Patents Assigned to Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
  • Patent number: 11163301
    Abstract: In a method for operating a self-traveling floor treatment apparatus, a recording device of the floor treatment apparatus records a recording of an environment of the floor treatment apparatus, which concerns a time period, and the recording is displayed for a user of the floor treatment apparatus on a screen. In order to allow correction of error conditions, the recording is stored and, in case of a defined environmental event and/or apparatus condition of the floor treatment apparatus, a time-defined partial sequence is subsequently extracted from the stored recording and displayed on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Roman Ortmann, Gerhard Isenberg
  • Patent number: 11141860
    Abstract: An automatically moving cleaning device includes a device housing, at least one obstacle detection device and a control device for controlling the cleaning device within an environment according to a detection result of the obstacle detection device, wherein the obstacle detection device is at least partially moveably mounted on the device housing, such that a detection region of the obstacle detection device is shiftable relative to the device housing. In order to optimize the detection of obstacles within the environment of the cleaning device, the control device is configured to shift the detection region of the obstacle detection device relative to the device housing depending on a position and/or orientation of the cleaning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: VORWERK & CO. INTERHOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: Raphael Liss
  • Patent number: 11122930
    Abstract: The invention concerns a cooking management method (100) for planning a cooking process (200) of a kitchen machine (1) comprising the following steps: determining (105) an entertainment program (201) of an entertainment apparatus (2); determining (106) a planning interval (202) in which at least one user of the kitchen machine (1) is connected to the entertainment machine (2) to enjoy the entertainment program (201). The invention also concerns a food processor (1) and a system for carrying out a cooking operation (200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Hendrik Koetz, Stefan Kraut-Reinkober, Andrej Mosebach, Mirco Pieper, Anton Reindl, Christiane Stach, Wenjie Yan, Sarah Werhahn
  • Publication number: 20210274975
    Abstract: A preparation vessel is adapted for connection with a receiving area of a base unit of an electric motor-driven food processor. In order to provide a preparation vessel for a food processor that can be locked with a base unit of a food processor regardless of its height, the preparation vessel has a locking assembly for locking the preparation vessel with the base unit of the food processor. The locking assembly has a displaceable contact element, which is arranged on the preparation vessel in such a way that it can be activated by a corresponding activating assembly of the receiving area of the food processor with the preparation vessel in a state properly connected with the base unit, so as to induce the locking of the preparation vessel by means of the locking assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian JANSEN, Christian BAYARD
  • Publication number: 20210274976
    Abstract: A preparation vessel for connection with a receiving area of a base unit of an electric motor-driven food processor has a pot, a pot foot that can be connected with the receiving area, and a cover that closes the pot opening of the pot. The preparation vessel has a locking assembly with a locking element for locking the pot with the cover. The pot foot has at least one activating element for activating the locking assembly. The activating element is arranged on the pot foot in such a way that it can be activated by a corresponding activating assembly of the receiving area of the food processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Kevin SCHMITZ, Christian BAYARD, Sebastian JANSEN
  • Patent number: 11109528
    Abstract: A system for processing a ground at least partially in an outdoor region, in particular removing dirt or grass cuttings, includes a base station and a mobile robot unit. The system further includes at least one detection device for detecting at least one environmental variable, and a controller which influences the operating mode of the mobile robot unit in accordance with the value of at least one of the environmental variables detected by the at least one detection device. A method for controlling a mobile robot unit for processing a ground at least partially in an outdoor region, in particular removing dirt or grass cuttings, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Benjamin Strang
  • Patent number: 11109735
    Abstract: A wet-cleaning appliance, in particular a wet mop, has a cleaning roller, which is mounted in a rotatable manner about a roller axis, and having a roller cover, which encloses the cleaning roller in the circumferential direction, at least in part, and has at least one movable covering element for optionally closing and/or releasing an opening region of the roller cover. In order to prevent residual liquid contained in the roller cover from dripping from the wet-cleaning appliance when the roller cover is opened, the movable covering element has a collecting unit, in particular a collecting container, which has a storage volume for collecting liquid that remains in the roller cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Gunter, Jochen Jentsch
  • Patent number: 11089907
