Vacuum Cleaner Rotatable Brush with Flexible Edge Cleaning Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cleaners struggle to effectively clean the edges of floors near upright surfaces due to the width of the cleaning head, requiring additional tools or repeated passes, and robotic vacuum cleaners lack sufficient dirt pickup due to inadequate brush engagement and motor power.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning accessory with a rotatable brush and dirt deflector that flexes to engage edges, allowing for efficient edge cleaning and improved dirt pickup, featuring a housing with a rotatable cleaning brush and a dirt deflector that surrounds the brush to ensure thorough edge cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a wide floor cleaning head is used to clean floors efficiently, then the cleaning width is improved, but the ability to clean edges near upright surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning head is segmented into a main body and flexible cleaning elements that can independently engage with edge surfaces. The flexible cleaning elements are separated from the rigid housing structure, allowing them to perform edge cleaning while the main body maintains its cleaning width.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning elements are made flexible and capable of dynamic movement between engaged and disengaged positions. This allows the cleaning head to adapt its configuration - using the full width for general cleaning and deploying flexible elements for edge cleaning, eliminating the need to choose between width and edge capability.
2Ease of operation
If additional cleaning tools are used to clean edges, then the edge cleaning capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning head is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating both main cleaning surfaces and flexible edge cleaning elements in a single device. This eliminates the need for separate crevice tools or edge cleaning accessories, as the cleaning head itself can handle both general floor cleaning and edge cleaning tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the main cleaning head and edge cleaning tools into a single integrated device. The flexible cleaning elements are combined with the rigid housing to create a unified cleaning system that performs both functions without requiring tool changes or additional accessories.
3Ease of operation
If repeated cleaning passes are used to clean edges, then the edge cleaning capability is improved, but the cleaning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible cleaning elements continuously engage with edge surfaces during the normal cleaning operation. As the cleaning head moves forward, the flexible elements continuously sweep and collect edge debris, eliminating the need for separate repeated passes and maintaining continuous cleaning action throughout the process.
4Stability of the object's composition
If rigid cleaning brushes are used, then the structural stability is improved, but the engagement with edge surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible cleaning elements made from elastomeric materials that can deform and conform to edge surfaces. These flexible elements maintain structural connection to the rigid housing while their flexible nature allows them to engage with and clean vertical and angled edge surfaces that rigid brushes cannot reach.
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
Enables effective edge cleaning in a single pass without the need for additional tools, enhancing dirt pickup efficiency by ensuring the flexible cleaning elements engage the edge of the floor and wall surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one flexible cleaning element is arranged to flex from a disengaged position to the cleaning position when a force is applied to the at least one flexible cleaning element in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the at least one flexible cleaning element
Implementation Method 2
the at least one flexible cleaning element is configured to rotate and engage with a surface to be cleaned
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A cleaning accessory for a vacuum cleaner comprises a housing. A rotatable cleaning brush is rotatably mounted to the housing. The rotatable cleaning brush has at least one flexible cleaning element projecting outwards from a side of the housing. The at least one flexible cleaning element is configured to rotate and engage with a surface to be cleaned. A dirt deflector projects from the side of the housing and is configured to surround at least part of the perimeter of the rotatable cleaning brush.