Magnetic-Coupled Fan Assembly for Wet Vacuum Cleaning Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dry vacuum cleaners are unable to distribute or recover fluids without risking damage to their motor and filtration systems, necessitating the use of separate equipment for surface cleaning tasks involving liquids.
Innovation Solution
A surface cleaning implement with a magnetic coupling between a motor and a fan, integrated with a suction nozzle, recovery tank, and fluid dispensing assembly, allowing for fluid distribution and recovery while preventing fluid from entering the vacuum cleaner's filtration system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional dry vacuum cleaner is used for fluid distribution and recovery, then cleaning versatility is improved, but the motor and filtration system are damaged by fluid intrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum cleaner system is segmented into separate fluid handling and air handling pathways. The fluid recovery tank and distribution system are separated from the motor and filtration system, allowing fluid operations without risking motor damage. This segmentation enables the vacuum cleaner to handle both dry and wet cleaning tasks reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid recovery tank serves as an intermediary between the suction nozzle and the motor/filtration system. This intermediary container captures and holds recovered fluid, preventing it from entering the air pathway that leads to the motor and filters, thus protecting these components while enabling fluid recovery functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wet pick-up tools are used to enable fluid recovery, then cleaning capability is improved, but fluid may enter the vacuum cleaner and cause damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary separation of fluid from air at the suction nozzle and recovery tank before any fluid can reach the vacuum cleaner's air pathway. By capturing fluid upfront in the recovery tank and establishing separate pathways, the system prevents the harmful effect of fluid damage before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow pathway is segmented into distinct fluid recovery and air filtration channels. This segmentation ensures that even if the recovery tank is overfilled or tilted, fluid cannot contaminate the air pathway leading to the motor and filters, eliminating the risk of damage while maintaining fluid recovery capability.
3Reliability
If separate equipment is used for fluid distribution and recovery, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges fluid distribution and recovery functionalities into a single vacuum cleaner device. By integrating a fluid recovery tank, fluid distribution system, and magnetic coupling mechanism into the existing vacuum cleaner platform, the system achieves multi-functionality without requiring separate equipment for dry and wet cleaning tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum cleaner is designed with universal functionality to handle both dry debris and fluid recovery through integrated components. The magnetic coupling fan and separate pathway design enable the single device to reliably perform multiple cleaning functions that previously required separate equipment.
4Reliability
If a magnetic coupling is used between motor and fan, then fluid separation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces direct mechanical coupling between the motor and fan with a magnetic coupling system. This substitution eliminates the need for physical shafts and seals that could allow fluid intrusion, providing reliable fluid-motor separation. While manufacturing complexity increases slightly, the design simplifies other aspects by eliminating mechanical seal requirements.
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
Enables the use of a single device for both fluid distribution and recovery, preventing damage to the vacuum cleaner and expanding its cleaning capabilities beyond dry surfaces, while maintaining separation of the fluid and air pathways to ensure effective operation.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic coupling between the fan and the motor
Implementation Method 2
The turbine can have an inlet opening in fluid communication with the atmosphere and an outlet opening connected to the suction opening for rotatably driving the turbine with suction from the vacuum hose
Data Source
AI summary
A surface cleaning implement has a suction nozzle, a fan in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, a suction-driven turbine motor for driving the fan and a magnetic coupling between the fan and the motor. The surface cleaning implement can be in the form of an accessory tool that has a housing with a suction opening adapted to be connected to a vacuum hose and mounting the suction nozzle, the fan and the motor and the housing mounts a recovery tank that is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle. The accessory tool can further comprise a fluid dispensing assembly for storing and distributing fluid to the surface to the cleaned. The fluid dispensing assembly can comprise a turbine-driven fluid pump.