EP4097289A1

EP4097289A1 - Detergent container for a cleaning appliance, contacting device, method and device for operating a cleaning appliance, and cleaning appliance

Info

Publication number: EP4097289A1
Application number: EP21701117.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Axel Echtermeyer
Original assignee: Miele und Cie KG
Current assignee: Miele und Cie KG
Priority date: 2020-01-30
Filing date: 2021-01-19
Publication date: 2022-12-07
Also published as: WO2021151727A1; KR20220128378A; CN115003875B; US20230048461A1; DE102020102261A1; CN115003875A

Abstract

The invention relates to a detergent container for a cleaning appliance (100) having a receiving shaft and a contacting device (106) for the detergent container (200). The detergent container has a housing for storing a detergent, the housing being shaped so as to be inserted in a receiving shaft of the cleaning appliance (100). The detergent container further has an electrically conductive contact region which is arranged on an outer side of the housing and constitutes a content coding that represents a detergent container content. When the housing is inserted, the contact region can be contacted using the contacting device (106) so that the content coding can be detected.

Description

description

DETERGENT CONTAINER FOR A CLEANING DEVICE, CONTACT DEVICE,

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OPERATING A CLEANING DEVICE AND CLEANING DEVICE

The invention relates to a detergent container for a cleaning device, a contacting device, a method and a device for operating a cleaning device, and a cleaning device.

In the case of washing machines equipped with one or more cartridges, correct cartridge loading is necessary in order, for example, to correctly dose different chemicals into the washing process.

The approach presented here has the task of creating an improved detergent container for a cleaning device, an improved contacting device, an improved method and an improved device for operating a cleaning device, and an improved cleaning device.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a detergent container for a cleaning device, a contacting device, a method and a device for operating a cleaning device and by a cleaning device having the features of the main claims. Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention emerge from the following subclaims.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention consist, in addition to a reduced risk of mixing up the cartridges to be used, in an improvement in the ease of use for a user. Furthermore, compared to existing cleaning devices, a particularly cost-effective way of achieving this is presented.

Against this background, a detergent container for a cleaning device with a receiving shaft and a contacting device for the detergent container is presented. The detergent container has a housing and a contact area. The housing is designed to store a detergent and can be inserted into the receiving shaft of the cleaning device. The contact area is arranged on an outside of the housing and is electrically conductive. The contact area represents a content coding that represents the contents of the detergent container. In this case, when the housing is in the inserted state, the contact area can be contacted using the contacting device in order to recognize the content coding. The detergent container can be shaped, for example, as a cartridge filled with a cleaning agent, for example, which can be inserted into the cleaning device. The detergent container can be exchangeable in order to be able to replace it with a new detergent container after it has been emptied, for example. The cleaning device can be implemented as a washing machine, which can be designed as a household appliance, for example. The contact area can, for example, have an at least partially metallic surface. The content coding can be used, for example, to distinguish which cleaning agent the detergent container contains. This means that detergent containers that store different detergents can be distinguished by their content coding.

According to one embodiment, a position of the contact area on the housing can represent the content coding. This means that the cleaning agent can be identified based on the position of the contact area. Different positions for arranging the respective contact area on the respective housing can thus be selected for different cleaning agents. The corresponding position can be selected from a plurality of predetermined possible positions. Since the contacting device of the cleaning device is arranged in such a way that it only contacts the contact area of an inserted detergent container when the contact area is in a position corresponding to a position of the contacting device, it is very easy to see whether the correct detergent container has been inserted.

The contact area can have a plurality of contact sections which represent the content coding. Thus, contact areas of different detergent containers can also have a different content coding if they are each arranged in the same position on the detergent containers. If the position of the contact areas is also varied, the number of possible content codings increases. This advantageously avoids fitting errors, even if a large number of different detergent containers are available.

According to one embodiment, a first contact section from the plurality of contact sections can be designed to be electrically conductive and a second contact section from the plurality of contact sections can be designed to be electrically insulating. As a result, a pattern of electrically conductive and electrically insulating sections can be formed, through which the content coding can be shaped.

