Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
  • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
  • A47L9/2805—Parameters or conditions being sensed
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
  • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
  • A47L9/2805—Parameters or conditions being sensed
  • A47L9/2821—Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
  • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
  • A47L9/2836—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means characterised by the parts which are controlled
  • A47L9/2842—Suction motors or blowers

Definitions

• the invention relates to a cleaning device, in particular a household vacuum cleaner, with a blower and a pressure sensor for determining a negative pressure generated by the blower. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating such a cleaning device.
• Cleaning devices of the aforementioned type are known in the art. These can also have a device for varying the blower power of the blower in order to best free a surface to be cleaned of waste material. It is also known that the blower power in
• the expended pushing force is dependent inter alia on the floor covering, such as a hard floor or a carpet.
• the invention proposes a cleaning device in which the pressure sensor is an absolute pressure sensor.
• the pressure sensor now measures an absolute pressure, which may vary depending on the location of the cleaning device over sea level or the weather conditions. As a result, fluctuations in the absolute pressure are taken into account and are not mistakenly interpreted as the pressure difference generated by the fan.
• the absolute pressure sensor has a detection area which is assigned to a suction area of the fan arranged in a connection area for an attachment, ie a region which is acted on by the suction force of the fan.
• This intake area is usually located in the cleaning device where an attachment is connected to the cleaning device.
• the absolute pressure sensor firstly measures the ambient pressure during a first measurement when the blower is switched off, ie without applying the suction air flow generated by the blower to the detection area, and secondly during a second measurement when the blower is switched on. The pressure difference calculated from these two absolute pressures is adjusted from the current ambient pressure, so that the cleaning result is optimal regardless of the current ambient pressure.
• the detection range of the absolute pressure sensor is assigned to the intake area in that the absolute pressure sensor is arranged directly in the intake area of the connection area.
• the pressure sensor is arranged in a blow-out region of the blower, in particular on a printed circuit board arranged in the blow-out region of the blower, wherein a measuring channel is formed between the pressure sensor and the detection region, the first end region of which is the pressure sensor is assigned and the second end region opens into the intake.
• the location of the detection area and the location of the pressure sensor are different. This makes it possible to cool the pressure sensor in the blow-out area of the blower by means of the blow-out air of the blower.
• the absolute pressure in the intake area is measured via the measuring channel.
• the measuring channel has for this purpose a first and a second end region, wherein the first end region is brought to the pressure sensor and in particular contacted the printed circuit board so that the pressure sensor protrudes into the measuring channel, and wherein the second end portion projects into the intake, in particular into a flow path the suction air flow generated by the fan from the header to the fan.
• the measuring channel is a hose section.
• This hose section may be glued with its first end portion on the circuit board or connected in any other way with the circuit board.
• the open end of the measuring channel is covered by a portion of the circuit board, so that the measuring channel is connected as fluid-tight as possible with the circuit board.
• the hose section in particular designed as a flexible hose section, is guided into the intake area, wherein the second end region there is advantageously also fluid-tightly connected to a suction channel of the connection region.
• the measuring channel may for example be molded into the housing of the cleaning device, advantageously in an injection molding process. At the same time, this also makes it possible to form a receptacle for the printed circuit board carrying the pressure sensor so that, when the printed circuit board is arranged in the receptacle, a contacting of the first end region of the measuring channel with the printed circuit board can take place at the same time.
• the invention further proposes that in addition a temperature sensor is arranged in the connection area.
• the temperature sensor is used to measure the current temperature in the connection area, which can be used to calculate the current air density.
• the air density in turn serves to calculate the volume flow of the blower, which, in combination with the negative pressure generated by the blower, makes it possible to determine the current flow resistance of the attachment.
• the cleaning device has an evaluation and control device which is designed to control a resulting suction of the cleaning device in response to a determined by means of the pressure sensor vacuum of a current fan speed and a current speed of the blower.
• the negative pressure determined from the absolute pressure and the corresponding volume flow of the blower which can be taken from the blower characteristic of the blower, determine this Flow resistance of the attachment and thus also expended on the displacement of the attachment sliding force.
• This flow resistance is used by the evaluation and control device to regulate the resulting suction power of the cleaning device so that on the one hand the flow resistance is as low as possible and on the other hand the best possible cleaning result is achieved.
• the evaluation and control device can be set up in particular to control a constant suction power.
• the volume flow through the blower depends (among other things) on the current blower output, which can be determined from the current and voltage decrease of the blower.
• Current and voltage of the blower are measured for example by means of appropriate facilities on a printed circuit board of the blower.
• the speed of the fan is also measured in the usual way by means of a tachometer.
• the evaluation and control device can determine the flow resistance, which serves to regulate the suction power of the cleaning device on the basis of the aforementioned measured data and known characteristics of the blower.
