Modular Adaptable Brush for Compact Shipping and Surface Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional large pool deck brushes incur significant shipping costs due to their size, which is undesirable in the digital age where goods are often purchased online and shipped directly to consumers, increasing distribution costs or decreasing consumer appeal.
Innovation Solution
A modular brush design that allows for removability and reconfiguration of its components, including a middle piece with connectors for attaching side and end pieces, enabling the brush to be disassembled for more efficient packaging and shipping, with interchangeable bristle sets for different surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the brush is made large to cover a relatively large area, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but shipping cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brush is divided into multiple separable components including a middle piece, end pieces, and interchangeable bristle sets. Each component can be packaged separately in a compact configuration, reducing shipping volume while maintaining the capability to assemble a large-area brush when needed for cleaning operations
2Ease of manufacture
If the brush size is reduced to lower shipping cost, then shipping cost decreases, but the ability to brush large areas is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The brush configuration is made dynamic and adaptable through interchangeable components. The middle piece can be paired with different end pieces and bristle sets depending on the cleaning task, allowing the brush to transition between compact storage mode and extended operational mode to achieve both low shipping cost and high cleaning efficiency when needed
3Adaptability or versatility
If the brush is made modular with multiple pieces, then adaptability for different surfaces is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The middle piece serves as a universal base component that can accommodate multiple types of end pieces and bristle sets. This universal interface design allows a single middle piece to support various cleaning applications on different surfaces, achieving high adaptability without requiring a separate complete brush for each function
Data Source
AI summary
A brush includes a middle piece having a left connector and a right connector, and a left piece including a left middle portion having a proximate end, a hinge end, and a connector coupled to the proximate end and configured to be removably coupled to the left connector of the middle piece. The left piece also includes and a left end portion having a distal end and a hinge end pivotably coupled to the hinge end of the left middle portion. The brush also includes a right piece including a right middle portion having a proximate end, a hinge end, and a connector coupled to the proximate end and configured to be removably coupled to the right connector of the middle piece. The right piece also includes a right end portion having a distal end and a hinge end pivotably coupled to the hinge end of the right middle portion.