Vacuum Cleaner Diffuser and Duct Design for Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum cleaners often produce excessive noise during operation, which can be a nuisance and may reduce user satisfaction, while existing solutions may compromise suction performance when attempting to mitigate noise.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a diffuser with a circumferential opening, a blower port, a duct with sound-reducing baffles, and a removable cap that allows the suction airflow to exhaust through the blower port or a separate outlet, reducing noise levels without significantly impacting suction efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If sound reducing material is added to the vacuum cleaner, then noise levels are reduced, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise levelsVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sound reducing material is integrated within the existing housing structure of the vacuum cleaner, nesting the acoustic treatment within the device's internal architecture rather than adding external components. This reduces overall complexity while maintaining noise reduction functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs thin film or baffle-based sound reducing structures that can be easily integrated into the housing. These flexible or thin-walled structures provide acoustic attenuation without requiring heavy or complex assemblies, thereby minimizing impact on device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Object-affected harmful factors

If sound reducing material is added to the vacuum cleaner, then noise levels are reduced, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise levelsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sound reducing material is incorporated into the housing during the manufacturing process itself, nesting the acoustic treatment within existing manufacturing operations. This approach avoids separate assembly steps and reduces overall manufacturing cost despite adding noise reduction functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes porous or fibrous sound reducing materials that can be cost-effectively manufactured and integrated. These materials are typically inexpensive to produce and can be incorporated into the housing structure using standard manufacturing techniques, minimizing cost increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Productivity

If the cap is removed allowing direct exhaust through the blower port, then airflow efficiency is maximized, but noise levels increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairflow efficiencyVSAvoidnoise levels

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The removable cap provides a dynamic configuration that allows the system to adapt between two operational modes: high-performance mode (cap removed) for maximum airflow efficiency and noise-reduced mode (cap installed) for quieter operation. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by allowing optimal performance in different contexts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cap acts as an intermediary element between the blower port and the external environment. When installed, it mediates the airflow through the sound reducing material, attenuating noise while maintaining acceptable airflow. When removed, it disappears from the system, allowing direct unimpeded airflow for maximum efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 solution effectively reduces noise levels to less than 66 dBa while maintaining suction performance, with no more than a 10% reduction in airflow, allowing for both quiet operation and efficient cleaning.

Implementation Method 1

The duct includes sound reducing baffles with sound reducing material for disturbing the suction airflow within the duct

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound absorption: Acoustic Absorption

Implementation Method 2

The diffuser is in fluid communication with the suction source for diffusing the suction airflow and the diffuser includes a circumferential opening that surrounds the suction source

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

The duct includes sound reducing baffles for disturbing the suction airflow within the duct

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentUS11839344B2Sound reducing vacuum cleaner

Publication Date: 2023.12.12 MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORP

AI summary

A vacuum cleaner including a suction inlet that provides entrance of a suction airflow, a suction source, a diffuser, a blower port, a duct, and a removable cap. The diffuser is in fluid communication with the suction source for diffusing the suction airflow and the diffuser includes a circumferential opening that surrounds the suction source such that the suction airflow travels through the opening into the diffuser. The duct is located downstream of the blower port with respect to the direction of the suction airflow and the duct includes an outlet. The cap is removably coupled to the blower port such that at least a portion of the suction airflow exhausts through the blower port when the cap is removed, and when the cap is coupled to the blower port the suction airflow is travels through the duct and exhausts through the outlet.