The contact area can be designed as a label so that it can be stuck onto the housing. As a result, manufacturing costs can advantageously be saved. Furthermore, a contacting device for contacting the contact area of at least one detergent container is presented in a variant mentioned above, the contacting device having two electrodes and a detection device. The two electrodes are designed to contact the contact area. The recognition device is designed to recognize the coding of the contents of the detergent container via a circuit routed over the two electrodes.

The contacting device can be used, for example, in a cleaning device in order to identify the detergent container. The electrodes touch the contact area when the detergent container is correctly inserted into the cleaning device. The detection device can be designed to provide an electrical voltage required to implement the circuit. Furthermore, the detection device can comprise a suitable sensor device for detecting a closed circuit. The detection device can be implemented as a control unit or can be integrated into a control unit for controlling the operation of the cleaning device. In this way, a program of the cleaning device can advantageously be set as a function of a recognized content coding.

According to one embodiment, the contacting device can have a contact arm which can have the electrodes and two conductor tracks for connecting the electrodes to the detection device. Reliable contacting of the contact area can be achieved by the contact arm, for example in that the contact arm is designed to be resilient. In addition, using the contact arm, contact can also be made with a contact area arranged, for example, on an upper side of the housing of the detergent container.

The contacting device can furthermore have a third electrode. The detection device is designed to be able to detect the content coding of the detergent container via a circuit routed via the third electrode, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode and the third electrode can be arranged in a row or offset from one another. The electrodes can advantageously be arranged adjacent to one another, for example parallel to one another. The number of possible content encodings can be increased by the third electrode.

According to one embodiment, the contacting device can have two further electrodes for contacting a further contact area of a further detergent container. In this case, the detection device can be designed to be able to detect a content coding of the further detergent container via a further circuit routed via the two further electrodes. This can advantageously For example, two detergent containers with different contents can be used and recognized in the cleaning device.

According to one embodiment, the two electrodes can be arranged to contact the contact area of the detergent container inserted into a receiving area of the cleaning device when the contact area is located at a first position of the detergent container. Correspondingly, the two further electrodes can be arranged in order to contact the further contact area of the further detergent container inserted in a further receiving area of the cleaning device when the further contact area is located at a further position of the further detergent container. The first and the further position can differ from one another. In this way, detergent containers with contact areas located at different positions can be distinguished from one another and recognized.

Furthermore, a method for operating a cleaning device with a contacting device is presented in an aforementioned variant using a detergent container, as mentioned above. To this end, the method comprises a step of testing whether the circuit passed through the two electrodes is closed in order to obtain a test result, a step of providing a faulty assembly signal using the test result if the test result does not indicate a closed circuit, and a step of providing a Content signal representing a content of a detergent container using the test result when the test result indicates a closed circuit.

The method can be carried out, for example, in a cleaning device which comprises a contacting device. The method can, for example, optionally output a message to a user using the incorrectly fitted signal. This means that the user is advantageously informed if the detergent container has been incorrectly inserted into the contacting device, for example. In this way, the operating safety of the user can advantageously be improved and, as a result, an automatic program selection can also be made possible.

In addition, a device is presented which is designed to carry out the steps of the method in the aforementioned variant.

The device can be designed to read in input signals and to determine and provide output signals using the input signals. An input signal can represent, for example, a sensor signal that can be read in via an input interface of the device. An output signal can represent a control signal or a data signal which is provided at an output interface of the device can be. The device can be designed to determine the output signals using a processing rule implemented in hardware or software. For example, for this purpose the device can comprise a logic circuit, an integrated circuit or a software module and, for example, be implemented as a discrete component or be comprised of a discrete component.

A computer program product or computer program with program code, which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk or an optical memory, is also advantageous. If the program product or program is executed on a computer or a device, the program product or program can be used to carry out, implement and / or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above.

Furthermore, a cleaning device is presented which has a contacting device in one of the variants mentioned above and a device as mentioned above.

The cleaning device can be designed as a household appliance, for example. Alternatively, the approach described here can be used in connection with a commercial or professional device, for example a medical device such as a cleaning or disinfection device, a small sterilizer, a large-scale disinfector or a container washing system.

