CN107397505B

CN107397505B - Floor nozzle for a suction cleaning device

Info

Publication number: CN107397505B
Application number: CN201710329013.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M.塞尔奈奇
Original assignee: Vorwerk and Co Interholding GmbH
Current assignee: Vorwerk and Co Interholding GmbH
Priority date: 2016-05-20
Filing date: 2017-05-11
Publication date: 2021-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-11
Also published as: CN107397505A; DE102016109287A1; TW201740856A

Abstract

The invention relates firstly to a floor nozzle (1) for a suction cleaning device (2), having a suction opening (3) and a suction channel (4), the floor nozzle (1) having a floor sensor (6) for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned, the suction opening (3) being movable by means of an actuator (7) depending on the detection result of the floor sensor (6), for example from a hard floor position to a carpeted floor position or vice versa. In order to provide a floor nozzle (1) and a floor sensor (6) which have alternative operating modes and can detect the type of a surface to be cleaned independently of the direction of movement of the floor nozzle (1), it is provided that the floor sensor (6) has a rotatably mounted rotary element (8) which has a contact element (9) for contacting the surface to be cleaned and an operating element (10) which is operatively connected to the actuator (7), wherein the operating element (10) is assigned a docking element (12) which is movable relative to the operating element (10) and has an aspherically curved docking surface (11). The invention also relates to a method for operating a floor nozzle (1) of a suction cleaning device (2).

Description

Floor nozzle for a suction cleaning device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a floor nozzle for a suction cleaning device, having a suction opening and a suction channel for connecting the suction opening to a fan of the suction cleaning device, wherein the floor nozzle has a floor sensor for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned, and wherein the suction opening can be moved by means of an actuator, in particular an air spring, depending on the detection result of the floor sensor, for example from a hard floor position to a carpeted floor position or vice versa.

The invention further relates to a floor sensor for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned and to a suction cleaning appliance, in particular a household vacuum cleaner, having a floor nozzle and/or a floor sensor of the above-mentioned type.

The invention further relates to a method for operating a floor nozzle.

Background

Floor nozzles for suction cleaning devices are known from the prior art. The floor nozzle can either be arranged on the base device of the suction cleaning device in the form of an accessory device or can be an integral part of the suction cleaning device. The suction cleaning device can either be a cleaning device designed only for suction or a cleaning device designed both for suction and for wiping. The suction cleaning device is either guided by the user's hand or can be moved automatically, for example designed as a cleaning robot.

In order to achieve the same desired cleaning effect on different floor coverings, it is known to reversibly adjust the floor nozzle to the respective type of surface to be cleaned. For example, the floor nozzle is arranged differently for hard floors than for carpeted floors or carpets. These arrangements differ, for example, in the spacing of the suction opening relative to the surface to be cleaned. In the hard floor position, the suction nozzle is usually placed on the surface to be cleaned, for example by means of a sealing element, for example a brush element and/or a sealing lip, thereby creating or increasing the spacing between the suction opening and the surface to be cleaned. This avoids scratching on hard floors. In the carpet floor position, the suction opening is usually guided, preferably arranged, at a small distance from the surface to be cleaned.

Document WO 2011/007160 a1 discloses, for example, a floor nozzle in which a brush unit arranged on the floor nozzle is moved according to the type of surface to be cleaned, whereby the housing of the suction nozzle is also simultaneously lowered towards or lifted from the surface to be cleaned. The brush unit is connected to the air spring, and the air unit functions to eject the brush unit from the outer circumference of the housing in case of a hard floor and to retract the brush unit into the housing in case of a carpeted floor. The air spring is assigned a valve which opens or closes as a function of the detection result of the ground sensor and thus triggers the expansion and compression of the air spring. The floor sensor is a roller that is movable relative to the housing of the floor nozzle, the roller being capable of rolling by interaction with the surface to be cleaned. The roller rolls on a flat surface during cleaning (the user pushes the floor nozzle forward and pulls back). An operating element, which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the roller, opens and closes the valve.

