Turbo brush
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbo brushes with clean air driven turbines face reduced cleaning effectiveness due to airflow being diverted away from the dirty air inlet, leading to clogging issues in dirty air driven turbines, and inefficiencies in mechanical linkages that reduce power transmission to the rotary brush.
Innovation Solution
A direct worm gear connection between the air driven turbine and the rotary brush, minimizing mechanical inefficiencies and allowing reduced airflow to maintain drive force, along with angled bristle configurations to groom surfaces and a secondary airflow path that merges with the primary airflow downstream of the turbine to reduce back pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clean air driven turbine is used, then the turbine will not become clogged with dirt, but the airflow velocity at the dirty air inlet is reduced and cleaning effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow path is segmented into two separate inlets: a clean air inlet for the turbine and a dirty air inlet for the brush. This segmentation allows the turbine to receive clean air while the dirty air inlet maintains sufficient airflow velocity for effective cleaning, resolving the contradiction between preventing turbine clogging and maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
2Productivity
If a dirty air driven turbine is used, then the airflow velocity at the dirty air inlet is maximized, but the turbine vanes and bearing become clogged with dirt, hair or the like
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the air intake function into two separate pathways: clean air is directed to the turbine while dirty air is directed to the brush. This resolves the contradiction by allowing the turbine to operate reliably without clogging while the dirty air inlet maintains high airflow velocity for effective cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
Clean air acts as an intermediary medium to drive the turbine, replacing the direct use of dirty air. This intermediary approach allows the turbine to function without exposure to contaminants while the dirty air pathway remains optimized for cleaning performance.
3Ease of operation
If intermediate linkage is used between the turbine and worm gear, then the mechanical connection is more flexible, but frictional losses and mechanical inefficiencies increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates intermediate linkage components between the turbine and worm gear, creating a direct drive connection. This removal of unnecessary components reduces frictional losses and mechanical inefficiencies while maintaining sufficient connection flexibility through the direct mounting of the turbine shaft to the worm gear.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a multi-component mechanical linkage system to a direct dimensional coupling where the turbine shaft directly engages the worm gear. This dimensional simplification reduces the number of interfaces and contact points, thereby minimizing energy losses while maintaining the necessary mechanical flexibility.
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
Increased cleaning effectiveness by maximizing power transmission to the rotary brush and reducing clogging risks, while maintaining efficient airflow and surface grooming without the need for electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
a rotary brush or the like is driven by an air turbine
Implementation Method 2
the drive mechanism utilizes a worm gear drivingly connected to a rotary brush and a worm that directly, drivingly connects the air driven turbine and the worm gear
Data Source
AI summary
A turbo brush for cleaning a surface comprises a housing having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front end and a rear end, the lower end having a dirty air inlet. A primary air flow path extends from the dirty air inlet to a dirty air outlet. A rotary brush is associated with the dirty air inlet and extends transverse to a forward direction of movement of the turbo brush. A drive mechanism comprises an air driven turbine, a drive gear drivingly connected to the rotary brush and a worm gear directly drivingly connecting the air driven turbine and the drive gear.