Floor nozzle for a vacuum cleaner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum cleaner floor nozzles face challenges in achieving effective cleaning while protecting floor coverings and ensuring ease of handling, particularly due to limited suction power and potential damage from contact with floor surfaces, as well as issues with existing designs that can get caught on uneven floors or scratch surfaces.

Innovation Solution

The design features a sliding soleplate with a continuous elevation that protrudes downward from the flat area, allowing smooth movement over uneven floors and obstacles, and a suction plateau or bevel that creates a sealing effect and turbulence for efficient dirt pickup, while maintaining a minimal contact area to prevent damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the sliding base is kept at a minimum distance of 2 mm from the floor surface to avoid collisions, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cleaning performance deteriorates due to insufficient airflow velocity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of handlingVSAvoidcleaning performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces a longitudinal dimension to the suction opening by providing a suction opening edge that extends in the longitudinal direction beyond the transverse boundaries of the suction opening. This dimensional extension allows the suction airflow to be effectively generated at the longitudinal edges of the sliding base, enabling cleaning performance improvement without reducing the 2 mm safety distance for ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If the front and rear edges of the suction nozzle project beyond the sliding base to achieve higher flow velocities, then the cleaning performance is improved, but the sliding base sticks to the floor covering and causes damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidfloor covering damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by providing suction opening edges that extend specifically in the longitudinal direction beyond the suction opening, while the transverse boundaries remain within the sliding base boundaries. This localized extension at the longitudinal edges enables high flow velocity for effective cleaning without the entire suction nozzle projecting beyond the sliding base, thus preventing sticking and floor damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If a narrow sealing rib projects vertically from the glide surface to create sealing, then the cleaning performance is improved, but the vacuum cleaner floor nozzle becomes difficult to handle and may scratch the floor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidease of handling
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the sealing function from a vertical sealing rib and replaces it with longitudinal suction opening edges that extend beyond the suction opening. These edges create effective sealing and airflow generation without projecting vertically from the glide surface, thus maintaining ease of handling while achieving cleaning performance through the longitudinal extension at the edges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

This configuration enhances cleaning effectiveness by accelerating airflow and simplifying dirt detachment, while ensuring safe gliding and protection of floor surfaces, even on permeable coverings like carpets, without compromising handling ease.

Implementation Method 1

a blower in the vacuum cleaner that generates a suction airflow, which draws dirt particles from the surfaces to be cleaned

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction airflow: Suction

Implementation Method 2

the protrusion has an advantageous height in order to generate a flow acceleration effective for cleaning in the area of the suction mouth edge adjacent to the protrusion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow acceleration: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 3

cyclone separators are particularly common for this purpose

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCyclone separation: Cyclone Separation

Data Source

PatentEP3488752B1Floor nozzle for a vacuum cleaner
Publication Date: 2021.12.29 WESSEL WERK
  • EP3488752B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3488752B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP3488752B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner floor nozzle with a housing (1), a sliding sole (2) arranged on the underside of the housing (1), and a suction nozzle (3) arranged in the sliding sole (2), which extends in a transverse direction (y) and is bounded by a rim (6). The sliding sole (2) has a flat area (8) in front of and/or behind the suction nozzle (3) in a working direction (x) perpendicular to the transverse direction (y). According to the invention, the sliding sole (2) has a raised section (11) between the flat area (8) and the suction nozzle (3), which extends continuously from the flat area (8) and projects beyond the extension (12) of the flat area (8).