Self-cleaning vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A docking station configured to allow decontamination of components of a floor care device. The floor care device includes at least one portion that is susceptible to contamination when the floor care device is used in a floor care mode. The method can include detecting a transition of the floor care device to a parked mode, and in response, performing a decontamination procedure that includes emitting light in a violet portion of the visible spectrum to thereby illuminate the at least one component for decontamination thereof.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a docking station for floor care equipment. The invention also relates to a combination of a docking station and floor care equipment. Background Technology

[0002] There are many different types of floor care equipment. Vacuum cleaners use pressure differentials to suck up dust and other small, loose dirt from floors and other surfaces. Other floor care equipment uses water, possibly in combination with soap or other detergents, to clean floor surfaces. Furthermore, there are many types of vacuum cleaners. Some vacuum cleaners use vacuum bags to filter dirt from the generated airflow and collect it within them. Other vacuum cleaners may, for example, use cyclone filters to filter out dirt. Traditional canister vacuum cleaners are now often being replaced by newer models such as cordless stick vacuum cleaners, corded upright vacuum cleaners, and robotic vacuum cleaners. For smaller cleaning tasks, compact handheld vacuum cleaners are used, and while they are generally used on a variety of surfaces, they are also considered floor care equipment.

[0003] Because floor care equipment is used in dirty places and comes into contact with dirty surfaces, it picks up a significant amount of contaminants, and not all of these contaminants end up in the storage compartment provided for this purpose. In addition to visible contaminants, floor care equipment picks up bacteria and other microorganisms. Parts of the equipment that come into direct contact with the surface being cleaned, or those that users regularly touch and handle, can accumulate large amounts of such microorganisms. This microbial contamination can pose a health risk to users. Vacuum cleaner filters can also pick up microbial contamination. Similar risks can arise when microorganisms that accumulate and grow on the filter surface are subsequently released into the surrounding environment, or when users touch the filter while cleaning or replacing it.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to find better ways to protect vacuum cleaner users from exposure to harmful microorganisms when cleaning their homes and offices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, a docking station for a floor care device is provided. The floor care device includes at least one component that is susceptible to contamination when used in a floor care mode. The docking station includes a docking chamber for receiving and holding at least one component of the floor care device, a docking sensor for providing a docking signal when at least one component of the floor care device is held in the docking chamber, at least one light source for emitting light in the violet portion of the visible spectrum, and a docking station controller. The at least one light source is arranged to illuminate at least one component of the floor care device by emitting light when the floor care device is held in the docking chamber. The docking station controller is operatively coupled to the docking sensor and the at least one light source and operates to receive the docking signal and, in response, execute a decontamination procedure. The decontamination procedure includes illuminating at least one component of the floor care device using the at least one light source for decontamination thereon.

[0006] Docking stations are typically provided for cordless floor care devices that require charging between cleaning projects, but can also be used to park corded floor care devices. The advantage of decontaminating the components of a floor care device during docking is that this decontamination does not use any battery power that would otherwise be used to clean the floor. The time required to completely decontaminate a contaminated area is typically the same as the time required to recharge the floor care device's battery. When using, for example, a low-intensity 405nm LED light, it may take 30 minutes to several hours of illumination to remove most microorganisms. Therefore, this decontamination process can be performed when the floor care device is not in operation. Furthermore, by integrating the light source into the docking station and decontaminating the components while the floor care device is docked, it ensures that the decontamination process does not deplete the floor care device's battery. Another advantage is that this functionality can be easily added to existing floor care systems by simply replacing or upgrading the docking station, without replacing the entire floor care device.

[0007] In one embodiment, the docking station also includes a contamination detector for detecting contamination on a contaminated portion of at least one component of the floor care equipment. The decontamination procedure includes selectively illuminating the contaminated portion. Since visible contaminated portions can provide relatively favorable conditions for microbial adhesion to the equipment, selectively illuminating such visible contaminated portions can improve the decontamination process. Contamination detection can be performed using an optical sensor to measure the reflectance of light at a specific wavelength on the surface of at least one component. The light used for this reflectance measurement can be light from at least one of the aforementioned light sources, but can also be light provided by a separate light source that may emit light at different wavelengths.

