Surface cleaning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wet surface cleaning apparatuses face issues with incomplete liquid recovery, resulting in residual dirty liquid on the cleaned surface, requiring users to wait for evaporation and increasing workload with absorbent cloths or dry cleaning rollers.
Innovation Solution
A surface cleaning apparatus with a steam generator to heat and evaporate residual liquid, combined with a suction system to recover dirty liquid, reducing waiting time and workload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a steam generator is added to evaporate residual liquid quickly, then the waiting time for surface drying is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The steam generator is integrated into the existing cleaning apparatus housing, merging the drying function with the cleaning function in a single unified device. This reduces waiting time by adding steam evaporation capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity through spatial integration of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning apparatus is designed to perform multiple functions: wet cleaning with liquid application, suction of dirty liquid, and rapid drying with steam generation. This multi-functionality allows the single device to address both cleaning and drying needs, reducing the need for separate equipment and minimizing overall system complexity.
2Loss of substance
If absorbent cloth or dry cleaning roller is added to the back side of the cleaning roller, then the residual dirty liquid on the floor is reduced, but the user workload increases due to manual disassembly and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus uses its own suction system to automatically recover dirty liquid from the cleaning roller and floor, eliminating the need for manual disassembly and cleaning of absorbent components. The system serves itself by integrating the recovery function into the main suction mechanism, reducing user workload while effectively removing residual dirty liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction system uses pneumatic pressure to automatically draw dirty liquid off the cleaning roller and floor surface. This hydraulic/pneumatic recovery mechanism replaces manual cleaning operations, reducing user workload while effectively removing residual liquids through automated suction.
3Device complexity
If only cleaning liquid is applied without steam generation, then the device complexity is low, but the waiting time for surface drying is long (about 15 minutes)
Solution Approach 1:
The steam generator utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to vapor to rapidly evaporate residual cleaning liquid from the floor surface. This phase change process enables quick drying within seconds or minutes rather than requiring 15 minutes of natural evaporation, significantly reducing waiting time while adding controlled complexity only where needed for the drying function.
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 apparatus achieves rapid evaporation of residual liquid and thorough cleaning, allowing immediate use of cleaned surfaces and enhanced sterilization, with drying times under 2 minutes for floors and 5 seconds for tables.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one steam outlet is arranged at the lower portion of the housing and configured to heat the surface by overflowing the steam to the surface to accelerate the evaporation of residual cleaning liquid on the surface
Implementation Method 2
a steam generator in fluid communication with the supply tank and configured to heat liquid to generate steam
Implementation Method 3
some apparatuses suck the applied cleaning liquid together with cleaned dirt (which may include dirt, dust, stain, mud, hair and other debris) from the floors under the action of the cleaning roller and a suction unit
Data Source
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AI summary
A surface cleaning apparatus (10) comprises: a suction source (4) and a cleaning head (12), the cleaning head (12) comprising a cleaning roller (19) and a housing provided with a roller chamber (18). The roller chamber (18) has an opening (17) at the bottom of the housing (16). The cleaning roller (19) is supported in the roller chamber (18) so that the cleaning roller can rotate and the bottom part of the cleaning roller (19) is located at the opening (17). At least one steam outlet (115) is capable of generating steam and a cleaning fluid outlet (111) is capable of spraying cleaning fluid onto the cleaning roller (19) and the surface to be cleaned are provided on the cleaning head. The steam outlet (115) is arranged on the bottom of the housing (16) and is constructed to heat the surface by releasing steam on the surface to accelerate the evaporation of residual cleaning liquid on the surface , and thus reduce the user waiting time. In addition, high temperature steam can be used to disinfect the surface after cleaning solution cleaning for deep cleaning purposes.