Surface cleaning head including openable agitator chamber and removable agitators for use therein

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vacuum cleaners face difficulties in removing debris entangled in mechanical agitators, such as rotating brush rolls, which can lead to decreased performance and potential damage, and lack versatility in handling different surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A surface cleaning head with an openable agitator chamber and removable agitators, allowing for easy inspection and replacement of the agitator, featuring a driven and non-driven agitator design with interchangeable agitating elements and air flow paths for various cleaning applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If the surface cleaning head is designed with a fixed enclosed agitator chamber, then the structural integrity and compactness are improved, but the ease of maintenance and debris removal deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidease of maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The agitator chamber is segmented into a fixed housing and a removable agitator assembly. The agitator can be independently removed from the chamber through a bottom opening, allowing maintenance without disassembling the entire vacuum cleaner. This segmentation maintains the overall structural integrity while enabling easy access to the agitator for debris removal and replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the surface cleaning head uses a single fixed agitator design, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing complexityVSAvoidadaptability to different surfaces
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The agitator chamber is designed as a universal interface that can accommodate multiple types of agitators (e.g., brush rolls, power brushes, soft rollers) through standardized mounting mechanisms. Users can interchange agitators based on the surface being cleaned (carpet, hardwood, tile), allowing a single vacuum cleaner to perform multiple cleaning functions without increasing manufacturing complexity of the chamber itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Volume of moving object

If the agitator is located deep inside the surface cleaning head, then the compactness is improved, but the ease of debris removal and inspection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecompactnessVSAvoidease of debris removal
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The agitator is extracted from a completely enclosed position and configured to be partially accessible through a bottom opening in the surface cleaning head. The bottom opening allows users to visually inspect the agitator and remove entangled debris (such as hair and strings) directly, without needing to disassemble the vacuum cleaner or reach deep inside the chamber.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3250102B1Surface cleaning head including openable agitator chamber and removable agitators for use therein
Publication Date: 2022.01.26 SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
  • EP3250102B1 patent drawingFigure 1~1A
  • EP3250102B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3250102B1 patent drawingFigure 3~3A

AI summary

A surface cleaning head may be configured to receive a removable rotatable driven agitator, such as a brush roll, or a non-driven agitator. Either of these agitators may be located in an openable agitator chamber for purposes of removing debris and/or removing the agitator. The openable agitator chamber may be covered by an external cover that is movable between an open position and a closed position. At least one end of the removable agitator may be secured in the agitator chamber by the external cover. A sealing member may be located between the external cover and a surface cleaning head housing and around a perimeter of the agitator chamber. Different removable agitators with different characteristics may be used interchangeably in the surface cleaning head.