Rotatable Joint for Pool Cleaner Water Inlet Hose
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pool cleaners face challenges with the movement of the water inlet hose relative to the housing, which can lead to entanglement during operation, but this movement complicates the installation and removal of the hose.
Innovation Solution
A pool cleaner design featuring a joint and a flexible water inlet hose that can rotate freely relative to the housing during operation, but can be locked in place for easy installation and removal of the hose.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the water inlet hose is allowed to move relative to the housing to avoid entanglement, then the hose can rotate freely during operation, but the installation and removal of the hose becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The joint is designed to be dynamically changeable between two states: a rotatable configuration during operation that allows the hose to rotate freely and avoid entanglement, and a locked configuration during installation/removal that fixes the joint position. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by providing different functional states for different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint's rotational parameter is changed between two states: in the rotatable configuration, the joint allows free rotation (high rotational freedom); in the locked configuration, the joint's rotation is restricted (low rotational freedom). This parameter change enables the system to switch between ease of operation during use and ease of installation/removal when not in use.
2Ease of manufacture
If the water inlet hose is fixed relative to the housing to simplify installation and removal, then the hose can be easily installed and removed, but the hose may become entangled during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The joint transitions from a static fixed state to a dynamic rotatable state. During installation and removal, the joint is locked to provide ease of manufacture. During operation, the joint becomes rotatable to prevent hose entanglement, thus resolving the contradiction through dynamic state change.
3Productivity
If the joint is designed to rotate freely to prevent entanglement, then operational efficiency is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The joint mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through buoyancy forces. When the pool cleaner is in operation, the joint automatically rotates without requiring external actuation mechanisms. The buoyancy-driven automatic engagement and disengagement of locking features eliminates the need for complex motors, sensors, or control systems, thus maintaining low device complexity while achieving high operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The joint utilizes buoyancy (a hydraulic principle) to automatically control its rotational state. The buoyant force changes with the operational state of the pool cleaner, automatically transitioning the joint between locked and rotatable configurations without requiring complex mechanical or electronic control systems.
Data Source
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AI summary
A pool cleaner (1) is equipped with a joint (2) and a water inlet hose (3). In a rotatable or use configuration, the water inlet hose (3) is freely rotatable relative to a housing (11) to avoid entanglement. In a locked or non-use configuration, either the joint (2) or the water inlet hose (3) is fixed relative to the housing (11) to facilitate installation and/or removal of the water inlet hose (3) via rotation between the joint (2) and the water inlet hose(3).