Disclosure of Invention

Based on the prior art described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a floor nozzle and a floor sensor which have alternative operating modes and allow a type of surface to be cleaned to be detected reliably, in particular independently of the direction of movement of the floor nozzle.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a floor nozzle for a suction cleaning device having a suction opening and a suction channel for connecting the suction opening to a fan of the suction cleaning device, wherein the floor nozzle has a floor sensor for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned, and wherein the suction opening can be moved by means of an actuator, in particular an air spring, as a function of the detection result of the floor sensor, for example from a hard floor position into a carpeted floor position or vice versa, wherein the floor sensor of the floor nozzle has a rotatably mounted rotary element having a contact element for contacting the surface to be cleaned and an operating element operatively connected to the actuator, wherein the operating element is assigned a docking element which is movable relative to the operating element, the abutment element has an aspherically curved abutment surface.

According to the invention, a rotary element is provided and designed, which, when rotated, moves an abutment element which acts on an actuator of the floor nozzle and thereby causes a movement of the floor nozzle from, for example, a hard floor position to a carpeted floor position or vice versa. The operating element and the docking element can in principle be mechanically, pneumatically or hydraulically operatively connected to the actuator. By means of the aspherically curved abutment surface of the abutment element according to the invention, a movement of the abutment element and ultimately also of the suction opening of the floor nozzle occurs upon rotation of the rotary element and upon rotation of the operating element acting against the abutment surface. If the floor nozzle travels, for example, over a carpeted floor surface, a rotation of the rotary element is caused on the basis of the higher friction between the contact element of the floor sensor and the surface to be cleaned compared to a hard floor surface. Whereby the operating element is moved from a preferred position corresponding to the hard ground position to other angular positions on the curved abutment surface of the abutment element. Since the radius of curvature of the abutment surface does not correspond to the radius of rotation of the operating element over the entire dimension of the abutment surface, the movably mounted abutment element is moved in a direction away from the rotating element. The docking element can be, for example, part of the actuator which moves the suction opening or an element which is only indirectly operatively connected to the actuator.

The floor sensor according to the invention is not only used for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned, but at the same time also functions to operate the actuator and thus to move the suction opening by means of the movable docking element. The rotary element, which has the contact element and the actuating element, can be mounted particularly advantageously in the region of the housing of the floor nozzle close to the ground in the manner of a ball joint. The rotary element is designed as a sphere, for example, which has a contact element on one side and an actuating element on the side of the sphere opposite the contact element. The arrangement of the rotary element on the floor nozzle is then realized in such a way that the contact element is moved out of the housing of the floor nozzle, i.e. in the direction of the surface to be cleaned on account of the normal cleaning process, and the operating element is moved in toward the housing of the floor nozzle. The contact element contacts the surface to be cleaned and may for example have a sealing lip or a brush element which comes into engagement with the surface to be cleaned. The movement of the contact element and thus the rotation of the rotary element, which in turn causes the oscillation of the operating element relative to the abutment surface of the abutment element, is caused by the frictional resistance between the contact element and the surface, which is dependent on the type of surface to be cleaned. As contact elements, brushes are particularly considered to be advantageous, which have significantly different coefficients of friction on hard floors and carpeted floors.

Provision is made here for the abutment surface to have an outwardly decreasing radius of curvature, viewed from the center of the abutment surface. The free end region of the actuating element facing away from the rotary element describes a circular, i.e. spherical path during rotation of the rotary element. Since the radius of curvature of the abutment surface is accordingly not constant, a movement of the abutment element is caused by the operating element. The abutment element is pressed here in the direction away from the rotary element. When the docking element is supported inside the floor nozzle such that the docking element can only move linearly, the rotational movement of the rotational element is converted into a linear movement of the docking element. The movement, i.e. the translation, of the docking element can thus function as a switch for the actuator of the floor nozzle. Advantageously, the variation of the radius of curvature is symmetrical based on, for example, the geometric center of the abutment surface, so that the amount of movement of the abutment elements is of equal magnitude regardless of the direction of rotation of the rotating element. The center of the abutment surface is advantageously determined by the axis of symmetry of the abutment element, the apex of the abutment surface or the like.