[0008] Preferably, the docking station includes a communication unit operatively coupled to the docking station controller to enable communication between the docking station controller and the floor care controller of the floor care equipment. This communication unit may, for example, be used to receive information from various sensors of the floor care equipment or to receive specific instructions from the controller of the floor care equipment. Furthermore, the communication unit may send similar sensor signals and / or instructions to the controller of the floor care equipment.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the decontamination process includes receiving a contamination signal from a floor care controller indicating a contaminated portion of at least one component, and selectively illuminating the contaminated portion in response to the contamination signal. Sensors placed on and within the floor care equipment can detect contamination on some components of the floor care equipment better than external sensors placed at the docking station. Of course, a combination of external and internal sensors can be used for optimal contamination detection. Since decontamination with violet visible light does not require direct line of sight, using only an external light source located at the docking station is sufficient to illuminate all relevant components of the floor care equipment. However, additional light sources can also be strategically placed in and on the floor care equipment.

[0010] As a further example, the stain removal procedure may include sending an instruction to the floor care controller to rotate at least one component, and to illuminate at least one component during and / or after rotation. This will ensure that all sides of the rotatable component are adequately illuminated for optimal stain removal.

[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, a combination of one of the docking stations and one of the floor care devices as described above is provided. As previously stated, the light source and its control may be located in the docking station, in the floor care device, or a combination of both.

[0012] In a specific configuration, the floor care equipment also includes at least a second component that is susceptible to contamination when the floor care equipment is used in floor care mode. When the floor care equipment is received in and held by the docking compartment, at least one component is located between at least one light source and the second component, and is configured to direct light emitted by the light source to the second component. For example, the light source at the docking station can illuminate the trash can of the floor care equipment, which acts as a light guide for illuminating the cover or air filter of the floor care equipment.

[0013] Preferably, the floor care equipment includes a floor care controller, and both the docking station and the floor care equipment include a communication unit operatively coupled to their respective controllers for enabling communication between the docking station controller and the floor care controller of the floor care equipment. For example, the communication can be used to exchange sensor signals or control commands between the docking station and the floor care equipment. Sensor signals may include, for example, a contamination signal indicating a contaminated portion of at least one component. Communication control commands may include, for example, commands to rotate a rotatable component or commands to operate a light source.

[0014] According to a further aspect, a method for cleaning a floor care device is provided, the floor care device including at least one component that is susceptible to contamination when the floor care device is used in a floor care mode, the method comprising detecting that the floor care device has switched to a parking mode, and in response, performing a cleaning procedure comprising emitting light of the violet portion of the visible spectrum to illuminate at least one component for cleaning thereon.

[0015] The violet portion of the visible spectrum is generally defined as spanning approximately 380 to 450 nm. Therefore, the light used could, for example, have a wavelength of approximately 405 nm. Light at these wavelengths is known to be very effective at killing any microorganisms that might accumulate on the illuminated surface. While this light is known for use in lamps in hospital cleanrooms and in stand-alone curing lamps for 3D printer resins and nail polish, it has not yet been used for floor care equipment or for cleaning contaminated parts of floor care equipment. Using violet visible light for this specific application offers many advantages not found in ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet light. For example, low-energy visible light does not damage the material of the surface it illuminates. This is particularly advantageous because most floor care equipment is at least partially made of plastics that are easily damaged by ultraviolet light. Furthermore, the visibility of the light makes it clearly visible to the user and other bystanders when the equipment is operating in cleaning mode. Another important advantage of violet visible light is that no direct line of sight is required between the light source and the surface or part to be cleaned. Indirect irradiation with violet visible light also helps remove microbial contaminants.

