Sealed Pick-Up Head With Rotatable Door For Sweeper Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pick-up heads for sidewalk and factory floor sweepers lose suction power when larger debris enters, as the air flow is disrupted, leaving dust and small debris on the surface due to the design of the front opening which allows air ingress and reduces the effectiveness of dust and small debris pickup.
Innovation Solution
A sealed pick-up head with a rotatable door mechanism and sealing means that allows larger debris to enter while maintaining air seal, ensuring continuous suction of dust and small debris by using a hydraulic motor to rotate the door and pliable rubber strips for sealing, and a 'V'-shaped front wall to direct debris into the opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the front opening is opened to permit larger debris to egress into the pick-up head, then larger debris can be collected, but a significant amount of air is suctioned through the front opening which greatly reduces the suctioning power for dust and small debris
Solution Approach 1:
The door is divided into a first door portion and a second door portion joined at a central pivot axis, allowing selective opening to admit debris while maintaining sealing. The segmentation of the door structure enables controlled access for larger debris without compromising the overall seal integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing means is introduced as an intermediary element between the rotatable door means and the door frame. This sealing means substantially precludes air from ingressing into the hollow interior through the suctioning front opening while still permitting debris to enter, thus mediating between the need for debris access and the need to maintain suction power.
2Power
If the bottom edge of the pick-up head is positioned very close to the surface being cleaned, then dust and small debris can be effectively suctioned, but larger debris cannot pass under it
Solution Approach 1:
The door is made rotatable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically open when larger debris needs to enter and close when not needed. This dynamic mechanism enables the system to adapt between collecting only dust/small debris and also accepting larger debris based on operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pick-up head system is segmented into multiple entry paths: the bottom opening for dust and small debris, and the front opening with the rotatable door for larger debris. This segmentation allows each opening to be optimized for its specific function while working together to handle various debris sizes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a door is mounted at the front opening to control debris entry, then larger debris can be admitted selectively, but air flow is disrupted when the door opens
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing means acts as an intermediary that maintains air flow stability even when the door is open for debris admission. It substantially precludes air from ingressing through the front opening while permitting debris passage, thus preserving the reliability of air flow for dust suction.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing means appears to use flexible sealing elements that can accommodate the movement of the rotatable door while maintaining the seal. This flexible sealing approach allows the door to rotate for debris admission while the sealing elements maintain contact to prevent air ingress.
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 maintains full suction power even when larger debris is picked up, ensuring that dust and small debris are effectively collected without reducing airflow, improving the cleaning efficiency of sidewalk and factory floor sweepers.
Implementation Method 1
dust and small debris are initially passed over by the front of the pick-up head and are suctioned into the pick-up head through its bottom opening
Implementation Method 2
A sealing means is operatively disposed between the rotatable door means and the door frame for sealing the rotatable door means with respect to the door frame, to thereby substantially preclude air from ingressing into the substantially hollow interior of the housing
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A sealed pick-up head for a mobile sweeper comprises a housing defining a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening, A suctioning from opening is for receiving debris into the substantially hollow interior of the housing. A door frame surrounds the suctioning front opening. A rotatable door has at least a first door portion and a second door portion joined together at a central pivot axis, and is operatively mounted at the central pivot axis in rotatable relation on the pick-up head at the suctioning front opening. A seal is operatively disposed between the rotatable door and the door frame for sealing the rotatable door with respect to the door frame, to thereby substantially preclude air from ingressing into the substantially hollow interior of the housing through the suctioning front opening, as the rotatable door rotates to permit debris to enter the substantially hollow interior of the housing. A dust and debris outlet in the housing permits dust and debris to be suctioned from the substantially hollow interior of the housing into a hopper.