Surface maintenance machine with removable storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surface maintenance machines are unable to access narrow areas and lack storage for tools and supplies, limiting their operational efficiency in performing maintenance tasks.
Innovation Solution
A removable storage cart is designed to be connected to surface maintenance machines, providing additional storage for tools and supplies and allowing operators to perform maintenance in areas inaccessible to the machine, with a coupling mechanism that ensures secure attachment and stability during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the surface maintenance machine is designed with a compact structure to access narrow areas, then it can enter confined spaces, but it lacks storage capacity for tools and supplies
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent components: a compact surface maintenance machine for cleaning operations and a separate removable storage cart for carrying tools and supplies. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the machine remains compact for accessing narrow areas while the storage cart provides adequate capacity when attached or used separately.
2Quantity of substance
If the surface maintenance machine is designed with integrated storage, then it can carry tools and supplies, but it cannot enter narrow aisles or doorways
Solution Approach 1:
The storage cart is designed with dynamic attachment and detachment capabilities through the coupling mechanism. It can be attached to the surface maintenance machine when storage capacity is needed and detached when the machine needs to access narrow areas, providing dynamic adaptability to different operational requirements.
3Quantity of substance
If a removable storage cart is added to the surface maintenance machine, then storage capacity increases, but the coupling mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A coupling mechanism acts as an intermediary component between the surface maintenance machine and the storage cart. This specialized coupling device simplifies the connection process while providing secure attachment, reducing the overall system complexity compared to integrating storage directly into the machine structure.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A coupling mechanism for removably coupling a storage cart to a surface maintenance machine includes a cart-side connector connectable to the storage cart and a machine-side connector connectable to the surface maintenance machine. The coupling mechanism includes a connecting rod engageable with the machine-side connector. The coupling mechanism includes a bracket assembly positioned between the cart-side connector and the machine-side connector. The bracket assembly can receive the connecting rod to engage therewith to facilitate a first relative movement between the connecting rod and a portion of the bracket assembly in a direction perpendicular to a floor surface on which the surface maintenance machine is traveling, and a pivoting of the bracket assembly about a pivot axis passing through the connecting rod.