Squeegee Blade with T-Shaped Flexible Extension for Angle Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional squeegees experience inefficiency and blade instability due to non-uniform pressure distribution, leading to shaking and reduced control during water collection, as the angle of the blade with the floor changes, requiring increased pressure and resulting in a smaller contact area.
Innovation Solution
A squeegee with an elongated blade featuring a T-shaped extension, comprising a rigid flange and a flexible leg, allows for non-aligned orientation with the handle, maintaining a preferred angle of 40-45 degrees with the floor, reducing pressure requirements and maintaining blade straightness through flexible leg bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the user pulls the squeegee closer to the body, then the water is collected closer to the user, but the angle of the squeegee with the floor increases to 65-90 degrees causing reduced efficiency and increased pressure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The squeegee blade is designed with non-uniform cross-sectional geometry along its length, creating varying flexibility zones that allow the blade to dynamically adjust its angle with the floor as it is pulled closer to the user. The varying moment of inertia along the blade length enables automatic angle compensation, maintaining optimal 40-65 degree angle even at close distances where conventional rigid blades would angle upward to 65-90 degrees.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade's physical parameters (cross-sectional dimensions, moment of inertia) are changed along its length to create zones of varying flexibility. This gradient in structural parameters allows the blade to bend at different rates along its length, automatically maintaining the optimal working angle range (40-65 degrees) regardless of the user's distance from the water being collected.
2Ease of operation
If the user exerts pressure on the squeegee to maintain the blade angle, then the blade contacts the floor at the optimal angle, but the non-uniform pressure distribution causes the blade to bend non-uniformly and shake
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the blade have different cross-sectional properties (varying moment of inertia) to create localized flexibility zones. The center section has different structural characteristics than the end sections, allowing each zone to bend appropriately under pressure without causing non-uniform deformation or shaking. This local quality variation ensures uniform angle distribution along the blade length.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade's cross-sectional geometry is asymmetrically varied along its length, with the moment of inertia changing from the center toward the ends. This asymmetric distribution of structural properties creates a gradient that compensates for the non-uniform pressure distribution during use, preventing the blade from bending non-uniformly and reducing vibration and shaking.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the squeegee blade is made rigid to maintain straightness, then the blade remains stable, but it cannot adapt to angle changes and requires excessive pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The blade transitions from a completely rigid structure to a dynamically adaptable one with controlled flexibility zones. The varying moment of inertia along the blade length creates regions that can bend while maintaining overall structural integrity. This dynamic design allows the blade to adapt its angle automatically as it is pulled closer to the user without requiring excessive pressure or sacrificing stability.
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
Facilitates efficient water collection and drying with minimal effort by maintaining a consistent optimal angle with the floor, reducing blade arching and pressure application, enhancing user control and blade durability.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible leg extending downward from the rigid flange and connected there-below to the rigid upper portion of the squeegee blade. Upon using the squeegee, a wiping force on the squeegee flexes the flexible leg and thereby produces a non-aligned state between the squeegee handle and the flexible wiper
Data Source
AI summary
A squeegee including an elongated squeegee blade having a substantially rigid upper portion and a lower flexible wiper portion. The squeegee further includes a generally T-shaped extension centered above and axially parallel with the squeegee blade. The T-shaped extension has a substantially rigid flange, operably connectable to the squeegee handle; and a flexible leg extending downward from the rigid flange and connected there-below to the rigid upper portion of the squeegee blade.