• the evaluation and control device is designed to additionally regulate the suction power in dependence on a temperature measured by means of the temperature sensor ors.
• the evaluation is also adjusted for the temperature-dependent air density, which contributes to an optimum regulation of the suction power of the fan. This in particular, since the air density and thus also the negative pressure generated by the fan change as a function of the temperature.
• the invention also proposes a method for operating a cleaning device, wherein a suction power of the cleaning device in response to a determined flow resistance of an attachment of the cleaning device is varied, with the method steps:
• a first absolute pressure measurement is now made before turning on the fan and then after turning on the blower, a second absolute pressure measurement.
• the first absolute pressure measurement takes place in such a short period of time, for example
• the blower After the blower has been switched on, it is possible, in preferably regularly successive intervals, to obtain further absolute values. Pressure measurements are carried out, for example, 10 to 20 times per second.
• the absolute pressure generated by the blower is determined from the absolute pressure determined with the blower running and the first absolute pressure measured when the blower is switched off.
• the electrical power consumed by the fan is determined, which is done regularly by means of a measurement of the current required by the fan and the voltage.
• the speed of the fan is measured. All measured values, ie both the negative pressure, as well as the fan power and the speed of the blower flow into the determination of the flow resistance of the attachment.
• the flow resistance of the attachment makes itself noticeable in practice for the user of the cleaning device as a shift of the cleaning device or the attachment over the surface to be cleaned expended pushing force. With a very high flow resistance, the user is only able to carry the cleaning device or the attachment over the surface to be cleaned with great force. This is accompanied by a low volume flow through the fan and thus also a low suction power.
• the measured data are then compared with known blower characteristics of the blower, from which the volume flow occurring at the respective flow resistance and the pressure difference can be removed. If one of the known blower characteristics coincides with the measured data or resembles this in the best possible way, the currently measured suction power is controlled so that the best possible cleaning result is achieved.
• the speed of the fan can be varied and / or the fan power.
• the suction power is regulated to a constant amount.
• the fan power can not be further increased upon reaching a defined maximum flow resistance of the attachment.
• a maximum power consumption is given in view of the adjusting flow resistance.
• the performance of the fan to increase the flow rate can not be increased.
• the maximum permissible flow resistance and therefore also the sliding force to be used for displacing the attachment can be provided with 20 N, for example. This serves to protect against overloading the fan.
• the flow resistance of the currently used attachment is additionally determined in dependence on a temperature currently measured in the connection area.
• the inclusion of the currently measured temperature makes it possible to achieve an optimum cleaning result with the lowest possible flow resistance.
• a fill level of a filter arranged in a suction region of a blower be determined by comparing the determined flow resistance of the attachment with reference values, which are each associated with a specific fill level of the filter.
• empirical characteristics or characteristic values are stored for different operating modes or suction power levels, which are each assigned to a specific fill level of the filter. Regardless of the currently determined level of the filter should preferably be kept constant, the suction power.
• a first position of the slide switch is assigned, for example, to an automatic operation of the cleaning device.
• the evaluation and control device automatically regulates the Pressure required fan power to achieve a certain suction or a certain volume flow.
• power stages with a constant fan power may be provided, for example a power stage with a constant fan power of 50 W and another power stage with a higher fan power of 300 W.
• an additional power stage may be provided as a maximum power stage. In this maximum power level, the blower output can be controlled depending on a detected floor covering, ie, for example, hard floor or carpet, for example, 700 W for cleaning carpets and 450 W for cleaning hard floors.
• This may be a pure control, ie only the aforementioned constant blower outputs are provided. A flow resistance-dependent adjustment does not take place. Alternatively, however, it would also be possible to provide a dependence on the resulting flow resistance (pushing force) in this operating mode in addition to the dependence on the respective floor covering.
• Fig. 1 shows a cleaning device with a front attachment in perspective
• Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the cleaning device and the attachment.
• FIG. 1 shows a cleaning device 1, which is designed here as a household hand vacuum cleaner.
• the cleaning device 1 has a base device 15, in which a fan 2 and a filter chamber with a filter 14 are arranged.
• an attachment 7 Connected to a connection area 5 of the base unit 15 is an attachment 7, which serves to machine a surface, such as a hard floor or a carpet.
• suction material is guided through the attachment 7 into the filter 14.
• a guide rod 19 for handling the cleaning device 1 is arranged on the base unit 15.
• a handle element 20 is located on the end side.
• the grip element 20 carries an operating element 16, via which the user can select different operating modes of the cleaning device 1.
• the operating element 16 has a slide switch 17 and a button 18.
• the slide switch 17 allows four different positions, which four different operating modes are assigned.
• an automatic mode of the cleaning device 1 can be set.
• the cleaning device 1 controls a power of the blower 2 automatically in response to the negative pressure generated by the blower 2 to achieve a certain suction, ie a certain volume flow through the attachment 7.
• a maximum value for the required fan power is provided to protect the fan 2 from overloading. Beyond this maximum value, the performance of the blower 2 can not be further increased.
