Portable hard-surface-cleaning appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of portable hard surface cleaning devices is associated with significant costs due to the high dimensional accuracy requirements of the dirty liquid tank, which complicates the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
The device features two holding elements that secure the upper tank section of the dirty liquid tank, reducing the need for precise dimensional accuracy and allowing for cost-effective production through injection molding, with the tank receiving compartment being a one-piece or multi-piece plastic molded part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the dirty liquid tank is secured using support element and retaining elements as described in prior art, then the tank can be detachably held in the tank compartment, but the requirements for dimensional accuracy of the tank become very high, resulting in considerable manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is divided into an upper tank section and a lower tank section. The upper tank section is detachably connectable to the lower tank section, allowing the tank to be assembled in two separate manufacturing steps. This segmentation enables the retaining elements to engage with the upper tank section independently, reducing the need for high overall dimensional accuracy of the complete tank assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper tank section acts as an intermediary component between the retaining elements and the lower tank section. The retaining elements engage with the upper tank section, which then connects to the lower tank section. This intermediary structure allows the retaining elements to provide secure holding without requiring the entire tank to meet stringent dimensional accuracy requirements.
2Reliability
If the tank is designed as a single-piece molded part with high dimensional accuracy, then the tank can be securely held, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is segmented into upper and lower sections that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This allows each section to be molded with more relaxed tolerances, reducing manufacturing costs while still achieving reliable securing through the retaining elements engaging with the upper section.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the upper and lower tank sections is designed to be detachable, allowing for dynamic assembly and disassembly. This dynamic design enables easier manufacturing and repair, reducing overall production costs while maintaining secure holding during operation through the retaining element engagement.
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
This configuration simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces costs by allowing for easier assembly and disassembly of the dirty liquid tank, while maintaining the necessary dimensional requirements for the tank's upper section.
Implementation Method 1
a suction unit which is in flow communication with the suction nozzle for suctioning a liquid-air mixture from the suction opening
Implementation Method 2
a separation chamber which is positioned in the flow path between the suction nozzle and the suction unit and in which a separation device is arranged for separating liquid from the liquid-air mixture
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A portable hard-surface-cleaning appliance (10) for scraping off and sucking up liquid from a hard surface, in particular from a window pane, comprises: a suction nozzle (126) having a suction opening (130), on which at least one scraping lip (132, 134) is arranged; a suction assembly (14), which is flow-connected to the suction nozzle (126) to suck up a liquid-air mixture from the suction opening (130); a separation chamber (118), which is arranged in the flow path between the suction nozzle (126) and the suction assembly (14) and in which a separation device (120, 122) is arranged to separate liquid out of the liquid-air mixture; and a tank-receiving compartment (30), in which a dirty liquid tank (60) is held in a detachable manner to receive the liquid separated out in the separation chamber (118), the tank-receiving compartment (30) having at least one supporting element (40) and at least one retaining element, and the at least one supporting element (40) reaching under a lower tank section (88) of the dirty liquid tank (60) and the at least one retaining element being detachably connectible to an upper tank section (82) of the dirty liquid tank (60). In order to develop the portable hard-surface-cleaning appliance (10) in such a manner that it can be produced more cheaply, according to the invention said appliance has two retaining elements (90, 92), which receive the upper tank section (82) of the dirty liquid tank (60) between them.