DE102022121452A1 - Vacuum cleaner, preferably handheld - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner (1), preferably a handheld vacuum cleaner (1), with a blower (12) with an impeller for generating an air flow, with a first electric motor (12a) for driving the impeller of the blower (12), with a Suction nozzle (14) with a rotatable brush (15), with a second electric motor (15a) for driving the rotatable brush (15) and with a control unit (17), which is designed and set up to have at least the first electric motor (12a) and/or to operate the second electric motor (15a). The vacuum cleaner (1) is characterized in that the control unit (17) is designed and set up to allow a movement (B) of the rotor (15c) of the second electric motor (15a) relative to the stator (15b) of the second electric motor (15a). from a first orientation (A1) to a second orientation (A2), to detect a value of an electrical quantity which is influenced by the movement (B) from the first orientation (A1) to the second orientation (A2), and from the value of the electrical quantity to determine whether the initiated movement (B) took place or not.

Description

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, preferably a hand-held vacuum cleaner, and a method for operating a vacuum cleaner.

The cleaning devices include vacuum cleaners, which suck in air and dirt from a surface and can release the air back to the outside, at least essentially cleaned of dirt. Such vacuum cleaners can be connected to a socket with a cable for operation. However, it can be more convenient for the user not to have to pay attention to the cable when vacuuming, which is why cordless vacuum cleaners are also known and widespread, which have a battery or an accumulator as a rechargeable electrical energy storage device. In particular, the comparatively compact and light handheld vacuum cleaners are often battery-operated to make them quicker and easier for the user to use.

A vacuum cleaner has a fan that can generate airflow. This can create a negative pressure on the suction side of the blower, which can ensure that air flows in; This section of the vacuum cleaner can also be referred to as the negative pressure area of the vacuum cleaner.

On the opposite side of the fan, towards which the air flow is directed, there is usually at least one filter or a filter system through which the air flow is passed. This section of the vacuum cleaner can also be called the overpressure area of the vacuum cleaner. The filter can retain dirt such as dust, especially house dust, as well as other smaller particles from the air flow and thereby filter the air flow, which can then leave the vacuum cleaner cleaner than when it was sucked in. This allows the surface to be cleaned of dirt. The substrate can be any surface such as a floor or its floor covering.

Depending on the design of the vacuum cleaner, the air flow including dirt can be guided directly via a suction nozzle as a suction opening, which is part of the vacuum cleaner itself. The suction nozzle, which can also be referred to as a floor nozzle, can also be connected to the vacuum cleaner via a suction hose and, if necessary, via an additional telescopic tube; In this case, the vacuum cleaner and the other components such as the suction nozzle, suction hose and, if necessary, telescopic tube can also be referred to together as a vacuum cleaner system. In any case, the suction nozzle can be guided by a user over a surface in order to pick up dirt with the sucked in air.

To improve the cleaning effect, a brush can be arranged in the area of the suction nozzle, which can be driven to rotate in order to brush the surface to be cleaned and thereby loosen dirt, for example from the fibers of a carpet, so that the loosened dirt can be removed more effectively by the air flow . This can improve the cleaning effect of the vacuum cleaner. This brush can also be called a floor brush or a bristle roller.

The blower of such vacuum cleaners is usually operated by a first electric motor. Brushless electric motors are often used for this purpose, which do not have slip rings or commutators and brushes between the rotor and stator, which can wear out. Therefore, brushless electric motors usually have a longer service life or longer service life than electric motors with brushes. This can have a correspondingly positive effect on the lifespan or service life of the vacuum cleaner. Brushless electric motors also usually have higher performance than brushed electric motors.

The floor brush can also be operated with a second electric motor, which, however, is usually designed with brushes, i.e. as a brushed electric motor, for cost reasons.

In order to optimally operate or regulate the floor brush and achieve the best possible cleaning result, knowledge of the surface or floor covering to be cleaned can be helpful. On a hard floor or on a smooth floor as a surface, a very low speed is beneficial or it would even be an advantage if the floor brush did not rotate at all so that the dirt on a hard floor is not “shot away”. On a carpet, however, better cleaning results are usually achieved when the floor brush is operated, especially at a comparatively high speed.

