EP3235414A1 - Method for adapting performance of battery-powered vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for adjusting the power of an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner, in which a determined characteristic value of a floor covering of a surface to be cleaned is compared with a predetermined threshold value; and in a subsequent step, a reduction of a power consumption power (4) of the motor / blower unit and at the same time a shutdown of the electrically driven brush roller by the control device is made, if the determined characteristic value of the floor covering is below the predetermined threshold, or adjusting the energy absorption capacity ( 4) of the motor / blower unit and power take-up power (1, 3) of the electrically driven brush roller is made to a predetermined reference value of the energy absorption capacity of the particular floor covering by the control device, if the determined characteristics of the floor covering is above the predetermined threshold value. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process operated accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for power adjustment of an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 and an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner for carrying out the method according to claim 7.

STATE OF THE ART

A general goal in the operation of vacuum cleaners is to achieve the highest possible energy efficiency, that is to achieve the best possible dust and / or dirt absorption at the lowest possible power consumption. In the suction cleaning, for example of floor coverings, depending on the surface properties of the surface to be cleaned very different demands on the suction power of the vacuum cleaner can be made. In addition, in order to realize optimum cleaning or performance results when vacuuming on different floor coverings, furthermore, different requirements are made with respect to an energy absorption capacity of a vacuum cleaner. In particular, in the case of accumulator-operated devices, a required electrical energy intake power is directly related to an available transit time until a next charging process of the accumulator.

Conventional devices have a manual power adjustment that provides different levels of electrical power that a user can select as needed. A disadvantage of this solution is that a user must constantly switch back and forth between the different power levels and thereby the handling of the vacuum cleaner is severely restricted, which results in the power adjustment is made less frequently and thus an inefficient use of energy must be accepted. This means that the inefficient use of energy reduces the availability of the device for cleaning, which translates into a higher frequency of recharge cycles of the rechargeable battery. In particular, the optimum performance values for energy-efficient dust absorption in hard floor and carpet can not be realized here. Furthermore, the inefficient use of the conventional vacuum cleaner and a disproportionate noise emissions in relation to the dust, for example, hard floor must be taken into account.

Certain accumulator-operated vacuum cleaners have an electrically operated brush roller in the suction nozzle, which is actively operated independently of the floor covering. However, the operation of the brush roller is not useful for all floor coverings. In the case of a hard floor, this results in no positive effect with respect to the cleaning performance and the noise emission. In addition, coarse dirt on hard floors is thrown away by the rapidly rotating brush roller and may therefore not be absorbed. This noticeably reduces the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner when collecting dust on hard floors.

OF THE INVENTION PURSUANT TASK

It is an object of the invention to optimize the power consumption of an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner while ensuring high dust absorption while reducing emission noise and increasing the availability of the vacuum cleaner.

INVENTION SOLUTION

This object is achieved by means of a method for power adjustment of an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner according to the feature of claim 1. In this case, in an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner, a suction nozzle, an electrically driven brush roller, an electric motor / blower unit for generating a suction air flow, a Staubabscheidekammer, and at least one means for detecting the floor covering a surface to be cleaned and a control device for the motor / blower unit and the electrically driven brush roller, in a first step determines a characteristic of a floor covering a surface to be cleaned, the determined characteristic values of the floor covering of the area to be cleaned are compared with a predetermined threshold value; and in a further step, reducing the power consumption of the motor / blower unit below a predetermined reference value and at the same time turning off the electrically driven brush roller by the controller when the determined characteristic of the flooring is below the predetermined threshold, or adjusting the power consumption of the motor - / Blower unit and the electrically driven brush roller to the predetermined reference value of the energy absorption capacity of the specific floor covering made by the control device when the determined characteristic values of the floor covering is above the predetermined threshold value. In this case, it is possible to realize optimal dust absorption in relation to the energy efficiency, noise development and pushing force, wherein the energy absorption capacity of the vacuum cleaner is adjusted according to the determined floor covering to a predetermined reference value of the energy absorption capacity of the particular floor covering by the control device. In this case, the predetermined reference values of the energy absorption capacity of the particular floor covering / coverings are stored in a memory of the control device. The threshold, which is also stored in the memory of the control device, marks a dividing line between hard floors and carpets.

