Vacuum Cleaner Control System
The present invention provides a vacuum cleaner control system comprising a first user-operable control for switching a suction source of the vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition, a second user-operable control for switching a rotatable brush in a floorhead of the vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition, a third user-operable control for switching a filter cleaning mechanism for cleaning a filter of the vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition, a detector for detecting when a handle of the vacuum cleaner is tilted between a substantially vertical, storage position and an angled, use position, and an electronic circuit for receiving input signals from the first, second and third user-operable controls and from the detector. The electronic circuit has a first output for switching the suction source on and off, a second output for switching the floorhead brush on and off and a third output for switching the filter cleaning mechanism on and off. The vacuum cleaner control system further comprises a display, and the electronic circuit further comprises an output for driving the display, and the display comprises an input for receiving the output from the electronic circuit.
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This application claims priority to Patent Application No. EP 08155 592.2 filed May 2, 2008. The entire contents of that application are expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention concerns a control system for a vacuum cleaner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn general, in the known prior art, vacuum cleaner control systems comprise one or more user-operable controls, such as push-button switches, which control the operation of such features of the vacuum cleaner as a main suction source of the vacuum cleaner or a rotatable brush mounted in a floorhead of the vacuum cleaner, independently of each other. On the one hand, this allows a user to select which features of the vacuum cleaner to operate as desired, but on the other, it may also be damaging to the vacuum cleaner, by allowing different features of the vacuum cleaner which have an adverse effect on the vacuum cleaner and/or on each other during their simultaneous operation to be switched on at the same time. This is particularly important in the case of a battery powered vacuum cleaner, where the simultaneous operation of several different unrelated features of the vacuum cleaner may place an undue load on the battery.
It is therefore desirable to provide an “intelligent” vacuum cleaner control system which is able to address these drawbacks of the known prior art. Accordingly, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner control system comprising: a first user-operable control for switching a suction source of said vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition; a second user-operable control for switching a rotatable brush in a floorhead of said vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition; a third user-operable control for switching a filter cleaning mechanism for cleaning a filter of said vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition; a detector for detecting when a handle of said vacuum cleaner is tilted between a substantially vertical, storage position and an angled, use position; and an electronic circuit for receiving input signals from said first, second and third user-operable controls and from said detector, said electronic circuit having a first output for switching said suction source on and off, a second output for switching said floorhead brush on and off and a third output for switching said filter cleaning mechanism on and off.
Thus, by providing the vacuum cleaner control system with such an electronic circuit, the electronic circuit may be programmed to switch different features of the vacuum cleaner on and off to suit the efficient and effective operation of the vacuum cleaner, without permitting the user to perform operations which would tend to damage the vacuum cleaner or its components, or in the case of a battery-powered vacuum cleaner, place undue load on the battery.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn a preferred embodiment, the vacuum cleaner control system of the present invention comprises a display, and an electronic circuit having an output for driving said display, and said display comprises an input for receiving said output from said electronic circuit. In this way, even though the user cannot operate all of the various features of the vacuum cleaner completely at will, the user is still made aware of the operations being carried out by the electronic circuit on behalf of the user.
Preferably, the control system further comprises an interlock switch for detecting when a cover of said floorhead is removed, said interlock switch having an output, wherein said electronic circuit further comprises an input for receiving said output from said interlock switch. Thus, the electronic circuit may be programmed to disable operation of the floorhead brush when the cover of the floorhead is removed, thereby enhancing the safety of the user.
For greater user convenience, it is also desirable that the first, second and third user-operable controls of the control system should be located on the handle of the vacuum cleaner. If this is not possible because of the overall design of the vacuum cleaner, it is again desirable, but less so, that a majority (i.e. two) of the first, second and third user-operable controls should be located on the handle of the vacuum cleaner. In the event that the control system comprises a display, at least one of the first, second and third user-operable controls should also preferably be integrated into the display for improved user convenience and ergonomics.
