Spring-Clamped Debris Receptacle for Accurate Edge Sweeping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for collecting debris from work surfaces, such as countertops or tables, are inefficient and prone to debris falling to the floor due to the need to hold a waste container while sweeping, leading to inaccuracies and additional cleaning requirements.
Innovation Solution
A removably affixed debris receptacle with clamp arms and helical springs that attaches to the edge of a work surface, allowing debris to be swept into it without being held, and can be easily detached for emptying into larger containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a waste container is held in one hand while sweeping debris with the other hand, then debris can be collected, but the operation becomes awkward and debris may fall to the floor
Solution Approach 1:
The device separates the waste container into two functional parts: a stationary base that remains on the work surface and a movable receptacle that can be positioned for sweeping. This segmentation allows the base to provide stable support while the receptacle can be easily maneuvered into position, eliminating the need to hold the entire container and improving both ease of operation and debris collection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The dust pan acts as an intermediary tool between the work surface and the waste container. It receives debris from the work surface and transfers it to the receptacle, providing a controlled transfer mechanism that prevents debris from falling to the floor while maintaining ease of operation.
2Reliability
If a dust pan is placed under the edge of the work surface to receive debris, then some debris can be caught, but at least some debris overshoots the dust pan and falls to the floor
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be dynamically positioned along the edge of the work surface. This dynamic positioning capability enables the receptacle to adapt to different sweeping positions and catch debris that would otherwise overshoot a fixed dust pan, improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation through simple sliding or sliding-and-rotating mechanisms.
3Reliability
If a waste container is affixed to the edge of a work surface to receive debris, then debris collection accuracy improves, but the container must be permanently fixed which complicates emptying
Solution Approach 1:
The waste container is segmented into a stationary base that remains affixed to the work surface edge and a separable receptacle that can be removed. This segmentation allows the base to provide stable, reliable debris collection while the removable receptacle enables easy emptying into larger waste containers, resolving the contradiction between fixed attachment and ease of emptying.
Solution Approach 2:
The receptacle is designed to be easily removed and emptied into larger waste containers, then returned to its position on the work surface edge. This cycle of discarding debris into the receptacle, emptying it into larger containers, and recovering the receptacle for reuse maintains high debris collection accuracy while enabling convenient emptying operations.
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 effectively collects debris with minimal loss to the floor, allowing for efficient cleaning and easy emptying of the receptacle, freeing both hands for other tasks and improving cleaning accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
helical springs that affix to the edge of a work surface
Implementation Method 2
how the clamp arms on each side of the debris receptacle are pivotally attached to a receptacle portion by two pivot pins that capture helical springs used to bias the clamp arms toward lips extending outward from the lower sides of the receptacle portion
Data Source
AI summary
A debris receptacle is removably attachable to an edge or lip of a work surface. A receptacle portion of the device has vertically extending sides and defines a volume for receiving debris swept from the work surface. Panels with clamp arms that are configured to extend over a work surface are pivotally attached with pivot pins to each side of the receptacle portion. The pivot pins also secure helically coiled springs disposed in cavities formed within the sides. The springs provide a biasing force that urges the clamp arms toward clamp surfaces at each side of the receptacle portion, gripping an edge of a work surface. The debris receptacle is thus mounted to receive debris swept from the work surface.