Appropriate sensors can be used to detect the surface or floor covering to be cleaned. However, this increases the costs due to the purchase and installation of the sensor as well as its connection and evaluation by the vacuum cleaner's control unit. The sensor and its cabling also require additional installation space. Furthermore, this increases the consumption of electrical energy, which is precisely This can be undesirable with a battery-operated vacuum cleaner.

The DE 10 2007 021 299 A1 describes a method for controlling the speed of at least one electric motor in a mobile device in the course of a movement of this device over a surface area depending on the respective surface condition by generating detection signals corresponding to the respective surface condition for the formation of these corresponding control signals for the mobile device. Current values of at least one current recorded by an electric motor of the mobile device are determined as detection signals, which current correlates with a movement of the mobile device in the respective area with regard to at least one parameter, in particular its height. The relevant current values are evaluated based on at least one current setpoint corresponding to a specific surface condition. The electric motor is operated at a speed that can be determined and corresponds to an evaluation result between the current value determined in each case and the speed that corresponds to at least one current setpoint.

A disadvantage of the process DE 10 2007 021 299 A1 is that the floor covering is recognized via the motor current of an already rotating floor brush and therefore a rotating movement of the floor brush must already be present in order to use this method. However, since the floor brush should not rotate at all on a hard floor to be cleaned in order not to “shoot away” dirt on the hard floor, it would be desirable to detect the floor covering without rotating the floor brush. In particular, the floor covering should be recognized immediately when the device is started, ie without any time delay, in order to operate or regulate the floor brush accordingly or simply not to put it into operation at all. Electrical energy is also required to operate the floor brush on a hard floor, which in this case does not contribute to cleaning and is therefore wasted, which can be undesirable, especially with battery-operated vacuum cleaners.

The invention therefore presents the problem of providing a vacuum cleaner with a rotatable floor brush, which can detect the surface or floor covering to be cleaned directly from the start of operation, i.e. without prior operation of the floor brush, without using a corresponding sensor. This should preferably be as simple, cost-effective, space-saving and/or energy-saving as possible. This should preferably be implemented for battery-operated vacuum cleaners. At least an alternative to known such vacuum cleaners should be created.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by a vacuum cleaner and by a method with the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous refinements and further developments of the invention result from the following subclaims.

The invention therefore relates to a vacuum cleaner, preferably a handheld vacuum cleaner, with a blower with an impeller for generating an air flow, with a first electric motor for driving the impeller of the blower, with a suction nozzle with a rotatable brush, with a second electric motor for driving the rotatable brush and with a control unit which is designed and set up to operate at least the first electric motor and/or the second electric motor.

• eine Bewegung des Rotors des zweiten elektrischen Motors gegenüber dem Stator des zweiten elektrischen Motors aus einer ersten Ausrichtung in eine zweite Ausrichtung zu veranlassen,
• einen Wert einer elektrischen Größe zu erfassen, welche durch die Bewegung von der ersten Ausrichtung in die zweite Ausrichtung beeinflusst wird, und
• aus dem Wert der elektrischen Größe zu bestimmen, ob die veranlasste Bewegung erfolgt ist oder nicht.

The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the control unit is designed and set up

• to cause the rotor of the second electric motor to move relative to the stator of the second electric motor from a first orientation to a second orientation,
• to detect a value of an electrical quantity which is influenced by the movement from the first orientation to the second orientation, and
• to determine from the value of the electrical quantity whether the movement caused occurred or not.

In other words, according to the invention, a defined movement of the rotor of the second electric motor of the floor brush of the vacuum cleaner is caused with regard to its starting and end points, which differs from a cleaning operation of the vacuum cleaner using the floor brush. An electrical quantity is measured during the initiated or attempted movement and it is examined whether or not the actual implementation of this movement can be recognized from this electrical quantity. This can be used to determine the surface that should be cleaned by the floor brush or whether the floor brush is blocked.

The present invention is based on the knowledge that the surface, which is to be cleaned by a floor brush of a vacuum cleaner, is subject to the floor brush or its second electric motor or its rotor offers different resistance depending on the type of surface, such as a hard floor or a carpet. Carpets of different textures, such as different lengths, can also have different resistances. This also applies to a blockage of the floor brush, for example due to objects being sucked in.

