Telescoping Bathroom Cleaner With Reusable Head for Curves and Corners

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional bathroom cleaning methods are labor-intensive, prone to injuries, and ineffective in cleaning curved and uneven surfaces, while also being environmentally irresponsible due to the use of disposable cleaning sheets.

Innovation Solution

A bathroom cleaning device with a removable, washable, and reusable cleaning head attached to a telescoping arm, allowing for adjustable length and easy access to hard-to-reach areas, and featuring a design that can apply significant force without causing accidents, while being environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional cleaning methods using soap buckets and sponges are used, then cleaning can be performed on various surfaces, but the method is labor-intensive and prone to injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of cleaningVSAvoidinjury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning device is segmented into distinct functional components: a handle, an elongated arm with telescoping sections, and a baseplate with rotatable cleaning heads. This segmentation allows the device to reach difficult areas without requiring the user to physically contact hazardous surfaces, thereby reducing injury risk while maintaining cleaning effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The device introduces an intermediary mechanical system (the elongated arm with baseplate) that mediates between the user and the cleaning task. This intermediary allows force application and cleaning action without direct user contact with slippery or hard-to-reach surfaces, eliminating the harmful effects of traditional manual cleaning methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Length of moving object

If powered hand-held brushes are used, then cleaning reach is improved, but the device becomes clumsy and bulky

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning reachVSAvoiddevice bulk

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The elongated arm employs a telescoping design where sections nest within each other, allowing the device to achieve extended cleaning reach when needed while collapsing to a compact size for easy storage and transport. This nesting principle resolves the contradiction between reach and bulk by providing both extremes as needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The device incorporates dynamic elements including telescoping arm sections that can extend and retract, and a rotatable baseplate that can pivot to access different surfaces. This dynamic design allows the device to adapt its configuration to the cleaning task at hand, providing extended reach when necessary while maintaining manageable size during transport

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If disposable cleaning sheets are used, then cleaning convenience is improved, but environmental waste increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning convenienceVSAvoidwaste generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of discarding cleaning sheets after single use, the device employs durable, reusable cleaning surfaces on the baseplate that can be washed and reused multiple times. This recovering principle eliminates the waste generation associated with disposable sheets while maintaining the convenience of ready-to-use cleaning surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The invention inverts the disposable concept by creating inexpensive, durable cleaning surfaces that can be easily manufactured and replaced on the baseplate if needed, but are designed for long-term reuse through washing. This approach eliminates continuous waste generation while keeping the replacement cost low if replacement becomes necessary

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Device complexity

If simple mop designs are used, then device simplicity is improved, but the ability to clean curves and corners is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice simplicityVSAvoidsurface coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The baseplate incorporates curved surfaces and rounded edges that allow the device to conform to and clean curved surfaces, corners, and irregular geometries. This curvature principle enables the device to access areas that simple flat mops cannot reach, significantly improving adaptability while adding only minimal complexity to the overall design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS10264940B2Bathroom cleaning device with removable, washable and reusable head and method of use

Publication Date: 2019.04.23 J J PALMTAG INC

AI summary

The present invention relates in general to the field of cleaning devices, and more specifically, to a cleaning device and method of cleaning bathrooms. The cleaning device and method of cleaning bathrooms is inexpensive and environmentally friendly in that it utilizes a removable, washable and reusable cleaning head to thereby reduce unnecessary waste and cost. The cleaning device and method of cleaning bathrooms is sturdy and allows a user to clean an entire bathroom including showers, bathtubs, sinks, counters and toilets. The purpose of the invention is to provide a cleaning device and method of cleaning bathrooms that reduces the risk of slipping, falling and injuries associated with traditional methods of cleaning bathrooms (e.g., neck, back, shoulder and knee pain).