Vacuum Cleaner Handle Indicator With Minimal Hose Wiring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional canister type vacuum cleaners face challenges in indicating the remaining battery level and other information to the user without increasing the number of wiring lines through the hose body, which affects cleaning performance, flexibility, and operability.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum cleaner design that includes an air path element with a hose body, connection part, hand operation part, and indication means, where the wiring is embedded within the hose body to connect the vacuum cleaner main body to the hand operation part, and an indication control unit controls the indication means to provide different modes of indication based on set conditions, such as battery level, dust detection, and suction port status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple indication parts are disposed on the hand operation part to provide comprehensive information to the user, then the information indication capability is improved, but the number of wiring lines passing through the hose body increases, affecting cleaning performance and flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple indication functions (battery level, dust accumulation, suction status) into a single LED indication part located on the hand operation part. This single indication part can display different states through different lighting patterns, thereby providing comprehensive information without requiring multiple separate indication parts and their corresponding wiring lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The single LED indication part serves multiple functions by displaying different information through different indication modes. It can indicate battery level (through different brightness levels), dust accumulation status, and suction port clogging status, making one component perform the work of multiple indication parts.
2Ease of operation
If wiring lines are embedded in the hose body to connect the hand operation part, then the hand operation part can receive power and signals, but the hose body weight increases and flexibility is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the indication part from the vacuum cleaner main body and relocates it to the hand operation part. This allows the indication function to be separated from the heavy main body, and the hand operation part can be equipped with necessary wiring and power supply (through the secondary battery) without significantly increasing the overall system complexity or hose body weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a secondary battery disposed in the hand operation part as an intermediary power source. This secondary battery provides power to the indication part and other components in the hand operation part, reducing the dependency on long wiring runs from the main body and thereby minimizing the wiring burden on the hose body.
3Device complexity
If indication parts are disposed on the vacuum cleaner main body, then wiring complexity is reduced, but the user hardly realizes the indication because the main body is positioned behind the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional arrangement by placing the indication part on the hand operation part (which is in front of the user) rather than on the vacuum cleaner main body (which is behind the user). This positional inversion ensures that the user can easily see the indication while operating the vacuum cleaner, solving the visibility problem without requiring excessive wiring.
4Loss of information
If a secondary battery is additionally disposed in the floor brush to power indication parts, then the indication function is achieved, but the floor brush becomes heavier and operability is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of battery placement by positioning the secondary battery in the hand operation part rather than in the floor brush. This dimensional relocation allows the indication function to be achieved without adding weight to the floor brush, thereby maintaining floor brush operability while still providing necessary information to the user.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a vacuum cleaner (11) capable of indicating a remaining amount of a secondary battery (16) and other information at a position for a user to easily recognize, without the increased number of lines of wiring passing through a hose body (25). A vacuum cleaner (11) includes an air path element (20) and a control unit (21). The air path element (20) includes a hose body (25), a connection part (26), a hand operation part (27), a wiring (30) and a lamp (29). The wiring (30) is disposed in the hose body (25) from the connection part (26) to at least the hand operation part (27). The lamp (29) is disposed on the hand operation part (27), and is capable of performing indication in a plurality of types of indication modes. The control unit (21) controls the lamp (29) to perform indication in different indication modes according to previously-set conditions with respect to the vacuum cleaner (11). In the case where the remaining amount of the secondary battery (16) is lower than a predetermined level, the control unit (21) controls the lamp (29) in response to the remaining amount of the secondary battery (16) being lower than the predetermined level, even if other condition is satisfied.