire body, a cleaning head with plate and bristles for broad surfaces, and varying bristle lengths for different cleaning zones. This segmentation allows each part to perform specific cleaning functions appropriate for different container geometries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The twisted wire body is designed to be flexible and bendable, allowing the brush to dynamically adapt its shape to fit narrow openings and complex container geometries. The plate in the cleaning head can also flex sideways, providing dynamic adjustment capability for reaching difficult-to-access areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the brush is made rigid to maintain structure, then it provides structural stability, but it cannot bend to reach hard-to-reach areas in complex containers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility to reach hard-to-reach areasVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The brush employs a flexible twisted wire construction that can bend and conform to narrow openings and complex geometries while maintaining sufficient structural integrity. The wire's flexibility allows it to reach hard-to-access areas without sacrificing the strength needed to perform effective cleaning action

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Area of moving object

If the cleaning head is made large to increase cleaning area, then it provides larger cleaning coverage, but it cannot insert into narrow sections of containers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning areaVSAvoidinsertion capability into narrow sections

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of moving objectVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The plate in the cleaning head is designed to flex sideways, allowing the cleaning head to compress and insert into narrow openings. Once inserted, the plate can expand to provide a large cleaning surface area for effective cleaning of broad bottoms and complex container geometries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12114767B2Cleaning brush

Publication Date: 2024.10.15 BALAGUER EMILY

AI summary

A cleaning brush for cleaning containers of complex design, wherein the cleaning brush can reach hard-to-reach areas of the container. The cleaning brush includes a twisted wire and a cleaning head coupled to the twisted wire. Portions of the twisted wire and the cleaning head have bristles. The cleaning head can flex sidewards relative to the twisted wire.