In an advantageous embodiment of the method, a characteristic value of the floor covering which is below the threshold value, hard floor and a characteristic value of the floor covering which is above the threshold value corresponds to carpet flooring. In this case, the energy absorption capacity of the motor / blower unit is reduced on hard floors and the energy absorption capacity of the electrically driven brush roller is completely switched off by the control device.

For the purposes of the invention, the carpet has a pile opposite the hard floor. For knitwear - carpets - with a three-dimensional structure, a thread system, which is perpendicular to the surface, referred to as Flor. Depending on the length, a distinction is made between low-pile and high-pile thread systems or fabrics.

It has been shown that on hard floor the sucked suction air flow is not directly related to the dust pick-up or cleaning performance and thus the energy absorption capacity of the motor / blower unit may be lower than on carpet without negative effects on the dust pickup. Reducing the power consumption of the motor / fan unit to hard floor requires a considerable energy saving with simultaneous noise reduction and optimal dust absorption. The dust absorption on carpets, however, is more effective with a high suction air flow and an active brush roller. By using the brush roller, it is possible to remove dirt lying in the depth of the carpet and then to absorb it. This in turn requires a high energy absorption capacity of the motor / fan unit and a high energy absorption capacity of the electrically driven brush roller. Consequently, the amount of energy saved in the cleaning of hard floors can be used here for cleaning the carpets, whereby the vacuum cleaner or the energy provided by the / of the accumulator can be optimally utilized. This significantly increases the availability of the accumulator-powered vacuum cleaner until the next charge. This increases the user-friendliness at the same time, since the user of the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner is not constantly compelled to charge the accumulator.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method, the determination of the characteristic value of the floor covering is based on a signal of a mechanical, optical, radar, ultrasonic or negative pressure sensor, the at least one means for detecting the characteristic value of the floor covering. By means of at least one of the above-mentioned sensor, it is possible to determine the characteristic value of the floor covering reliably and without a time delay, so that the control device of the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner can make an optimal adjustment of the energy absorption capacity of the vacuum cleaner. Moreover, the use of these agents is simple and inexpensive. From a detailed description of a determination of a characteristic of the floor covering is hereby omitted, since the expert offers a variety of solutions for it and an explicit mention of the various possibilities would go beyond the scope of this application.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the energy absorption capacity of the motor / blower unit is regulated as a function of a dust quantity present in the dust removal chamber. In order to be able to absorb a more uniform suction air flow and thus a continuous and uniform amount of dust, it is particularly advantageous on carpets if the motor / blower unit compensates for the flow losses caused by the amount of dust present in the dust collecting chamber by increasing the energy absorption capacity. As a result, a more uniform cleaning performance of the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner can be made possible.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the energy absorption capacity of the electrically driven brush roller is additionally regulated as a function of the characteristic value of the floor covering. In this case, a brush roller resistance acts like a sensor for determining the floor covering, whereby it is also possible to distinguish between high and low pile carpets.

In an expedient embodiment of the method, the energy absorption capacity of the motor / blower unit and / or the energy absorption capacity of the electrically driven brush roller are regulated as a function of a predetermined suction nozzle design. Under Saugdüsenausführung example, an embodiment of the suction nozzle for a specific purpose understood, ie for exclusive use on hard floor or carpet or combi nozzle for wide use on different floor coverings and further the way of construction, for example, with or without their own sensors and like. When using different suction nozzles with the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner, a further energy saving potential can be exploited by the individual special suction nozzles are recognized by the control device of the vacuum cleaner and matched cleaning methods and regulations of energy absorption capacity of the motor / blower unit and / or the energy absorption capacity of the electrically driven brush roller are applied , In anticipation of the further description this means Furthermore, that a vacuum cleaner according to the invention, which makes the process its own, with different, interchangeable in an extended embodiment, suction nozzles can be operated.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the energy absorption capacity of the electrically driven brush roller is switched off and the energy absorption capacity of the motor / blower unit is set to a power minimum if a determined characteristic value of the floor covering corresponds to a reference value of the floor covering corresponding to an idling or an interruption of the suction flow. Finally, the operation of the brush roller and the motor / fan unit also makes no sense if the suction nozzle of the vacuum cleaner is not in contact with the surface to be cleaned - especially in hard floor. This would correspond to idling the brush roll and the motor / blower unit, which would result in undesirable energy consumption. With a blockage or interruption of the suction air flow, a convenient operation of the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner also does not make sense. For such exceptional cases reference values of the floor covering can be deposited in the control device, which correspond to an idling or an interruption of the suction air flow and thus further energy losses are avoided.

