GB2622039A

GB2622039A - Optical unit for illuminating a surface

Info

Publication number: GB2622039A
Application number: GB2212610.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Muzaffar Saj
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-08-31
Filing date: 2022-08-31
Publication date: 2024-03-06
Also published as: GB202212610D0

Abstract

A cleaner head for a floor cleaning apparatus comprises an optical unit 24 operative to illuminate debris upon an area of a cleaning surface located in front of the cleaner head. The optical unit includes a light source and a beam angle adjuster 48. Also disclosed is a floor cleaning apparatus with controls on the handle to control the light beam adjuster and an optical unit that includes a light beam angle adjuster, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is in operative connection with the optical unit, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is operative to change the angle of the emitted light beam, wherein the light beam angle adjuster includes an elongated member such as a screw, wherein the elongated member is movably mounted to one of a rear portion and a front portion of the optical unit and extends downwardly from the optical unit, wherein the elongated member is configured to move vertically relative to the optical unit to change the angle of the emitted light beam.

Description

OPTICAL UNIT FOR ILLUMINATING A SURFACE

The invention relates to a device that enables a user to more effectively see and clean hard floors and surfaces by illuminating the debris.

Floor cleaning apparatuses such as mops, and vacuum cleaners typically comprise a main body or handle and a cleaner head connected to the main body. For the vacuum cleaner, the main body has a device for separating the dirt collected by the cleaner head from the air. The cleaner has a downward facing opening and a suction motor for driving a fan to draw dirty air through the opening and into the main body. The device for separating the dirt from the air may include one or more of a filter, a filter bag and a cyclonic arrangement.

The cleaner heads of the vacuum cleaners may include a green or other coloured laser diode with a line lens which emits a green horizontal line beam to illuminate the surface of the floor so that the user of the floor cleaning apparatus can see the debris on the floor and clean it. For example, GB2593432B discloses a cleaner head that has an optical system for illuminating debris upon a region of a work surface located in front of the cleaner head. The optical system includes a laser diode which emits green light.

However, most floors either have a slight incline or decline and therefore it is very difficult to get a laser line beam to illuminate a large surface of floor.

It is an object of the present invention to enable the user to easily adjust the angle of a laser line beam of an optical unit so that it illuminates a much larger surface of the floor. The present invention achieves this by either adjusting the front or back angle of the optical unit until a large enough area is illuminated by the laser line beam By contrast, the laser optical system of GB2593432B has an angle that cannot be adjusted to enable the laser line beam to illuminate a large surface of floors that have a slight incline or decline.

In addition, because laser light can be harmful to eyes, the device may have a sensor that only allows the laser to be on if the device is on a flat surface for a specified time and/or it is not moving. This can be accomplished by a mercury switch. Alternatively, a low-cost micro controller can be used to add more intelligent sensing (vibration, timer, gyro).

In one aspect of the present invention, a cleaner head for a floor cleaning apparatus is provided. The cleaner head includes an optical unit. The optical unit is operative to illuminating debris upon an area of a cleaning surface located in front of the cleaner head. The optical unit includes a light source. The light source emits a light beam at an angle. The cleaner head includes a light beam angle adjuster. The light beam angle adjuster is in operative connection with the optical unit. The light beam angle adjuster is operative to change the angle of the emitted light beam.

In another aspect of the present invention, an optical unit is provided. The optical unit includes a light source. The light source is operative to emit a light beam to illuminate an area of a surface located in front of the light source. The light source emits a light beam at an angle. The optical unit includes a light beam angle adjuster. The beam angle adjuster is in operative connection with the optical unit. The light beam angle adjuster is operative to change the angle of the emitted light beam. The light beam angle adjuster includes an elongated member. The elongated member is movably mounted to one of a rear portion or front portion of the optical unit and extends downwardly from the optical unit. The elongated member is configured to move vertically relative to the optical unit to change the angle of the emitted light beam.

In another aspect of the present invention, a floor cleaning apparatus is provided. The floor cleaning apparatus includes a cleaner head and a handle pivotally connected to the cleaner head. The floor cleaning apparatus further includes an optical unit. The optical unit is provided in the cleaner head. The optical unit is operative to illuminating debris upon an area of a cleaning surface located in front of the cleaner head. The optical unit includes a light source. The light source emits a light beam at an angle. The floor cleaning apparatus further includes a light beam angle adjuster. The light beam angle adjuster is in operative connection with the optical unit and operative to change the angle of the emitted light beam. The floor cleaning apparatus also includes controls provided on the handle. The controls are in operative connection with the light beam angle adjuster The controls are operative to cause the light beam angle adjuster to change the angle of the emitted light beam.

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the optical unit of the present invention with the cover of the optical unit being removed to show the components inside.

