Handheld vacuum cleaner, and vacuum cleaner comprising a handheld vacuum cleaner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Handheld vacuum cleaners face challenges in achieving high cleaning efficiency with low noise and energy consumption, as increasing fan power leads to increased noise and energy usage, while also requiring cost-efficient manufacturing and assembly.

Innovation Solution

A handheld vacuum cleaner design featuring a sound reducing section with a specific angle and configuration that attenuates noise, includes blades to counteract vortex flow, and a balanced weight distribution, allowing for higher fan power with reduced noise and energy consumption, and incorporates cost-efficient manufacturing features.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the power of the fan is increased to improve cleaning efficiency, then the cleaning efficiency is improved, but the noise generated by the vacuum cleaner increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidnoise
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A sound reducing section is introduced as an intermediary component between the fan and the external environment. This section includes a housing with a fan-facing end and an outer surface, where the outer surface is spaced apart from the housing to define a sound reducing cavity that attenuates noise while allowing the fan to operate at high power levels

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The noise generation is extracted and isolated from the main vacuum cleaner body by placing the fan within a dedicated sound reducing section. The fan is positioned such that it rotates within the housing, and the housing itself is positioned within the sound reducing cavity, effectively separating the noise source from the user

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If the power of the fan is increased to improve cleaning efficiency, then the cleaning efficiency is improved, but the energy consumption of the vacuum cleaner increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sound reducing cavity is designed with dynamic airflow characteristics where air flows between the housing and the outer surface of the sound reducing section. This dynamic air flow helps cool the fan and motor while maintaining the noise reduction function, allowing sustained high-power operation without excessive energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sound reducing section acts as an intermediary thermal management system, where the cavity space and air flow patterns provide passive cooling to the high-power fan and motor, reducing the need for additional active cooling systems that would consume extra energy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If a sound reducing section is added to reduce noise, then the noise is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovenoiseVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sound reducing section combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: noise reduction through the spaced cavity structure, thermal management through air flow paths between the housing and outer surface, and structural support for the fan assembly. This merging reduces the need for separate noise reduction and cooling systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sound reducing section is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously provides noise attenuation, air flow management for cooling, and structural housing for the fan assembly. The outer surface serves both as a noise reduction boundary and as part of the thermal management air flow path

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

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 design effectively reduces noise and energy consumption while maintaining high cleaning efficiency, providing a user-friendly and cost-efficient solution with a well-balanced and compact design.

Implementation Method 1

a sound reducing section (13) arranged downstream of the fan (7), wherein the sound reducing section (13) extends from the fan (7) in an extension direction (d), wherein an angle (a1) between the extension direction (d) and the fan axis (ax) is less than 45 degrees

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSound attenuation: Acoustic Absorption

Data Source

PatentEP3996563B1Handheld vacuum cleaner, and vacuum cleaner comprising a handheld vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 AB ELECTROLUX
  • EP3996563B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3996563B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3996563B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A handheld vacuum cleaner (1) is disclosed comprising an air inlet (3), an air outlet (5), a fan (7) configured to rotate around a fan axis (ax) to create an air flow through an air flow path (9) extending from the air inlet (3) to the air outlet (5), and a separation device (11) arranged in the air flow path (9). The separation device (11) is configured to separate dust from air flowing through the air flow path (9). The air flow path (9) comprises a sound reducing section (13) extending from the fan (7) in an extension direction (d), and wherein the angle (a1) between the extension direction (d) and the fan axis (ax) is less than 45 degrees. The present disclosure further relates to a vacuum cleaner (2) comprising a holder (49) for the handheld vacuum cleaner (1).