In any case, a specification can be made about the manner or the driving force with which the movement from the first orientation to the second orientation of the rotor of the floor brush is initiated in order to draw conclusions from the movement that has taken place or not. whether a specific subsurface exists or whether at least a specific subsurface can be excluded. This can enable sensorless floor type detection without having to operate the floor brush.

Preferably, the rotor of the second electric motor can be moved into the first orientation relative to the stator of the second electric motor in order to have a defined starting position or to assume the first orientation. This can be viewed as initialization. However, the first orientation can also be the orientation of the rotor, which it has, in particular randomly, at the start of operation. This can simplify the procedure.

According to one aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up so that the movement is caused by means of a driving force which is sufficient so that the movement is carried out on a hard floor as a base, but is too small so that the movement is carried out on another underground is not carried out. This can enable concrete implementation as described above. In particular, this makes it possible to distinguish at least between a hard floor and a non-hard floor or a blockage of the floor brush. This can enable a simple implementation, which can enable a particularly practical distinction.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush is not driven by the second electric motor if the movement caused has occurred. This can prevent operation, for example on a hard floor, for the reasons mentioned at the beginning if the rotor has actually moved and it can therefore be concluded that there is a surface with a comparatively low resistance, such as a hard floor.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up so that the movement into the second orientation is initiated again by means of a higher driving force than before if the initiated movement has not occurred. In this way, an iterative or successive procedure can be initiated or carried out in order to test, so to speak, soil types with low resistance by increasing the driving force once or several times and to exclude or recognize these soil types through the reaction to a movement that has taken place or has not yet taken place.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush is operated by means of the second electric motor if the movement caused is carried out by means of the higher driving force and if the higher driving force is below a limit value for detecting a blocked rotatable brush . This ultimately allows the floor brush to be operated to clean the identified surface, which is not a hard floor. At the same time, a blockage of the floor brush can be ruled out.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush is driven by means of the second electric motor at a predetermined speed which corresponds to a ground which corresponds to the driving force with which the movement caused was carried out. In this case, the underlying surface can be deduced from the driving force at which the induced movement actually took place. Different surfaces, at least hard floors and non-hard floors but possibly also different types of carpet, can be differentiated from one another and, depending on the surface, a corresponding operating behavior for cleaning precisely this type of surface can be stored in the control unit, for example. This cleaning operation, which is tailored to the identified surface, can now be implemented to optimize the cleaning of the surface.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush is not operated by means of the second electric motor if the higher driving force reaches a limit value for detecting a blockage of the rotatable brush. In this way, the case of a blockage of the floor brush, for example due to objects being sucked in, can be recognized and the floor brush can then not be operated in order to avoid damage.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up to cause a further movement of the rotor of the second electric motor into a third orientation relative to the stator of the second electric motor. In this way, repeated or continuous detection can take place, since the surface can ultimately change during use and this should be recognized accordingly according to the invention. This can be done at sufficiently short intervals for the entire duration of use in order to be able to immediately recognize and react to any surface or change in surface.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up to cause the further movement into the third orientation in the same direction as the movement into the second orientation. This means that a rotating sequence of movements can be realized, which can be one possible implementation.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the control unit is designed and set up to cause the further movement into the third orientation in the opposite direction to the movement into the second orientation. In this case, a sequence of movements back and forth can be realized, which can represent another implementation option.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the electrical quantity is an induced voltage or an emerging current. These can represent implementation options for using a measurable electrical quantity.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the driving force is effected by means of an electrical voltage or by means of an electrical current. These can represent ways to generate the motive force.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the first electric motor and/or the second electric motor is or are designed to be brushless. This can increase the performance and/or the longevity of the first electric motor of the blower and/or the second electric motor of the rotatable floor brush.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the vacuum cleaner has a rechargeable electrical energy storage device, which is designed and set up to electrically supply at least the first electric motor, the second electric motor and the control unit. The rechargeable electrical energy storage can in particular be an accumulator or a rechargeable battery. This can allow the user to use the vacuum cleaner without the hassle of an electrical power cord.

