Surface cleaning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface cleaning apparatuses face challenges in maintaining the correct concentration of surface treatment agents, leading to potential damage or suboptimal cleaning results due to difficulties in dosing and storage of highly concentrated agents.
Innovation Solution
A surface cleaning apparatus with a container for the surface treatment agent integrated into the handle portion, allowing for a cleaning liquid delivery configuration and a filling configuration to control the concentration accurately, using a delivery assembly for metered dosing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the user manually doses surface treatment agent into the reservoir, then the concentration can be controlled, but the operation becomes inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic dosing of surface treatment agent without requiring manual intervention. The dosing assembly automatically meters and delivers the correct amount of concentrate to the cleaning liquid tank, eliminating the need for users to manually measure and add concentrate while maintaining precise concentration control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical dosing with an automated dosing assembly that uses a pump or pressure-driven mechanism to meter and deliver the surface treatment agent. This substitution of manual operation with an automated mechanical system resolves the contradiction by providing both precision and convenience.
2Productivity
If highly concentrated surface treatment agent is used, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the risk of excessive foaming and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system controls the concentration parameter by automatically dosing a precise amount of highly concentrated surface treatment agent into the cleaning liquid tank. The dosing assembly meters the concentrate to achieve the optimal concentration ratio, allowing the use of highly effective concentrates while preventing excessive concentration that would cause foaming or damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors or control mechanisms that monitor the concentration of surface treatment agent in the cleaning liquid and adjust the dosing rate accordingly. This feedback control ensures that the correct concentration is maintained, preventing both insufficient cleaning and excessive foaming or surface damage.
3Device complexity
If the container for surface treatment agent is stored separately from the cleaning liquid tank, then the apparatus structure is simpler, but the user experience deteriorates due to misplacement risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the container for surface treatment agent concentrate into the handle portion of the cleaning apparatus, combining the storage function with the existing structure. This merging of functions allows the concentrate container to be conveniently located with the apparatus, reducing misplacement risk while maintaining relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle portion serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the apparatus, contains the dosing assembly, and now also houses the container for surface treatment agent. This multi-functionality improves user convenience by consolidating components in one location without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a surface cleaning apparatus (100) comprising a cleaner head (102), a handle portion (104), and a connecting portion (106) extending between the handle portion and the cleaner head so as to enable a user grasping the handle portion to move the cleaner head across a surface to be cleaned (108). The surface cleaning apparatus further comprises a cleaning liquid tank (110) for containing cleaning liquid for delivering to the surface to be cleaned, and a container (124) for containing a surface treatment agent, with the container being provided in addition to the cleaning liquid tank. At least part of the container is arranged in the handle portion.