Vacuum Cleaner Nozzle Light Distribution for Brush Pollution Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum cleaner nozzles with rotating brushes have high-speed rotation that makes it difficult for users to notice if the brush is polluted with items like hair, which affects cleaning performance, as the pollution is not easily visible and can lead to the brush stopping rotation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a light-guiding transparent core and static positioned LEDs that illuminate the rotating brush, allowing users to see the brush's rotation and pollution through light distribution, with sensors to indicate speed and pollution levels via pattern creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rotatable brush rotates at high speed for effective cleaning, then cleaning performance is improved, but the user cannot notice the rotation or pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies optical reflection principles where the brush roller surface reflects light differently based on its rotation state and pollution level. When the brush is clean and rotating, it reflects light in a specific pattern visible through the transparent screen. When polluted or stationary, the reflection pattern changes, allowing users to detect the brush state without slowing down the rotation for cleaning effectiveness.
2Productivity
If the brush rotation speed is increased for better cleaning, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but pollution accumulation is not detectable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an optical feedback system where light interacts with the rotating brush surface and returns information to the user through a transparent screen. The reflection pattern provides continuous feedback about the brush's rotation speed and pollution state, allowing users to monitor brush condition in real-time while maintaining high rotation speeds for efficient cleaning.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the brush rotates continuously without monitoring, then cleaning operation is uninterrupted, but performance degrades due to undetected pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent screen with optical reflection provides continuous visual feedback about brush condition, enabling users to detect pollution accumulation during continuous operation. This allows timely intervention to clean the brush before performance degradation occurs, maintaining reliable cleaning performance throughout extended use without interrupting the overall operation.
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
Enables users to monitor brush rotation and pollution easily, leading to more frequent cleaning and improved performance by noticing pollution early and adjusting power settings based on rotation speed.
Implementation Method 1
a light guiding transparent core and light guide elements that guide the light from the core to the surface of the rotatable brush role enabling the light to radiate in the ambient
Implementation Method 2
Light is generated by a static positioned LED that is shining into the rotating core of the rotatable brush
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A vacuum cleaner nozzle (N) comprising a rotatable brush (B) having a light distribution mechanism for distributing light from the rotatable brush (B), a transparent screen (S) through which a user can see the rotatable brush (B), and a drive unit for rotating the rotatable brush (B). The light distribution mechanism may have a plurality of lighting positions (L) on the rotatable brush (B). The light distribution mechanism may have a plurality of light sources distributed over a surface of the rotatable brush (B). The light distribution mechanism may have a light guide (LG) inside the rotatable brush (B), from which light escapes at the plurality of lighting positions (L), and may further have a light source (LED) for applying light to the light guide (LG). Alternatively, the light distribution mechanism has a plurality of mirrors at the lighting positions (L). The vacuum cleaner nozzle (N) may further have a sensor for measuring a rotation speed of the rotatable brush (B), and a controller for controlling the light distributed from the rotatable brush (B) in dependence on the rotation speed. The vacuum cleaner nozzle (N) can be applied in a vacuum cleaner further having a dirt collecting unit for collecting dirt.