Swimming Pool Vacuum Cleaner Guide Fork Pivot Axis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand-guided swimming pool vacuum cleaners tip over during use, leading to reduced cleaning effectiveness and potential back-soiling when removing the device from the pool, as rigid guide rods do not adequately stabilize the housing.
Innovation Solution
A pivotably connected guide fork with a pivot axis positioned off-center relative to the vacuum cleaner's mass, ensuring the outlet opening and collection container remain at the lowest point, preventing back-soiling and stabilizing the device during movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid guide rod is used to connect the housing, then the housing is stabilized during operation, but the housing tips over when lifted or handled incorrectly causing back-soiling
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rod is replaced with a pivotable guide fork that can rotate relative to the housing about a pivot axis. This dynamic connection allows the guide fork to pivot when the vacuum cleaner is lifted or handled incorrectly, causing the outlet opening and collection container to tilt downward and prevent dirt from falling back into the pool, while maintaining stable guidance during normal operation on the pool floor.
2Device complexity
If a rigid guide rod is used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but cleaning effectiveness is reduced due to housing tipping
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable guide fork introduces a rotational degree of freedom that allows the housing to maintain optimal orientation during cleaning operations. The guide fork can pivot to accommodate movements and maintain contact with the pool floor, preventing tipping and ensuring consistent cleaning effectiveness without significantly increasing structural complexity.
3Reliability
If the pivot axis is positioned off-center relative to the center of mass, then gravity automatically positions the outlet opening at the lowest point, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot axis is positioned off-center relative to the center of mass of the vacuum cleaner, creating a gravitational counterbalance effect. When the vacuum cleaner is lifted or handled incorrectly, gravity causes the outlet opening and collection container to automatically tilt downward to the lowest point, preventing dirt from falling back into the pool. This passive gravitational mechanism eliminates the need for active control systems or complex locking mechanisms.
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 solution effectively prevents back-soiling and enhances cleaning efficiency by maintaining the outlet opening at the lowest point, ensuring dirt particles do not re-enter the pool and allowing for stable guidance along the pool floor.
Implementation Method 1
the housing—as soon as the swimming pool vacuum cleaner is raised with the guide rod—is pivoted by gravity in relation to the guide fork in such a way that the outlet opening together with the collection container comes to rest at the lowest point
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to swimming pool vacuum cleaners. In one example embodiment, the pool vacuum cleaner includes a main body having a housing with an impeller driven by an electric motor, an inlet opening in a bottom region of the housing, and an outlet opening on an outlet side of the housing. The vacuum cleaner further includes a collecting container receptacle that accommodates a collecting container arranged in the region of the outlet opening, a rod receptacle releasably connected to a guide rod arranged in the region of the outlet side, and a guide fork pivotably connected to the housing about a pivot axis. The rod receptacle arranged on the guide fork. The pivot axis is arranged at a distance from a center of mass of the main body, and the center of mass is arranged between the pivot axis and the outlet opening.