Stowable Floor Cleaner Handle With Locking Fluid Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor cleaning machines with fluid distribution systems have handles that cannot be collapsed for shipping or stowage, limiting their portability and storage efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A surface cleaning apparatus with a pivotally mounted upright handle assembly that can be selectively extended and stowed, featuring a fluid delivery system with a fluid supply tank, distributor, and conduit, where the handle tube is axially slidable within the housing, allowing for locking in both positions, and a connector mechanism to control fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the handle tube is fixed in the extended position to maintain operational functionality, then the control of fluid flow is ensured, but the portability and storage efficiency deteriorate due to inability to collapse for shipping or stowage
Solution Approach 1:
The handle tube is designed to be dynamically adjustable between extended and retracted positions. The engagement lever and cam rib mechanism enable the handle tube to move axially within the upright housing, allowing the user to extend the handle for operation and retract it for compact storage, thus resolving the contradiction between operational functionality and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle tube can be nested within the upright housing when retracted. The engagement lever mechanism allows the handle tube to be pulled into the housing, creating a compact configuration for storage or shipping while maintaining the ability to extend for use, effectively reducing the overall volume of the device.
2Reliability
If the push rod is permanently connected to the fluid flow controller to ensure reliable fluid control, then the control reliability is improved, but the ability to collapse the handle for storage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the push rod and fluid flow controller is made dynamic rather than permanent. The engagement lever mechanism allows the push rod to be connected to the fluid flow controller when the handle is extended for operation, and disconnected when the handle is retracted for storage. This dynamic connection maintains control reliability during use while enabling easy stowage.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid control system is segmented into separable components. The push rod can be disengaged from the fluid flow controller when not in use, allowing the handle assembly to be collapsed for storage. The engagement lever facilitates this segmentation by allowing the push rod to be connected or disconnected as needed, maintaining reliability during operation while enabling compact storage.
3Volume of moving object
If the handle assembly is designed to be collapsible for improved portability, then the storage efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the locking and control mechanisms deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-servicing through the engagement lever and cam rib interaction. When the handle tube is extended or retracted, the cam rib automatically engages or disengages the engagement lever, which in turn connects or disconnects the push rod from the fluid flow controller. This self-actuating mechanism reduces the need for additional locking components and simplifies the overall system while maintaining the collapsible functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surface cleaning apparatus comprising a base; an upright handle assembly pivotally mounted to the base and including an upright housing at a lower portion thereof, a handle tube extending upwardly from an upper end of the upright housing and a push rod that is axially slidable within the handle tube; wherein the handle tube is mounted for telescoping movement within upright housing between an extended position and a stowed position within the upright housing; a fluid delivery system including a fluid supply tank for holding a supply of a cleaning fluid; a fluid distributor for distributing the cleaning fluid from the fluid supply tank onto the surface to be cleaned; and a fluid conduit, including a fluid flow controller, between the fluid supply tank and the fluid distributor. A locking collar on the upright housing locks the handle tube in the extended and stowed positions.