EP1343406B1 - Methode zur steuerung eines staubsaugers - Google Patents

Methode zur steuerung eines staubsaugers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1343406B1
EP1343406B1 EP00990164A EP00990164A EP1343406B1 EP 1343406 B1 EP1343406 B1 EP 1343406B1 EP 00990164 A EP00990164 A EP 00990164A EP 00990164 A EP00990164 A EP 00990164A EP 1343406 B1 EP1343406 B1 EP 1343406B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
value
dust
dref
values
delta
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP00990164A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1343406A1 (de
Inventor
Banu Sulamaci
Bülent EFEC K
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Arcelik AS
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Arcelik AS
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Publication of EP1343406A1 publication Critical patent/EP1343406A1/de
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Publication of EP1343406B1 publication Critical patent/EP1343406B1/de
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2857—User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2805—Parameters or conditions being sensed
    • A47L9/281—Parameters or conditions being sensed the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust
    • A47L9/2815—Parameters or conditions being sensed the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust using optical detectors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2836—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means characterised by the parts which are controlled
    • A47L9/2842—Suction motors or blowers

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method used in vacuum cleaners to determine the dirtiness of the place to be cleaned and of the dust sensor components.
  • dust sensors formed of optic components namely light emitting and light receiving components are placed on the dust passageway of a vacuum cleaner.
  • Light emitting device is emitting an infrared light beam or the like and light receiving device is receiving the light emitted by the light emitting device.
  • These devices are arranged in a predetermined position on the air passageway.
  • These light emitting and light receiving devices are placed across each other at fixed positions so that the change in light intensity indicates the amount of dust passing through the suction path. When these devices are covered with dust, the light received is decreased so the performance of the dust sensing means is degraded.
  • the amount of dust passing through the passageway can be determined when the vacuum cleaner is at its on stage according to the light received by the receiver.
  • the light intensity received by the receiver decreases as the amount of dust passing through the passageway increases. This property is used to increase the motor power as the dust is sensed. Although this is an efficient way of determining dust, as the dust is sucked through the passageway, it covers the surface of the sensors decreasing the amount of light received although there is no dust passing.
  • a "sensitivity correction means" is described to solve this problem.
  • the aim of the method described in this patent is to increase the amount of light emitted by the emitter proportional to the reduction of light caused by the adhering of particles on the sensors.
  • the problem with this method is that, if the amount of light emitted is increased when the window members on the sensors are soiled, after a certain period it reaches a limit value, i.e. the emitted light can no longer be increased. In this case the window members on the sensors have to be cleaned manually. The user is informed that soiling of the window members is increased so much that a correction in the intensity of light emitted by the light emitting device reaches its limit value.
  • the object of the present invention is to sense whether the place that is being cleaned is dusty or not.
  • Another object of this invention is to determine whether the components of the dust sensor are soiled or not.
  • a vacuum cleaner (1) comprises a motor (6) to drive a fan (9) that provides the suction, a detection means (8) to detect the dust, and an indication means (5) either comprising LED's or LCD's to indicate to the user that the dust sensor components are dirty and a control means (7) that controls the motor (6).
  • Detection means (8) comprises a dust sensor (2) placed on the dust passageway to detect the dust passing through and comprising two components namely a light emitter (3) which is preferably a light emitting diode and a light receiver (4) which is preferably a phototransistor to detect dust passing through the dust passageway, a resistor R1 (10) for determining the current to be introduced into the light emitter (3), and a detection circuit (11) to measure the light received by the light receiver (4) in terms of voltage or current depending on its arrangement.
  • a light emitter (3) which is preferably a light emitting diode
  • a light receiver (4) which is preferably a phototransistor to detect dust passing through the dust passageway
  • a resistor R1 (10) for determining the current to be introduced into the light emitter (3)
  • a detection circuit (11) to measure the light received by the light receiver (4) in terms of voltage or current depending on its arrangement.
  • the supply voltage (Vx) on the light emitting side of the detection means (8), the resistor R1 (10) is chosen such that the current that is applied to the light emitter (3) is always maximum and it is not changed during the operation of the vacuum cleaner (1) so that the intensity of the emitted light is kept constant during the operation of the vacuum cleaner (1).
  • the maximum current is applied to the light emitter (3) of the dust sensor (2) (101). This current does not change during the operation of the vacuum cleaner (1).
  • the output from the light receiver (5) is measured for predetermined intervals of time. Each time interval defines a cycle.
  • the intensity of the light received by the light receiver (4) fluctuates. It decreases at the moment when the dust passes between the light emitter (3) and the light receiver (4) and it increases at the moment when no dust passes between the light emitter (3) and the light receiver (4).
  • a probable light intensity versus time graph is shown in Figure 3.
  • the light intensity can be measured in terms of voltage or in terms of current and the measured voltage or current can increase or decrease with the dust passing through the dust passageway i.e. voltage or current measurement is proportional or inversely proportional to the intensity of light received by the light receiver (4).
  • the local maximum values max 1 (n), max 2 (n), ... max i (n) and local minimum values min 1 (n), min 2 (n).... min 1 (n) of the light intensity are found and stored (102).
  • the mean value of the local maximum values (max(n)) and the mean value of the local minimum values (min(n)) of the output data are computed and stored for the cycle n, in the memory of the control means (7). (103).
  • the difference (Delta(n)) between the mean value of the local maximum values (max(n)) and the mean value of the local minimum values (min(n)) is calculated (104).
  • the difference (Delta(n)) is then compared with a predetermined reference difference value (Dref(n)) (106).
  • the reference difference value (Dref(n)) depends on the mean value of the local minimum values (min(n)).
  • a different reference difference value Dref(n) is kept in the memory of the control means (7). While cleaning the surface, if the surface is dirty and/or if the dust is adhering on the dust sensor (2) components, the mean value of the local minimum values of the light intensity, (min(n)) will decrease, and the fluctuations in the received light intensity will decrease as well.
  • Dref(n) is chosen as a small value to provide the adaptation to the detection conditions and to be able to detect the presence of dust with a smaller Delta(n) value.
  • the reference difference value (Dref(n)) can also be chosen as a constant value.
  • the mean value of the local minimum values (min(n)) is compared with a predetermined minimum allowed light intensity value (Dmin), that is a constant value determined experimentally and stored in the memory unit (108).
  • the decision is that there is no dust in the drawn air i.e. "the place is not dusty” and it is decided to keep the motor (6) power constant (109).
  • the cycle n+1 starts.
  • the mean value of the local minimum values of the light intensity (min(n)) for the cycle n is smaller than the predetermined minimum allowed light intensity value Dmin and it is started to count the number of consequent cycles where the following conditions occur(110); the difference values (Delta) are smaller than the reference difference values (Dref) and mean values of the local mimimum values (min) are smaller than the predetermined minimum allowed light intensity value (Dmin), i.e the differences (Delta(n), Delta(n+1),....Delta(n+c)) are smaller than the reference difference values (Dref(n), Dref(n+1), ...... Dref(n+c)) respectively and each mean values of the local minimum values (min(n), min(n+1) ).

