Floor Cleaning Nozzle With Brush Airflow Restriction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices fail to effectively vacuum and mop floors simultaneously due to unwanted turbulent air blow from rotating brushes, which causes dirt and liquid particles to be blown away, and require large, costly vacuum aggregates to maintain under-pressure.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle arrangement with a single rotating brush equipped with flexible bristles, a squeegee element, and a combination of a deflector and restriction element to manage air flow, allowing for efficient ingestion of dirt and liquid particles while minimizing the size and cost of the vacuum aggregate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If two rotating brushes are used to pick up dirt and liquid from the floor, then cleaning performance is improved, but turbulent air blow is generated that blows particles away from the brushes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful turbulent air blow effect by using a single brush instead of two counter-rotating brushes. The deflector and restriction element further extract and control the air flow to prevent the blowing effect that would otherwise occur with dual rotating brushes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful air flow generated by brush rotation into a beneficial under-pressure effect. The deflector and restriction element work together to channel the air flow in a way that creates negative pressure, which actively sucks dirt and liquid particles toward the brush rather than blowing them away.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If deflectors are used to compensate for the blowing effect, then air flow is controlled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector serves multiple functions: it controls the air flow to prevent turbulent blow, creates under-pressure for particle ingestion, and works in conjunction with the restriction element to optimize the suction effect. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The restriction element is positioned within the nozzle housing structure, nested alongside the deflector and brush assembly. This integrated arrangement allows the restriction element to work in conjunction with the deflector without requiring separate external components, thereby minimizing overall device complexity.
3Productivity
If a large vacuum aggregate is used to maintain under-pressure, then particle ingestion is effective, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need for a large mechanical vacuum aggregate with a more compact solution. By using the deflector and restriction element to naturally generate and control under-pressure through air flow management, the system achieves effective particle ingestion without requiring a large, power-consuming vacuum motor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic principles to generate under-pressure through controlled air flow. The deflector and restriction element work together to create negative pressure zones that actively draw particles toward the brush, replacing the need for a large mechanical vacuum system with a more compact pneumatic solution.
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 solution enables effective simultaneous cleaning and drying of floors with a compact, cost-effective cleaning device that maintains under-pressure within the nozzle housing, preventing the blowing effect and ensuring efficient particle ingestion.
Implementation Method 1
flexible brush elements having tip portions for contacting the surface to be cleaned and picking up dirt and/or liquid particles from the surface during the rotation of the brush
Implementation Method 2
a deflector for contacting the brush and deflecting the brush elements during the rotation of the brush
Implementation Method 3
a restriction element for at least partly restricting air from getting sucked into the nozzle housing
Implementation Method 4
a vacuum aggregate for generating an under-pressure in a suction area between the nozzle housing and the brush
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a nozzle arrangement (10) for a cleaning device (100) for cleaning a surface, the nozzle arrangement comprising: —a brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14), the brush being provided with flexible brush elements (16) having tip portions (18) for contacting the surface to be cleaned (20) and picking up dirt and/or liquid particles (22, 24) from the surface (20) during the rotation of the brush (12), wherein the brush (12) is at least partly surrounded by a nozzle housing (28) and protrudes at least partly from a bottom side (30) of the nozzle housing (28), —a squeegee element (32) which is spaced apart from the brush (12) and attached to the bottom side (30) of the nozzle housing (28) on a first side (31) of the brush (12) where the brush elements (16) enter the nozzle housing (28) during the rotation of the brush (12), wherein the squeegee element (32) is configured for wiping dirt and/or liquid particles (22, 24) across or off the surface to be cleaned (20) during a movement of the cleaning device (100) —a deflector (150) for contacting the brush (12) and deflecting the brush elements (16) during the rotation of the brush (12), and —a restriction element (27) for at least partly restricting air from getting sucked into the nozzle housing (28) at a second side (29) of the brush (12) where the brush elements (16) leave the nozzle housing (28), wherein the restriction element (27) is, seen in a rotation direction (26) of the brush (12), arranged behind the deflector (25), such that the brush elements (16), during the rotation of the brush (12), contact the deflector (25) before passing the restriction element (27) and then leaving the nozzle housing (28) at the bottom side (30), and the restriction element (27) comprises a mechanically flexible element that is, due to its flexibility, configured to follow an outer surface of the brush (12) and to contact the tip portions (18) during the rotation of the brush (12).