Filter unit for the intake fitting in the dirty water tank of a floor cleaning machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter units and float valves in floor cleaning machines are not reliably preventing foam and dirt from entering the suction turbine, and are often misassembled by users, leading to potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A filter unit with a sleeve-shaped base body, an annular float body, and a sleeve-shaped filter element that can be easily installed, featuring a fluid channel and a float valve mechanism to prevent dirty water and foam from reaching the suction turbine, with a compact structure that ensures the float body cannot be lost during cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a prior art filter unit and float valve are provided on the intake port, then dirt particles can be prevented from entering the suction turbine, but the filter unit and float valve are not reliably reinstalled by users and do not reliably prevent foam from entering the suction turbine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the filter unit and float valve into a single integrated assembly that is pre-correctly positioned before being installed on the intake port. This merging ensures that the float valve is always in the correct position relative to the filter element, eliminating installation errors by the user and reliably preventing both foam and dirt particles from entering the suction turbine.
Solution Approach 2:
The float valve is pre-positioned and integrated with the filter unit during manufacturing, so that when the user installs the filter unit on the intake port, the float valve is already in its correct operational position. This preliminary action eliminates the need for the user to perform complex positioning operations, ensuring correct installation while maintaining high reliability.
2Reliability
If a filter unit is provided on the intake port to prevent dirt particles from entering, then the suction turbine is protected from dirt, but the filter unit does not reliably prevent foam from entering the suction turbine
Solution Approach 1:
The filter unit is designed to perform multiple functions: filtering dirt particles and preventing foam entry. The float valve mechanism serves dual purposes by both indicating liquid level and physically blocking the intake port when foam or excessive liquid is detected, eliminating the need for separate foam prevention devices and reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If a float valve is provided on the intake port to close the intake port when liquid level reaches maximum level, then dirty water is prevented from entering the suction turbine, but the float valve does not reliably prevent foam from entering the suction turbine
Solution Approach 1:
The float valve is permanently integrated with the filter unit assembly during manufacturing, ensuring that the float valve maintains its correct positional relationship with the filter element. This integration eliminates the problem of incorrect positioning after cleaning, as the float valve cannot become misaligned when the filter unit is disassembled for maintenance.
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 filter unit effectively prevents dirty water and foam from entering the suction turbine, providing a reliable and easy-to-install solution that ensures the suction turbine is protected, with mechanisms to indicate when maintenance is needed, such as changes in current consumption or sensor signals.
Implementation Method 1
a substantially annular float body (77) which is arranged around the base body (39) and is displaceable along the base body between a closed position and an open position
Implementation Method 2
The filter element is formed at least partially from a filter material, allowing a fluid to pass through the filter material while particles contained in the fluid are deposited on the filter material
Data Source
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AI summary
A filter unit (37) for a suction nozzle (31) of a floor cleaning machine (1), in particular a suction nozzle (31) in the wastewater tank (5) of the floor cleaning machine (1), is shown and described, comprising a substantially sleeve-shaped base body (39) extending between a first end face (41) and a second end face (43) and having an inlet opening (45) at the first end face (41), a substantially ring-shaped float body (77) arranged around the base body (39) and displaceable along the base body (39) between a closed position and an open position, and a cover (57) arranged at the first end face (of the base body), wherein the cover (57) has at least one inlet opening (59) configured to be closed by the float body (77) when the latter is in the closed position, and to be open when the float body (77) is spaced away from the closed position.and wherein a fluid channel (61) is provided in the lid (57), which is configured so that a fluid can flow from the inlet opening (59) into the inlet opening (45), and a sleeve-shaped filter element (69) which is arranged around the base body (39) such that an annular space (79) is formed between the base body (39) and the filter element (69), in which the float body (77) is displaceably arranged between the closed position and the open position, wherein the filter element (69) is at least partially formed from a filter material (71) so that a fluid can pass through the filter material (71), while particles contained in the fluid are separated on the filter material (71).