Modular Surface-Cleaning Brush for Grooves and Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning methods for surfaces with grooves, joints, and pores, such as high-pressure and chemical cleaning, are inefficient, damaging the surfaces, require excessive water and chemicals, and are labor-intensive, while brushes with worn joint hairs lose effectiveness and require replacement for different surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A modular brush with adjustable hair lengths and types, allowing for different brush configurations using a base plate with first hairs for surface polishing and second hairs for groove cleaning, which can be extended or replaced, ensuring efficient cleaning without damaging the surfaces and reducing the need for multiple brushes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-pressure cleaning is used, then cleaning power is improved, but surfaces are damaged and grooves are not deep-cleaned
Solution Approach 1:
The brush is segmented into multiple functional zones with different hair types and lengths: first hairs for surface cleaning, second hairs for groove cleaning, third hairs for joint cleaning, and fourth hairs for pore cleaning. This segmentation allows each zone to address specific cleaning needs without requiring excessive pressure that would damage surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the brush have locally optimized properties: steel hairs for durable surfaces like cobblestones, softer hairs for delicate surfaces like natural stone, varying hair lengths for different depths (grooves, joints, pores), and different hair densities for different soiling levels. This local quality optimization enables effective cleaning without surface damage.
2Ease of operation
If joint hairs are made longer to clean grooves, then groove cleaning is improved, but joint hairs wear down to polishing hair length requiring brush replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The brush is divided into modular functional zones with different hair types. The second hairs (joint hairs) are segmented as a separate functional element from the first hairs (polishing hairs), allowing them to wear down independently without rendering the entire brush unusable.
Solution Approach 2:
When the second hairs (joint hairs) wear down, they can be discarded and replaced with new brush modules, while the first hairs (polishing hairs) and base plate are recovered and reused. This selective replacement extends the overall brush system longevity.
3Productivity
If different brushes are used for different surfaces, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but device complexity and inventory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The brush is designed as a universal multi-functional tool that can clean multiple surface types (cobblestones, natural stone, tiles, brick, external plaster, metal, wood) and multiple soiling levels through its modular design. Different brush modules with varying hair types and lengths can be attached to the same base plate, allowing one brush system to perform the functions of multiple specialized brushes.
Solution Approach 2:
The brush configuration is dynamic and adaptable. Users can change the brush modules attached to the base plate depending on the specific surface and soiling conditions, transforming a single static brush into a dynamic, multi-purpose cleaning system.
4Productivity
If high-pressure cleaning is used, then cleaning speed is improved, but water and chemical consumption increases and environmental harm occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-pressure mechanical cleaning system with a mechanical brush system that uses friction and abrasion from rotating brush hairs. This substitution eliminates the need for high-pressure water jets and chemical agents, significantly reducing water and chemical consumption while maintaining effective cleaning speed.
5Power
If high-pressure cleaning is used, then cleaning power is improved, but labor intensity and noise pollution increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-pressure cleaning mechanical system with a rotating brush mechanical system. The brush is driven by a motor to rotate and clean surfaces through friction and abrasion, eliminating the need for operators to manually handle high-pressure equipment, reducing labor intensity and associated noise pollution.
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 modular brush design allows for efficient cleaning of surfaces with varying grooves and joints, reducing water and chemical usage, minimizing surface damage, and enabling quick replacement of worn parts, thus improving cleaning efficiency and reducing labor time.
Implementation Method 1
at least one set of first hairs for cleaning or polishing the parts of the surface which extend between the grooves, joints, unevennesses and/or pores
Implementation Method 2
at least one set of second hairs for cleaning the grooves, joints, unevennesses and/or pores
Data Source
AI summary
A brush for a machine for the horizontal and/or vertical cleaning of surfaces which are provided with grooves, joints, unevennesses and/or pores is provided to move the brush in a plane which is substantially parallel to a surface. This brush is provided withat least one set of first hairs for cleaning or polishing the parts of the surface which extend between the grooves, joints, unevennesses and/or pores, andat least one set of second hairs for cleaning the grooves, joints, unevennesses and/or pores.The brush includes a base plate which is releasably attached to one or several brush parts, which are provided with one or several sets of second hairs. A machine for the horizontal and/or vertical cleaning of surfaces which are provided with grooves, joints, unevennesses and/or pores is provided with one or several of such brushes.