[0016] It is important to note that emitting light in the violet portion of the visible spectrum as part of the cleaning process means that the emitted light includes a significant portion of that electromagnetic spectrum, and that the intensity of this significant portion is sufficient to have a useful antibacterial and cleaning effect. The emitted light does not need to be limited to the violet portion of the visible spectrum. Light from other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum can also be emitted, provided there is sufficient light intensity in that portion of the spectrum (preferably at or around a wavelength of 405 nm) to achieve a cleaning effect. Furthermore, it should be noted that the intensity of the emitted light can vary over time as part of the cleaning process. This variation can be gradual and continuous, or it can be in the form of a light pulse pattern. If pulsed light is used, the frequency, duration, and intensity of the pulses can be constant or variable.

[0017] The emitted light is preferably used to illuminate at least those components of the floor care equipment that are prone to attracting large amounts of microbial contamination or have a high probability of transmitting such contamination to their users. Because some components of the floor care equipment (e.g., the brush strips in the cleaning head) rotate during use, a fixed light source may not be able to illuminate all parts at once. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, at least one component is a rotatable component, and the cleaning process also includes illuminating at least one component during and / or after the rotation of the rotatable component. This ensures that all sides of the rotatable component are adequately illuminated for optimal cleaning.

[0018] The decontamination process also includes detecting contamination on a contaminated portion of at least one component and selectively illuminating that portion. Since visible contaminated portions can provide relatively favorable conditions for microbial adhesion to the equipment, selectively illuminating such visible contaminated portions can improve the decontamination process. Contamination detection can be performed using an optical sensor to measure the reflectance of light at a specific wavelength on the surface of at least one component. The light used for this reflectance measurement can be from at least one of the aforementioned light sources, but can also be provided by a separate light source that may emit light at different wavelengths.

[0019] According to a further aspect, a floor care device is provided, configured to operate in a floor care mode and a parking mode. The floor care device includes at least one component susceptible to contamination when used in floor care mode, at least one light source for emitting light in the violet portion of the visible spectrum, the at least one light source arranged to illuminate the at least one component when emitting light, and a floor care controller operatively coupled to the at least one light source and operatively detecting a transition of the floor care device to parking mode. In response, a decontamination procedure is executed, comprising illuminating the at least one component with the at least one light source for decontamination. While the use of violet visible light has been found to be an effective method for eliminating microbial contaminants, it is a time-consuming process. When using, for example, a low-intensity 405nm LED light, illumination time of 30 minutes to several hours may be required to remove most microorganisms. In floor care mode, using the floor care device will result in contamination occurring much faster than the light source could prevent. Decontamination during use may therefore be less useful or energy-efficient. However, when the floor care device switches to parking mode, for example by turning off its active floor cleaning components and / or when a charger is connected to charge the battery pack of the floor care device, the light source is turned on, and the decontamination procedure can be initiated.

[0020] At least one component includes a user contact area, particularly an area specifically designed for user contact during normal use of the floor care equipment. This component may include a handle for holding the floor care equipment during use in floor care mode, or may be provided with buttons, knobs, levers, or a touchscreen for user interaction with the floor care equipment. Because users need to touch these components during use, the user contact areas are prone to attracting significant amounts of microbial contamination and have a high probability of transferring this contamination to the user. Decontaminating these components when the floor care equipment is in a parking mode ensures that they are clean when the user retrieves the equipment for subsequent cleaning tasks.

[0021] Other useful components for cleaning are air filters, trash cans, or covers that at least partially surround them. Such components readily attract large amounts of microbial contamination because they are designed to come into contact with dirt absorbed from the floor. Trash cans are typically removable and / or can be opened to allow the collected dust to be disposed of. During emptying of the trash can, users may touch the cover and come into contact with the collected dirt.