It is provided that a spring is associated with the abutment element, the restoring force of which spring is directed in the direction of the rotary element, so that the spring presses the abutment element against the actuating element. In particular, the spring is advantageously designed as a coil spring, for example, and is arranged on the side of the docking element facing away from the actuating element. In this way, a reversible displacement of the docking element can be achieved independently of the current rotational position of the rotary element and thus of the operating element. The longitudinal axis of the spring and thus the direction of the restoring force are advantageously oriented parallel to the axis of symmetry of the abutment surface. When the operating element is pivoted from a preferred position, for example, corresponding to a hard ground position, in the direction of the subregion of the abutment surface with the smaller radius of curvature, the abutment element is correspondingly displaced against the restoring force of the spring. Once the ground sensor is subsequently converted back to the hard ground, the contact element is restored to the preferred position corresponding to the hard ground position, so that the operating element is moved from the partial region of the docking surface having the smaller radius of curvature to the partial region of the docking surface having the relatively larger radius of curvature. The abutment element is thereby displaced in the direction of the rotary element, which is assisted by the restoring force of the spring.

Furthermore, it is provided that the abutment surfaces of the abutment elements are designed symmetrically, in particular axially and/or rotationally symmetrically. What is achieved by the design based on the central symmetry of the abutment surfaces is that the curves of the radii of curvature of the abutment surfaces are identical on the basis of opposite directions. The floor sensor therefore functions equally well in the case of a movement of the floor nozzle over the surface to be cleaned in all directions, and in particular results in numerically identical movements of the docking element. The change of the suction opening from the hard floor position to the carpeted floor position or vice versa can be effected equally well, for example both in a forward stroke of the floor nozzle, in which the user pushes the suction cleaning device forward, and in a return stroke of the floor nozzle, in which the user pulls the suction cleaning device back.

It is particularly advantageous if the docking element is designed rotationally symmetrically, i.e. in the form of an aspherically curved disk, with which the rotary element, which is also rotatable in all directions, interacts. In this embodiment, the floor sensor is designed as an omnidirectional floor sensor which identifies the type of surface to be cleaned independently of the current direction of movement of the floor nozzle over the surface to be cleaned. It is thereby possible, for example, to recognize the floor type even during a lateral movement of the floor nozzle (perpendicular to the direction of movement of the forward/return stroke), and to move the suction opening from the carpeted floor position into the hard floor position, so that the floor sensor reacts equally well and equally quickly irrespective of the current direction of movement, and thus damage to the surface to be cleaned is avoided. This has a significant advantage over prior art floor nozzles in which the rotary element of the floor sensor is rotated in only one plane, i.e. parallel to the direction of the forward or return stroke of the floor nozzle. When the movement of the floor nozzle does not run parallel to the direction of the forward or return stroke, for example when the floor nozzle is usually pivoted during the suction of a bed or other furniture, the floor sensor does not function or at least has a significant delay until a reaction is made, since only one movement portion parallel to the plane of rotation of the rotary element is available for detection.

It is particularly preferred that the rotary element is rotatably mounted in three dimensions. This is achieved in that the type of surface to be cleaned can be detected when the floor nozzle is moved in all directions. However, it is also possible as an alternative to provide that the rotary element can only oscillate in one plane, i.e. back and forth. In this embodiment, the ground sensor can reliably detect in at least two directions of movement.