    Abstract: An electric motor operated kitchen appliance has a base unit having an electric motor and a preparation vessel, which can be connected to the base unit and into which a rotating element protrudes, which can be rotationally driven by means of the electric motor, wherein a grinding element, which, with a grinding area of a grinding vessel held on the preparation vessel, forms a grinder, can be connected to the rotating element. To advantageously further develop the kitchen appliance, the grinding element is connected to the rotating element via a coupling element having at least one elastic partial area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Buening, Robert Frielinghaus, Martin Helmich
  • Publication number: 20210235954
    Abstract: A method for operating a cleaning system that comprises at least one self-traveling cleaning device that travels in an environment based on an environment map and carries out cleaning activities. The cleaning device accesses a database, in which multiple cleaning activities are stored. A user accesses the database and defines in advance at least one randomly occurring event, depending on the occurrence of which at least one certain cleaning activity is carried out. The user defines an event-dependent activity scenario and the activity scenario is carried out upon the subsequent occurrence of the defined event. At least one cleaning activity is also scheduled time-dependently, and predefined rules determine whether only the event-dependent activity scenario or only the time-dependently scheduled cleaning activity is carried out if the time of an occurrence of a defined event falls short of a predefined minimum time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Marc PAPENHEIM, Andrej MOSEBACH
  • Patent number: 11071404
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (100) for adjusting the heating power of at least one heating element (40) of a domestic appliance (10), wherein the domestic appliance (10) includes a temperature sensor (50) for measuring a temperature (T) in a receiving space (20) of the domestic appliance (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Wenjie Yan, Torsten Lang, Christiane Stach, Stefan Kraut-Reinkober
  • Publication number: 20210216080
    Abstract: A method for operating a system with a first automatically moving floor processing device and a second automatically moving floor processing device in which the first floor processing device detects environmental features in an environment of the first floor processing device. The first floor processing device or a shared computing device allocated to both the processing devices generates a first area map based on the detected environmental features, and the first floor processing device also detects the second floor processing device, and the position of the second floor processing device is thereupon stored within the generated first area map. The second floor processing device receives information about a current position of the second floor processing device within the first area map, and controls a second floor processing activity as soon as the first floor processing device has detected the second floor processing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Andrej MOSEBACH, Marc PAPENHEIM, Henning HAYN
  • Publication number: 20210215502
    Abstract: A method for operating a system with at least two floor processing devices includes detecting environmental features of an environment and generating an area map based on the detected features. The area map is divided into partial areas that are assigned to the floor processing devices so that each partial area is only processed by one of the floor processing devices. A movement route and a movement timespan of the floor processing device is detected and stored with the area map. Several partial areas are combined into partial area groups, and the partial areas are allocated to the floor processing devices based on the stored movement route and movement timespan so that a floor processing of a first partial area group by a first floor processing device takes place at essentially the same time as a floor processing of a second partial area group by a second floor processing device ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Andrej MOSEBACH, Marc PAPENHEIM, Henning HAYN
  • Patent number: 11051658
    Abstract: A cover element for at least partially covering a vessel opening of a preparation vessel of a food processor and/or a cover opening of a vessel cover for the preparation vessel, wherein the cover element has a radially outwardly facing support edge to be supported on the preparation vessel and/or vessel cover. The support edge has a continuously curved base contour viewed in the axial direction, and has at least two support elements, which lie opposite each other, are separate from each other and protrude over the base contour. The support elements extending in an imaginary circular ring surface that reaches from a radially outer edge of the support elements up to the base contour are identically designed on both opposing sides viewed in the axial direction and formed in the same plane extending perpendicular to the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Isabell Neubert, Felix Thies
  • Publication number: 20210177186
    Abstract: A cooktop module (1) to connect to a kitchen appliance base (2). The range of functions of kitchen appliances is expanded, in that the cooktop module (1) features at least one surface (3) for at least one cooking vessel (9), at least one electrical heating means (4), at least one connection area (5) for accommodation on the kitchen appliance base (2), and at least one electrical contact means (6), wherein a cooking vessel (9) which can be positioned on the surface (3) can be warmed by the heating means (4), and wherein the heating means (4) can be electrically connected to the kitchen appliance base (2) via the electrical contact means (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: VORWERK & CO. INTERHOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: CHRISTIAN BAYARD
