Floor cleaning apparatus and method of cleaning a floor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powered floor cleaning machines face challenges in efficiently picking up debris at the sides and front, leading to reduced maneuverability, increased energy consumption, dust generation, and streaking due to the need for manual pre-sweeping, which can be time-consuming and often neglected.
Innovation Solution
A floor cleaning apparatus equipped with a side sweeping system featuring a turntable and driven brushes that pivot laterally to collect debris near walls, and a front sweeping system with a segmented brush holder that swings away to trap debris, combined with a pick-up system using a suction hose and motor for efficient debris collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a side brush or presweeper is added to collect debris at the side and front, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the overall footprint of the machine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side sweeping system is designed with a pivoting connector that enables the turntable to pivot laterally in response to contact with walls or obstacles. This dynamic adjustment allows the brushes to maintain contact with the floor along walls while reducing the machine's effective footprint, enabling the system to adapt to wall contours and corners without requiring a permanently enlarged machine footprint.
2Productivity
If a side brush or presweeper is added to collect debris at the side and front, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting connector allows the turntable to automatically adjust its position in response to wall contact, enabling the brushes to maintain optimal cleaning contact without requiring high rotational speeds. This passive mechanical adaptation reduces the energy required to operate the side sweeping system compared to fixed high-speed brushes.
Solution Approach 2:
The side sweeping system uses the machine's own movement and wall contact to trigger the pivoting action, eliminating the need for additional sensors, actuators, or control systems. The system self-regulates its position based on physical interaction with the environment, reducing parasitic energy consumption from active control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If a side brush or presweeper is added to collect debris at the side and front, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the machine generates dust due to high rotational speed
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting connector enables the turntable to adapt its position dynamically, allowing the brushes to operate at lower rotational speeds while maintaining effective contact with the floor along walls. This reduces the centrifugal forces that typically cause dust generation from high-speed rotating brushes.
4Productivity
If a side brush or presweeper is added to collect debris at the side and front, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the cleaning system becomes more complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting connector serves multiple functions: it enables lateral pivoting of the turntable, maintains brush contact with the floor, and allows the system to adapt to wall contours. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each function, simplifying the overall system design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses passive mechanical elements that automatically respond to wall contact without requiring active control systems, sensors, or complex electronics. The pivoting connector and driven brushes work together through simple mechanical principles, reducing system complexity and cost.
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
Enhances cleaning efficiency by automatically collecting debris at the sides and front, reducing streaking, energy consumption, and manual effort, while maintaining effective reach and maneuverability.
Implementation Method 1
a suction motor, and a pick-up hose in communication with the collection bin
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for cleaning a floor includes a housing, chassis, wheels, motor, steering mechanism, cleaning assembly, optionally a squeegee assembly, and at least one of a side sweeping system, front sweeping system, and pick-up system. The side sweeping system includes a turntable with central axis, a drive wheel disposed in coaxial relationship with the turntable, a sweeper motive device in communication with the drive wheel, a plurality of brushes distributed radially around the drive wheel and adapted to be driven by rotation of the drive wheel, and a pivoting connector configured to enable the side sweeping system to pivot laterally in response to contact with a wall while at least one of the brushes maintains contact with the floor adjacent the wall while the apparatus is in operation, and the brushes move debris disposed on the floor adjacent the wall toward the front of the apparatus.