[0022] The floor care equipment also includes at least a second component that is susceptible to contamination when the floor care equipment is used in floor care mode, wherein at least one component is arranged between at least one light source and the second component, and configured to direct light emitted by the light source to the second component. For example, at least one component is a trash can. Trash cans are typically made of transparent or translucent material to allow a user to observe its fill level. This transparency makes the trash can ideally suited as a light guide for violet visible light emitted by the light source. Through the trash can, light can, for example, be directed to an air filter or a shield that at least partially surrounds the trash can.

[0023] When at least one component is rotatable, such as a fan or brush strip, the floor care equipment may also include a rotating unit for rotating the rotatable component, and the cleaning process may also include illuminating the rotatable component during and / or after rotation. This will ensure that all sides of the rotatable component are adequately illuminated for optimal cleaning.

[0024] As a further option, the floor care equipment may include a contamination detector for detecting contamination on a contaminated portion of at least one component, and the decontamination procedure may include selectively illuminating the contaminated portion. Since visible contaminated portions can provide relatively favorable conditions for microbial adhesion to the equipment, selectively illuminating such visible contaminated portions can improve the decontamination process. Contamination detection may use an optical sensor to measure the reflectance of light of a specific wavelength on the surface of at least one component. The light used for this reflectance measurement may be light from at least one of the aforementioned light sources, but may also be light provided by a separate light source that may emit light at different wavelengths. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0026] Figure 1 The image shows a robotic vacuum cleaner and a docking station for the vacuum cleaner.

[0027] Figure 2 Showing more details Figure 1 The robotic vacuum cleaner removed its trash can.

[0028] Figure 3 Shown from different perspectives Figure 1 and Figure 2 Robotic vacuum cleaner.

[0029] Figure 4 Showing more details Figure 1 The docking station.

[0030] Figure 5 A stick vacuum cleaner is shown.

[0031] Figure 6 Showing the use of Figure 5 Cleaning head for stick vacuum cleaners.

[0032] Figure 7 Showing Figure 6 The cross-section of the cleaning head.

[0033] Figure 8 Showing Figure 5 The main body of a stick vacuum cleaner.

[0034] Figure 9a The main body of different vacuum cleaners is shown.

[0035] Figure 9b Showing Figure 9a The main body of the structure had its trash can removed. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Figure 1 A robotic vacuum cleaner 100 and a docking station 190 for the vacuum cleaner 100 are shown. In floor care mode, the battery-powered robotic vacuum cleaner 100 finds its way through the room while cleaning the floor surface it traverses. The wheels or tracks 150 of the vacuum cleaner 100 are controlled by a controller to ensure access to all floor areas to be cleaned. As the vacuum cleaner travels through the room, rotating brushes 110 sweep away dirt and dust from the floor, and a fan inside the vacuum cleaner 100 absorbs the swept dirt and dust, which is then stored in a dustbin. When instructed by the user, when the floor cleaning work is complete, or when the vacuum cleaner's battery is depleted, the robotic vacuum cleaner 100 returns to the docking station 190. The docking station 190 connects to a wall power outlet 191, which provides the necessary power to charge the vacuum cleaner 100's battery. Contact points 196 are provided on docking station 190 for connection to complementary contact points below robotic vacuum cleaner 100. These contact points 196 can be used for a variety of purposes, such as charging the vacuum cleaner battery, detecting docking of the vacuum cleaner 100 in docking station 190, and communicating sensor and control signals between the controllers of the two devices.

[0037] As the vacuum cleaner 100 moves through the room and picks up dirt and dust, it may also pick up harmful bacteria and other microorganisms. The brush strips 110 and wheels 150, in particular, are constantly in contact with dirty floors and are susceptible to this unwanted contamination. However, this microbial contamination may also be collected, for example, by parts of the vacuum cleaner chassis that bump against furniture and other objects, or by the filters and dustbin that come into contact with the dirt and dust being swept up.

