Vacuum Cleaner Edge Cleaning Accessory with Flexible Brush Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum cleaners struggle to effectively clean the edges of floors near upright surfaces due to the width of the cleaning head, requiring additional passes or tools, 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 improved dirt pickup at the interface between the floor and upright surfaces, and a drive mechanism to ensure synchronized rotation with the cleaning bar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the width of the floor cleaning head is increased to cover more area, then cleaning coverage is improved, but the ability to clean edges at the interface between floor and upright surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning head is segmented into a main cleaning area and separate edge cleaning elements. The flexible cleaning elements can be independently actuated to engage with edge surfaces, allowing the main cleaning head to maintain its width for coverage while dedicated elements handle edge cleaning tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning elements are designed to be flexible and dynamically adjustable. They can flex between a retracted position (when not needed) and an extended engagement position (when cleaning edges), allowing the system to adapt its geometry based on the cleaning task at hand.
2Ease of operation
If additional cleaning tools or passes are used to clean edges, then edge cleaning effectiveness is improved, but cleaning time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The edge cleaning function is merged into the main cleaning head assembly. The flexible cleaning elements are integrated such that they can be deployed from the same housing that contains the main cleaning brushes, combining multiple cleaning functions into a single tool that performs both area cleaning and edge cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The edge cleaning elements can be engaged and disengaged continuously during the cleaning operation without requiring tool changes or separate passes. The elements flex into engagement position when encountering edges and return to retracted position when moving across open floors, maintaining continuous cleaning action.
3Length of moving object
If the flexible cleaning elements are extended further to reach edges, then edge engagement capability is improved, but the risk of damage to the elements or inability to retract increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning elements are constructed as flexible components that can bend and deform. This flexibility allows them to extend further to reach edges while maintaining the ability to bend back and retract without permanent deformation or damage, solving the contradiction between extension distance and reliability.
4Area of stationary object
If robotic vacuum cleaners use additional brushes for side cleaning, then edge cleaning coverage is improved, but the motor power requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible cleaning elements serve multiple functions: they act as extensions of the main cleaning brushes when retracted, and as dedicated edge cleaning elements when extended. This multi-functionality provides side cleaning coverage without requiring completely separate brush assemblies, reducing overall device complexity.
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 efficient edge cleaning in a single pass without the need for additional tools, enhancing dirt pickup efficiency by ensuring the flexible cleaning elements engage and disengage appropriately to capture debris at the edge of the floor and wall.
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
a rotatable cleaning brush rotatably mounted to the housing having at least one flexible cleaning element projecting outwards from a side of the housing and the at least one flexible cleaning element is configured to rotate and engage with a surface to be cleaned
Implementation Method 3
a dirt deflector projecting from the side of the housing and configured to surround at least part of the perimeter of the rotatable cleaning brush
Data Source
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.