Suction nozzle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wet cleaning nozzles for vacuum cleaners lack efficient distribution of cleaning fluid over the cleaned surface and often require excessive use of chemical detergents.
Innovation Solution
A suction nozzle design featuring a textile pad with a distribution opening aligned with a pad holder aperture, a central outlet for direct fluid delivery, and an in-situ cleaning agent generator using electrodes to produce sodium hypochlorite, minimizing waste and enhancing fluid distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water is distributed directly on the cleaning surface or textile pad using a pump, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but the distribution uniformity over the surface and pad is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid distribution system is segmented into multiple outlets arranged in specific patterns (e.g., central outlet, peripheral outlets, or outlets in rows). This segmentation allows liquid to be delivered to multiple locations simultaneously, improving both cleaning efficiency and distribution uniformity across the textile pad and cleaning surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the liquid distribution system are designed with different outlet configurations to address local needs. For example, outlets may be positioned at the center, edges, or specific zones of the textile pad to ensure uniform liquid distribution across different areas, with each outlet serving its local region effectively.
2Productivity
If chemical detergents are used to enhance cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but excessive chemical use occurs leading to waste and hygiene issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses water alone as the cleaning medium, eliminating the need for chemical detergents. The mechanical action of the rotating or oscillating textile pad combined with direct water application provides sufficient cleaning power, allowing the system to serve itself without external chemical additives, thus preventing chemical waste and hygiene problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of the cleaning medium from chemical-based (detergents mixed with water) to purely physical (water alone). This parameter change maintains cleaning effectiveness through optimized water distribution and mechanical pad action while completely eliminating chemical detergent consumption and associated waste issues.
3Ease of operation
If a pump is used to deliver liquid from the container to the surface, then liquid delivery is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid container is positioned to utilize gravity as the driving force for liquid delivery, creating an equipotential system where liquid flows naturally from the container through the distribution system to the outlets without requiring additional energy input from pumps or motors. This simplifies the system while maintaining effective liquid delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses gravity-driven hydraulic flow to deliver liquid from the container through distribution channels to multiple outlets. By leveraging natural hydraulic principles rather than mechanical pumping, the system achieves reliable liquid delivery with minimal complexity, using only passive fluid dynamics components.
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
Improves cleaning efficacy by ensuring even fluid distribution and reduces chemical detergent use through in-situ generation of sodium hypochlorite, providing effective and hygienic cleaning results.
Implementation Method 1
a textile pad (22) having a distribution opening (23) which overlaps the aperture (21) of the pad holder (20), creating a through hole (24) and an outlet (13) which is placed above the through hole (24)
Implementation Method 2
an in-situ cleaning agent generator using electrodes to produce sodium hypochlorite
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A suction nozzle (10) for a vacuum cleaner, the suction nozzle (10) has a main body (11) comprising: a liquid container (12) a liquid distribution system with an outlet (13), a pad holder (20) mounted outside the main body (11) by a shaft (25) and having at least one aperture (21) and a textile pad (22) attached to the pad holder (20), wherein the textile pad (22) has a distribution opening (23) which overlaps the aperture (21) of the pad holder (20) creating a through hole (24) and the outlet (13) of the liquid distribution system is placed above the through hole (24). The invention provides a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner. The suction nozzle is able to perform wet cleaning and the cleaning effect has been improved by providing better distribution of the cleaning fluid over the cleaned surface. Moreover, the suction nozzle provides also a limitation in use of chemical detergents by providing a cleaning agent generator which generates in-situ detergent in amount which is required to perform the cleaning process.