It is furthermore provided that the docking element is connected to a valve which switches the fluid path between the suction channel and the actuator and which can be operated depending on the type of surface to be cleaned. The surface sensor interacts mechanically with the valve in such a way that the fluid path is simultaneously shut off and/or released by means of the moving docking element. The abutment element can advantageously have a closure element of the valve. This results in the opening or closing of the valve, i.e. the opening or closing of the fluid path between the suction channel and the actuator, when the docking element is moved, which ultimately results in a movement of the suction opening into the hard floor position or the carpeted floor position. If the docking element is moved, for example, in such a way that the valve remains open, the actuator, which is designed as an air spring, is evacuated on the basis of the negative pressure prevailing in the suction channel. The air spring is thereby compressed and acts, for example, to lower the suction opening toward the surface to be cleaned, which corresponds to the carpet floor position of the floor nozzle. If the floor nozzle is switched again from the carpeted surface to the hard floor, the contact element of the floor sensor can be oriented again parallel to the geometric center of the abutment surface of the abutment element on the basis of the reduced cleaning resistance, whereby the valve is closed again and a ventilation and expansion of the air spring is achieved, which lifts the suction opening from the surface to be cleaned, so that the hard floor is cleaned. The floor sensor and the valve thus form a unit which operates the movement of the actuator, for example an air spring, and thus achieves the desired position of the suction opening.

Furthermore, a floor nozzle for a suction cleaning device is specified, which has a suction opening and a suction channel for connecting the suction opening to a fan of the suction cleaning device, wherein the floor nozzle has a floor sensor for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned, and wherein the suction opening can be moved by means of an actuator, in particular an air spring, as a function of the detection result of the floor sensor, for example from a hard floor position to a carpeted floor position or conversely from a carpeted floor position to a hard floor position, wherein the floor nozzle has at least two floor sensors, wherein each floor sensor has a movable contact element for contacting the surface to be cleaned, and wherein the directions of movement of the two contact elements are arranged perpendicular to one another. In this embodiment, the two ground sensors are combined with each other, so that the reliability of the detection result is improved. Movement of the suction opening is caused if at least one of the two (or more) floor sensors detects a change of floor type, for example from a carpeted floor to a hard floor or vice versa. The floor sensors can each have a swivel element, which is mounted so as to be pivotable and has an actuating element, as described above. A common interface element can be associated with the actuating element, which interface element has, for example, two aspheric interface surfaces for the actuating element. Furthermore, the floor sensor can also have a translationally supported contact element which can be moved parallel to the surface to be cleaned. According to the specification, the directions of movement of the two contact elements are arranged perpendicular to each other. The contact elements can be mounted on both rotational axes by means of a universal joint cross. Detection is thereby achieved, so that, for example, a hard floor is recognized when the contact elements of the two floor sensors are not deflected, and a carpeted floor is recognized when at least one contact element is deflected. If the floor nozzle is moved, for example, in a lateral direction, i.e. perpendicularly to the forward/return stroke, preferably at least one contact element is moved and detection of the carpet floor is effected. If the floor nozzle is moved, for example, at 45 ° to the forward/return stroke, the two contact elements move, wherein the contributions projected in the respective detection directions can be superimposed. The evaluation of the displacement movement can be carried out either by separate circuit logics, for example in conjunction with processing and control devices, or for example by means of a common docking element on which the displacements of the contact elements in the same displacement direction are superimposed.

In addition to the floor nozzle described above, a floor sensor of the type for detecting a surface to be cleaned is also specified by the invention, in particular for a floor nozzle of the type mentioned above, wherein the floor sensor has a rotatably mounted rotary element with a contact element for contacting the surface to be cleaned and an operating element, wherein the operating element is assigned an interface element which is movable relative to the operating element and has an aspherically curved interface surface.

Furthermore, the invention also provides a suction cleaning device, in particular a household vacuum cleaner, which has a floor nozzle and/or a floor sensor of the above-described type.

