Surface Cleaner Suction Pathway Rinsing Tool to Prevent Clogs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wet surface cleaners often face issues with debris coating or contacting the suction pathway, leading to inefficiencies and clogs during use.
Innovation Solution
A tool is designed to be selectively connectable to the surface cleaner, directing fluid from the supply tank into the suction inlet aperture to rinse the suction duct, ensuring airflow and preventing fluid leakage, with a passageway outlet positioned within the suction inlet aperture to allow airflow and draw fluid into the duct.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the passageway outlet is positioned within the suction inlet aperture to direct fluid into the duct, then the suction pathway is effectively rinsed and clogs are prevented, but airflow into the suction inlet aperture may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The passageway outlet is positioned within the suction inlet aperture but spaced from the duct sidewall, creating a localized fluid discharge point that rinses the suction pathway without completely blocking the aperture. This local intervention maintains sufficient airflow pathways while achieving effective rinsing of debris from the duct interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the suction airflow (pneumatic force) to draw fluid through the duct and into the recovery tank. The airflow serves dual purposes: maintaining productivity by drawing fluid through the system and preventing clogs by continuously moving debris along the suction pathway.
2Reliability
If a tool is added to direct fluid into the suction inlet aperture for rinsing, then the suction pathway is cleaned more effectively, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool serves multiple functions: it directs fluid into the suction inlet aperture for rinsing the duct, allows user control over fluid discharge timing, and can be selectively connected or disconnected. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing both rinsing capability and user control in a single integrated component.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool is selectively connectable to the surface cleaner, allowing it to be nested with the main device when needed for rinsing operations and removed when not required. This modular nesting approach minimizes the impact on device complexity while maintaining the rinsing functionality.
3Productivity
If the passageway outlet covers a small portion of the suction inlet aperture (less than 50%), then airflow is maintained sufficient to draw fluid into the duct, but the fluid distribution coverage is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The suction airflow creates a pneumatic drawing force that pulls fluid through the duct and into the recovery tank. This pneumatic mechanism ensures adequate fluid movement and distribution throughout the suction pathway even with limited passageway outlet coverage, as the airflow drives the fluid through the entire duct length.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacing between the passageway outlet and duct sidewall is optimized to balance airflow and fluid distribution. This parameter adjustment ensures that the outlet covers less than 50% of the aperture (maintaining airflow) while still achieving effective rinsing through the pneumatic drawing action of the suction force.
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 solution effectively rinses the suction pathway, preventing clogs and maintaining cleaning efficiency by redirecting fluid and ensuring airflow, while being compact and cost-efficient.
Implementation Method 1
a suction source... such that the suction inlet creates an airflow path along a suction duct to suction dispensed fluid
Implementation Method 2
the suction inlet creates an airflow path along a suction duct to suction dispensed fluid and deposit the fluid into a recovery tank
Data Source
AI summary
A surface cleaner configured to distribute a liquid to a surface to be cleaned. The surface cleaner includes a supply tank, a fluid distributor, a suction inlet aperture, a recovery tank and a tool removably connectable to the surface cleaner and configured to direct fluid from the fluid distributor into the suction inlet aperture to rinse the suction inlet aperture.