[0038] To reduce the risk of user exposure to these microorganisms, or the spread of microorganisms around the house during subsequent cleaning processes, docking station 190 includes a light source 30 that emits visible light in the violet portion of the visible spectrum. The violet portion of the visible spectrum is generally defined as the range spanning approximately 380 to 450 nm. Therefore, the light used can, for example, have a wavelength of approximately 405 nm. Light of these wavelengths is known to be very effective at killing any microorganisms that may accumulate on illuminated surfaces. When the robotic vacuum cleaner 100 stops in docking station 190, contact point 196 detects the presence of the vacuum cleaner 100 and can initiate the cleaning process. Figure 1 The light strip 30 shown is part of and powered by the docking station 190, and is used to illuminate the brush bar 110 of the vacuum cleaner 100 when docked. To ensure that not only a portion of the brush bar 110 is properly cleaned, the controller of the docking station 190 can instruct the controller of the vacuum cleaner 100 to rotate the brush bar 110 during the cleaning process. Additional or optional light sources may be provided in the docking station 190 or the vacuum cleaner 100 to illuminate other components of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0039] Figure 2 Showing more details Figure 1 The robotic vacuum cleaner 100 had its dustbin 120 removed. In many robotic and non-robotic vacuum cleaners, the dustbin 120 collects all the dust and is emptied by the user after disassembling the device 100. The act of emptying the dustbin 120 poses health and safety risks by transferring microorganisms from the dustbin to the user and vice versa. To decontaminate the dustbin 120, Figure 2 The vacuum cleaner therefore includes a series of purple LEDs 10 integrated into the cover 121 of the trash can 120, which can illuminate the trash can 120 as part of the cleaning process. Since the trash can 120 is typically made of at least partially transparent material to allow users to observe its fill level, the can wall can act as a light guide. This light-guiding function of the trash can 120 not only ensures cleaning of the entire trash can 120 but also ensures cleaning of other components of the vacuum cleaner 100 located nearby. For example, the air filter 130 located at the outlet of the trash can 120 can be illuminated by the LED array 10 through the light-guiding trash can wall.

[0040] Figure 3 Shown from different perspectives Figure 1 and Figure 2The robotic vacuum cleaner 100 has an outlet filter 140 integrated into a sliding door 141, which is opened to reveal the interior of the robotic vacuum cleaner 100. When the sliding door 141 is open, the battery pack 160 can be replaced, or the outlet filter 140 can be removed for cleaning or replacement. When the sliding door 141 is closed and a cleaning program is running, an LED strip 20 (also violet visible light, e.g., 405nm) located inside the vacuum cleaner 100 illuminates the outlet filter 140, thereby cleaning it. Furthermore, since the cleaning process does not require direct line of sight to the light source, the LED strip 20 can aid in cleaning other components inside the vacuum cleaner, such as the battery pack 160. If, during a cleaning program, this side of the vacuum cleaner 100 is opposite the rear wall of the docking station 190, the emitted light can further illuminate and thus clean the rear wall of the docking station 190. However, the filter 140 can partially block light entering through the opening in the sliding door 141, which may negatively impact its cleaning ability.

[0041] Figure 4 Showing more details Figure 1 The docking station 190 is connected to a power outlet 191 on the wall via a power cord 192. The rear wall 194 may display a known color or pattern, which can serve as a visual indication allowing the robotic vacuum cleaner 100 to recognize the docking station 190 and move to the docking position. When in the docking position, contact point 196 establishes an electrical connection between the docking station 190 and the vacuum cleaner 100. This electrical connection is used to detect docking of the vacuum cleaner 100, charge its battery, and / or communicate sensor and control signals between the docking station 190 and the controller of the vacuum cleaner 100. Contact point 96 is integrated into the foot 195 of the docking station 190, which may also include additional electronics, such as a docking station controller. Optionally, the controller is concealed behind the rear wall 194.