Another aspect of the invention relates to an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner for performing the above-mentioned method, comprising a suction nozzle, an electric motor / blower unit for generating a suction air flow, a Staubabscheidekammer, at least one means for detecting the floor covering a surface to be cleaned, and at least one control device for the motor / blower unit and / or the electrically driven brush roller and an accumulator are combined in a separate device of the kind that it can be performed with one hand.

On the one hand, such an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner can be made particularly handy and easy, since the battery necessary for the energy supply can be made smaller. Aside from increasing usability, a smaller battery requires less procurement and manufacturing costs, is lighter, requires less charging energy, and consumes shorter ones Charging times to charge the battery and charged in its disposal the environment to a lesser extent. On the other hand, with a constant dimensioning of the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner a longer service life can be achieved and thus a larger area to be cleaned and allows compared to conventional vacuum cleaners a longer time interval until the next charging of the battery. Further, because of the advantageous operation, not only the energy consumption during suction, for example, hard floor, can be drastically reduced, but also the noise emission values can be reduced as a whole.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the vacuum cleaner on a separator which operates on the principle of centrifugal force. Such a vacuum cleaner does not require additional filter bags. In addition, the noise emissions can be significantly reduced, especially for vacuum cleaners whose separators operate on the principle of centrifugal force, by deliberately lowering the power consumption. This is especially true in centrifugal separators, which work according to the spin separator or Wirbelrohrascheiderprinzip.

Another expedient embodiment of the vacuum cleaner has a replaceable filter bag. A particular advantage is that filter bags, for example, can filter out a smell or allergenic fine dust particles in a targeted manner from the suction air stream emerging from the vacuum cleaner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1

ein qualitatives Diagramm aus dem ein Verlauf einer Energieaufnahmeleistung eines akkumulatorbetriebenen Staubsaugers in Abhängigkeit eines bestimmten Bodenbelags gemäß einer besonders vorteilhaften Ausführungsform des Verfahrens hervorgeht.

The following description is illustrative of the subject matter of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

a qualitative diagram showing the course of an energy absorption capacity of an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner in response to a particular floor covering according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The reference numbers in all claims have no limiting effect, but are only intended to improve their readability.

An accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner for carrying out a method according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention comprises a suction nozzle; an electrically driven brush roller; an electric motor / blower unit for generating a suction air flow; a Staubabscheidekammer; at least one means for detecting the floor covering of a surface to be cleaned; and at least one control device for the motor / blower unit and / or the electrically driven brush roller and an accumulator for supplying the electrical components. Advantageously, all said components are combined in a separate device of the kind that the device can be performed with one hand.

In Fig. 1 are the energy absorption performance characterizing courses of an accumulator-powered vacuum cleaner exemplary of two different floor coverings illustrated. In this case, a behavior of the control device for the motor / blower unit and / or the electrically driven brush roller during a change of the floor covering of the suction nozzle from carpet to hard floor and again to carpet ... is illustrated. The goal is to supply the device with the help of the control device only as much energy as is needed for the current cleaning process. As a result, useless energy consumption is suppressed and extends the life of the accumulator or the vacuum cleaner operated therewith.

In the Fig. 1 are shown: an electric current 1, which is applied to the brush roller of a suction nozzle, as a solid line _____; a negative pressure 2 of a suction air flow generated at the suction nozzle or in front of the dust separation chamber as a long dashed line - - - -; an electric voltage 3, which is applied to a brush roller of the suction nozzle, as a dotted line ....; and an electric voltage 4 applied to the motor / blower unit as a short dashed line ----. By dash-dotted lines _._._. thresholds R, S are shown in the diagram.