Finally, a method for operating a floor nozzle, in particular for a suction cleaning appliance, is specified, wherein the type of the surface to be cleaned is detected by means of a floor sensor, and wherein the suction opening of the floor nozzle can be moved by means of an actuator, in particular an air spring, as a function of the detection result of the floor sensor, such as from a hard floor position to a carpeted floor position or vice versa, wherein at least one contact element of the floor sensor contacting the surface to be cleaned is movable relative to the surface to be cleaned in accordance with movement of the floor nozzle, and the movement of the contact element is transferred to the actuator, wherein the movement of the two contact elements is detected with reference to two movement directions arranged perpendicular to each other and/or the three-dimensionally movable contact element acts on an aspherically curved abutment surface which is in operative connection with the actuator.

Drawings

The invention is illustrated in more detail below with the aid of examples. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a suction cleaning device having a floor nozzle;

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the floor nozzle in a hard texture position;

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of the floor nozzle in a carpeted floor position;

FIG. 4 illustrates a floor sensor and valve according to the present invention detecting a hard texture surface;

fig. 5 shows the floor sensor and the valve according to fig. 4 when detecting a carpeted floor.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary suction cleaning device 2 with a floor nozzle 1. The suction cleaning device 2 is designed as a hand-held vacuum cleaner. The floor nozzle 1 is designed as a separate accessory device which can be removed from the base device 18 of the suction cleaning device 2. The suction cleaning device 2 has a telescopic shaft 20 connected to the base device 18 in the usual manner. On the shaft 20, a handle 21 is arranged, which has a switch 22 for switching on and off the fan of the suction cleaning device 2. Furthermore, a cable 23 for connecting the fan motor to a power supply is introduced into the shaft 20. In the base device 18, a dust chamber 5 is formed, in which the suction sucked in by the floor nozzle 1 can be collected. The floor nozzle 1 is connected to a suction connection 19 of a base unit 18.

The floor nozzle 1 has two travel wheels 24 for moving the floor nozzle 1 over the surface to be cleaned. A suction channel 4 (see fig. 2 and 3) is formed in the floor nozzle 1, which suction channel is connected to the dust chamber 5 of the suction cleaning device 2 and to the fan via a suction connection 19 of the base device 18. The suction channel 4 of the floor nozzle 1 communicates with a suction opening 3, which is guided over the surface to be cleaned during the suction operation of the suction cleaning device 2.

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the floor nozzle 1 according to the invention. The floor nozzle 1 has a suction channel 4 which is movable in relation to the floor nozzle 1. The suction channel 4 is moved such that the suction opening 3 can be moved closer to or further away from the surface to be cleaned. The suction channel 4 is mounted pivotably in the floor nozzle 1, for example on the axis of the roller 24. The floor nozzle 1 has a brush 15 on the underside, which brush is in contact with the surface to be cleaned during the suction operation of the floor nozzle 1. The suction channel 4 or suction opening is in fluid connection with the fan of the suction cleaning device 2, so that suction present on the surface to be cleaned can be conveyed through the suction channel 5 into the dust chamber 5 of the suction cleaning device 2.

The suction channel 4 can be moved from the hard floor position shown in fig. 2 to the carpeted floor position according to fig. 3. The movement of the suction channel 4 and thus of the suction opening 3 is effected by means of the actuator 7 and the driver 28. In the embodiment shown, the actuator 7 is an air spring and the transmission 28 is a guide runner. The air spring is rigidly connected to the guide link, so that when the air spring is evacuated or expanded, the guide link is moved in the direction of the air spring or away from the air spring. The guide runner has a slot 29 with a guide surface. In the elongated hole 29, an engagement element 30 of the suction channel 4 is held in a translatory manner. The guide surface has an upward slope from left to right in the drawing, along which the engaging element 30 of the suction channel 4 can slide. Furthermore, the engaging element 30 is guided linearly in the floor nozzle 1, so that the engaging element can perform a lifting movement which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the movement of the guide runner. Furthermore, a spring 31 is assigned to the air spring, the restoring force of which moves in the direction of the guide link, i.e. in the direction of the expanded state of the air spring.