Figure 2 is a side perspective view of a portion of the optical unit of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side and top perspective view of a portion of the optical unit of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a right-side perspective view of the optical unit and the adjustment screw with the cover removed for illustrative purposes.

Figure 5 is a bottom and right-side perspective view of the optical unit showing the adjustment screw in a first position.

Figure 6 is a bottom and right-side perspective view of the optical unit showing the adjustment screw in a second position.

Figure 7 is a front perspective view of a first cleaning apparatus with the optical sensor installed in it.

Figure 8 is a front perspective view of a portion of the first cleaning apparatus with the optical sensor of Figure 7 with portions removed for illustrative purposes.

Figure 9 is right side perspective view of the portion of the first cleaning apparatus with the optical sensor of Figure 8 and including the adjustment screw.

Figure 10 is a left side view of a second cleaning apparatus with the optical sensor installed in it Figure 11 is a schematic front view of the cleaner head of the first or second cleaning apparatus that has an alternative optical unit Figure 12 is a schematic top view of a portion of the cleaner head of Figure 11 showing a light emitting diode mounted to the cleaner head, and Figure 13 is a block diagram of electrical components of or associated with the optical unit It will be readily understood that the components of the embodiments as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations in addition to the described example embodiments. Thus, the following more detailed description of the example embodiments, as represented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments, as claimed, but is merely representative of example embodiments.

Furthermore, the described features, stmctures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a thorough understanding of embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obfuscation. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain example embodiments.

Throughout the present description, the terms "upper", "lower", "top-, "bottom", "left", "right", "front", "forward", "rear", and "rearward" shall define directions or orientations with respect to the optical unit as illustrated in Figure 1, which is a top perspective view of the optical unit with the cover of the optical unit being opened. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "front", "forward", "rear", and "rearward' are intended to encompass different orientations of the optical unit in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.

Figure 1 shows an optical unit 20 that is operable to illuminate surfaces. The optical unit 20 includes a holder 22 and a tubular laser light source 24. The holder 22 includes a base 26 and a cover 28 pivotally or otherwise connected to the base 26 at a longitudinal side of the base 26 via a suitable way such as hinges. The holder 22 includes a squared shaped front support member 30 that supports a front end 31 (Fig. 4) of the laser light source 24. A window opening 32 (Fig. 8) is formed in the front support member 34 to allow the laser light source 24 to emit a light beam through the holder 22. As seen in Figure 4, the thickness of the base 26 gradually reduces going rearwardly from a front end 36 to the rear end 38 of the base 26. That is, the base 26 tapers from the front end 36 to the rear end 38. This allows the laser light source 24 to properly point to emit the light beam that illuminates the most area of a surface in front of the optical unit 20 using a light beam angle adjuster 40, which will be explained further. The laser light source 24 incudes a coloured laser diode with a line lens 42 (Fig. 8) which emits a green horizontal line beam to illuminate the surface of the corresponding floor 44 (Fig. 10). The laser light source 24 is mounted on the base 26 with the front end 31 supported by the front support member 34. The laser light source 24 may be powered by a power source 46 such as a battery.

The light beam angle adjuster 40 includes an elongated adjustment screw 48 (Figs. 2 and 4) and a thumbwheel 50. The adjustment screw 48 extends vertically through the bottom of the base 26 at the rear end 38 of the base 26 as seen in Figures 5 and 6. The adjustment screw 48 also extends through the cover 28 of the holder 22 and thread engages a nut 52 (Fig. 3) mounted on the cover 28. The nut 52 may be glued to or otherwise securely mounted onto the cover 28. Alternatively, the nut 52 may not be included and the adjustment screw 48 may be thread mounted in the base 26 and/or cover 28. A hexagonally shaped head 54 (Fig. 4) of the adjustment screw 48 is located above the cover 28 and is seated securely into a corresponding hexagonally shaped recess 56 (Fig. 2) in the thumbwheel 50 such that rotation of the thumbwheel 50 in turn rotates the adjustment screw 48 A thumb engaging portion 58 (Figs. 5 and 6) of the thumbwheel 50 extends through a rectangular opening 53 the rear side of the cover 28 to enable a user to engage the thumbwheel 50 and rotate it. The light beam angle adjuster 40 may be other suitable assemblies to adjust the angle of the emitted light beam.

In operation, a user engages the thumb engaging portion 58 of the thumbwheel 50 and rotates it, which in turn rotates the adjustment screw 48. Rotation of the adjustment screw 48 in the clockwise direction (as viewed from the top) moves the adjustment screw 48 downwardly relative to the base 26 and rotation of the adjustment screw 48 in the counter clockwise direction moves the adjustment screw 48 upwardly relative to the base 26 as illustrated in Figs. 4-6. This movement varies the height of the rear end 38 of the base 26 relative to the illuminated surface, which in turn varies the angle of the laser light beam emitted from the laser light source 24. For example, Figure 5 shows the adjustment screw 48 in a first position to be almost flush with the bottom of the base 26 of the optical unit 20, and Figure 6 shows the adjustment screw extending further downward beyond the bottom of the base 26 in a second position.

