Pivoting Sole Plate for Secure Floor Cleaning Sheet Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor cleaning devices with removably attachable sheets face challenges in effectively picking up large particles like cereal and chunks of mud, and the attachment mechanisms can be inconvenient, leading to issues such as snow-plowing of debris and dis-engagement of the sheet.
Innovation Solution
A surface cleaning device with a pivoting foot that accepts a removable sheet, featuring a sole plate that can pivot relative to a housing, allowing the sheet to attach to both the forward and rearward portions, and an optional beater bar for debris removal, which reduces snow-plowing and enhances cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a removable sheet is attached to the bottom of the device, then cleaning of hard surfaces is improved, but the sheet may dis-engage during use
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is divided into multiple independent grippers distributed across the sole plate, with each gripper providing individual retention points. This segmentation allows the sheet to be securely held at multiple locations simultaneously, preventing dis-engagement while maintaining easy attachment and removal capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the cleaning device uses a simple sole plate design, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but cleaning effectiveness on large particles is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The sole plate is designed to be movable relative to the housing, allowing it to pivot and adapt to different cleaning surfaces and angles. This dynamic capability enhances cleaning effectiveness on various floor types and particle sizes without requiring complex fixed structures, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving performance.
3Productivity
If the device uses powered beater bar with high rotational speed, then particle pickup is improved, but device weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The beater bar is designed to be manually operable by the user, eliminating the need for batteries, motors, or power systems. The user directly controls the rotational speed and force applied to the beater bar, achieving effective particle pickup without adding device weight or complexity from powered components.
4Productivity
If bristles are used on the beater bar, then hair and lint pickup is improved, but bristles separate and require higher rotational speed
Solution Approach 1:
The beater bar uses fins or blades instead of bristles, providing sufficient cleaning action for hair and lint without the separation problems of bristle designs. This partial substitution of bristles with alternative structures achieves the necessary cleaning effectiveness at lower rotational speeds, reducing the complexity and power requirements of the system.
Data Source
AI summary
An implement for a cleaning system. The system has a floor cleaning device, which can accept a cleaning sheet removably attachable to the device. The device has a foot which comprises a housing and a panel movable in relationship to each other. The sheet is removably attachable to the panel, without requiring attachment to the housing. This arrangement provides ergonomic benefit and ease of sheet replacement. The cleaning system may be used to clean hard surfaces, such as a floor.