A cleaning nozzle for upholstery for use with a surface cleaning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Upholstery tools for surface cleaning apparatuses face challenges in effectively cleaning pliable fabrics due to clamping issues and limited access in restricted spaces, and existing tools are unsuitable for large planar surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The upholstery tool features a dirty air inlet with three sections - a first, second, and third inlet section - that extend across the tool surface, terminating in peripheral bleed air inlets, which fluidly connect to the suction source, allowing for efficient dirt removal and increased cleaning area without tool size increase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the upholstery tool uses a traditional single inlet design, then the tool size remains compact, but the effective cleaning area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The dirty air inlet is divided into three separate inlet sections (first, second, and third inlet sections) that extend across different portions of the tool surface. Each section independently channels air from specific zones, allowing the tool to clean larger areas simultaneously without increasing overall tool size. The third inlet section connects the first and second sections, creating a distributed air intake system that covers forward, rearward, and side portions of the tool surface.
2Area of stationary object
If the upholstery tool has a compact design, then it can access restricted spaces and crevices, but the cleaning coverage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet sections extend in multiple directions across the tool surface - the first inlet section extends in a first direction, the second inlet section extends in a second direction, and the third inlet section connects them. This multi-directional arrangement allows air to be drawn from lateral, forward, and rearward zones simultaneously, effectively expanding the cleaning coverage in multiple dimensions while keeping the tool body compact for accessing crevices.
3Reliability
If the upholstery tool uses peripheral bleed air inlets at edges, then air flow distribution across the surface is improved, but the risk of blockage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different inlet sections are positioned to serve different local zones of the tool surface. The first inlet section serves the forward portion, the second inlet section serves the rearward portion, and peripheral bleed air inlets are positioned at the left and right edges. This localized air intake arrangement ensures that each zone has dedicated air flow paths, improving overall air distribution while distributing blockage risk across multiple independent sections rather than a single centralized inlet.
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
This design reduces clamping and enhances dirt removal efficiency, enabling effective cleaning of larger areas, including small spaces and crevices, while preventing motor burnout from blockages.
Implementation Method 1
a source of suction... an outlet for fluid communication with the source of suction which is fluidly connected to the dirty air inlet
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An upholstery tool for use with a surface cleaning apparatus, the apparatus including a source of suction, wherein the tool includes a body including a dirty air inlet in a tool surface which faces a surface to be cleaned in use, wherein the dirty air inlet includes a first inlet section which extends across the surface and terminates in peripheral bleed air inlets a second inlet section which extends across the surface and terminates in peripheral bleed air inlets; and a third inlet section which fluidly connects the first and second inlet sections; and an outlet for fluid communication with the source of suction fluidly connected to the dirty air inlet.