Suction foot assembly for a floor cleaning machine and floor cleaning machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional floor cleaning machines face difficulties in accessing and cleaning the suction channel between sealing lips due to its orientation parallel to the floor surface, requiring high force and multiple manipulations for tilting, which complicates maintenance and operation.
Innovation Solution
A squeegee assembly that can be easily pivoted from a working state to a cleaning state by changing the distance between pivot axes, allowing the sealing lips and suction channel to be accessed for cleaning, facilitated by a toggle mechanism and adjustable support arm, reducing the effort and steps required for pivoting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the squeegee base is mounted to tilt about a horizontal axis, then the suction channel becomes accessible for cleaning, but the tilting requires high expenditure of force and multiple manipulations
Solution Approach 1:
The support arm enables dynamic adjustment of the squeegee base angle through a toggle mechanism. The arm can be pivoted between a first position (working state with contact plane parallel to floor) and a second position (cleaning state with contact plane at angle to floor), allowing easy transition between operational modes without excessive force
Solution Approach 2:
The toggle mechanism transforms the tilting motion into a different dimensional space by using the pivot connection between arm sections. This creates a mechanical advantage that reduces the force needed to change the squeegee base angle from parallel to angled position
2Ease of operation
If the squeegee base is mounted to tilt about a horizontal axis, then the suction channel becomes accessible for cleaning, but multiple manipulations are required including releasing locks and folding
Solution Approach 1:
The toggle mechanism provides dynamic, reversible adjustment between working and cleaning states through simple pivoting of the support arm. This eliminates the need for multiple discrete manipulations such as releasing locks and folding, reducing the cleaning access process to a single smooth motion
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm is divided into first and second arm sections connected by a pivot connection. This segmentation allows independent movement of each section while maintaining the overall toggle mechanism functionality, enabling simplified transition between states without complex locking mechanisms
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 simple and efficient access to the suction channel for cleaning, reducing operational effort and equipment requirements, while maintaining alignment with the floor surface.
Implementation Method 1
the suction foot base (5) is connected to the second end (21) so that it can pivot about a first pivot axis (23)
Implementation Method 2
the support arm (45) sets a first distance (D1) between the third and fourth pivot axes (53, 55) in a working state
Data Source
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AI summary
Squeegee assembly for a floor cleaning machine, constructed to be moved over a floor surface to be cleaned, having a squeegee base from which front and rear sealing lips extend spaced apart from each other, the edges of the front and rear sealing lips remote from the squeegee base being in a plant level, and with a holding frame which has a first end and an opposite second end, the first end of the holding frame being designed to be attached to a machine frame of the floor cleaning machine, the second end of the holding frame having a swivel joint via which the squeegee base is pivotally connected to the second end about a first pivot axis, with a support arm, a first end of the support arm being pivotally connected to the first end of the support frame about a third pivot axis parallel to the first pivot axis, an opposite second end of the St The support arm is connected to the suction foot base so that it can swivel about a fourth swivel axis running parallel to the first swivel axis, the fourth swivel axis being spaced apart from the first swivel axis perpendicular to the contact plane, with the support arm between the third swivel axis and the fourth swivel axis having a first distance when the suction foot arrangement is in a working state adjusts, characterized in that the squeegee assembly is reversibly transferable from the working state to a cleaning state in which the support arm sets a second distance between the third pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis, which differs from the first distance.