Nested Supply Tank Assembly for Separate Cleaner Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Extractor cleaning machines often require separate tanks for water and detergent to be removed for refilling, which is inconvenient and can lead to fluid mixing issues, as existing designs lack a secure and accessible method for filling and separating cleaning fluids.
Innovation Solution
A supply tank assembly with a tank-in-tank design where a rigid first tank stores one cleaning fluid and a second tank, partially defined by the interior sidewall, stores another, with separate inlets and outlets that allow for fluid communication and distribution without mixing until needed, and can be filled without removing the assembly from the machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate tanks for water and detergent are used, then fluid separation is maintained, but the tanks must be removed for refilling which is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a tank-in-tank configuration where the second tank (detergent) is positioned inside the first tank (water). The second tank is defined by an interior sidewall that is spaced apart from the exterior sidewall of the first tank, creating a nested arrangement. This nesting allows both tanks to remain installed in the machine during refilling operations, eliminating the need to remove tanks while maintaining fluid separation through the physical barrier of the tank walls and spacing.
2Ease of operation
If tanks are removed for refilling, then access to fill openings is achieved, but fluid mixing issues may occur and operation is inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service refilling by providing fill openings that are accessible from the exterior of the machine without requiring tank removal. The first fill opening communicates with the first tank through the exterior sidewall, and the second fill opening communicates with the second tank through the interior sidewall. This allows users to refill both tanks independently while they remain installed, preventing fluid mixing and maintaining operational convenience.
3Device complexity
If a single tank assembly is used, then the structure is simplified, but separate cleaning fluids cannot be stored without mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction between structural simplicity and fluid separation by implementing a nested tank configuration. The second tank is positioned inside the first tank with its interior sidewall spaced apart from the exterior sidewall of the first tank. This nested arrangement maintains a unified external structure while creating distinct internal compartments for different cleaning fluids, preventing mixing through the physical separation provided by the tank walls and spacing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the single tank assembly into two distinct functional compartments - the first tank for water-based cleaning fluid and the second tank for detergent - while maintaining a unified external structure. The segmentation is achieved through the interior sidewall of the second tank that is spaced from the exterior sidewall of the first tank, creating separate storage zones that prevent fluid mixing while preserving structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An extractor cleaning machine includes a supply tank assembly having a first tank and a second tank. The first tank is in fluid communication with a distributor. The first tank has a rigid body defining a first storage chamber for storing a first cleaning fluid and supplying the first cleaning fluid to the distributor. The second tank is positioned within the first storage chamber of the first tank in fluid communication with the distributor. The second tank has a rigid body defining a second storage chamber for receiving a second cleaning fluid and supplying the second cleaning fluid to the distributor. At least a portion of the rigid body of the second tank defines a boundary of the first storage chamber to separate the first cleaning fluid and the second cleaning fluid.