Mechanical Main Brush Drive for Wear-Adjustable Sweepers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydraulic sweepers require expensive components like multiple hydraulic pumps and motors, which increase manufacturing costs while maintaining efficiency, and existing mechanical sweepers lack flexibility in brush adjustment to maintain effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A sweeper with a mechanical transmission system using a single main wheel to drive a brush with a horizontal axis, featuring a three-axis transmission system allowing the brush to move in two orthogonal directions for wear compensation and efficiency maintenance, and an optional side brush driven by a hydraulic motor for enhanced dust collection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If hydraulic transmission is used to drive the brush, then the brush can be adjusted in two orthogonal directions to compensate for wear and maintain effectiveness, but the manufacturing cost increases due to expensive hydraulic pumps and motors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrush adjustment flexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the hydraulic transmission system with a mechanical transmission system. The brush is driven directly by the drive wheel through a mechanical transmission mechanism, eliminating the need for expensive hydraulic pumps and motors while maintaining the ability to adjust the brush in two orthogonal directions to compensate for wear

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the brush drive function with the drive wheel function. The drive wheel not only propels the sweeper but also directly drives the brush through mechanical transmission, integrating multiple functions into a single system and reducing the number of separate components needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If multiple hydraulic pumps and motors are used to maintain brush effectiveness, then the brush can be adjusted for wear compensation, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrush effectiveness maintenanceVSAvoidnumber of hydraulic components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive wheel and brush drive system are merged into a single integrated mechanism. The drive wheel directly transmits power to the brush through mechanical transmission, eliminating the need for separate hydraulic pumps and motors, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining brush effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The drive wheel serves multiple functions: it propels the sweeper forward and simultaneously drives the brush through mechanical transmission. This multi-functional design reduces the number of components needed while maintaining reliable brush operation

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 mechanical transmission system reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining efficiency by allowing brush adjustments to compensate for wear and improve dust collection, and the hydraulic side brush enhances dust collection capabilities without increasing costs.

Implementation Method 1

a single main wheel (210) for driving a brush (420) with a horizontal axis, when the sweeper is resting on flat ground

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

the brush being intended to send the dust into the collection container

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP2685004B1Sweeping machine whose main brush is driven by a mechanical transmission allowing adjustment of the brush
Publication Date: 2015.09.16 ETAB EMILY
  • EP2685004B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2685004B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2685004B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The machine (100) has a main wheel (210) for driving a brush (420) with a horizontal axis. A collection bin (430) collects the dust. The brush is adapted to send in the dust in to the collection bin, where the brush is connected with a shaft integral with a wheel through a mechanical transmission (T). The mechanical transmission comprises a free unit (470) for providing a freedom of movement of an axis of the brush along two mutually orthogonal directions to lower or raise a free edge of a front wall (432).