• Veranlassen einer Bewegung eines Rotors des zweiten elektrischen Motors gegenüber dem Stator des zweiten elektrischen Motors aus einer ersten Ausrichtung in eine zweite Ausrichtung,
• Erfassen eines Wertes einer elektrischen Größe, welche durch die Bewegung von der ersten Ausrichtung in die zweite Ausrichtung beeinflusst wird, und
• Bestimmen aus dem Wert der elektrischen Größe, ob die veranlasste Bewegung erfolgt ist oder nicht.

The present invention also relates to a method for operating a vacuum cleaner, preferably a handheld vacuum cleaner, with a blower with an impeller for generating an air flow, with a first electric motor for driving the impeller of the blower, with a suction nozzle with a rotatable brush, with a second electric motor for driving the rotatable brush and with a control unit which is designed and set up to operate at least the first electric motor and/or the second electric motor, the method having at least the steps:

• causing a rotor of the second electric motor to move relative to the stator of the second electric motor from a first orientation to a second orientation,
• Detecting a value of an electrical quantity that is influenced by the movement from the first orientation to the second orientation, and
• Determine from the value of the electrical quantity whether the movement caused occurred or not.

This allows a corresponding process to be implemented and the properties and advantages described above to be used as a process.

In other words, the task of floor covering detection can be solved without a continuously rotating floor roller using a multi-phase motor, usually a three-phase motor. This motor can be controlled in particular with a B6 bridge. The motor can be a permanent magnet machine, which means that the rotor can consist of one or more pole pairs. The motor can be designed as an internal or external rotor.

In the vacuum cleaner according to the invention and in the corresponding method according to the invention, the approach of field-oriented control or space vector modulation can be used. Certain voltage space vectors can be given to the stator of the motor by appropriate modulation of the B6 bridge. As already mentioned, the motor rotor contains at least one pair of poles. For example, the motor can be connected in a star, although a delta connection is also possible.

If, for example, a voltage with the predetermined vector is applied to the motor, the rotor aligns itself in a first orientation relative to a stator. This can be viewed as an initial alignment. If a further voltage vector, for example rotated by 90°, is then applied to the motor, the rotor aligns itself in a second orientation relative to the stator, provided that the electrical torque is sufficient, also rotated by 90°. A movement is taking place.

The movement of the rotor induces a voltage that can be measured. It can therefore be recognized by the controller on the control electronics, i.e. by a control unit, whether the rotor has moved or not. It is irrelevant how many pole pairs the motor has and whether it is an internal or external rotor. With higher numbers of pole pairs, the mechanical twist angle becomes smaller by the factor of the number of pole pairs.

The torque generated can be influenced, for example, by the amplitude of the voltage space vector. So it is conceivable that during the first, initial alignment of the rotor, a relatively high voltage is applied to the motor and thus the torque is also relatively high, so that the rotor aligns itself, provided it is not blocked.

In the next step, a space vector that is electrically rotated by 90° can be applied to the motor with a relatively small amplitude. If the floor brush is now on a hard floor, the mechanical counter-torque is relatively low and the rotor would move, which can be detected via the induced voltage. The engine remains switched off because a hard floor was detected.

If the rotor and therefore the roller does not rotate, the roller is either blocked or the roller is on a carpet, which means that the counter torque is too high and therefore no movement occurs. Therefore, in the next steps, the amplitude of the space vector could be gradually increased until a movement occurs. Based on the amplitude, it may be possible to distinguish between different carpets and/or a blockage.

If a carpet is detected, the floor brush can be switched on. Using the previously described procedure of detecting the covering via the motor current, it may be possible to detect when a covering has been changed to a hard floor, and the brush can then be switched off.

Various forms of detection on a hard floor are conceivable. For example, the rotor could continuously oscillate back and forth between the two rotor positions of the two orientations until a carpet is detected. It is also possible to further rotate the electrical angle of the voltage space vector by 90° in each step. The rotor would then continue to rotate by the electrical angle divided by the number of pole pairs.

The detection itself can be done by measuring the induced voltage when the B6 bridge is switched off again after switching on the voltage space vector. It is also conceivable to measure the detection via the current that occurs. When the rotor is not moving, the electrical circuit consists only of an inductance and a resistor connected in series. The step response of the current to the voltage space vector would therefore result in PT-1 behavior. However, if the rotor is set in motion, the induced voltage also takes effect and the step response of the current would have a different behavior compared to the PT-1 behavior.