In the Fig.1 First, an operating state of the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner or device when cleaning on a carpet is illustrated. Based on the voltage curve 3 of the dotted line it can be seen that on the carpet of the brush roller drive "on" is switched. By means of the "on" -switched brush roller, it is considerably easier to suck or clean soiling from the fibers of the carpet. In order to be able to ensure a high negative pressure at the suction nozzle, in the present exemplary embodiment the voltage 4 present at the motor / blower unit is set at 24 V to a maximum. This adjustment ensures the best possible cleaning performance on floor coverings such as carpets. When changing from carpet to hard floor, this is detected by means for detecting the floor covering of the surface to be cleaned and signaled to the control device, wherein a characteristic value of the floor covering of the surface to be cleaned is determined. In the present embodiment, the means for detecting the flooring is a pressure cell, which is arranged for example in the region between the suction nozzle and the Staubabscheidekammer the vacuum cleaner. The negative pressure 2 of the suction air flow at the suction nozzle abruptly drops due to a lack of sealing by the carpet fibers at the nozzle. At the same time decreases in the transition from the carpet to the hard floor of the brush roller required electrical power, since due to a lower torque required - lower friction of the brush roller on hard floor - a drive of the brush roller no longer draws so much electricity. In the present case, the values of the stream 1 of the brush roller and the negative pressure 2 of the suction air flow serve as input variables for determining the characteristic value for the floor covering. Accordingly, the drive of the brush roller itself acts as a floor sensor, as due to the florbedingten friction of the carpet, a required torque of the brush roller pulls a certain ground characteristic current that can use the control device to determine the characteristic of the floor covering. In this case, the current can be used as a function of the voltage of the drive of the brush roller for determining the characteristic value of the floor covering. After a certain latency of the stream 1 of the brush roller falls below a stored in the control device threshold R1, which is recognized by this, that now there is a hard floor. Then, after a short time delay, the brush roller "off" switched and the negative pressure 2 of the suction air flow at the Suction nozzle is stopped by the voltage applied to the motor / fan unit 4 voltage is now reduced to 12 V. The device is now operated in a particularly suitable for the hard floor operating condition with reduced energy absorption capacity, whereby energy is saved, without the cleaning performance of the device is thereby limited. Moreover, the limited use of the brush roller exposes it to less wear, thereby increasing its life.

When changing from hard floor to carpet this is detected by means for detecting the floor covering of the surface to be cleaned and signaled to the control device, - in the present case a pressure cell. On carpet, the negative pressure 2 of the suction air flow increases again. If the characteristic value determined by the control device reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold value S1, the control device recognizes that it is located on carpet. The control device recognizes that it is located on carpet, wherein after a short time delay, the brush roller "on" switched or increases the voltage applied to the brush roller current 1 and the voltage applied to the motor / fan unit voltage 4 is increased to 24 volts. This automatically provides the optimum energy absorption capacity for energy-efficient and optimal cleaning. In the preceding embodiment, the "on" and "off" switching of the electrically driven brush roller was based on two different threshold values R1 for a corresponding current value of the brush roller or S1 for a corresponding negative pressure value of the suction air flow.

In a simplified embodiment, the two threshold values R1 and S1 correspond to a single threshold value. However, such an embodiment can not be operated so energy-efficient, since negative pressure value constellations can occur that do not allow a clear assignment or determination of the floor covering.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the voltage applied to the motor / fan unit voltage 4 is not set to the full voltage of 24 V, but adjusted to an optimum for a particular carpet flooring voltage 4 of the motor / blower unit below 24 V. can lie and still be optimal Cleaning performance of the device allows. In this case, individual reference values of the energy absorption capacity of the particular floor covering can be stored as reference voltages of the motor / blower unit in a memory of the control device. As suitable drives of the motor / blower unit brush motors as well as brushless motors can be used, which increases the flexibility in the production of vacuum cleaners. Brushless motors are even more durable because they are commutated without brushing with the help of an electronic circuit. In a further more advantageous embodiment, a voltage for the electric drive of the brush roller in dependence of the determined flooring - carpet - set. As a result, an optimal setting for cleaning of a low- or high-pile thread system or fabric can be made by the control device. To determine the carpet flooring, a detected torque of the brush roller can be exploited.

Depending on the embodiment, any desired sensors or the means for detecting the floor covering of a surface to be cleaned can be selected. Thus, for example, mechanical, optical, radar, ultrasound or vacuum sensors could be used which can be designed and used individually or in combination with one another. Thus, individual devices may be equipped with one or more sensors to provide a redundant and fail-safe measurement capability and / or allow further plausibility queries that are stored in the control device, the accuracy and trustworthiness of the measurements to determine the floor covering. In particular, the use of analog pressure cells is a differentiated distinction of different carpets, as used in the present embodiment according to the method, since they can detect digital pressure cells more than two pressure states.