The approach presented here also creates a device which is designed to carry out, control or implement the steps of a variant of a method presented here in corresponding devices. The object on which the invention is based can also be achieved quickly and efficiently by means of this embodiment variant of the invention in the form of a device.

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

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a cleaning device according to a

Embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of detergent containers according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of a contacting device according to an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary embodiment of a flow chart of a method for operating a cleaning device with a contact-making device.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a cleaning device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The cleaning device 100 is implemented, for example, as a washing machine which is designed to clean items to be cleaned located in a laundry drum 102.

According to one embodiment, the cleaning device 100 comprises a device 104 for operating the cleaning device 100. The device 104 is designed, for example, to control a method for operating the cleaning device 100, as will be explained in more detail in one of the following figures. In particular, the device 104 is designed to identify a detergent container that is received in a receiving shaft 105 of the cleaning device 100. The detergent container, also referred to as a cartridge, can be inserted into the receiving shaft 105 by a user of the cleaning device 100 and stores detergent, for example. In the area of the receiving shaft 105, a contacting device 106 is arranged, which enables electrical contact to be made with a contact area of the detergent container. The contacting device 106 enables a detection and identification of a detergent container received by the receiving shaft. This is advantageous if the user has detergent containers with different contents available, all of which can be inserted into the receiving shaft 105, for example due to an identical external shape. A mix-up protection for detergent containers is thus implemented.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the device 104 comprises a test unit 108 and a supply unit 110. The test unit is designed to check whether an electrical circuit routed via the contacting device 106 and the contact area of a detergent container received by the receiving shaft 105 is closed to provide a Obtain test result 112. According to one exemplary embodiment, the provision unit 110 is designed to provide a faulty equipment signal 114 using the test result 112 if the test result 112 does not indicate a closed circuit. For example, the incorrectly equipped signal 114 can be suitable for indicating to a user, using a display device, that a wrong detergent container is located in the receiving shaft 105. According to one exemplary embodiment, the provision unit 110 is additionally or alternatively designed to provide a content signal 116 using the test result 112. The content signal 116 represents a content of the detergent container when the test result 112 indicates a closed circuit. The content signal 116 can be used, for example, to start a selected cleaning program, since a correct detergent container has been recognized. The content signal 116 can also be used to select and start a cleaning program tailored to the content of the identified detergent container.

Additionally or alternatively, the device 104 can comprise a detection device, as it is described, for example, with reference to FIG. The device 104 can also be designed in the form of such a detection device. According to one exemplary embodiment, the contacting device 106 is thus part of the device 104.

Regardless of the exact design of the device 104, a possibility is created to identify detergent containers in the cleaning device 100. According to one exemplary embodiment, this is achieved in that the detergent containers used have a housing with an axis of symmetry, an electrically conductive means for forming a contact area being arranged outside the axis of symmetry. This enables a detergent container to be interchanged with different types. For this purpose, the device 104 is designed according to one embodiment as a machine-side detection device that comprises at least two electrodes that are suitably arranged outside the axis of symmetry of a detergent container inserted in the receiving shaft 105 in order to be able to distinguish different container types of detergent containers in one and the same receiving shaft 105.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of detergent containers 200, 212 according to an exemplary embodiment.

The detergent container 200 can be used, for example, in a cleaning device with a contacting device 106, as has been described with reference to FIG. The detergent container 200 is shaped, for example, as a cartridge. The detergent container 200 has a housing 202 which is shaped to for example, to store a detergent that is necessary for a washing process of the cleaning device. Known housings for cartridges can be used here. The housing 202 can be inserted into a receiving shaft of the cleaning device.

The detergent container 200 has an electrically conductive contact area 204 which is arranged on an outside of the housing 202 and which represents a content coding for recognizing and identifying the detergent container 200. The content coding thus represents a detergent container content of the detergent container 200. In the inserted state of the detergent container 200, the contact area 204 can be contacted using an electrode arrangement from here, for example, two electrodes 206 of the contacting device 106 in order to recognize the content coding.

