Integrated Dustpan Assembly for Hose-Free Debris Pickup

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum cleaners often require users to extend effort to connect hoses and hold the device to pick up debris, limiting convenience and efficiency, especially when dealing with minimal debris or larger items.

Innovation Solution

An integrated dust pan assembly with a removable debris pickup port allows users to collect debris without removing the hose from storage and frees their hands to direct additional debris, enabling efficient collection without the need to hold the vacuum.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If users connect the vacuum hose to pick up debris, then debris collection capability is improved, but operation complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedebris collection capabilityVSAvoidoperation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dust pan assembly is merged with the vacuum cleaner body to form an integrated unit. The dust pan can be directly attached to the collection drum, allowing users to sweep debris directly into the vacuum without needing to connect the hose separately. This combining of functions resolves the contradiction by enabling debris collection through a single integrated structure rather than requiring separate hose connection operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The vacuum cleaner is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating both the dust pan assembly and the collection drum into a single device. The dust pan serves dual purposes: it can be used as a separate sweeping tool or attached to the vacuum body for direct debris collection. This universal design allows the device to handle various debris collection scenarios without requiring additional equipment or complex operational steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the dust pan assembly is integrated with the collection drum, then device versatility is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice versatilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dust pan assembly is designed to nest within or attach to the collection drum structure. The dust pan can be positioned inside the collection drum housing or attached to its exterior, utilizing the existing structural space. This nesting approach increases device versatility by integrating multiple functions without significantly increasing overall device complexity, as the dust pan shares the structural framework of the collection drum.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS9282861B2Wet/dry vacuum cleaner with built-in dustpan accessory

Publication Date: 2016.03.15 EMERSON ELECTRIC CO

AI summary

Described is a vacuum cleaner, such as a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, having an improved vacuum hose storage assembly and dust pan assembly for use with a vacuum cleaner having a debris collection drum. The integrated pickup port in the dust pan can be formed by the shape of the product its used on or become a separate piece such as used in this design. The advantage of having the design integrated in the vacuum allows the user to pick up debris either collected by a broom or by other means into the collection chamber of the vacuum without having to remove the hose from the storage position and without having to hold the product while in use; freeing the users hands to control the broom or other device to direct additional debris to the vacuum for collection.