Floor Cleaner Hood and Spray Layout for Hose Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art floor cleaning machines have an unattractive exterior design due to visible hoses, fixed hose connections limiting dome movement, intersecting spray patterns leading to inefficient liquid distribution, and non-adjustable, tool-requiring brush replacement.
Innovation Solution
A floor cleaning machine with a sleek housing design featuring a movable hood to conceal hoses, ball and socket connections for increased hose mobility, staggered spray tips to prevent pattern interference, and an oscillating brush assembly with tool-free brush replacement and adjustable height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a transparent dome is provided over the liquid recovery tank with fixed hose connections, then the hoses are securely connected, but the dome movement is limited and difficult to remove for tank emptying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ball and socket connections to replace fixed rigid hose connections, enabling dynamic movement of the dome while maintaining secure hose attachment. This allows the dome to be easily removed and repositioned for tank emptying while keeping the hoses reliably connected during normal operation.
2Quantity of substance
If two spray tips are positioned side by side with coplanar slit orifices, then the fan spray patterns intersect to cover the entire floor area, but larger droplets form in the intersection area causing disproportionate liquid application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the two spray tips at staggered locations with parallel but non-coplanar slit orifices, creating asymmetric spray pattern overlap. This asymmetric arrangement allows the fan spray patterns to cover the entire floor area while preventing concentrated droplet formation in any single intersection zone, ensuring uniform liquid distribution.
3Shape
If the hood is made movable to cover the hoses for aesthetic purposes, then the appearance is improved, but hose stress increases during hood movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs ball and socket connections at the hose attachment points, allowing the hoses to dynamically accommodate hood movement without excessive stress. The movable hood provides aesthetic coverage while the flexible ball and socket joints absorb movement stresses, preventing hose damage.
4Ease of operation
If the brush is fixed to the machine housing, then the structure is simple, but brush replacement requires tools and cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the brush assembly into separable components with a quick-release mechanism, allowing the brush to be easily removed and replaced without tools. The segmented design maintains structural simplicity while enabling user-friendly brush adjustment and replacement.
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 machine achieves a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, easier dome removal and replacement, efficient liquid distribution, and improved usability with reduced hose stress and adjustable brush positioning.
Implementation Method 1
The vacuum hose and liquid hose are each connected by a ball and socket connection to a wall of the machine housing
Implementation Method 2
The vacuum hose and liquid hose are each connected by pivoting connections to a transparent dome on the housing hood
Implementation Method 3
The floor cleaning machine has a pair of spray tips, each having a slit orifice that ejects a fan spray pattern of cleaning liquid
Implementation Method 4
The floor cleaning machine of the invention has an oscillating brush assembly that includes a brush
Data Source
AI summary
A floor cleaning machine has a housing and a movable hood that covers over vacuum and liquid hoses of the machine that are visible in prior art floor cleaning machines. The vacuum and liquid hoses are each pivotally connected to a wall of the machine housing and are also pivotally connected to a transparent dome provided on the hood. These connections reduce stresses on the hoses when the hood is moved and allow the dome to pivot relative to the hood. The floor cleaning machine also has a pair of slit orifices that eject fan spray patterns of cleaning liquid that are non-coplanar and do not intersect each other. Furthermore, the floor cleaning machine has an oscillating brush assembly that includes a brush that is replaceable without using tools. The brush height can be adjusted via an adjustment member provided on the oscillating portion of the assembly.