• the maximum value of the blower power can be designed, for example, to a maximum flow resistance of the attachment 7 of 20 N. This flow resistance corresponds to the maximum pushing force that must be expended to guide the attachment 7 over the surface to be cleaned.
• the relationship between the negative pressure generated by the blower 2, the volume flow through the attachment 7 and the pushing force or the flow resistance of the attachment 7 can be found in the characteristics of the blower 2 for the currently used attachment 7.
• the slide switch 17 likewise serves to set two operating modes in which a constant power of the blower 2 is used.
• the power of the blower 2 may for example be 50 W in one operating mode and, for example, 300 W in another operating mode.
• an operating mode which relates to a ground-type dependent maximum power level of the blower 2.
• an automatic adjustment of the fan power is made depending on the type of surface to be cleaned, for example a constant fan power of 700 W for carpet and a constant fan power of 450 W for hard floor.
• the operating element 16 has a key 18 with which, starting from the operating mode "ground-type-dependent maximum power", a manual change between the adaptation to hard floor or carpet can be made Cleaning of hard floor forced a setting of the attachment 7, which is usually used only on carpet.
• FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the cleaning device 1.
• the base device 15 has the fan 2 and the filter chamber with the filter 14.
• Connection area 5 of the base unit 15 the attachment 7 is arranged. Air sucked in by the blower 2 passes through the attachment 7 and the filter 14 to the blower 2 and then to the environment.
• the connection region 5 comprises an intake region 6, in which air which passes through the attachment device 7 into the base device 15 is sucked into the filter 14.
• a temperature sensor 13 is arranged.
• a printed circuit board 9 is arranged, which can be cooled by means of the blow-out air of the blower 2.
• a pressure sensor 3 is arranged, which is an absolute pressure sensor.
• the pressure sensor 3 is the
• the first end portion 11 surrounds the pressure sensor 3 on the circuit board 9 and the second end portion 12 projects past the fan 2 and the filter 14 into the suction region 6.
• the second end region 12 defines a detection region 4 of the pressure sensor 3.
• the cleaning device 1 has an evaluation and control device (preferably also arranged on the circuit board 9), which serves to regulate the suction power of the cleaning device 1. This regulation takes place, as will be explained below, as a function of the measured values of the pressure sensor 3, if necessary of the temperature sensor 13, and of a recorded electric power of the blower 2 and a speed of the blower 2. [0030]
• the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS
• the slide switch 17 of the operating element 16 is brought into the corresponding position. By moving the slide switch 17 to the "automatic" position, a first absolute pressure measurement is initiated by the pressure sensor 3. This pressure measurement takes place when the blower 2 is switched off Fan 2, if necessary, initially switched off.
• the initial absolute pressure measurement requires only a short period of time of, for example, 300 milliseconds, so that the user of the cleaning device 1 can not perceive a time offset until the time when the blower 2 is switched on.
• the blower 2 is automatically turned on by the evaluation and control device of the cleaning device 1.
• an absolute pressure forming in the intake region 6 is then determined during operation.
• This measurement when the blower 2 is switched on is then advantageously repeated, for example, 10 to 20 times per second.
• the difference between the absolute pressure measured when the blower 2 is switched on and the initially measured absolute pressure when the blower 2 is switched off is determined, so that the negative pressure generated by the blower 2 is known.
• a current and a voltage is measured in the usual manner to the electrical leads of the blower 2 and determines the recorded from the fan 2 electrical power.
• a tachometer also measures the speed of the blower 2.
• the volume flow through the blower 2 is determined from the determined blower output of the blower 2, the speed of the blower 2, the absolute pressure measured when the blower 2 is switched off, and optionally the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 13.
• the flow resistance of the attachment 7 by comparing the measured data with known characteristics of the blower 2 are determined.
• the determined flow resistance corresponds to the pushing force which is to be used by a user of the cleaning device 1 in order to push the attachment 7 over the surface to be cleaned.
• This flow resistance or sliding force is used to control the suction power of the cleaning device 1, wherein the suction power is controlled by means of a variation of the rotational speed and / or fan power.
• the suction power is regulated to a constant value. This also independent of a level of the filter 14. The method described is a true regulation of the suction power and not just a mere control.
• the blower power to Avoidance of overloading of the blower 2 is not further increased.
• the defined maximum flow resistance or the corresponding maximum pushing force can be provided with 20 N, for example.
• the determined flow resistance of the attachment 7 can be compared with reference values, which are each characteristic of a certain level of the filter 14. For example, empirically determined characteristic curves or characteristic values at different fill levels of the filter 14 are used for the evaluation, optionally also with respect to different operating modes or power levels of the blower 2. List of reference numbers

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Electric Vacuum Cleaner (AREA)

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Citations (2)

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• 2016
  • 2016-09-27 DE DE102016118248.6A patent/DE102016118248A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-10-11 WO PCT/EP2016/074270 patent/WO2017071942A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2016-10-11 CN CN201680060420.6A patent/CN108135417B/zh active Active
  • 2016-10-11 JP JP2018516696A patent/JP2018531689A/ja active Pending
  • 2016-10-11 ES ES16787757T patent/ES2769776T3/es active Active
  • 2016-10-11 SG SG11201801835TA patent/SG11201801835TA/en unknown
  • 2016-10-11 EP EP16787757.0A patent/EP3367868B1/de active Active
  • 2016-10-21 TW TW105134045A patent/TWI705789B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2018
  • 2018-03-01 PH PH12018500451A patent/PH12018500451A1/en unknown

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