Separable Telescopic Tube Design for Compact Vacuum Cleaner Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Telescopic extensions for electric household appliances, such as vacuum cleaners, often have dimensions that make storage and packaging challenging due to their minimum configuration being larger than the appliance, especially when curved sections are involved, requiring excessive space for storage and inefficient packaging.

Innovation Solution

A telescopic tube arrangement with a longitudinally grooved inner tube and an outer tube that can be separated using a sleeve, fastening device, slider, elastic means, and actuating device, along with a retaining member to prevent accidental separation, allowing for adjustable length and reversible connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the telescopic extension is designed with curved sections to improve handling and maneuverability, then the usability is improved, but the minimum dimension of the telescopic extension increases, making packaging and storage more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling and maneuverabilityVSAvoidminimum dimension of telescopic extension
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The telescopic extension is divided into separable components (inner tube and outer tube) that can be detached from each other. This segmentation allows the curved outer tube to be stored separately or reconfigured, reducing the minimum storage dimension while maintaining the curved design for operational usability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Volume of stationary object

If the telescopic extension is designed to be completely retracted (inner tube inside outer tube) to minimize storage space, then the storage efficiency is improved, but the connection reliability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage space requirementVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A retaining member is provided that automatically engages when the inner tube is retracted into the outer tube, preventing accidental separation. This preliminary action ensures the connection remains reliable during storage and transport, allowing the telescopic extension to be fully retracted for compact storage without compromising connection integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Enables more compact storage and packaging by allowing the inner and outer tubes to be separated, reducing storage space requirements and improving usability by allowing the telescopic extension to be adjusted and easily reconnected.

Implementation Method 1

a slider and elastic means, wherein the slider cooperates with the fastening device under the action of the elastic means

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4201287B1Tube arrangement and telescopic extension for an electric household appliance comprising such a tube arrangement
Publication Date: 2024.06.26 OMEC SPA
  • EP4201287B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4201287B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4201287B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A tube arrangement is described, said arrangement comprising: an inner tube and an outer tube telescopically slidable relative to each other; wherein the inner tube comprises, on an outer surface thereof, a longitudinal groove and a plurality of deformations having a predetermined shape; a sleeve fitted into the outer tube, at one of its ends; a fastening device configured to prevent sliding of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube, when said fastening device is at least partially engaged in one of said deformations; a slider and elastic means, wherein the slider cooperates with the fastening device under the action of the elastic means; and an actuating device operatively connected to the slider; wherein the longitudinal groove forms, at one end of the inner tube, a slide inclined towards the longitudinal axis of the inner tube for separating the inner tube from the outer tube.