Illuminated Steam Mop Tank for Visible Water Level
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in determining the liquid level in the reservoir of steam mops, as the position and opacity of the reservoir hinder visual assessment, and the cleaning pad's effectiveness in removing soil from surfaces is not always guaranteed.
Innovation Solution
A steam mop with an illuminated supply tank, featuring a light source to illuminate the liquid level in the reservoir and an auxiliary liquid supply tank, allowing users to easily see the liquid level and enhancing cleaning efficacy with visible light or UV illumination for sanitizing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the reservoir is positioned on the housing and has opaque walls, then the device structure is compact and simple, but the user cannot visually ascertain the liquid level within the reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a translucent or transparent material to the reservoir walls, allowing light to pass through and enabling visual detection of the liquid level. This material property change directly resolves the contradiction by making the previously opaque walls transparent, eliminating the information loss about liquid level while maintaining structural simplicity.
2Loss of information
If a light source is added to illuminate the reservoir, then the liquid level becomes visible, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes ambient light sources (such as room lighting or natural light) to illuminate the reservoir, eliminating the need for an integrated illumination system. The translucent reservoir material works passively with existing light in the environment, allowing the device to serve itself by leveraging the surrounding lighting conditions rather than requiring additional active components.
3Loss of information
If the cleaning pad is mounted beneath the foot assembly, then the cleaning mechanism is compact, but the pad is hidden from view and its effectiveness cannot be assessed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a translucent or transparent material for the foot assembly housing, allowing users to visually observe the cleaning pad mounted beneath it. This material transparency enables light transmission through the foot assembly, making the previously hidden cleaning pad visible for condition assessment while maintaining the compact mounting structure.
4Reliability
If UV illumination is added to the auxiliary liquid supply tank, then cleaning agents can be activated for enhanced sanitization, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a UV illumination system that activates cleaning agents in the auxiliary liquid supply tank before the cleaning process begins. By performing the chemical activation of cleaning agents in advance through UV exposure, the system ensures enhanced sanitization efficacy is ready when needed, rather than requiring continuous high-energy operation during the entire cleaning process.
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 illuminated supply tank enables users to accurately assess the liquid level, and the UV illumination in the auxiliary tank enhances cleaning performance by activating cleaning agents, ensuring effective surface cleaning and sanitization.
Implementation Method 1
a light source provided to illuminate the supply tank
Implementation Method 2
UV illumination in the auxiliary tank enhances cleaning performance by activating cleaning agents
Data Source
AI summary
A steam mop includes a housing comprising a foot assembly movable along a surface to be cleaned and a handle assembly coupled to the foot assembly, a supply tank for storing a supply of fluid, a steam generator fluidly coupled with the supply tank for producing steam from the fluid, and a light source selectively illuminating the supply tank.