In another embodiment of the accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner, not shown here, it can be equipped with different replaceable suction nozzles. Thereby, a further energy-saving potential can be exploited by the individual special suction nozzles are recognized by the control device of the vacuum cleaner and coordinated cleaning methods and regulations of energy absorption capacity of the motor / blower unit and / or the power consumption of the electrically driven brush roller can be applied. An assignment or recognition of the differing suction nozzles can be done manually or automatically - for example, by certain contacts or codes of the suction nozzles.

By means of the abovementioned embodiments of the invention, the energy consumption during suction or cleaning on hard floor can be drastically reduced without negatively influencing the dust absorption. By adjusting the power consumption of the motor / gear unit and turning off the brush roller, a significant difference between noise emission and conventionally electrically operated nozzles can be achieved. As a result, a significant improvement in the energy balance is achieved, the energy that is saved when cleaning the hard floor, can be used for dust pickup on carpet. This increases the availability of the device whereby a period of time can be extended until the next charging of the battery. In addition, the user-friendliness is increased, eliminating tedious manual intervention for power adjustment by means of power controller.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the claims and the drawings may be of importance both individually and in any combination for the realization of the invention in its various forms. In addition, the recognized advantages and claimed features also have the same validity for wired electric vacuum cleaners, especially those having an electrically driven brush roller whose energy balance can also be optimized according to the use of the present method mentioned above.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

electric current (at the brush roller of a suction nozzle)

2

Negative pressure (in front of the dust collecting chamber)

3

Tension (on a brush roller of the suction nozzle)

4

Voltage (at the motor / blower unit)

R1

threshold

R2

threshold

S1

threshold

Claims (10)

Method for adjusting the power of an accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner, comprising: a suction nozzle; an electrically driven brush roller; an electric motor / blower unit for generating a suction air flow; a Staubabscheidekammer; at least one means for detecting the floor covering of a surface to be cleaned; and at least one control device for the motor / blower unit and / or the electrically driven brush roller; the method comprising the steps of: - Determining a characteristic value of a floor covering a surface to be cleaned; - comparing the determined characteristic value of the floor covering of the surface to be cleaned with a predetermined threshold value (R1, R2, S1); - Reducing an energy absorption capacity (4) of the motor / blower unit and at the same time switching off (off) the energy absorption capacity (1, 3) of the electrically driven brush roller when the determined characteristic value of the floor covering is below the predetermined threshold value (R1, R2), or - Setting the power consumption performance (4) of the motor / blower unit and the power consumption (1, 3) electrically driven brush roller to a predetermined reference value of the energy absorption capacity of the particular floor covering by the control device, if the determined characteristic value of the floor covering above the predetermined threshold value (S1) , A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a characteristic value of the floor covering which is below the threshold value (R1, R2) corresponds to hard floor and a characteristic value of the floor covering which is above the threshold value (S1) corresponds to carpet floor. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination of the characteristic value of the floor covering based on a signal of a mechanical, optical, radar, ultrasonic or negative pressure sensor of the at least one means for detecting the characteristic value of the floor covering takes place. Method according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the energy absorption capacity (4) of the motor / blower unit is regulated as a function of a dust quantity present in the dust removal chamber. Method according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the energy absorption capacity (1, 3) of the electrically driven brush roller is regulated as a function of the characteristic value of the floor covering. Method according to one of the above claims, characterized in that the energy absorption capacity (4) of the motor / blower unit and / or the energy absorption capacity (1, 3) of the electrically driven brush roller is regulated as a function of a predetermined suction nozzle design. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power consumption (1, 3) of the electrically driven brush roller off (off) and the power consumption (4) of the motor / blower unit is set to a power minimum, if a determined characteristic value of the floor covering corresponds to a reference value of the floor covering, which corresponds to an idling or an interruption of the suction flow. Accumulator-operated vacuum cleaner for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a suction nozzle; an electrically driven brush roller; an electric motor / blower unit for generating a suction air flow; a Staubabscheidekammer; at least one means for detecting the floor covering of a surface to be cleaned; and at least one control device for the motor / blower unit and / or the electrically driven brush roller and an accumulator are combined in a separate device of the kind that it can be performed with one hand. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, characterized in that the vacuum cleaner has a separator which operates on the principle of centrifugal force. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, characterized in that the vacuum cleaner has a replaceable filter bag.

Images