The contact area 204 is formed, for example, as a label that is glued onto the housing 202. Alternatively, the contact area 204 can also be printed on or manufactured in a different way.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the contact areas 204, 214 are implemented as continuously electrically conductive surfaces. In this case, the contact areas 204, 214 can have a circular or rectangular shape, for example.

According to this exemplary embodiment, a position of the contact area 204 on the housing 202 represents the content coding. For example, the position in relation to an axis of symmetry of the housing 202 is on a first housing half of the housing 202 in a different position, for example on a second housing half or on the axis of symmetry of the corresponding housing.

Thus, an outer surface of the housing 202 can be divided into multiple segments. A special content can be assigned to each of the segments. Thus, for example, different types of detergent can be assigned to different segments. The contact area 204 is located in that segment which is assigned to the type of detergent that is located in the respective detergent container 200.

The contact area 204 is designed to be electrically conductive in order to close an electrical circuit upon contact with the two electrodes 206 of the contacting device 106. This is shown schematically in FIG. 2 by a switch which is still open since the detergent container 200 has not yet been completely inserted into the receiving shaft.

Furthermore, the contacting device 106 comprises a detection device 208. The detection device 208 is designed to use one of the two electrodes 206 led circuit to recognize the content coding of the detergent container 200. When the detergent container 200 is completely pushed into the cleaning device along an insertion direction 210, the two electrodes 206 contact the contact area 204, whereby the circuit is closed.

If another detergent container is used in which the contact area 204 is in a different position, for example in a different segment of the housing 202, the two electrodes 206 would not make contact with the contact area 204 and thus would not close the circuit via the two electrodes 206 .

According to one embodiment, the segments in which contact areas can be arranged are arranged on the top of the housing 202, adjacent to a front edge of the housing 202 in the insertion direction 210. In this way, the contact area 204 can be contacted easily via the contacting device 106.

According to this exemplary embodiment, a further detergent container 212 can be inserted into the cleaning device adjacent to the detergent container 202.

The further detergent container 212 has a further contact area 214. The further contact area 214 is arranged at a different position with respect to the contact area 204, for example in a different segment of the housing 202. The further contact area 214 thus identifies a content that differs from the content of the detergent container 200. The two detergent containers 200, 212 can thus be distinguished from one another by the different positions of their contact areas 204, 214.

To identify the further detergent container 212, a further electrode arrangement of, for example, two further electrodes 216 is provided here. The two further electrodes 216 are positioned differently from the two electrodes 206. While the two electrodes 206 can contact the contact area 204 arranged at a first position, the two further electrodes 216 are arranged such that they can contact a contact area arranged at a second position. The first position and the second position are, for example, on different sides of an axis of symmetry of the housing 202.

Since the contact area 214 of the detergent container 212 is located in a third position, here by way of example on the axis of symmetry of the housing 202, the two further electrodes 216 cannot contact this contact area 214. The outer surface of the housing 202 is formed in an electrically insulating manner, at least in the section which is provided for the arrangement of contact areas. This makes one over the other two Electrodes 216 led further circuit not closed. This is recognized by the recognition device 208. It is thus recognized that the further detergent container 212 according to this exemplary embodiment was incorrectly inserted. If, on the other hand, the position of the contact area 214 of the further detergent container 212 corresponded to the positioning of the two further electrodes 216, the detection device 208 would recognize a correctly inserted detergent container.

According to an alternative exemplary embodiment, the two electrodes 206 and the two further electrodes 216 are not arranged at different heights, as shown in FIG. 2, but rather at the same height in relation to the respective detergent container 202, 212. In this case, the positions of the contact areas 204, 214 on the respective housings 202 do not differ. In order to still be able to identify the different contents of the different detergent containers 200, 212, the contact areas 204, 214 are shaped differently. This means that the content coding is implemented, for example, by the surface shown in one of the following figures as an identification feature. For this purpose, the respective electrode arrangements can optionally have more than the two electrodes 206, 216 shown in FIG.

