Floor Nozzle with Movable Pivot Axis for Stable Carpet Cleaning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floor nozzles for vacuum cleaners with two articulation axes for tilting movements are complex to assemble and often experience undesired tilting during backward movement, especially on high-pile carpet surfaces, which can compromise effective cleaning.

Innovation Solution

A floor nozzle design with a single pivot axis that moves between two horizontal working positions, adjusting its position to optimize alignment with the floor surface during both forward and backward movements, utilizing compressive and tensile forces to maintain stability and prevent tilting, and incorporating a flexible fluid connection to compensate for relative movements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a floor nozzle is designed with two articulation axes for tilting movements, then the nozzle body can be optimally aligned with the floor surface during forward movement, but the structural complexity and assembly difficulty increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment with floor surfaceVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts one of the two articulation axes from the design, retaining only a single pivot axis that connects the nozzle body to the carrier. This simplification eliminates the complexity of two articulated axes while maintaining the essential tilting functionality needed for optimal alignment during forward movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The single pivot axis is designed to be movable between two working positions rather than fixed. This dynamic characteristic allows the pivot axis to adapt its position based on operational requirements, enabling optimal alignment during both forward and backward movements without requiring a complex two-axis articulated structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If a floor nozzle is designed with two articulation axes, then tilting movements are controlled during forward movement, but undesired tilting occurs during backward movement on high-pile carpets

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetilting controlVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The movable pivot axis between two working positions dynamically adjusts based on the direction of movement and floor conditions. During backward movement on high-pile carpets, the pivot axis shifts to the second working position that prevents undesired tilting, thereby maintaining cleaning effectiveness without requiring a complex two-axis system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The position of the pivot axis is changed between two working positions depending on operational conditions. This parameter change allows the system to optimize tilting control for different movement directions and floor surfaces, preventing undesired tilting during backward movement while maintaining stability during forward movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the pivot axis is fixed in position, then the structure is simpler, but the nozzle body cannot maintain optimal alignment during both forward and backward movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidalignment optimization
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of a fixed pivot axis, the invention employs a movable pivot axis that can shift between two working positions. This dynamic feature enables the single-axis structure to achieve alignment optimization for both forward and backward movements, combining structural simplicity with operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The single movable pivot axis serves multiple functions: it enables optimal alignment during forward movement at one working position and prevents undesired tilting during backward movement at the second working position. This multi-functionality allows a simple single-axis structure to perform what would traditionally require a complex two-axis system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3042597B1Floor nozzle for a vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 WESSEL WERK
  • EP3042597B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3042597B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3042597B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

The invention relates to a floor nozzle for vacuum cleaners with a nozzle body (1) which has a base-side contact surface (2) with a suction mouth (3) and a suction channel (4) for diverting a stream of suction air flowing into the suction mouth, and with a carrier (5) . The carrier (5) has a connecting element (6) for a suction tube (7) and is connected to the nozzle body (1) so that it can pivot about a pivot axis (8). A fluid connection (9) is also provided between the connection element (6) and the suction channel (4). Compressive and tensile forces act alternately on the connecting element (6) when the floor nozzle is moved forwards and backwards over a floor surface by means of a suction pipe (7) connected to the connecting element (6). According to the invention, the pivot axis (8) can be moved between two horizontally spaced working positions (I, II), the pivot axis (8) in a first working position (I), which is set as a result of a compressive force acting on the connection element (4), having one has a smaller distance to the suction mouth (3) than in a second working position (II), which occurs as a result of a tensile force acting on the connection element (6).