Furthermore, it is conceivable to regulate the current with a specific space vector instead of specifying the voltage.

• 1 eine schematische Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Staubsaugers in Form eines erfindungsgemäßen Handstaubsaugers;
• 2 eine B6-Brücke zum Betreiben eines zweiten elektrischen Motors einer rotierbaren Bodenbürste des erfindungsgemäßen Handstaubsaugers;
• 3 eine Darstellung einer Sternschaltung der Statorwicklungen des zweiten elektrischen Motors;
• 4 die Darstellung eines Rotors des zweiten elektrischen Motors in einer ersten Ausrichtung gegenüber dem Stator des zweiten elektrischen Motors;
• 5 die Darstellung einer Bewegung des Rotors in eine zweite Ausrichtung;
• 6 die Darstellung des Rotors in der zweiten Ausrichtung; und
• 7 ein Ablaufdiagram eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows

• 1 a schematic side view of a vacuum cleaner according to the invention in the form of a handheld vacuum cleaner according to the invention;
• 2 a B6 bridge for operating a second electric motor of a rotatable floor brush of the handheld vacuum cleaner according to the invention;
• 3 a representation of a star connection of the stator windings of the second electric motor;
• 4 the representation of a rotor of the second electric motor in a first orientation relative to the stator of the second electric motor;
• 5 the representation of a movement of the rotor into a second orientation;
• 6 the representation of the rotor in the second orientation; and
• 7 a flow chart of a method according to the invention.

The 1 is viewed in Cartesian coordinates. A longitudinal direction X extends, which is also referred to as depth X or length X can be. A transverse direction (not shown), which can also be referred to as width, extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. A vertical direction Z, which can also be referred to as height Z, extends perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction.

The 1 shows a schematic side view of a vacuum cleaner 1 according to the invention in the form of a hand-held vacuum cleaner 1. The hand-held vacuum cleaner 1 has a housing 10, which can be held and guided by a user using a handle 11. A fan 12 including a first electric motor 12a for driving the fan 12 is arranged in the housing 10. The first electric motor 12a is designed to be brushless. Furthermore, at least one filter and one blow-out opening are present (not shown).

A suction pipe 13 is arranged on the housing 10 opposite the handle 11. At the end of the suction tube 13 applied to the housing 10, a suction nozzle 14 is provided, which can also be referred to as a floor nozzle 14 or a brush head 14. The suction nozzle 14 has an interior which is open in the vertical direction Z downwards by means of an opening 16, which can also be referred to as a suction opening 16. A rotatable brush 15 is arranged within the interior of the suction nozzle 14, which can be driven in rotation by means of a second electric motor 15a. The second electric motor 15a is designed as a brushless, permanently excited DC motor.

The handheld vacuum cleaner 1 also has a control unit 17, which can operate both the first electric motor 12a and the second electric motor 15a. This can be done in particular via pulse width modeled signals. The first electric motor 12a, the second electric motor 15a and the control unit 17 can be electrically supplied by a rechargeable electric energy storage device 18.

The rotatable brush 15 has a stator 15b or stator windings 15b, a rotor 15c and a roller 15d, which can be rotated by the second electric motor 15a in a first direction of rotation and in an opposite second direction of rotation. The roller 15d has several bristles or combs pointing radially outwards, which serve to clean the substrate 2.

If the hand vacuum cleaner 1 according to the invention is now operated by the user using the two electric motors 12a, 15a, an air flow can be generated by the fan 12 by means of the first electric motor 12a and the surface can be generated by the rotating brush 15 by means of the second electric motor 15a 2 additionally cleaned.

However, operating the floor brush 15 on a hard surface 2 such as tiles 2 may be undesirable, since the dirt there is more likely to be distributed by the rotating brush 2 or moved away from the suction nozzle 14, which reduces the cleaning effect. Thus, the second electric motor 15a of the floor brush 15 should not be operated if a hard surface 2 is being cleaned. In the case of a soft surface 2 such as carpets 2, the second electric motor 15a should certainly drive the floor brush 15, in particular with a drive power or speed that matches the respective carpet 2, in order to improve cleaning. However, the user should be spared from having to switch the second electric motor 15a on and off or change it during operation when the surface 2 changes accordingly, as this could be perceived as cumbersome and annoying. However, using additional sensors would incur costs.

