Domestic appliance and part thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum cleaners, particularly handheld and stick vacuums, face manufacturing tolerance issues that lead to slack or play in triggers, affecting responsiveness and reliability due to varying manufacturing variances, resulting in potential rattle and reduced operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a biasing member that urges the trigger towards the active position to accommodate manufacturing variance, allowing for more relaxed tolerances and improved responsiveness, along with a second biasing member to prevent accidental activation, ensuring the trigger is responsive and less prone to rattle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manufacturing tolerances are made tighter to reduce trigger play, then trigger responsiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the trigger by introducing a biasing member that applies a spring force to pre-tension the trigger mechanism. This parameter change (adding elastic force) compensates for dimensional variations in manufactured parts, allowing the trigger to maintain consistent responsiveness despite variations in part dimensions within normal manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member acts as an intermediary element between the trigger and the switch assembly. It mediates the interaction by absorbing dimensional variations and providing a consistent force to ensure reliable trigger operation, thereby decoupling the trigger's responsiveness from strict manufacturing tolerance requirements.
2Reliability
If a biasing member is added to urge the trigger towards the active position, then trigger responsiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing member is designed to be self-contained and self-regulating within the trigger assembly. It automatically adjusts to dimensional variations without requiring external adjustment mechanisms or complex control systems, thereby improving reliability while adding minimal complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the biasing member into the existing trigger assembly structure, combining it with other components where possible. This merging approach incorporates the biasing function without significantly increasing the overall component count or structural complexity of the device.
3Ease of manufacture
If the trigger is urged towards the active position by a biasing member, then manufacturing tolerances can be relaxed, but the risk of accidental activation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by using the biasing member to pre-load the trigger in the opposite direction of accidental activation forces. This pre-tensioning creates a threshold that must be overcome before the trigger can activate, thereby preventing accidental activation while still allowing normal operation with relaxed tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member changes the force parameter of the trigger system by applying a controlled spring force. This parameter change creates a stable equilibrium position that requires deliberate user input to overcome, thereby preventing accidental activation while accommodating manufacturing variations.
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 solution enhances the responsiveness of the trigger, reduces rattle, and allows for more relaxed manufacturing tolerances, decreasing tooling costs and wastage while ensuring the vacuum cleaner operates efficiently and reliably.
Implementation Method 1
a first biasing member which is arranged to urge the trigger away from the passive position and towards the active position
Data Source
AI summary
A domestic appliance includes an electric motor; a switch assembly for selectively connecting the motor to a power source; a handle; and a manually-operable trigger movable relative to the handle between an active position and a passive position. The trigger and the switch assembly are arranged such that the switch assembly is in a motor-connecting state when the trigger is in the active position, and is in a motor-disconnecting state when the trigger is in the passive position. The domestic appliance comprises a first biasing member which is arranged to urge the trigger away from the passive position and towards the active position.