Vacuum cleaner attachment having a concave vacuum head with a swivel joint that swivels only within a central plane of the vacuum head

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum cleaner attachments with flat openings are ineffective for cleaning cylindrical or curved surfaces, such as log homes, as they fail to maintain sufficient proximity and conformity, leading to inadequate dust removal and debris cleaning.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum cleaner attachment with a concave opening that matches the convex curvature of cylindrical surfaces, featuring a swivel joint and flexible conduit to maintain suction and bristles at acute angles for efficient cleaning, allowing the vacuum head to swivel within a central plane and move along the surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a flat opening vacuum attachment is used, then it is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but it fails to maintain sufficient proximity and conformity to curved surfaces, substantially reducing cleaning ability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of attachment structureVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness on curved surfaces

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The vacuum head is designed with a concave curved surface that conforms to the convex curvature of cylindrical surfaces such as log walls. This curvature matching allows the vacuum head to maintain close proximity and effective suction contact with rounded surfaces, directly resolving the inability of flat openings to clean curved surfaces effectively

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Reliability

If a concave vacuum head is used to conform to curved surfaces, then cleaning effectiveness on cylindrical surfaces is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the swivel joint and flexible conduit mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectiveness on curved surfacesVSAvoidcomplexity of attachment mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment mechanism incorporates a swivel joint that allows the vacuum head to rotate and adjust its orientation dynamically. This dynamic capability enables the concave vacuum head to maintain optimal contact with curved surfaces while accommodating movements along the cylindrical surface, balancing conformality with operational flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A flexible conduit connects the vacuum head to the vacuum cleaner, allowing the conduit to bend and flex as the vacuum head moves and swivels. This flexibility maintains the suction connection without restricting the movement needed to clean curved surfaces effectively

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Device complexity

If the vacuum head is constrained to swivel only within a central plane, then the attachment mechanism remains relatively simple, but the ability to access all surfaces of cylindrical objects is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of swivel joint mechanismVSAvoidability to clean all surfaces of cylindrical objects

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The swivel joint is designed with segmented components including a first section in fixed engagement with the vacuum head and a second section in swivelable relationship with the first section. This segmentation allows controlled rotation within the central plane while maintaining structural integrity and suction connection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 concave opening and swivel joint mechanism enable effective cleaning of curved surfaces by maintaining close proximity and conformity, improving dust and debris removal on surfaces like logs, pipes, and posts, while the bristles at acute angles enhance cleaning efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a flexible conduit configured to provide suction generated by the vacuum cleaner to the vacuum head

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentUS10835092B2Vacuum cleaner attachment having a concave vacuum head with a swivel joint that swivels only within a central plane of the vacuum head

Publication Date: 2020.11.17 ONEILL PATRICIA ANN

AI summary

A vacuum cleaner attachment is disclosed having a concave vacuum head with a swivel joint that permits swiveling of the vacuum head only within the plane of the vacuum head. The concave vacuum head can have a curvature that is similar to the curvature of a cylindrical surface to be vacuumed. Thus, while a user manipulates the conduit providing the air suction to the vacuum head, the concave surface can be supported and swiveled around the circumference of the cylindrical surface to be vacuumed, while the vacuum head is also moved along the length of the cylindrical surface. Throughout this movement of the concave vacuum head, the concave opening of the concave vacuum head can stay in closer proximity and conformity to the cylindrical surface than is possible using a fixed vacuum head with a flat opening, thereby making cleaning of the cylindrical surface more effective and efficient.