In other words, a possibility is described to identify, for example, one or, optionally, a plurality of detergent containers 200, 212 of the same type, which are inserted into at least one receiving area designed for this purpose. The detergent containers 200, 212 can optionally be latched, for example, by means of a nose which is arranged at one end of the detergent containers 200, 212 and which is arranged, for example, behind a spring latch on a container assembly. The detergent containers 200, 212 contain, for example, different types of detergent components, which are requested and pumped out differently by the respective desired washing program in a correct dosage combination for a washing effect and bleaching of the items to be cleaned. Correct allocation to, for example, a corresponding subject is therefore necessary. Due to the fact that the containers are identical, that is, due to a similar shape of the housings 202 of the detergent containers 200, 212, with different filling and labeling, the approach presented here prevents the detergent containers 200, 212 from being mixed up in such a way that the detergent containers 200, 212 in each case are recognized Compartment is reached, and only optionally the customer is given a display of incorrect equipment. Furthermore, content recognition also takes place, for example, with a system expansion. This can in turn be expanded to include an automatic program setting, for example.

According to this exemplary embodiment, each detergent container 200, 212 also has one in each case when it is packaged to match the content and a label Contact area 204, 214, for example in the form of an adhesive area or a small adhesive label, with an electrically conductive surface.

By correctly equipping the detergent containers 200, 212, the electrically conductive contact area 204, 214 on the respective housing 202 makes contact with contacts which are referred to here as two electrodes 206, 216. According to one embodiment, the two electrodes 206, 216 are each arranged on an upper side of a limit switch lever. For example, if there is an incorrect fit, such as swapping the detergent containers 200, 212, there is no electrical connection between the contact area 204, 214 and the electrodes 206, 216. In other words, each of the contact areas 204, 214 acts as a switch with leverage, for example Direction of a circuit board layout comprising the recognition device 208.

As shown in the following figures, different detergent contents can be displayed by different coding options in the form of different configurations of the contact areas. In order to identify the respective detergent content, the contact areas are divided and the number of contacting conductor tracks and therefore also the electrodes optionally increased. For example, three different contents per detergent container are distinguished by three electrodes each. For example, in such a case, a total of six different detergents can be assigned to two receiving shafts, also referred to as compartments 1 and 2. The position of the differently segmented contact areas on the respective housing can be identical in each case. The distinction can be made solely by the fact that each segmentation effects a circuit through a pair of electrodes of the contacting device that is assigned precisely to this segmentation.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area 204 according to an exemplary embodiment. The contact area 204 can correspond, for example, to a contact area described in FIG. 2, or, instead of such a contact area, be arranged on a detergent container which is inserted or can be used in a cleaning device as described in FIG. According to this exemplary embodiment, the contact area 204 has a plurality of contact sections 300 which represent the content coding. According to this exemplary embodiment, a first contact section 302 is designed to be electrically conductive and a second contact section 304 is designed to be electrically insulating.

In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the contact area 204 connects two electrodes 308, 310 of an electrode arrangement, here comprising three electrodes 306, 308, 310, via the first contact section 302 of the contacting device 106 in an electrically conductive manner, so that a circuit is closed via the two electrodes 308, 310. On the other hand, another circuit routed via the third electrode 306 is not closed since the third electrode 306 makes contact with the electrically insulating second contact section 304.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the first electrode 308 and the second electrode 310 enable the closed circuit through the first contact section 302. According to this exemplary embodiment, no current flows through the third electrode 306, since it is arranged at the level of the insulating area, that is, at the level of the second contact section 304. This means that the contents of the detergent container can be identified by which of the electrodes 308, 310, 310 enable the closed circuit. Since the content coding according to this exemplary embodiment takes place by means of the conductivity of the contact sections 300 and is not positional, according to this exemplary embodiment it is possible to arrange the contact area 204 of the detergent container and, for example, the further contact area of the further detergent container in the same position.

In other words, the contacting device 106 according to this exemplary embodiment has an increased number of electrodes 308, 310, 306 compared to the two electrodes described with reference to FIG. With a layout adaptation on the recognition device, which is also referred to as electronics, in coordination with the contact area 204 on each detergent container, the content coding is thus created.

