Upright vacuum cleaner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional upright vacuum cleaners have a large motor housing due to horizontally arranged motors, which occupies significant space and limits the arrangement of other components, making them bulky and difficult to maneuver.

Innovation Solution

The upright vacuum cleaner features a motor assembly that can rotate between upright and oblique positions, driven by a lever driving device, allowing for adjustable belt tension and compact design, with the motor positioned vertically to reduce space occupancy and facilitate easier manipulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the motor is arranged horizontally in the motor housing, then the motor can be easily installed and connected, but the motor housing occupies a large area and limits the arrangement of other parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor installationVSAvoidmotor housing area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional horizontal motor arrangement to a vertical arrangement. The motor shaft is positioned vertically, and the fan is disposed above the motor, reversing the traditional layout. This inversion reduces the horizontal footprint of the motor housing while maintaining ease of installation and connection, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and space occupation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a horizontal two-dimensional layout to a vertical three-dimensional arrangement. By utilizing the vertical dimension for motor shaft orientation and fan placement, the design consolidates the motor housing volume, reducing its horizontal area occupation while preserving all necessary connection points and installation accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the motor housing has a huge volume to accommodate horizontal motor arrangement, then the motor can be properly positioned, but the vacuum cleaner occupies more space and is harder to maneuver

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor positioningVSAvoidmaneuverability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the motor arrangement to vertical orientation, the patent maintains reliable motor positioning within a more compact housing. The vertical shaft configuration with fan above ensures proper alignment and connection reliability while significantly reducing the horizontal space requirement, thereby improving maneuverability without sacrificing positioning reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Shape

If the motor is arranged horizontally, then the motor shaft is parallel to the mounting platform, but this arrangement limits the positioning of other components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor shaft orientationVSAvoidcomponent arrangement flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the motor shaft orientation from horizontal (parallel to mounting platform) to vertical (perpendicular to mounting platform). This inversion liberates the arrangement of other components, allowing the fan to be positioned above the motor and enabling more flexible spatial configuration of surrounding parts, thereby enhancing adaptability while maintaining proper motor shaft geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 enables a stable, efficient, and compact upright vacuum cleaner that is easy to assemble, disassemble, and operate, with improved space utilization and enhanced maneuverability.

Implementation Method 1

a lever driving device rotatably disposed to the motor housing and having two ends respectively fitted with the bridging member and the motor, in which the bridging member is configured to drive the motor to move from the first oblique position to the first upright position via the lever driving device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLever: Lever

Data Source

PatentEP3387976B1Upright vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 JIANGSU MIDEA CLEANING APPLIANCES
  • EP3387976B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3387976B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8
  • EP3387976B1 patent drawingFigure 9~13

AI summary

A vertical vacuum cleaner (1) is provided, including a brushroll (22); a motor assembly (200) including a motor housing (21) and a motor (22), in which the motor (22) is configured to drive the brushroll (22) to roll via a drive belt (13) and is rotatable between a first upright position where the drive belt (13) is tensioned and a first oblique position where the drive belt (13) is loosened; a body assembly (300) including a body (31) and a bridging member (32) rotatably connected with the motor housing (21); a lever driving device rotatably disposed to the motor housing (21) and having two ends respectively fitted with the bridging member (32) and the motor (22), in which the bridging member (32) is configured to drive the motor (22) to move from the first oblique position to the first upright position via the lever driving device.