The suction channel 4 and the actuator 7 are fluidically connected to one another via a surface sensor 6 and a valve 17. The valve 17 actuates the fluid path 16 between the suction channel 4 and the actuator 7, so that with the fluid path 16 open, the actuator 7 is evacuated, compressed via the suction channel 4 and thereby causes a displacement of the driver 28 and thus of the suction port 3.

Fig. 3 shows the floor nozzle 1 in the carpeted floor position. Here, the actuator 7 is compressed, whereby the driver 28 is also moved to the right in the drawing plane of the drawing. In this carpet position, the engagement element 30 of the suction channel 4 is displaced to the left and downwards inside the driver 28, so that the suction opening 3 is displaced from the floor nozzle 1 outwards in the direction of the surface to be cleaned.

The floor sensor 6 controls the valve 7 so that either the hard floor position or the carpet floor position of the floor nozzle 1 is triggered. The hard floor position, in which the suction opening 3 is lifted from the surface to be cleaned, is particularly suitable for hard floors, such as parquet floors, laminates, tiles and the like. The carpeted floor location is particularly suitable for use on a carpeted floor, carpet or the like.

By means of the restoring force of the spring 31 assigned to the actuator 7, the suction channel 4 of the floor nozzle 1 is normally in a hard-textured-surface position in which the suction opening 3 is lifted from the surface to be cleaned. If the user thus moves the suction cleaning device 2 over a hard floor, the hard floor position is maintained. However, once the suction cleaning device 2 is guided onto a carpet or a carpeted floor, the floor sensor 6 detects the type of change of the surface to be cleaned and allows the valve 17 to be opened, so that the actuator 7 is evacuated through the suction channel 4 loaded with negative pressure. The actuator 7 is thereby compressed and with its end region adjacent to the driver 28 is displaced in the direction of the roller 24, i.e. to the right in the drawing, against the restoring force of the spring 31 of the actuator 7. Since the actuator 28 is connected to the actuator 7, the actuator 28 is also correspondingly moved to the right, i.e. in the direction of the roller 24. The movement of the actuator 28 takes place here essentially horizontally. The engaging element 30 of the suction channel 4 engaging in the driver 28 is moved down on the slope of the guide surface, so that the engaging element 30 is moved in the vertical direction, i.e. perpendicular to the direction of movement of the driver 28, in the direction of the surface to be cleaned. This simultaneously also leads to a lowering of the suction opening 3 in the direction of the surface to be cleaned, wherein the suction opening 3 is swung out of the floor nozzle 1.

If the user subsequently leads the suction cleaning device 2 from the carpeted floor to the hard floor again, a return movement of the suction opening 3 in the floor nozzle 1 is effected, so that the hard floor is protected from damage by the suction opening 3. In order to switch the floor nozzle 1 from the carpeted floor position to the hard floor position, the floor sensor 6 closes the valve 17, thereby closing the fluid path 16, and the actuator 7 is re-ventilated and expanded by the return force of the spring 31 of the actuator 7. This also simultaneously moves the driver 28 away from the actuator 7 again, i.e. to the left in the drawing. The suction channel 4 is vertically raised.

The working principle of the ground sensor 6 and the actuator 7 is explained in more detail with the aid of fig. 4 and 5.

The surface sensor 6 is shown together with a valve 17 directly connected to the surface sensor. The floor sensor 6 has a rotary element 8, which is mounted in the form of a spherical bearing in a housing wall of the floor nozzle 1 near the ground. The rotary element 8 is designed as a sphere having a contact element 9 and an actuating element 10 on mutually opposite sides. The contact element 9 faces in the direction of the surface to be cleaned in the shown position of the floor nozzle 1 and is arranged on the surface to be cleaned with the brush 15. On the side of the rotary element 8 opposite the contact element 9, the free end of the actuating element 19 faces in the direction of the valve 17. The free end portion is movable along a spherical track.