By way of example, the contact sections 302, 304 according to the exemplary embodiment shown are arranged next to one another in the form of strips. In this case, the first contact section 302 has a greater width than the second contact section 304. The first contact section 302 takes up two thirds of the width of the contact area 204 and the second contact section 304 one third of the width of the contact area 204. A dividing line between the contact sections 302, 304 runs, for example, parallel to the axis of symmetry mentioned with reference to FIG. The contact area 204 is shaped, for example, round.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area 404 according to an exemplary embodiment. The contact area 404 shown here corresponds to the contact area described with reference to FIG. 3, with the difference that the contact sections 302, 304 are arranged interchanged. This enables a closed circuit via the second electrode 310 and the third electrode 306. No current flow is possible via the first electrode 308, since the first electrode 308 makes contact with the electrically insulating second contact section. FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area 504 according to an exemplary embodiment. The contact area 504 shown here also has an electrically conductive first contact section 302 and an electrically insulating second contact section 304. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the first contact section 302 extends only over half a length of the contact area 504, based on the aforementioned axis of symmetry, which for example runs parallel to the insertion direction of a detergent container shown in FIG. The first contact section 302 extends over the half of the contact area 504 that is closer to the contacting device 106.

As a result of this segmentation, the number of possible combinations for arranging the two contact sections 302, 304 can be increased. For this, however, it is necessary for the contact device 106 to have, in addition to the electrodes 306, 308, 310 arranged in a first row, further electrodes 506, 508, 510 arranged in a second row. The two rows are arranged in parallel.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the first contact section 302 only closes a circuit via the electrodes 308, 310.

According to one exemplary embodiment, a number of electrodes is increased to at least four compared to the exemplary embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2, for example on an upper side and on a lower side of the contact device 106 in the operational state.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area 604 according to an exemplary embodiment. The contact area 604 shown here differs from the contact area described in FIG. 5 in the arrangement of the contact sections 302, 304. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG first contact section 302 via the half of the contact region 604 that is closer to the contacting device 106.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the first contact section 302 only closes a circuit via the electrodes 306, 310.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area 704 according to an exemplary embodiment. The contact area 704 shown here differs from the contact area described in FIG. 5 in the arrangement of the contact sections 302, 304. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG already mentioned axis of symmetry, which for example runs parallel to the direction of insertion of a detergent container shown with reference to FIG. The first contact section 302 extends over the half of the contact area 704 that is further away from the contacting device 106.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the first contact section 302 only closes a circuit via the electrodes 508, 510.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a contact area 804 according to an exemplary embodiment. The contact area 804 shown here differs from the contact area described in FIG. 7 in the arrangement of the contact sections 302, 304. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG first contact section 302 via the half of the contact region 804 that is further away from the contacting device 106.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the first contact section 302 only closes a circuit via the electrodes 506, 510.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of a contacting device 106 according to an exemplary embodiment. The contacting device 106 can correspond or be similar to the contacting device 106 described in FIG. 1 or 2. The contacting device 106 is shaped in order to contact the contact area of at least one detergent container. For this purpose, the contacting device 106 has the two electrodes 206 and the detection device 208, which is designed to detect the content coding of the detergent container via the circuit routed via the two electrodes 206. According to this exemplary embodiment, the contacting device 106 has a contact arm 900 which has the electrodes 206 and two conductor tracks 902 for connecting the electrodes 206 to the detection device 208.

In other words, the contact arm 900, which is also referred to as a limit switch lever, according to this exemplary embodiment contains at least two conductor tracks 902 for the function of a switch contact in the direction of the detection device 208.

The detergent container has the contact area on a connection side. The contact area has an electrically conductive surface and optionally a very good adhesive strength. The lever arm 900 has integrated conductor tracks 902. These conductor tracks 902 are short-circuited on a pressure actuation side by the conductive contact area when the detergent container is filled. The electrical connection to the detection device 208 that is created in this way is in accordance with FIG In one embodiment, for example, on another lever side of the contact arm 900 by a contact pressure of the loaded detergent container. The short circuit, that is, the closed circuit, only takes place when the detergent container is correctly loaded. According to an alternative exemplary embodiment, the contact arm 900 comprises further conductor tracks and further electrodes, for example in order to be able to evaluate the shaped contact areas described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.