In particular, rotation of the adjustment screw 48 in the counter clockwise direction lowers the height of the rear end 38 to change the angle of the emitted light beam such that the emitted light beam angles further upwardly relative to the optical unit 20 as the light beam travels in the forward direction, and rotation of the adjustment screw 48 in the clockwise direction raises the height of the rear end 38 such that the emitted light beam angles further downwardly relative to the optical unit 20 as the light beam travels in the forward direction. A user can turn the thumbwheel 50 to adjust the angle of the light to be parallel to the floor 44 as shown in Figure 10 so that the maximum area of the surface of the floor 44 in front of the optical unit 20 is illuminated. In an alternative arrangement, the adjustment screw 48 may extend through the front end 36 of the base 26 instead of the rear end 38 of the base 26 The optical unit 20 may be installed on a floor cleaning apparatus. Figures 7-9 show a floor cleaning apparatus 100 with the optical unit 22 installed according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 7, the floor cleaning apparatus 100 includes a cleaner head 102 and a handle 104 pivotally attached to the cleaner head 102. The cleaner head 102 may include an absorbent cleaning pad 108 removably attached to the bottom of the cleaner head 102. A solution tank 106 may be removably mounted on the handle 104 to supply cleaning solution to the cleaning pad 108. As illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the cleaner head 102 includes a housing 110 that houses a front compartment 112 into which the optical unit 20 may be mounted. The housing 110 includes a front opening or window 114 in front of the laser light source to allow the laser light beam to emit therethrough. The thumb engaging portion 58 of the thumbwheel 50 extends through the housing into space 116 (Fig. 7) to allow the user to access it to rotate it.

The optical unit may also be installed on a vacuum cleaner 200 as shown in Figure 5. In particular, the vacuum cleaner 200 comprises a handle or main body 202 which is attached by a tubular wand assembly 204 to a cleaner head 206. A suction source 208 is provided in the main body and is in the form of a motor-driven fan unit. The suction source draws air with dirt into the cleaner head via an inlet on the bottom of the cleaner head and through the tubular want assembly and into a dirt separation system 210 provided on the main body 202 that separates the dirt from the airflow. The vacuum cleaner 200 may be powered by a power source 212 such as a battery (Fig. 12) or by household current for driving the suction source 208 and other components of the vacuum cleaner.

As seen in Figure 5, the cleaner head 206 includes a housing 214 which includes opposing, side walls of the cleaner head 206, and a suction chamber 216 into which the airflow is drawn into the cleaner head 206 via the inlet. The suction chamber 216 may house an agitator 218 for agitating dirt, dust or other debris from the work surface to become entrained within the airflow. The agitator 218 is in the form of a horizontal brush roll which is rotatable relative to the housing 214 about an axis which is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the agitator 218. The suction chamber 216 conveys the airflow air into a neck 220 of the cleaner head 206 and then through the tubular wand assembly 204. The neck 220 is fluidly connected to the wand assembly 204, and electrical connectors for connecting the suction source 208 and the optical unit 20 in the cleaner head 16 to the power source 212 of the vacuum cleaner 200. The optical unit 20 is arranged to emit light through a window of the housing 214 to illuminate debris lying upon an area of the work surface located in front of the cleaner head 16. The optical unit 20 may be activated when the suction source 208 of the vacuum cleaner 10 is switched on by the user. Power is stop from being supplied to the optical unit 20 when the suction source 208 is switched off by the user, or when the battery is exhausted if the battery is the power source 208. This in turn causes the optical unit 20 to turn off Figure 13 shows a block diagram of the operation of the optical unit 20. The optical unit 20 may be powered by a rechargeable battery 46 that is charged by a charger 60. A sensor 62 such as a motion sensor may be electrically coupled to the optical unit and power source. Upon the sensor 62 not detecting movement of the optical unit 20 for a predetermined time, the sensor 62 causes the power to be cut off to the optical unit 20 thereby turning it oft In this respect, the sensor 62 is operative to prevent the optical unit 20 to emit the laser beam if the optical unit 20 is on a flat surface for a specified time and/or it is not moving. The sensor 62 may be a mercury switch. Alternatively, a low-cost micro controller can be used instead of or in addition to the sensor to add more intelligent sensing (vibration, timer, gyro). Referring to Figures 11 and 12, instead of a laser light source, the optical unit 320 may comprises a series of light emitting diodes 64. The light emitting diodes may be mounted to holder 322 in the front of the cleaner head as shown in Figures 11 and 12. Also, the optical unit 20 may be installed on devices other than floor cleaning apparatuses. In another embodiment, the beam angle adjuster 40 may be adjusted by controls on the handle of a vacuum cleaner or other floor cleaner by suitable electrical or mechanical mechanisms.