Claims (6)

  1. Steuerverfahren für einen Staubsauger (1), der einen Motor (6) zum Antreiben eines Gebläses (9), das die Saugwirkung hervorruft, ein Erfassungsmittel (8), das einen in dem Staubdurchlassweg angeordneten Staubsensor (2) mit einem Lichtsender (3), einem Lichtempfänger (4) und einer Erfassungsschaltung (11) zum Erfassen des durch den Staubdurchlassweg sich bewegenden Staubs aufweist, ein Steuermittel (7), das den Motor (6) steuert, sowie ein Anzeigemittel (5), das entweder LEDs oder LCDs aufweist, um dem Anwender anzuzeigen, dass die Komponenten des Staubsensors (2) verschmutzt sind, umfasst, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verfahren die folgenden Schritte umfasst: Starten des Staubsaugers (1), Anlegen des maximalen Stroms an den Lichtsender und Beobachten der Lichtstärke beim Lichtempfänger (4) für eine vorgegebene Zeitdauer, die einen Zyklus n (101) definiert, Ermitteln und Speichern lokaler Maximalwerte (max1(n), ..., maxi(n)) und lokaler Minimalwerte (min1(n), ..., mini(n)) der Lichtintensität während des Zyklus n (102), anschließend Berechnen des Mittelwerts (max(n)) der lokalen Maximalwerte und des Mittelwerts (min(n)) der lokalen Minimalwerte (103), Berechnen der Differenz (Delta(n)) zwischen dem Mittelwert (max(n)) der lokalen Maximalwerte und dem Mittelwert (min(n)) der lokalen Minimalwerte (104), Erhalten eines entsprechenden Referenzdifferenzwertes (Dref(n)), der in dem Speicher der Steuermittel (7) gehalten wird (105), Vergleichen des Differenzwerts (Delta(n)) mit einem vorgegebenen Referenzdifferenzwert (Dref(n)) (106) und, falls der Differenzwert (Delta(n)) größer als der vorgegebene Referenzdifferenzwerte (Dref(n)) ist, Entscheiden, dass die Stelle verstaubt ist (107), und entsprechend Erhöhen der Motorleistung (6), und, falls der Differenzwert (Delta(n)) kleiner als der vorgegebene Referenzwert (Dref(n)) ist, Feststellen, ob der Ort sauber ist oder ob die Staubsensor-Komponenten verschmutzt sind.
  2. Steuerverfahren für einen Staubsauger (1) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass, um die Anpassung der Erfassungsbedingungen zu schaffen, der vorgegebene Referenzdifferenzwert (Dref(n)) von dem Mittelwert (min(n)) der lokalen Minimalwerte abhängt, so dass der Referenzdifferenzwert Dref abnimmt, wenn der Mittelwert (min) der lokalen Minimalwerte abnimmt, um einen kleineren Referenzdifferenzwert (Dref(n)) zu erhalten, wenn die Schwankungen aufgrund des ununterbrochenen Staubs oder aufgrund einer Anhaftung von Staub an den Komponenten des Staubsensors (2) geringer sind.
  3. Steuerverfahren für einen Staubsauger (1) nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es dann, wenn der Differenzwert (Delta(n)) für die vorgegebene Zeitdauer kleiner als der vorgegebene Referenzdifferenzwert (Dref(n)) ist, ferner die folgenden Schritte umfasst: Vergleichen des Mittelwertes (min(n)) der lokalen Minimalwerte mit einem konstanten, vorgegebenen minimal zulässigen Lichtintensitätswert (Dmin) (108), Entscheiden einer "Abwesenheit von Staub in der angesaugten Luft", falls der Mittelwert (min(n)) der lokalen Minimalwerte der Lichtintensität größer als der vorgegebene konstante Wert (Dmin) (109) ist, und Konstanthalten der Leistung des Motors (4).
  4. Steuerverfahren für einen Staubsauger (1) nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es dann, wenn der Mittelwert (min(n)) der lokalen Minimalwerte kleiner als der konstante vorgegebene minimal zulässige Lichtintensitätswert (Dmin) ist, ferner die folgenden Schritte umfasst:
    Zählen der Anzahl aufeinander folgender Zyklen (110), in denen die folgenden Bedingungen auftreten: für die Differenzwerte (Delta) wird festgestellt, dass sie kleiner als die Referenzdifferenzwerte (Dref) sind, und für die Mittelwerte (min) der lokalen Minimalwerte wird festgestellt, dass sie kleiner als der (Dmin)-Wert sind, d. h., dass dann, wenn die Differenzwerte (Delta(n), Delta(n + 1) ..., Delta(n + c)) kleiner als die Referenzdifferenzwerte (Dref(n), Dref(n + 1), ..., Dref(n + c)) sind und jeder der Mittelwerte der lokalen Minimalwerte (min(n), min(n + 1), ..., min(n + c)) kleiner als der vorgegebene minimal zulässige Lichtintensitätswert (Dmin) ist und falls die obigen Bedingungen für c aufeinander folgende Zyklen bestehen, entschieden wird, dass "die Staubsensorkomponenten, der Lichtsender (3) und der Lichtempfänger (4) verschmutzt sind", und der Anwender über die Verschmutzung des Staubsensors (2) mittels der Anzeigemittel (3) gewarnt wird.
  5. Steuerverfahren für einen Staubsauger (1) nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Ausgang des Lichtempfängers (4) anhand der Spannung oder des Stroms gemessen wird und dass die Erfassungsschaltung (11) so beschaffen ist, dass der gemessene Spannungswert (direkt oder umgekehrt) proportional zu der Lichtintensität ist.
  6. Staubsauger, der ein Steuerverfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5 verwendet.
EP00990164A 2000-12-22 2000-12-22 Methode zur steuerung eines staubsaugers Expired - Lifetime EP1343406B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/TR2000/000067 WO2002051297A1 (en) 2000-12-22 2000-12-22 A control method for a vacuum cleaner

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1343406A1 EP1343406A1 (de) 2003-09-17
EP1343406B1 true EP1343406B1 (de) 2004-08-04

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EP (1) EP1343406B1 (de)
AT (1) ATE272353T1 (de)
DE (1) DE60012800T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2225296T3 (de)
TR (1) TR200300969T1 (de)
WO (1) WO2002051297A1 (de)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102012100052B4 (de) * 2012-01-04 2016-09-22 Miele & Cie. Kg Staubsauger mit einer Staubflussanzeigevorrichtung
KR102379628B1 (ko) * 2015-06-08 2022-03-29 삼성전자주식회사 공기조화기 및 이를 이용한 먼지농도 표시방법
KR20210029583A (ko) * 2019-09-06 2021-03-16 삼성전자주식회사 청소기 및 청소기의 제어 방법
CN113984717A (zh) * 2021-09-22 2022-01-28 深圳拓邦股份有限公司 一种物体表面脏污程度检测装置及清洁设备

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3803824A1 (de) * 1988-02-09 1989-08-17 Gerhard Kurz Einbauvorrichtung fuer sensoren und geber
JPH03186243A (ja) * 1989-12-15 1991-08-14 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd アップライト型電気掃除機
JP2956235B2 (ja) * 1991-03-04 1999-10-04 松下電器産業株式会社 電気掃除機の塵埃検知装置
JPH04343829A (ja) * 1991-05-21 1992-11-30 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 電気掃除機
US6023814A (en) * 1997-09-15 2000-02-15 Imamura; Nobuo Vacuum cleaner

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Publication number Publication date
EP1343406A1 (de) 2003-09-17
WO2002051297A1 (en) 2002-07-04
ATE272353T1 (de) 2004-08-15
DE60012800T2 (de) 2005-09-01
ES2225296T3 (es) 2005-03-16
TR200300969T1 (tr) 2005-11-21
DE60012800D1 (de) 2004-09-09

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