FIG. 10 shows an exemplary embodiment of a flow chart of a method 1000 for operating a cleaning device with a contacting device. The method 1000 can be carried out in a cleaning device, as it was described in FIG. 1, for example. The method 1000 is carried out using a detergent container as described in FIG. The method 1000 comprises a step 1002 of checking whether the circuit routed via the two electrodes is closed in order to obtain a test result, a step 1004 of providing an incorrect assembly signal using the test result if the test result does not indicate a closed circuit, and a step 1006 of providing a content signal using the test result if the test result indicates a closed circuit, the content signal representing a content of a detergent container.

Claims

1. Detergent container (200) for a cleaning device (100) with a receiving shaft and a contacting device (106) for the detergent container (200), the detergent container (200) having the following features: a housing (202) for storing a detergent, wherein the housing (202) is shaped to be inserted into the receiving slot of the cleaning device (100); and an electrically conductive contact area (204) arranged on an outside of the housing (202), the contact area (204) representing a content coding which represents a detergent container content, the contact area (204) in the inserted state of the housing (202) using the Contacting device (106) can be contacted in order to recognize the content coding.

2. The detergent container (200) according to claim 1, wherein a position of the contact area (204) on the housing (202) represents the content coding.

3. Detergent container (200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact area (204) has a plurality of contact sections (300) which represent the content coding.

4. detergent container (200) according to claim 3, wherein a first contact section (302) from the plurality of contact sections (300) is formed to be electrically conductive and a second contact section (304) from the plurality of contact sections (300) is formed to be electrically insulating.

5. detergent container (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact area (204) is formed as a label that can be stuck or stuck onto the housing (202).

6. contacting device (106) for contacting the contact area (204) of at least one detergent container (200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contacting device (106) has the following features: two electrodes (206) for contacting the contact area (204); and a recognition device (208) which is designed to recognize the coding of the contents of the detergent container (200) via a circuit routed via the two electrodes (206).

7. Contacting device (106) according to claim 6, with a contact arm (900) which has the two electrodes (206) and additionally two conductor tracks (902) for connecting the electrodes (206) to the detection device (208).

8. Contacting device (106) according to one of claims 6 to 7, with a third electrode (306), wherein the detection device (208) is designed to encode the contents of the detergent container (200) via a circuit routed via the third electrode (306). to be seen, wherein the first electrode (308), the second electrode (310) and the third electrode (306) are arranged in a row or offset from one another.

9. contacting device (106) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, with two further electrodes (216) for contacting a further contact area (214) of a further detergent container (212), and wherein the detection device (208) is designed to have a the two further electrodes (216) led further circuit to recognize a content coding of the further detergent container (212).

10. Contacting device (106) according to claim 9, wherein the two electrodes (206) are arranged to contact the contact area (204) of the detergent container (200) inserted in a receiving area of the cleaning device (100) when the contact area (204) is is located at a first position of the detergent container (200), and wherein the two further electrodes (216) are arranged to contact the further contact area (214) of the further detergent container (212) inserted in a further receiving area of the cleaning device (100), if the further contact area (214) is located at a further position of the further detergent container (212), the first and the further position differing from one another.

11. The method (1000) for operating a cleaning device (100) with a receiving shaft and a contacting device (106) according to one of claims 6 to 10 using a detergent container (200) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the method (1000) includes the following steps:

Checking (1002) whether the electrical circuit conducted via the two electrodes (206) is closed in order to obtain a test result (112);

Providing (1004) a misplacement signal (114) using the test result (112) if the test result (112) does not indicate a closed circuit; and Providing (1006) a content signal (116), which represents a detergent container content, using the test result (112), if the test result (112) indicates a closed circuit.

12. The device (104) which is designed to carry out the steps (1002, 1004, 1006) of the method (1000) according to claim 11.

13. Computer program product with program code for performing the method (1000) according to claim 11, when the computer program product is executed on a device.

14. Cleaning device (100) having the following features: a contacting device (106) according to one of claims 6 to 10; and an apparatus (104) according to claim 12.