Although various embodiments of the optical unit for illuminating a surface have been shown and described, modifications may occur to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. The present application includes such modifications and is limited only by the scope of the claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A cleaner head for a floor cleaning apparatus, the cleaner head comprising: an optical unit, wherein the optical unit is operative to illuminating debris upon an area of a cleaning surface located in front of the cleaner head, wherein the optical unit includes a light source, wherein the light source emits a light beam at an angle; and a light beam angle adjuster, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is in operative connection with the optical unit, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is operative to change the angle of the emitted light beam.
2. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the light beam angle adjuster includes an elongated member, wherein the elongated member is movably mounted to one of a rear portion and a front portion of the optical unit and extends downwardly from the optical unit, wherein the elongated member is configured to move vertically relative to the optical unit to change the angle of the emitted light beam.
3. The cleaner head of claim 2, wherein the elongated member is a screw, wherein the screw is rotatably mounted to the rear portion of the optical unit such that rotation of the screw in a first direction lowers the height of the rear portion relative to the cleaning surface to change the angle of the emitted light beam such that the emitted light beam angles further upwardly relative to the optical unit as the light beam travels in the forward direction, wherein the screw is rotatably mounted to the rear portion of the optical unit such that rotation of the screw in a second direction opposite the first direction raises the height of the rear portion relative to the cleaning surface such that the emitted light beam angles further downwardly relative to the optical unit as the light beam travels in the forward direction.
4. The cleaner head of claim 3, wherein the light beam adjuster further comprises a thumbwheel, wherein the thumbwheel is mounted to the screw such that rotation of the thumbwheel rotates the screw.
5. The cleaner head of any of the preceding claims further comprising a suction chamber.
6. The cleaner head of claim 5, further comprising an agitator.
7 The cleaner head of claims 1 or 4, wherein the light source is a laser diode, wherein the laser diode emits a coloured light.
8. The cleaner head of claim 7, wherein the laser diode emits a green light.
9. The cleaner head of any of the preceding claim further comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor is operative to detect movement of the cleaner head, wherein the sensor is operative to prevent the optical unit to emit the laser beam in response to the sensor not detecting movement of the optical unit for a predetermined time.
10. The cleaner head of claim 1, wherein the cleaner head is operative to dispense a cleaning solution on the cleaning surface.
11. An optical unit comprising: a light source, wherein the light source is operative to emit a light beam to illuminate an area of a surface located in front of the light source, wherein the light source emits a light beam at an angle; and a light beam angle adjuster, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is in operative connection with the optical unit, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is operative to change the angle of the emitted light beam, wherein the light beam angle adjuster includes an elongated member, wherein the elongated member is movably mounted to one of a rear portion and a front portion of the optical unit and extends downwardly from the optical unit, wherein the elongated member is configured to move vertically relative to the optical unit to change the angle of the emitted light beam
12. The optical unit of claim 11, wherein the elongated member is a screw, wherein the screw is rotatably mounted to the rear portion of the optical unit such that rotation of the screw in a first direction lowers the height of the rear portion relative to the surface to change the angle of the emitted light beam such that the emitted light beam angles further upwardly relative to the optical unit as the light beam travels in the forward direction, wherein the screw is rotatably mounted to the rear portion of the optical unit such that rotation of the screw in a second direction opposite the first direction raises the height of the rear portion relative to the surface such that the emitted light beam angles further downwardly relative to the optical unit as the light beam travels in the forward direction.
13. The optical unit of claim 12, wherein the light beam adjuster further comprises a thumbwheel, wherein the thumbwheel is mounted to the screw such that rotation of the thumbwheel rotates the screw.
14. The optical unit of claims 11 or 13, wherein the light source is a laser diode, wherein the laser diode emits a coloured light.
The optical unit of claim 14, wherein the laser diode emits a green light
16. The optical unit of any one of claims 11-15, wherein the optical unit is operative to prevent emitting the laser beam in response to the optical unit not moving for a predetermined time.
17. A floor cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaner head; a handle pivotally connected to the cleaner head; an optical unit, wherein the optical unit is provided in the cleaner head, wherein the optical unit is operative to illuminating debris upon an area of a cleaning surface located in front of the cleaner head, wherein the optical unit includes a light source, wherein the light source emits a light beam at an angle, a light beam angle adjuster, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is in operative connection with the optical unit, wherein the light beam angle adjuster is operative to change the angle of the emitted light beam; and controls provided on the handle, wherein the controls are in operative connection with the light beam angle adjuster, wherein the controls are operative to cause the light beam angle adjuster to change the angle of the emitted light beam.