Full-Width Vacuum Cleaner Head for Smooth Debris Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vacuum cleaners face inefficiencies in dirt and debris collection due to restricted air flow paths, high suction power requirements, and limitations in battery-powered models, leading to reduced cleaning performance and blockages.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum cleaner design featuring a full-width, tangentially oriented air flow duct, a full-width dirt-collection chamber, and a dual-stiffness rotatable brush, which maximizes air flow smoothness and momentum transfer of debris, while minimizing power consumption and blockages, and includes a filter system that allows for efficient cleaning on both hard floors and carpets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a restricted air flow path is used in traditional vacuum cleaners, then the structure is compact and simple, but the dirt collection efficiency is reduced and blockages occur
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow duct spans substantially the full width of the travelling head, transitioning from a restricted linear path to a wide tangential flow path that utilizes the lateral dimension. This allows air to flow smoothly from the leading end across the full width to the trailing end, increasing dirt collection efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple structural implementation.
2Productivity
If high suction power is used in mains powered vacuum cleaners, then the cleaning performance is improved, but the electrical power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the air flow parameters by creating a wide, tangential flow path that maintains smooth flow at lower velocities. This eliminates the need for high suction power while achieving superior dirt collection efficiency, allowing battery-powered operation with less than 10% of the electrical power consumption of traditional mains-powered vacuum cleaners.
3Ease of operation
If the travelling head height is reduced to clean under furniture, then the accessibility is improved, but the air flow path and brush chamber are constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow duct is configured to span substantially the full width of the travelling head, utilizing the lateral dimension to create an efficient flow path within a constrained vertical height. This allows the brush chamber and air flow path to be effectively arranged in a low-profile configuration that can clean under furniture while maintaining smooth tangential air flow.
4Reliability
If a traditional air flow duct configuration is used, then the manufacturing is simple, but larger debris blocks the ducts
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow duct is designed to span substantially the full width of the travelling head, creating a wide passage that accommodates larger debris without blockages. This wide tangential flow path allows debris to be carried smoothly from the leading end to the trailing end, preventing the blockages that occur in traditional narrow duct configurations while maintaining a relatively simple structural implementation.
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 achieves higher dirt collection efficiencies than mains powered vacuum cleaners using less than 10% of their electrical power, with improved debris capture and reduced blockages, and maintains effective cleaning performance across various surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
Vacuum cleaners have a motor which typically drives an impeller to create a flow of air. The travelling head of the vacuum cleaner has an opening in its bottom wall through which air can enter the travelling head, the air carrying dirt and debris into the travelling head.
Implementation Method 2
Many vacuum cleaners have a rotatable brush located adjacent to the opening of the travelling head. The brush is rotated and engages the surface which is being cleaned. The brush helps to dislodge dirt and debris from the surface which is then gathered into the air flow and transported to the dirt-collection chamber.
Implementation Method 3
a filter means located between the dirt-collection chamber and the impeller
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
This invention relates to a vacuum cleaner (10), and in particular a vacuum cleaner (10) having a rotatable brush (24). The vacuum cleaner (10) has a travelling head (12) adapted to be moved across a surface to be cleaned, the travelling head (12) having a leading end (28) and a trailing end. The travelling head (12) has a rotatable brush (24), the rotatable brush (34) being located in a brush chamber (23) at the leading end of the travelling head (12), the brush chamber (34) having an opening (26) through which a part of the rotatable brush (24) projects, the opening (26) and the rotatable brush (24) spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head (12). The travelling head (12) also has an impeller (46), and a motor (34) for driving the rotatable brush (34) and the impeller (46). The travelling head (12) has a removable dirt - collection chamber (42) spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head, and a filter means (52) located between the dirt - collection chamber (42) and the impeller (46), the filter means (52) also spanning substantially the full width of the travelling head.