In the hard texture surface position shown in fig. 4, the contact element 9 is arranged vertically on the surface to be cleaned with the brush 15. The rotary element 8 is in this case in a priority position in which the operating element 10 is likewise oriented orthogonally to the surface to be cleaned. The free end of the actuating element 10 rests on an abutment element 12, which has an abutment surface 11 that is aspherically curved. Starting from the illustrated preferred position of the actuating element 10 in the center of the contact surface 11, the radius of curvature 13 of the contact surface 11 decreases outward, i.e. toward the edge region of the contact surface 11. The abutment element 12 and the abutment surface 11 are designed rotationally symmetrically, wherein the abutment surface 11 has the shape of a disk. The docking element 12 is formed integrally with the closure element 27 of the valve 17. Between the docking element 12 and the valve 17, a spring 14 is arranged, the restoring force of which acts against the movable docking element 12. The valve 17 has a suction channel connection 25 and an actuator connection 26, which are connected to one another via the fluid path 16 inside the valve 17. The fluid path 16 can be opened and closed by a closure element 27.

The floor sensor 6 according to the invention functions here starting from the hard floor position shown in fig. 4, so that the contact element 9 is moved when the floor nozzle 1 is switched from a hard floor to a carpeted floor as shown in fig. 5. In particular, the brush 15 of the contact element 9, which is brought into contact with the surface to be cleaned, remains stationary on the basis of the increased frictional resistance between the brush 15 and the surface to be cleaned, so that the contact element 9 and thus the rotation element 8 are rotated when the floor nozzle 1 is moved in front of the surface to be cleaned. In this case, it is irrelevant with respect to the operating principle of the floor sensor 6, which is constructed three-dimensionally symmetrically, in which direction the floor nozzle 1 is moved over the surface to be cleaned. Due to the rotation of the rotary element 8, the actuating element 10 is also pivoted, the free end moving along a spherical path starting from the preferred position shown in fig. 4. The contact surface of the contact element 12 is correspondingly curved aspherically, wherein the radius of curvature 13 decreases from the illustrated preferred position of the actuating element 10, which coincides with the axis of symmetry of the contact surface. The docking element 12 is thereby displaced in the direction of the valve 17 against the restoring force of the spring 14. The movement of the docking element 12 simultaneously acts to move a closure element 27, which is formed integrally with the docking element 12, so that the valve 17 is opened. The closing element 27 is lifted from the mating surface of the valve 17, so that the fluid path 16 between the suction channel connection 25 and the actuator connection 26 is released. As described with reference to fig. 2 and 3, a vacuum can thus be drawn on the actuator 7 via the suction channel 4, which ultimately leads to a movement of the suction opening 3 towards the surface to be cleaned.

If the floor nozzle 1 starts from the carpeted floor position shown in fig. 5 and again travels towards the hard floor, the contact element 9 of the rotary element 8 returns to the priority position, in which the operating element 10 migrates on the contact surface 11 of the docking element 2 from the region with the smaller radius of curvature 13 to the region with the larger radius of curvature 13. The return movement can optionally be assisted by an additional spring (not shown) associated with the rotary element 8. The docking element 12 approaches the rotary element 8 again, whereby the closing element 27 of the valve 17 is also arranged on the mating surface of the valve 17, thereby closing the fluid path 16. The actuator 7 can thus no longer be evacuated through the suction channel 4, resulting in a ventilation of the actuator 7 and ultimately in a movement of the suction opening 3 away from the surface to be cleaned.

