Wiping Unit Spring Element Design for Corner Cleaning Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cleaning devices, such as cleaning robots, struggle with inadequate cleaning performance in corners and edges due to the shape of the device limiting the accessibility of the cleaning cloth, leading to incomplete or insufficient cleaning in these areas.
Innovation Solution
A wiping unit with a flexible, spring-like element attached to a base body that allows the cleaning cloth to conform to the contours of the cleaning surface, ensuring complete coverage and effective cleaning in corners and edges by pressing the cloth against the surface and preventing wrinkling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cleaning device has a fixed rigid structure, then the device structure is simple and stable, but the cleaning cloth cannot follow the contours of corners and edges resulting in poor cleaning performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the base body flexible and deformable instead of rigid. The base body can dynamically change its shape to follow the contours of corners and edges, allowing the cleaning cloth to maintain contact with the cleaning surface in hard-to-reach areas. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by enabling good cleaning performance through shape change without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the base body from rigid to flexible/deformable. This parameter change allows the base body to adapt its shape to match the geometry of corners and edges, ensuring the cleaning cloth follows the surface contours. The flexibility parameter enables the structure to deform elastically under its own weight or external forces to achieve complete corner coverage.
2Ease of manufacture
If the cleaning cloth is attached to the underside of the device, then the attachment is simple, but the external shape of the device limits accessibility to corners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the flexible shells and thin films principle by using a flexible base body that acts as a deformable support structure for the cleaning cloth. This flexible base body can be shaped to extend into corners and edges, allowing the cleaning cloth to reach areas that would be inaccessible to a rigid device. The flexible membrane structure maintains simplicity in attachment while dramatically improving corner accessibility.
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
The solution enables thorough and uniform cleaning in corners and edges by allowing the cleaning cloth to follow the surface contours, enhancing the device's mobility and cleaning effectiveness without getting jammed.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element (14) that is, in particular, at least partially or in sections, flexible, yielding or elastic
Implementation Method 2
the spring element (14) pushes the cleaning cloth (10) away from the base body (9) and/or in the direction of the cleaning surface (F)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A wiping unit (2) for a cleaning device (1), in particular a cleaning robot, such as a mopping or mop-vacuum robot, is proposed. The wiping unit (2) comprises a base body (9) and a cleaning cloth (10) attached to the base body. The wiping unit (2) has a spring element (14) that is attached to the base body and projects into a corner region (12) of the cleaning cloth in order to exert pressure on the corner region.