Surface cleaning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surface cleaning apparatuses face a trade-off between airflow performance and lifting power, with cordless models limited by onboard energy storage, requiring a balance between velocity and run time, especially when switching between floor and above-floor cleaning modes.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable surface cleaning apparatus with a floor cleaning unit and a hand vacuum cleaner that adjusts air flow path cross-sectional areas to optimize velocity and power usage, featuring a rigid wand with a smaller cross-sectional area for floor cleaning and a larger area for above-floor cleaning, allowing greater lifting power and airflow performance respectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the air flow path cross-sectional area is increased for above-floor cleaning, then airflow performance is improved, but lifting power decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow path cross-sectional area is made variable through the use of an expandable duct that can transition between a first configuration (smaller area) for floor cleaning and a second configuration (larger area) for above-floor cleaning. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize airflow characteristics for different cleaning modes, resolving the contradiction between lifting power and airflow performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the air flow path cross-sectional area based on the cleaning mode. By adjusting this parameter, the system achieves high velocity and lifting power for floor cleaning, while enabling high airflow performance for above-floor cleaning, thus resolving the trade-off between these two performance aspects.
2Force
If the suction motor power level is increased for floor cleaning, then lifting power is improved, but run time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing motor power, the patent changes the air flow path cross-sectional area parameter to achieve high lifting power for floor cleaning. This approach maintains the motor at a lower power level, preserving battery energy and extending run time, while still achieving the required lifting performance through optimized airflow velocity.
3Force
If the air flow path cross-sectional area is decreased for floor cleaning, then lifting power is improved, but airflow performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable duct enables dynamic adjustment of the air flow path cross-sectional area, allowing the system to use a smaller area for floor cleaning (optimizing lifting power) and a larger area for above-floor cleaning (optimizing airflow performance). This resolves the contradiction by adapting the parameter to the specific cleaning task.
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 reconfigurable design enhances lifting power during floor cleaning and extends run time during above-floor cleaning by optimizing air flow velocity and power usage without changing the suction motor's power level, improving the apparatus's versatility and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a suction motor, an upstream portion extending from the hand vacuum cleaner dirty air inlet to the air treatment member
Data Source
AI summary
A surface cleaning apparatus has an air flow path with an expandable conduit that is adjustable from a first configuration, which has a first cross-sectional area, to a second configuration, which has the second cross-sectional area that is different to the first cross-section area.