According to the invention, the second electric motor 15a is therefore operated by the control unit 17 in such a way that when the vacuum cleaner 1 starts operating, no cleaning operation or no brushing operation of the second electric motor 15a takes place, but instead a floor detection is carried out, which is based on the induced voltage of the stator 15b of the second electric motor 15a is based.

The rotor 15c of the second electric motor 15a is initially moved 100 into a first orientation A1 relative to the stator 15b of the second electric motor 15a, see 4 . This can be viewed as the starting position or initialization.

Now a movement B of the rotor 15c of the second electric motor 15a is caused 200 into a second orientation A2 relative to the stator 15b of the second electric motor 15a, see 5 . For this purpose, the rotor 15c of the second electric motor 15a is first operated with such a low driving force that the desired or initiated movement B actually occurs only if the ground 2 offers no or no noticeable resistance to this movement B. Such a surface 2 can be a hard floor 2 or a smooth floor 2.

A value of an electrical quantity is then detected 300, which is influenced by the movement B from the first orientation A1 into the second orientation A2. This can a voltage induced in the stator 15b of the second electric motor 15a, which is actually induced in the case of movement B or then has a value other than zero. However, if the desired or initiated movement B is not implemented, no voltage is induced.

This is followed by a determination 400 from the value of the electrical quantity, ie from the induced or non-induced voltage, as to whether the induced movement B has taken place or not. If movement B actually took place, see 6 , then it can be concluded that a smooth floor 2 is the substrate 2. In response to this, the cleaning operation of the floor brush 14 can be omitted in order not to disturb the cleaning of the smooth floor 2 by rotating the floor brush 14.

If the initiated movement B did not take place, it can be concluded that the floor 2 is not smooth and therefore the operation of the floor brush 14 would be helpful in order to support the cleaning of the surface 2. In this case, the floor brush 14 could basically be operated.

However, the ground detection as described above can also be continued in this case by now increasing the driving force with which the desired movement B is caused from the first orientation A1 to the second orientation A2. For example, a driving force can now be generated so that a distinction can be made between a short-haired carpet 2 and a long-haired carpet 2, analogous to the previous procedure. If the movement B is now actually caused, it can be concluded that a short-haired carpet 2 is the substrate 2, the resistance of which could be overcome with the increased driving force of the second electric motor 15a.

If no movement B occurs, it can be concluded that a long-haired carpet 2 is the substrate 2, since its resistance could not be overcome even with the increased driving force of the second electric motor 15a, or that the floor brush 14 is blocked. These two cases can also be previously described can be distinguished by a further corresponding increase in the driving force. If the floor brush 14 is detected to be blocked, operation can be completely stopped for safety reasons. Furthermore, depending on the type of carpet recognized as substrate 2, the cleaning operation can be adapted accordingly.

If a smooth surface 2 has been detected as described above, this procedure can be continued or repeated during the operation of the vacuum cleaner 1 in order to be able to detect any change in surface away from a smooth surface 2 and to be able to react to this as previously described.

List of reference symbols (part of the description)

A1

first orientation or first orientation of the rotor 15c

A2

second orientation or second orientation of the rotor 15c

b

Movement or direction of movement of the rotor 15c

U

Phase U of the stator 15b or the stator windings 15b

v

Phase V of the stator 15b or the stator windings 15b

W

Phase W of the stator 15b or the stator windings 15b

X

longitudinal direction; Depth; length

Z

vertical direction; Height

1

Vacuum cleaner; handheld vacuum cleaner

10

Housing

11

Housing handle 10

12

fan

12a

first (brushless) electric motor of the blower 12

13

Suction pipe

14

suction nozzle; floor nozzle; brush head

15

rotatable (floor) brush; rotatable bristle roller

15a

second (brushless) electric motor of the rotatable (floor) brush 15

15b

Stator or stator windings of the second (brushless) electric motor 15a

15c

Rotor of the second (brushless) electric motor 15a

15d

Roller of the rotatable (floor) brush 15

16

(suction) opening

17

Control unit

18

rechargeable electrical energy storage; Accumulator; battery pack

2

underground; Floor; flooring; surface to be cleaned; tiles; hard floor; Carpet; shorthair carpet; Long hair carpet

