Vacuum Cleaner Cable Tensioner for Jam-Free Housing Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The assembly of vacuum cleaner housing parts often results in cables getting caught between partitions, leading to increased installation effort and risks of incorrect assembly, cable damage, and potential electric shock due to loop formation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of spring-elastic cable tensioners to keep cables stretched and guided around partition walls, preventing loop formation and ensuring proper routing during assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If cables are routed between the outer wall and partition wall during assembly, then cables can be connected to the electric brush, but cables may get caught between partitions leading to incorrect assembly and safety hazards

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable routingVSAvoidassembly correctness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cable tensioner is pre-installed on the partition wall before cable routing. This preliminary placement creates a predetermined cable path with tensioning capability, ensuring cables are automatically guided and tensioned during the routing process, preventing them from getting caught between partitions while maintaining ease of installation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If cables are laid loosely in the housing, then installation is simple, but loops form that can protrude over partitions and get jammed during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable installationVSAvoidcable path control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable tensioner acts as an intermediary device between the cable and the partition wall. It provides a controlled interface that guides the cable along a predetermined path and maintains appropriate tension, preventing loop formation without requiring complex cable management systems or increasing manufacturing difficulty

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If clamps or cover strips are used to fix cables, then cables are secured from getting caught, but installation effort increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable positioningVSAvoidassembly speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cable tensioner is designed to automatically tension and position cables as they are routed through the housing. The spring mechanism self-regulates cable tension without requiring additional fastening operations, eliminating the need for clamps or cover strips and maintaining high assembly speed while ensuring reliable cable positioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Simplifies the assembly process by preventing cable loops and ensuring cables remain correctly positioned, reducing the risk of incorrect assembly, damage, and user safety hazards.

Implementation Method 1

Each tensioner 18 or 19 has a resilient plastic arm 23 which is fastened at one end to the lower housing part 3 and the other end of which protrudes freely into the interior of the housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

After the built-in socket 18 is placed in the holder and the fitter no longer exerts any tensile force on the cable 16, the arm 23 now generates a restoring force away from the dust compartment 11 and pulls the cable 16 into a stretched position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic recovery: Elastic Recovery

Data Source

PatentEP2078486B1Vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2009.12.30 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP2078486B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2078486B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The vacuum cleaner (1) has two housing units which form chambers within housing external walls (8,9) after connecting by the separation walls. A cable is provided which is installed around a part of the separation wall outside the chamber. An elastic cable clamp, which holds the cable in an elongated position, is guided around the separation wall.