Rinsing device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rinsing devices for cleaning tools, such as wet brooms, contaminate the cleaning liquid with dirt from the broom head, leading to degraded rinsing quality and extended cleaning times, as they use a single tank for both dirty and clean water, causing hygiene and cleaning efficiency issues.

Innovation Solution

A rinsing device with separate tanks for dirty and clean water, utilizing a mechanical, rotary pumping system with an Archimedes screw to pump clean water from a dedicated tank, ensuring the broom head is rinsed with clean water throughout the process, reducing water and detergent usage, and allowing for easier handling and use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single reservoir is used to rinse the cleaning device, then the device structure is simple, but the cleaning fluid becomes contaminated with dirt from the mop head, degrading rinsing quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereservoir structureVSAvoidrinsing quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The single reservoir is divided into two separate reservoirs: a first reservoir for collecting dirty water and a second reservoir for storing clean water. This segmentation prevents contamination of clean water by dirt from the mop head, maintaining rinsing quality while adding structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dirty water collection function is extracted from the clean water storage function. The first reservoir specifically collects dirty water discharged from the mop head, separating it from the clean water in the second reservoir, thereby preventing contamination and maintaining high rinsing quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the cleaning device is immersed in cleaning fluid for rinsing, then thorough rinsing is achieved, but water and detergent consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverinsing qualityVSAvoidwater and detergent usage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

A pumping device with an Archimedes screw is used to deliver clean water from the second reservoir to the mop head. This hydraulic system allows precise control of water flow, delivering only the necessary amount of water for effective rinsing without requiring complete immersion, thereby reducing water and detergent consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the mop head's own rotation during wringing to drive the pumping device via a transmission mechanism. This self-service approach powers the clean water delivery without external energy input, enabling controlled water application that reduces overall consumption while maintaining rinsing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If the user manually activates the rinsing device, then operation control is simple, but the user risks dropping the cleaning device or being splashed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice activationVSAvoiduser safety and hygiene
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rinsing device automatically activates itself using the mop head's rotation during wringing. The transmission mechanism converts the rotational motion into pumping action, eliminating the need for manual activation and associated safety risks while maintaining ease of operation through the existing wringing motion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A transmission mechanism acts as an intermediary between the mop head rotation and the pumping device activation. This intermediary converts the mechanical rotation into the appropriate motion for driving the Archimedes screw, enabling automatic operation without direct user intervention and reducing exposure to water and detergent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Maintains high cleanliness and quality of rinsing, reduces water and detergent consumption, and enhances user safety and hygiene by keeping the cleaning process clean and efficient, while also reducing the size and complexity of the device.

Implementation Method 1

a mechanical, rotary-type pumping device configured to pump clean water from the second reservoir to wet the cleaning device, the pumping device comprising an Archimedes screw

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectArchimedes screw: Archimedes Screw

Data Source

PatentEP3269286B2Rinsing device
Publication Date: 2025.02.12 SPONTEX
  • EP3269286B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3269286B2 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3269286B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Rinsing device for increasing the quality of rinsing of a cleaning device in order to facilitate and improve the cleanliness of surface cleaning, the rinsing device comprising a first reservoir (41) adapted to collect dirty water from the cleaning device, a second tank (42) designed to store clean water, and a mechanical pumping device (15, 50) configured to pump clean water from the second tank (42 ) to moisten the cleaning device.