100

Moving the rotor 15c into a first orientation A1 relative to a stator 15b

200

Causing movement B of the rotor 15c into a second orientation A2

300

Detecting a value of an electrical quantity

400

Determine whether the initiated movement B occurred or not

500

Causing further movement of the rotor 15c to a third orientation

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102007021299 A1 [0011, 0012]

Claims (15)

Vacuum cleaner (1), preferably hand-held vacuum cleaner (1), with a blower (12) with an impeller for generating an air flow, with a first electric motor (12a) for driving the impeller of the blower (12), with a suction nozzle (14). a rotatable brush (15), with a second electric motor (15a) for driving the rotatable brush (15) and with a control unit (17), which is designed and set up to have at least the first electric motor (12a) and/or the second to operate an electric motor (15a), characterized in that the control unit (17) is designed and set up to enable a movement (B) of a rotor (15c) of the second electric motor (15a) relative to the stator (15b) of the second electric motor ( 15a) from a first orientation (A1) to a second orientation (A2) to cause a value of an electrical quantity to be detected, which is influenced by the movement (B) from the first orientation (A1) to the second orientation (A2). , and to determine from the value of the electrical quantity whether the initiated movement (B) took place or not. vacuum cleaner (1). Claim 1 , wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up so that the movement (B) is caused by means of a driving force which is sufficient so that the movement (B) is carried out on a hard floor as a base (2), but is too small is so that the movement (B) is not carried out on another surface (2). vacuum cleaner (1). Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush (15) is not driven by means of the second electric motor (15a) if the initiated movement (B) has taken place. Vacuum cleaner (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up so that the movement (B) into the second orientation (A2) is initiated again by means of a higher driving force than before if the initiated movement ( B) did not take place. vacuum cleaner (1). Claim 4 , wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush (15) is operated by means of the second electric motor (15a) if the movement (B) caused is carried out by means of the higher driving force and if the higher driving force is below a limit value for detecting a blocked rotatable brush (15). vacuum cleaner (1). Claim 5 , wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush (15) is driven by means of the second electric motor (15a) at a predetermined speed which corresponds to a surface (2) which corresponds to the driving force with which the initiated movement (B) has taken place. vacuum cleaner (1). Claim 4 , wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up so that the rotatable brush (15) is not operated by means of the second electric motor (15a) if the higher driving force reaches a limit for detecting a blockage of the rotatable brush (15). Vacuum cleaner (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up, to cause a further movement of the rotor (15c) of the second electric motor (15a) into a third orientation relative to the stator (15b) of the second electric motor (15a). vacuum cleaner (1). Claim 8 , wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up to cause the further movement into the third orientation in the same direction as the movement (B) into the second orientation (A2). vacuum cleaner (1). Claim 8 , wherein the control unit (17) is designed and set up to cause the further movement into the third orientation in the opposite direction to the movement (B) into the second orientation (A2). Vacuum cleaner (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical quantity is an induced voltage or an emerging current. Vacuum cleaner (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the driving force is effected by means of an electrical voltage or by means of an electrical current. Vacuum cleaner (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second electric motor (15a) and/or the first electric motor (12a) is/are designed to be brushless. Vacuum cleaner (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a rechargeable electrical energy storage device (18), which is designed and set up to electrically supply at least the first electric motor (12a), the second electric motor (15a) and the control unit (17). take care of. Method for operating a vacuum cleaner (1), preferably a handheld vacuum cleaner (1), with a blower (12) with an impeller for generating an air flow, with a first electric motor (12a) for driving the impeller of the blower (12), with a Suction nozzle (14) with a rotatable brush (15), with a second electric motor (15a) for driving the rotatable brush (15) and with a control unit (17), which is designed and set up to have at least the first electric motor (12a) and/or to operate the second electric motor (15a), the method comprising at least the steps: causing (200) a movement (B) of a rotor (15c) of the second electric motor (15a) relative to the stator (15b) of the second electric motor (15a) from a first orientation (A1) into a second orientation (A2), Detecting (300) a value of an electrical quantity which is influenced by the movement (B) from the first orientation (A1) into the second orientation (A2), and Determine (400) from the value of the electrical quantity whether the initiated movement (B) took place or not.

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