  • Publication number: 20210161328
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (1) for the transport and heating of foodstuffs, comprising a housing (2) including at least one receiving space (3), at least one heating means (5), and at least one control device (6), wherein the heating means (5) is controllable using the control device (6), and wherein using the heating means (5), energy for the heating of foodstuffs is introducible at least into the receiving space (3), as well as a method for operating such a device. A device (1) for for the transport and for the heating of foodstuffs and a method for operation, wherein the energy requirement for the heating of foodstuffs is optimized, are realized by the heating means (5) including at least one first heating zone (5a) and one second heating zone (5b), and that the first heating zone (5a) and the second heating zone (5b) are controllable independently of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: VORWERK & CO. INTERHOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: CHRISTOPHER PIERNIKOSCH
  • Patent number: 11019973
    Abstract: A method for operating a floor treatment apparatus that travels by itself within an environment, wherein a control and evaluation unit monitors the operating status of the floor treatment apparatus, detects an error condition of the floor treatment apparatus and initiates the output of an information signal in case an error condition occurs. In order to locate the floor treatment apparatus in a particularly simple and convenient fashion during an error condition, it is proposed that an optical signal output device of the floor treatment apparatus emits an optical information signal, which generates a light projection that represents a directional indicator, wherein the directional indicator points from a projection site within the environment in the direction of the current position of the floor treatment apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Roman Ortmann
  • Publication number: 20210157328
    Abstract: A base station performs a service treatment on a floor processing device, wherein the base station has a basic housing with an interface for docking the floor processing device. In order to support docking in a purely mechanical way, the base station has a guide extension arm allocated to the interface and facing away from the basic housing with a predominant longitudinal extension for exclusively mechanically guiding a docking movement of the floor processing device to the interface, wherein an outer contour of the guide extension arm as observed in a vertical top view tapers proceeding from the basic housing up to a free end area of the guide extension arm facing away from the basic housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Harald WINDORFER
  • Publication number: 20210153710
    Abstract: A system has at least two automatically moving floor processing devices, a shared computing device and a shared database, which stores an area map with several partial surface areas and a planned operational activity. A partial area designation and/or a floor type designation is stored. The computing device receives a floor processing command from a user, which indicates a floor processing activity to be performed, and having a partial area designation and/or a floor type designation. The computing device is set up to ascertain partial surface areas that correspond to the partial area designation and/or floor type designation specified in the floor processing command, and according to predefined rules, plan the performance of the floor processing activity specified in the floor processing command. The rules depend on a device parameter of the floor processing device and a position of the partial surface area in the environment to be processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Andrej MOSEBACH, Marc PAPENHEIM, Henning HAYN
  • Patent number: 11013073
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system (100) for preparing at least one food (1, 2, 3) having a cooking chamber (10), in which the food (1, 2, 3) can be prepared, an energy unit (20), in order to carry out an supplying of electromagnetic energy into the cooking chamber (10) specific to the at least one food (1, 2, 3) in dependence on cooking information (4, 5, 6) of the at least one food (1, 2, 3), whereby the at least one food (1, 2, 3) can be brought into an edible state, wherein the energy unit (20) has at least two transmission antennae (30, 31, 32, 33), which are spaced apart from each other, can be actuated by at least one high frequency signal encoder of the system (100), and are designed to emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range into the cooking chamber (10) based on said actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Hendrik Koetz
  • Patent number: 11006803
    Abstract: A sweeping brush for an automatically moving cleaning device has a rotational axis receptacle for receiving a rotational axis of the cleaning device and at least one bundle receptacle that extends outwardly from a transition area on the rotational axis receptacle, which holds a bristle bundle having a plurality of bristles. The bundle receptacle is arched as viewed in an axial direction of the rotational axis receptacle. In order to optimize known sweeping brushes in terms of their service life and cleaning properties, the bundle receptacle is fabricated out of an elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Blum