Handheld Vacuum Battery Access With Vertical Cyclone Layout

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing handheld vacuum cleaners lack an efficient design for battery placement and exposure, making it difficult for users to grasp and handle the battery, and do not effectively utilize the cyclonic chamber's orientation for improved suction performance.

Innovation Solution

A handheld vacuum cleaner design featuring a main body with lateral apertures that expose at least 25% of the battery's side surfaces for easy grasping and a cyclonic chamber oriented vertically for enhanced suction, along with a motor assembly and battery placement that intersects with the cyclonic chamber and handle axis for improved airflow and structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the battery is fully enclosed within the receptacle, then the structural integrity is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in grasping and handling the battery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidbattery handling
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The battery is segmented in terms of visibility and accessibility - the main body remains enclosed for structural integrity, while specific portions (side surfaces) are exposed through apertures to enable grasping. This partial exposure segments the battery into enclosed and accessible portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The apertures in the receptacle serve as intermediaries that allow user interaction with the battery without compromising the enclosed structure. These openings mediate between the need for structural integrity and the need for ease of handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the cyclonic chamber is oriented horizontally, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity deteriorates due to reduced suction performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechamber orientationVSAvoidsuction performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cyclonic chamber is designed to dynamically adapt its orientation - it can be positioned vertically during operation to maximize suction performance, while the overall device structure remains relatively simple. The chamber's ability to be oriented vertically when needed provides dynamic optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves from considering only horizontal orientation to utilizing vertical orientation as an additional dimension. By orienting the cyclonic chamber vertically, the patent exploits the vertical dimension to improve suction performance without significantly increasing device complexity.

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

3Reliability

If the battery is positioned with minimal exposure, then the safety is improved by preventing accidental contact, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to reduced accessibility

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidbattery accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The receptacle is designed with non-uniform quality - most of the battery remains enclosed for safety, while specific local areas (side surfaces visible through apertures) are exposed for accessibility. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between safety and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 design allows for easy battery handling and enhances suction performance by ensuring the battery is easily accessible and the cyclonic chamber maintains a vertical orientation during use, improving the overall efficiency and usability of the vacuum cleaner.

Implementation Method 1

a cyclonic chamber in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the motor assembly

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCyclone separation: Cyclone Separation

Implementation Method 2

cyclonic chamber oriented vertically for enhanced suction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP3503786B1Handheld vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2021.06.30 TTI MACAO COMML OFFSHORE LTD
  • EP3503786B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3503786B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3503786B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A handheld vacuum cleaner (10) includes a main body (22), a handle (98), and a receptacle (150) having an inlet (154). The handheld vacuum cleaner also includes a motor assembly (114) positioned within the main body, a dirty air inlet (14) positioned at a front of the handheld vacuum cleaner, a cyclonic chamber (30) in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet and the motor assembly, and a battery (138) including a first side surface (142) and a second side surface (146) opposite the first side surface. The battery is configured to be selectively received within the receptacle through the inlet. When the battery is positioned within the receptacle, each of the first side surface and the second side surface are at least 25 percent exposed through apertures at the respective first and second lateral sides (58,62) of the main body such that the first and second side surfaces are graspable by a user.