Floor cleaning machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor cleaning machines face challenges in efficiently distributing cleaning fluid and recovering dirt and fluid from surfaces, particularly in terms of hose management and configuration during different operating positions.
Innovation Solution
A floor cleaning machine design featuring a pivotable handle with a suction nozzle, a supply tank assembly, and a recovery tank, along with an expandable hose that changes configuration between upright and reclined positions, allowing the hose to wrap around the motor housing portion, facilitating efficient fluid distribution and dirt recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the handle is kept in a fixed position, then the hose routing is simple, but the machine cannot adapt to different cleaning positions and the hose becomes tangled
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is made pivotable relative to the body, allowing it to move between upright and reclined positions. This dynamic configuration enables the handle to adapt to different cleaning scenarios while the hose automatically routes around the motor housing portion, preventing tangling during position transitions
Solution Approach 2:
The hose is routed to wrap around the motor housing portion when the handle is in the reclined position. This nesting approach allows the hose to follow the contours of existing components, organizing the hose path within the machine's footprint and avoiding external tangling
2Ease of operation
If the hose is made long to reach from recovery tank to suction nozzle, then the hose reaches all components, but the hose becomes difficult to manage and store
Solution Approach 1:
The hose routing utilizes the three-dimensional space around the motor housing portion. By wrapping the hose around the motor housing when the handle is reclined, the design uses vertical and radial space rather than just linear extension, achieving component reachability without excessive hose length
Solution Approach 2:
The hose configuration is dynamic, adapting its path based on handle position. In the upright position, the hose follows a compact route; in the reclined position, it wraps around the motor housing. This dynamic routing maintains ease of operation across positions while minimizing hose management complexity
3Ease of operation
If the handle is pivotable between upright and reclined positions, then the machine is easier to store and transport, but the hose routing becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The hose is routed to nest around the motor housing portion when the handle is in the reclined storage position. This nesting approach allows the hose to follow the contours of existing components, organizing the hose path within the machine's footprint and minimizing external space requirements for storage
Solution Approach 2:
The hose routing is designed to dynamically adapt to handle position changes. The hose automatically transitions between compact configurations during pivoting, maintaining organization throughout the motion range and simplifying storage without requiring additional hose management mechanisms
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 and drying of surfaces by ensuring consistent fluid distribution and dirt collection, with the hose configuration adapting to different machine positions for ease of use and storage.
Implementation Method 1
The suction motor assembly is operable to draw fluid and dirt from the surface through the suction nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
A floor cleaning machine including a base including a suction nozzle and a distribution nozzle, a handle pivotably coupled to the base about a pivot axis, a supply tank assembly coupled to the handle, and a suction motor assembly in fluid communication with the suction nozzle. The floor cleaning machine further includes a recovery tank coupled to the handle in fluid communication with the suction motor assembly to receive and store fluid and dirt drawn through the suction nozzle and an expandable hose fluidly communicating the recovery tank and the suction nozzle. The hose is in an expanded configuration when the handle is pivoted to a substantially upright position and the hose is in a retracted configuration when the handle is pivoted about the pivot axis to a reclined position and the hose at least partially wraps around the pivot axis in the expanded and the retracted configurations.