Preferably, when the detector detects that the handle of the vacuum cleaner is in the substantially vertical, storage position, switching on of said floorhead brush by said electronic circuit is disabled. This helps to conserve battery power in the event that the vacuum cleaner is battery-powered, and also ensures that the floorhead brush is not allowed to rotate in a fixed location, which could damage a floor covering, such as a carpet, in that location. This desirable feature of the detector may best be achieved by placing the detector in series with the second user-operable control.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, which is given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring firstly to
The vacuum cleaner control system itself comprises a series of first, second and third user-operable controls 30, 32, 34 in the form of push-button switches located on the handle 12 of the vacuum cleaner, a display 36 having the first and second user-operable controls formed integrally therein, a detector 38 in the form of a tilt switch for detecting when the handle 12 of the vacuum cleaner is tilted between a substantially vertical, storage position and an angled, use position, an electronic circuit 40 for receiving input signals from the first, second and third user-operable controls 30, 32, 34 and from the detector 38 and an interlock switch 42 for detecting when a cover of the floorhead 22 is removed. The interlock switch 42 is placed in series with the third motor 26 so that when the interlock switch detects that the cover of the floorhead has been removed by a user, for example to clean the brush 24, the supply of power to the third motor 26 from the battery pack 26 is interrupted and the third motor 26 is unable to cause the brush 24 to rotate. Electrical connections between the various components of the vacuum cleaner control system are represented schematically in
The construction of the vacuum cleaner control system of
Finally, the electronic circuit 40 also has an input receiving an output signal from a battery charge level sensor in the form of a voltage bridge across the terminals 44, 46 of the battery pack 28. The voltage bridge is set such that when the output signal therefrom reaches a predetermined level, the electronic circuit 40 sends an output to the display 36 causing the display to display low-battery indicia. Otherwise, the electronic circuit 40 has a first output for switching the suction source 14 on and off, a second output for switching the floorhead brush motor 26 on and off and a third output for switching the motor 20 which drives the filter cleaning mechanism on and off. Further outputs of the electronic circuit 40 send signals to the display 36 in a manner which will be better understood by reference to the following description which is given in association with
Referring firstly to
Both of
Finally,
In the second case shown in
Claims
1. A vacuum cleaner control system comprising:
- a first user-operable control (30) for switching a suction source (14) of said vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition;
- a second user-operable control (32) for switching a rotatable brush (24) in a floorhead (22) of said vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition;
- a third user-operable control (34) for switching a filter cleaning mechanism (20) for cleaning a filter (18) of said vacuum cleaner between an on condition and an off condition;
- a detector (38) for detecting when a handle (12) of said vacuum cleaner is tilted between a substantially vertical, storage position and an angled, use position; and
- an electronic circuit (40) for receiving input signals from said first, second and third user-operable controls (30, 32, 34) and from said detector (38), said electronic circuit having a first output for switching said suction source (14) on and off, a second output for switching said floorhead brush (24) on and off and a third output for switching said filter cleaning mechanism (20) on and off.
2. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 1, further comprising a display (36), wherein said electronic circuit (40) further comprises an output for sending signals to said display, and said display comprises an input for receiving said output from said electronic circuit.
3. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 1, further comprising an interlock switch (42) for detecting when a cover of said floorhead (22) is removed, said interlock switch having an output, wherein said electronic circuit (40) further comprises an input for receiving said output from said interlock switch.
4. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 1, wherein said first, second and third user-operable controls (30, 32, 34) are located on said handle (12) of said vacuum cleaner.
5. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 1, wherein when said detector (38) detects that said handle (12) is in said substantially vertical, storage position, switching on of said floorhead brush (24) by said electronic circuit (40) is disabled.
6. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 5, wherein said detector (38) is placed in series with said second user-operable control (32).
7. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 2, wherein when a user switches said first user-operable control (30) on, said electronic circuit (40) sends an output to said display (36) causing said display to display power-on indicia, and wherein when a user switches said first user-operable control off, said electronic circuit sends an output to said display causing said display to cease displaying said power-on indicia.
8. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 1, wherein when a user switches said third user-operable control (34) on, said electronic circuit (40) switches said filter cleaning mechanism (20) on for a predetermined period of time and then switches said filter cleaning mechanism off again.
9. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 8, wherein when a user switches said third user-operable control (34) on, said electronic circuit (40) sends an output to said display (36) causing said display to display filter-cleaning indicia for the period of time that said filter cleaning mechanism is on.
10. The vacuum cleaner control system according claim 1, wherein when one or both of said suction source (14) is on or said floorhead brush (24) is on and a user switches said third user-operable control (34) on, said electronic circuit (40) switches said suction source and said floorhead brush off respectively, then switches said filter cleaning mechanism (20) on for the predetermined period of time and then switches said filter cleaning mechanism off again.
11. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 3, wherein when said interlock switch (42) detects that the cover of said floorhead (22) is removed, switching on of said floorhead brush (24) by said electronic circuit (40) is disabled.
12. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 2, wherein when said electronic circuit (40) switches said floorhead brush (24) on, the electronic circuit also sends an output to said display (36) causing said display to display floorhead brush-on indicia, and wherein when said electronic circuit switches said floorhead brush off, the electronic circuit also sends an output to said display causing said display to cease displaying floorhead brush-on indicia.
13. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum cleaner is battery powered, said control system further comprises a battery charge level sensor generating an output signal, said electronic circuit (40) comprises an input for receiving the output signal from said charge level sensor, and when said output signal reaches a predetermined level, said electronic circuit sends an output to said display (36) causing said display to display low-battery indicia.
14. The vacuum cleaner control system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said first, second and third user-operable controls (30, 32, 34) is integrated into said display (36).
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 29, 2009
Publication Date: Nov 5, 2009
Applicant: Black & Decker Inc. (Newark, DE)
Inventor: Shaun Lovelass (Durham)
Application Number: 12/432,360