Vacuum Cleaner Foot Assembly With Counter-Rotating Agitators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum cleaners often have inefficient dirt ingestion due to wide suction apertures and lack of effective agitator mechanisms that can handle various cleaning tasks and surface types, leading to incomplete dirt collection and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
The vacuum cleaner features a foot assembly with counter-rotating agitators mounted on lateral arms, a focused suction inlet, and a stationary strip brush, which work together to efficiently ingest dirt into a central suction aperture, utilizing a drive mechanism that counter-rotates the agitators and a variety of cleaning tools for different tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a wide suction aperture is used, then more dirt can be collected, but energy consumption increases and motor size must be larger
Solution Approach 1:
The suction aperture is segmented into multiple zones with different functions: a central focused suction zone for efficient dirt ingestion and peripheral areas for air intake. This segmentation allows the aperture to serve multiple purposes simultaneously, maintaining high dirt collection efficiency while reducing the total aperture area and associated energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the suction aperture have different qualities and functions. The central region has high suction velocity for effective dirt ingestion, while peripheral regions have lower velocity for air intake. This local differentiation optimizes the balance between dirt collection efficiency and energy consumption across the entire aperture.
2Productivity
If a wide suction aperture is used, then more dirt can be collected, but the motor size must be larger
Solution Approach 1:
The suction aperture is segmented into multiple zones with different functions: a central focused suction zone for efficient dirt ingestion and peripheral areas for air intake. This segmentation allows the aperture to serve multiple purposes simultaneously, maintaining high dirt collection efficiency while reducing the total aperture area and associated energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction velocity parameter is optimized to be high at the central aperture for effective dirt ingestion, while lower at peripheral areas. This parameter differentiation allows the system to maintain high productivity with a smaller motor, as the focused high-velocity zone is more efficient at dirt pickup than a uniformly wide low-velocity aperture.
3Productivity
If conventional single-direction agitators are used, then dirt dislodging is achieved, but effectiveness on various surface types and hard-to-reach areas is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The foot assembly is designed with multiple agitator types (counter-rotating brushes, strip brushes, crevice tools) that can be used together or independently depending on the cleaning task. This multi-functional design allows the same foot assembly to effectively clean various surface types including hard floors, carpets, and hard-to-reach areas, significantly improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single agitator rotating in one direction, the invention employs counter-rotating agitators that rotate in opposite directions. This inversion of the conventional single-direction rotation creates a more effective dirt dislodging action by generating opposing forces that lift and separate dirt from the surface, improving productivity across different surface types.
4Use of energy by moving object
If a focused suction inlet is used, then energy consumption is reduced, but dirt ingestion efficiency must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The suction inlet is designed with localized high-velocity zones at the central aperture for efficient dirt ingestion, while peripheral areas have lower velocity for air intake. This local quality differentiation maintains high dirt ingestion efficiency in the focused zone while reducing overall energy consumption compared to a uniformly high-velocity wide aperture.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction velocity parameter is optimized to be high at the central focused aperture for effective dirt ingestion, while lower at peripheral areas. This parameter differentiation allows the system to maintain high productivity with reduced energy consumption, as the focused high-velocity zone is more efficient at dirt pickup than a uniformly wide low-velocity aperture.
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 design enhances dirt ingestion efficiency, reduces energy consumption by using a smaller motor, and allows for effective cleaning of various surfaces, including hard-to-reach areas, with interchangeable cleaning tools for specific tasks.
Implementation Method 1
a suction source fluidly connected to an upstream aperture disposed near the one or more brushes to ingest the dirt into a working air flow
Implementation Method 2
The filtration system is configured to separate the entrained dirt from the working air flow and convey the dirt into a removable dirt cup or a porous filter bag for later disposal
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum cleaner includes a foot assembly having a suction inlet thereon, a suction source in fluid communication with the suction inlet to produce a working airflow there through, and a dirt container in fluid communication with the suction inlet and suction source. The foot assembly further comprises a body defined by a central portion and a pair of extension arms, a rotatable agitator on each extension arm, and a drive assembly configured to counter-rotate the agitators. The counter-rotating agitators are operable to cooperate with the suction source to direct dust and debris towards the suction inlet.