Telescopic Vacuum Cleaner Handlebar for Crush-Reverse Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-propelled urban and industrial vacuum cleaners pose risks of continued movement without user presence and insufficient safety against vertical obstacles, potentially leading to user injury or crushing.
Innovation Solution
A guide element, such as a handlebar with a telescopic zone and a detection switch, allows for immediate stopping or reversal of the motor when the handle is retracted, utilizing a return spring and sliding parts to control the vacuum cleaner's movement and send signals for motor control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dead man's handle is provided on the guide element to stop the machine when released, then safety against user absence is improved, but safety against crushing against vertical elements remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The handlebar is designed with a telescopic zone allowing dynamic movement between extended and retracted positions. This dynamic structure enables the handlebar to detect pushing forces from obstacles and automatically retract, triggering the motor to reverse or stop, thereby providing protection against crushing against vertical elements while maintaining the safety function against user absence.
Solution Approach 2:
A detection switch is integrated into the handlebar to detect the position of the sliding part in the telescopic zone. When the sliding part moves to the retracted position due to obstacle contact, the switch sends a signal to control the motor stopping or reversal. This feedback mechanism ensures immediate response to both user absence and obstacle contact, resolving the contradiction between different safety requirements.
2Strength
If the vacuum cleaner is made self-propelled with heavy weight (up to 450 kg or more), then cleaning capability and stability are improved, but the risk of user injury from continued movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic handlebar with detection switch is configured to detect obstacle contact and trigger motor reversal or stopping before the heavy vacuum cleaner can cause serious injury. This preliminary protective action allows the massive device to be safely controlled despite its weight, enabling it to overcome obstacles during cleaning while preventing user injury from uncontrolled movement.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a telescopic handlebar with detection switch is added to enable obstacle detection and motor reversal, then safety against crushing is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic zone with sliding part and detection switch is integrated directly into the existing handlebar structure. The handlebar combines guiding, telescopic movement, and obstacle detection functions in a single integrated component, minimizing additional complexity while achieving comprehensive safety protection against crushing.
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
The solution effectively prevents user injury by ensuring immediate stopping or reversal of the vacuum cleaner when encountering obstacles, enhancing safety during operation.
Implementation Method 1
a return spring configured so as to return, as soon as no force is exerted on the handle, said sliding part of the handle to the extended position
Implementation Method 2
a detection switch capable of sending a signal as soon as the stick is no longer in its extended position
Implementation Method 3
the detection switch comprises an optical part which will move and come into contact with an electrical part as soon as the sliding part starts moving
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a street or industrial vacuum cleaner (1) on a chassis (50) and self-propelled using at least one drive motor comprising a guide element preferably taking the form of a handlebar (70) with at least one handle (740), a hand grip (730) and means or elements (710) for attachment to the chassis (50) of the vacuum cleaner (1), said attachment means or elements (710) making it possible, by the transmission of the movement applied to the hand grip (730), to steer said vacuum cleaner (1), characterized in that the handle (740) comprises a telescopic zone with a sliding part (745) able to move between a first position referred to as an extended position and a second position referred to as a retracted position, preferably with a return spring (780) and at least a switch (770) for detecting the position of the sliding part (745), said switch (770) being able to cause the street vacuum cleaner drive motor to switch off or reverse if the sliding part (745) is in the retracted position.