Vacuum Nozzle Height Adjustment With Bleed Valve for Soft Carpets
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum cleaners face difficulties in cleaning 'super soft' carpets due to densely-packed fibers that impede airflow, causing the suction nozzle to become 'locked down' and increasing the push force required, especially when the carpet backing is impermeable to airflow.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum cleaner with a manual nozzle height adjustment assembly integrated with a bleed valve that can selectively reduce suction at the nozzle inlet to prevent nozzle lock-down, allowing for adjustable height settings and varying suction force based on the carpet type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the suction nozzle maintains high suction force on super soft carpets, then debris removal capability is improved, but the push force required to move the vacuum cleaner increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic height adjustment mechanism that allows the nozzle to be raised or lowered based on carpet thickness. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to maintain optimal suction force while reducing the push force required by preventing nozzle lock-down on thick super soft carpets through automatic height adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of nozzle-to-surface distance (height) to resolve the contradiction. By adjusting this parameter, the system can reduce suction force when the nozzle is elevated above thick carpets, thereby reducing push force while maintaining debris removal capability when the nozzle is lowered for thinner carpets.
2Productivity
If the suction nozzle is positioned close to the carpet surface for effective cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the nozzle becomes locked down and push force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The height adjustment assembly provides dynamic control over nozzle positioning, allowing the operator to raise the nozzle when encountering thick super soft carpets to prevent lock-down, and lower it for thinner carpets to maximize cleaning effectiveness. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and ease of movement.
3Reliability
If the suction force is increased to handle densely-packed carpet fibers, then airflow penetration is improved, but nozzle lock-down occurs and push force increases
Solution Approach 1:
The height adjustment mechanism acts as an intermediary between the suction source and the carpet surface. By controlling the distance between the nozzle and the densely-packed fibers, it mediates the interaction to maintain sufficient airflow penetration while preventing the nozzle from becoming locked down, thus reducing push force.
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 reduces the push force needed to move the vacuum cleaner over super soft carpets by allowing for adjustable height settings and controlled suction, preventing nozzle lock-down and improving cleaning efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a suction source configured to generate a working airstream through the working air path
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum cleaner includes a suction nozzle defining a nozzle inlet, a manual nozzle height adjustment assembly for adjusting the height of the nozzle inlet relative to a surface to be cleaned, and a bleed valve fluidly connected to a working air path of the vacuum cleaner to selectively open to reduce suction at the nozzle inlet. The bleed valve is incorporated with the nozzle height adjustment assembly such that movement of the nozzle height adjustment assembly between different height settings will automatically open or close the bleed valve.