Single-Squeegee Vacuum Nozzle for Uniform Forward-Backward Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum cleaning devices struggle with achieving uniform cleaning performance independent of movement direction, often leaving floors wet during backward strokes and risking scratches due to bulky double squeegee arrangements, which are also inefficient for coarse dirt and difficult to clean.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle arrangement featuring a rotating brush with flexible microfiber elements and a single squeegee element made of synthetic material with specific hardness and force-displacement behavior, allowing for uniform wetness and effective dirt and liquid removal in both forward and backward strokes, while being resistant to abrasion and chemicals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a double squeegee arrangement is used on both sides of the brush, then cleaning performance in forward and backward strokes is improved, but the nozzle becomes bulky and loses liberty of action
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts one squeegee element from the double squeegee arrangement, using only a single squeegee positioned at the rear of the brush. This reduces the nozzle size and improves liberty of action while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through the synergistic interaction between the brush and squeegee.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by positioning the squeegee at the rear of the brush rather than in front or on both sides. This rear-positioned squeegee works in conjunction with the brush to achieve uniform cleaning in both forward and backward strokes without requiring a bulky double squeegee configuration.
2Productivity
If double squeegee arrangements are used on each side of the brush, then cleaning results are improved, but the risk of inducing scratches on the floor is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes one squeegee element from the double squeegee arrangement, retaining only a single rear-positioned squeegee. This reduction in the number of squeegees in contact with the floor decreases the cumulative scratch load while preserving cleaning effectiveness through optimized brush-squeegee interaction.
3Device complexity
If a single squeegee element is used, then the nozzle design is simplified and liberty of action is improved, but uniform cleaning performance in both forward and backward strokes may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotatable brush that can change its effective position relative to the squeegee depending on the direction of movement. During forward strokes, the brush is positioned in front of the squeegee, while during backward strokes, the brush effectively moves to the rear, creating a dynamic configuration that ensures uniform cleaning performance in both directions with a single squeegee.
Solution Approach 2:
The brush and squeegee are arranged to work synergistically, where the brush performs the primary cleaning action and the squeegee follows up to remove remaining liquid and dirt. This self-service arrangement between the two elements compensates for having only a single squeegee, maintaining uniform cleaning performance without requiring a complex double squeegee system.
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 ensures consistent cleaning performance, reduces the risk of scratches, and effectively handles coarse dirt, maintaining high cleaning efficiency and user convenience with a compact design.
Implementation Method 1
An under-pressure, usually generated by a vacuum aggregate, is used to ingest the collected dirt particles and liquid
Implementation Method 2
a brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14), said brush being provided with flexible brush elements (16) having tip portions (18) for contacting a surface (20) to be cleaned and for picking up dirt particles (22) and liquid particles (24) from the surface (20) to be cleaned (20) during the rotation of the brush (12)
Implementation Method 3
a single squeegee element (32) for wiping dirt particles (22) and liquid particles (24) across or off the surface (20) to be cleaned (20) by contacting the surface (20) with a free end (33) of the squeegee element (32)
Data Source
AI summary
Nozzle arrangement (10) of a vacuum cleaning device (100) for cleaning a surface (20), comprising: —a nozzle housing (28); —a brush (12) rotatable about a brush axis (14), said brush (12) being provided with flexible microfiber brush elements (16) having tip portions (18) for contacting the surface to be cleaned (20) and picking up dirt and liquid particles (22, 24) from the surface to be cleaned (20) during the rotation of the brush (12); —a drive means for rotating the brush (12); —a single squeegee element (32) for wiping dirt and liquid particles (22, 24) across or off the surface to be cleaned (20) by contacting said surface (20) with its free end (33), wherein said squeegee element (32) extends along a longitudinal direction (48), which is arranged substantially parallel to the brush axis (14), and is attached with its fixed end (33) to the bottom side (30) of the nozzle housing (28) on a side of the brush (12) where the brush elements (16) enter the nozzle housing (28) during the rotation of the brush (12).