Re: Vacuum Cleaners from Outer Space

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:51:37 -0800, D from BC wrote:

Puns.. :)

Punishment?

Is it me or do vacuum cleaners have some of the most sucky body
designs.
Wayyyy too much eye candy to suck in consumers.

Industrial design is a good thing. Too much industrial design might
not be. Most of those are clones of Sir James Dyson's design from the
late 1970's:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_(company)>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dyson#Vacuum_cleaners>
Lots of advantages to the design. However, the internal construction
did not lend itself to looking like a conventional vacuum cleaner. The
first models were rather odd looking, but after 30 years and 1000
prototypes, a suitable design was worked out that didn't look too
alien. Dyson wanted a clear cover (like all techies), but the
customers said they didn't want one. So, he did it anyway and
patented it:
<http://www.jenkins.eu/mym-spring-2004/a-clear-bin-policy.asp>

It's all kinda like the trend in the 1950's to make everything from
pencil sharpeners to vacuum cleaners look aerodynamic. Also, fins on
automobiles. The current fashion trend in industrial design is to
show the internal mechanics and moving parts. Strong polycarbonate
plastic has made this possible. Double insulation on electrical
appliances have also provided an incentive to use more insulating
plastic. The down side is that they don't last. The vacuum cleaner
will spray dust, from leaks in the mechanism, around the inside the
clear cover, rapidly sand blasting the surface. Even without sand
blasting, the accumulated dust on the clear cover make the vacuum
cleaner *LOOK* dirty or prematurely worn out.

It's all a conspiracy to control product lifetime anyway.

Example:
http://www.allergybegone.com/hoover-u5194-mach5-cyclonic-vacuum.html?gcid=C11639x011
Click for bigger picture.

Nice. You might want to look at some of the ideas (and nightmares) on
the web sites for industrial designers. It might stimulate your
imagination.

Take the handle off this sucker and it can pass as a robot in a low
budget sci fi movie. :P

Add arms and it might just work.

I think it sucks to pay for eye candy and most likely I'll never buy a
'turboized robovac from the future'.

Well, how about something more "modern" in a vacuum cleaner?
<http://www.yankodesign.com/index.php/2007/06/18/rideable-vacuum-cleaner-by-kristina-andersson/>
Kinda like a motorized plastic toy snail.

Argh. One of my (great) ideas has been anticipated. The inflatable
mouse:
<http://www.yankodesign.com/index.php/2008/01/30/blow-up-mouse/>

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@xxxxxxxxxx
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
.

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