Wet cleaning device having a cleaning roller mounted rotatably about a roller axis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wet-cleaning devices require manual and time-consuming operations to switch between wiping and regeneration modes, as users must manually lift and position the cleaning roller and cover elements, making the process uncomfortable and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A wet-cleaning device with two displaceable cover elements that can open or close the roller cover from opposite directions, coupled with a gearbox that synchronizes the movement of the cleaning roller and cover elements, allowing for simultaneous displacement and automation of the transition between wiping and regeneration operations, reducing the need for manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operation is used to switch between wiping and regeneration modes, then the device structure remains simple, but the operational time and user effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated mechanism. The gearbox simultaneously controls both the cleaning roller displacement and the cover element movement, merging what would otherwise be separate manual operations into one coordinated action. This reduces switching time while adding only moderate structural complexity through the integration of the gearbox mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically coordinating the movement of cover elements and cleaning roller through the gearbox mechanism. When the cleaning roller is displaced for regeneration, the gearbox automatically drives the cover elements to close the opening region without requiring separate manual intervention, making the system serve itself during mode transitions.
2Loss of time
If single cover element is used to close the opening region, then the device structure is simpler, but the time required to completely close the opening region increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cover into multiple displaceable cover elements (first and second cover elements) that can move independently but are coordinated through the gearbox. This segmentation allows parallel closure action from multiple directions simultaneously, significantly reducing the time to completely close the opening region compared to a single cover element, while adding manageable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of operation by having cover elements displace from opposite circumferential directions simultaneously. This multi-directional approach transforms the closure process from a single-direction sequential operation to a multi-directional parallel operation, dramatically reducing closure time while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through symmetric design.
3Ease of operation
If automated gearbox mechanism is implemented, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gearbox mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it converts rotational motion to linear displacement, coordinates the movement of multiple cover elements, and synchronizes the cleaning roller position with cover element closure. This multi-functionality justifies the added mechanism complexity by eliminating the need for separate control systems for each component, improving ease of operation while keeping overall system complexity manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
A wet cleaning device, in particular a wet mop, has a cleaning roller mounted rotatably about a roller axis and a roller cover surrounding, at least in part, the cleaning roller in the circumferential direction, which roller cover has at least one movable cover element for elective sealing and/or exposing of an opening region of the roller cover. In order to enable a changeover of the wet cleaning device from a wiping operation to a regeneration operation in a particularly convenient and time-saving manner, according to the invention, the wet cleaning device has a first cover element and a second cover element which, based on a circumferential direction of the cleaning roller, can be moved in opposition to each other in order to seal and/or to expose the opening region from opposite circumferential directions.