Wet Floor Cleaner Drive System with Nested Motor and Gear Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wet floor cleaners face challenges in compactness and protection of electrical systems due to the need for on-board motors, cooling systems, and power transmission, while impacts from bumps can damage these components.
Innovation Solution
A drive system with a longitudinally extending drive housing and gear arrangement within the agitation member, including a motor and planetary gear set, provides drive to both the agitation member and debris remover element, allowing for space reduction and efficient cleaning, with the gear arrangement enabling different rotational speeds and offsetting the motor's central axis to accommodate wiring and protect components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the drive system components (motor, cooling system, power transmission) are integrated into the cleaner head, then the cleaning performance is improved, but the weight and volume of the cleaner head increase
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is positioned inside the hollow shaft of the drive roller, and the cooling system components are integrated within the drive housing structure. This nested arrangement allows multiple functional components to occupy the same spatial envelope, reducing overall head weight and volume while maintaining full cleaning functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, houses the motor and cooling system, acts as a water reservoir, and provides mounting points for other components. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components, reducing overall weight and complexity.
2Volume of moving object
If the motor and gear arrangement are positioned within the drive housing, then space is reduced, but the complexity of the drive system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor shaft is directly coupled to the drive roller shaft, eliminating the need for separate gear trains or belt drive systems. This direct-drive configuration reduces the number of moving parts and simplifies the overall drive system while maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system uses fluid dynamics and convection rather than complex mechanical pumping mechanisms. The water flow is managed through passive channels and pressure differentials, reducing mechanical complexity while achieving effective cooling.
3Volume of moving object
If the motor is positioned within the drive housing, then compactness is improved, but the risk of water damage to electrical systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor housing and drive housing incorporate sealed membranes and flexible barriers that prevent water ingress while allowing for thermal expansion and contraction. These thin film barriers create waterproof compartments that protect electrical components without adding significant volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor compartment is filled with inert gas or sealed to create a water-free environment, preventing water damage to electrical systems. The sealed housing creates an isolated zone where electrical components are protected from the wet cleaning environment.
4Length of moving object
If the cleaner head is made more compact, then manoeuvrability is improved, but the protection of drive system components from impacts is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The drive housing and motor mounting structures incorporate shock-absorbing elements and flexible mountings that are pre-configured to cushion impact forces. These elements are designed to deform under impact, protecting sensitive electrical and mechanical components from damage during bumps or drops.
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 configuration reduces space requirements, enhances cleaning efficiency, and protects the drive system from impacts, ensuring effective operation and durability.
Implementation Method 1
a gear arrangement at least partially located within the drive housing, wherein the motor and the gear arrangement are longitudinally disposed with respect to one another, and wherein a drive output of the motor is operably coupled to the agitation member and to the debris remover element via the gear arrangement
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an agitator head assembly for a wet floor cleaner including an agitation member rotationally mounted within the agitator head assembly and arranged to contact a floor in use, a debris remover element rotationally mounted within the agitator head assembly alongside the agitation member and arranged to contact the agitation member in use, and a drive system at least partially located within the agitation member. The drive system includes a longitudinally extending drive housing, a motor at least partially located within the drive housing, and a gear arrangement at least partially located within the drive housing. The motor and the gear arrangement are longitudinally disposed with respect to one another, and a drive output of the motor is operably coupled to the agitation member and to the debris remover element via the gear arrangement to provide drive to cause the agitation member and the debris remover element to rotate.