List of reference numerals

1 floor suction nozzle

2 suction cleaning device

3 suction opening

4 suction channel

5 dust collecting chamber

6 ground sensor

7 actuator

8 rotating element

9 contact element

10 operating element

11 butt joint surface

12 butt joint element

Radius of curvature 13

14 spring

15 brushes

16 fluid path

17 valve

18 basic equipment

19 suction connection tube

20 rod part

21 handle

22 switch

23 Cable

24 roller

25 suction channel interface

26 actuator interface

27 closure element

28 driver

29 long hole

30 engaging element

31 spring

Claims

1. A floor nozzle (1) for a suction cleaning device (2), the floor nozzle (1) having a suction opening (3) and a suction channel (4) for connecting the suction opening (3) to a fan of the suction cleaning device (2), wherein the floor nozzle (1) has a floor sensor (6) for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned, and wherein the suction opening (3) can be moved by means of an actuator (7) as a function of the detection result of the floor sensor (6), characterized in that the floor sensor (6) has a rotatably mounted rotary element (8), the rotary element (8) having a contact element (9) for contacting the surface to be cleaned and an operating element (10) which is operatively connected to the actuator (7), wherein the operating element (10) is assigned a docking element (12) which is movable relative to the operating element (10), the abutment element (12) has an aspherically curved abutment surface (11).

2. A floor nozzle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the docking surface (11) has an outwardly decreasing radius of curvature (13) as seen from the center of the docking surface (11).

3. A floor nozzle (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a spring (14) is assigned to the docking element (12), the return force of which spring is directed in the direction of the rotary element (8), so that the spring (14) presses the docking element (12) against the operating element (10).

4. A floor nozzle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the abutment surface (11) of the abutment element (12) is symmetrically configured.

5. A floor nozzle (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the docking surface (11) of the docking element (12) is configured axially and/or rotationally symmetrically.

6. Floor nozzle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotary element (8) is rotatably supported three-dimensionally.

7. A floor nozzle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the docking element (12) is connected with a valve (17), which valve (17) switches a fluid path (16) between the suction channel (4) and the actuator (7), and which valve (17) can be operated depending on the type of surface to be cleaned.

8. Floor nozzle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator (7) is designed as an air spring.

9. A floor nozzle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two floor sensors (6) are provided, wherein each floor sensor (6) has a movable contact element (9) for contacting a surface to be cleaned, and wherein the directions of movement of the two contact elements (9) are arranged perpendicular to each other.

10. A floor nozzle (1) for a suction cleaning device (2), the floor nozzle (1) having a suction opening (3) and a suction channel (4) for connecting the suction opening (3) to a fan of the suction cleaning device (2), wherein the floor nozzle (1) has a floor sensor (6) for detecting the type of surface to be cleaned, and wherein the suction opening (3) can be moved by means of an actuator (7) as a function of the detection result of the floor sensor (6), characterized in that at least two floor sensors (6) are provided, wherein each floor sensor (6) has a movable contact element (9) for contacting the surface to be cleaned, and wherein the directions of movement of the two contact elements (9) are arranged perpendicular to one another.

11. A floor nozzle (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the actuator (7) is designed as an air spring.

12. A floor sensor (6) for detecting the type of a surface to be cleaned, for a floor nozzle (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the floor sensor (6) has a rotatably mounted rotary element (8), the rotary element (8) having a contact element (9) for contacting the surface to be cleaned and an operating element (10), wherein the operating element (10) is assigned an interface element (12) which is movable relative to the operating element (10) and has an aspherically curved interface surface (11).

13. Suction cleaning device (2) with a floor nozzle (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 11 and/or with a floor sensor (6) according to claim 12.

14. The suction cleaning device (2) according to claim 13, characterized in that the suction cleaning device (2) is a household vacuum cleaner.

15. A method for operating a floor nozzle (1), wherein the type of the surface to be cleaned is detected by means of a floor sensor (6), and wherein the suction opening (3) of the floor nozzle (1) can be moved by means of an actuator (7) as a function of the detection result of the floor sensor (6), characterized in that at least one contact element (9) of the floor sensor (6) contacting the surface to be cleaned is movable relative to the surface to be cleaned in accordance with a movement of the floor nozzle (1), and the movement of the contact element (9) is transmitted to the actuator (7), wherein the movement of the two contact elements (9) is detected with reference to two movement directions arranged perpendicular to each other, and/or the three-dimensionally movable contact element (9) acts against an aspherically curved abutment surface (11) which is in operative connection with the actuator.

16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the floor nozzle (1) is designed for a suction cleaning device (2).

17. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the actuator (7) is designed as an air spring.