Steam Floor Mop Brush for Instant and Uniform Steam Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current steam floor mops are inconvenient and time-consuming due to the need for preheating water and uneven steam distribution, leading to incomplete cleaning and disinfecting, and lack of effective stain removal from smooth cleaning cloths.

Innovation Solution

A steam floor mop design featuring a manual water pump, steam generator, and fan-shaped floor brush with rib stripes and steam distributing grooves, allowing instant steam distribution and uniform cleaning without preheating, combined with a cleaning cloth with #-shaped grilles for effective stain removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If water is heated vaporized to generate steam for cleaning work, then high-temperature disinfecting and sterilizing effect is realized, but the process takes long time and is inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesteam temperatureVSAvoidpreheating time
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Water is pre-loaded into the water tank before use. When the trigger is pulled, the manual water pump immediately pumps the pre-loaded water into the steam generator, eliminating the need for preheating and allowing instant steam generation for cleaning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The water pumping function is extracted from an electric motor-driven system to a manual trigger-operated pump. This removes the complexity of electrical components and enables immediate water delivery to the steam generator when needed, reducing preparation time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If the cleaning surface is flat, then manufacturing is simple, but steam distribution is uneven and cleaning effectiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefloor brush manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsteam distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The floor brush cleaning surface is segmented into multiple regions with different heights (flat areas and raised rib stripes). This segmentation creates channels and cavities that distribute steam more evenly across the entire cleaning surface, preventing localized overheating or insufficient steaming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the floor brush have different structural characteristics (flat regions vs. raised rib stripes). The flat regions allow steam to contact the cleaning cloth directly, while the raised rib stripes create channels for steam flow, ensuring uniform steam distribution across all areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If the cleaning cloth is smooth, then it is easy to manufacture and comfortable, but stains cannot be cleaned easily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning cloth manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidstain removal effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning cloth is made with a porous or textured surface structure rather than a completely smooth surface. This porous structure increases surface area and creates capillary action that enhances absorption of stains and dirt from the floor, improving cleaning effectiveness while remaining manufacturable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 convenient, time-saving, and thorough high-temperature disinfecting and sterilizing with uniform steam distribution and improved stain removal.

Implementation Method 1

a manual water pump, the water tank, and a steam generator are provided; wherein the manual water pump, the water tank, the steam generator and the floor brush are connected by means of pipes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectManual pumping: Pump

Implementation Method 2

the water needs to be provided firstly to the steam generator by powering on the water pump additionally, and then is heated vaporized to generate steam for the cleaning work

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVaporization: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

heated vaporized to generate steam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 4

a plurality of rib stripes is extended from the center of the buffer area, a plurality of steam distributing grooves is formed between the rib stripes

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSteam distribution: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP1974647B1Steam floor brush
Publication Date: 2010.08.18 SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
  • EP1974647B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1974647B1 patent drawingFigure 3~7
  • EP1974647B1 patent drawingFigure 8

AI summary

A steam floor mop comprises: a handle; a body inside which a manual water pump, a water tank, and a steam generator are provided; and a floor brush connected slidably to the body. The manual water pump, the water tank the steam generator and the floor brush are connected by means of pipes. Said handle is connected directly to a piston rod in the manual water pump and serves to manipulate the operation of the manual water pump. Said floor brush is covered by a cleaning cloth.