[0042] Power cord 30 supplies power to LED strip 30, which emits purple visible light for cleaning. LED strip 30 is positioned such that brush strip 110 is positioned directly above LED strip 30 when robotic vacuum cleaner 100 docks in docking station. Since LED strip 30 illuminates the underside of brush strip 110, the cleaning process may include rotating brush strip 110 so that all sides are equally illuminated. This rotation of brush strip 110 can be achieved by the controller of vacuum cleaner 100 in response to a signal from controller of docking station 190. Rotation may be continuous or performed in steps during the cleaning process.

[0043] In a very basic implementation, the LED strip 30 can simply be turned on and off. The decontamination process may involve turning on the LED strip 30 only for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 45 minutes or 1.5 hours), or keeping the LED strip 30 on as long as the vacuum cleaner 100's battery is charging. In a more specific implementation, the LED strip 30 includes an array of contamination detectors that can detect which parts of the brush strip 110 are most heavily contaminated. Contamination detection can be achieved, for example, by measuring how light from the LED strip 30 is reflected by the brush strip 110. The docking station controller can then decide to selectively (or primarily) illuminate only the contaminated sections. For optimal results, this can be combined with rotating the brush strip 110 to detect and selectively illuminate sections with the highest risk of microbial contamination.

[0044] It should be clear that the LED strip 30 at the docking station, the LED array 10 in the housing 121, and the LED strip 20 behind the outlet filter 140 are merely a few examples of light sources that can be installed for decontamination of the robotic vacuum cleaner 100 during docking. The light sources may be provided solely in the docking station 190 or solely in the vacuum cleaner. However, as discussed above, the decontamination procedure preferably uses a combination of both to ensure that all relevant components are decontaminated in the most efficient and effective manner. Control of the decontamination process may be performed by a controller in the docking station 190, a controller in the vacuum cleaner 100, or a combination of both.

[0045] Figure 5 A stick vacuum cleaner 200 is shown, in which the present invention can be advantageously used. The stick vacuum cleaner 200 is operated by a user. In addition to the easily contaminated components already seen in the robotic vacuum cleaner 100, namely the brush bar 210, dustbin 220, and various filters, the stick vacuum cleaner includes many components that the user frequently touches. For example, the handle 240, which the user holds during use of the vacuum cleaner 200. The cleaning head 201 includes a stick connector 232 for connecting to the cleaning head connector 234 of the stick 202. Different types of cleaning heads 201 can be used on different types of floor surfaces. When changing the cleaning head 201, the user will touch and hold the connector, which may lead to microbial contamination. Similarly, the other end of the stick 202 includes a body connector 230 for connecting the stick to the body 203. When replacing the stick 202 and cleaning head 201 with shorter attachments, for example for cleaning furniture or curtains, the user will touch and hold the body connector 230. Strategic placement of light sources (e.g., on the battery pack 250, under the dustbin 220, or on the cleaning head 201) can be used to illuminate these frequently touched parts of the vacuum cleaner 200 to reduce the risk of users coming into contact with harmful microorganisms.

[0046] The stick vacuum cleaner 200 is powered by a battery pack 250. Charging the battery pack can be done simply by connecting a power cord to the charger circuitry of the vacuum cleaner 200. When a connection to the power cord is detected, the controller of the vacuum cleaner 200 (preferably housed in the main body 203) switches to a parking mode. In parking mode, the controller controls the charging of the battery pack 250 and the cleaning of potentially contaminated areas. Optionally, the vacuum cleaner 200 can switch to parking mode and automatically initiate a cleaning program if it has not been used for vacuum cleaning for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 minutes). If the battery pack 250 is not charging, the cleaning program can be initiated depending on the current charging state of the battery pack 250. For example, the cleaning program can only be initiated if the battery pack 250 is still charged to at least 50% capacity. Optionally, a smaller, energy-saving cleaning program can be initiated based on the current charging state of the battery pack 250. This can also trigger the start of the cleaning program after a short delay when the partially depleted battery pack 250 is detected to have just been replaced by a new, fully charged battery pack, to ensure that the user does not use the vacuum cleaner 200 for cleaning.

[0047] As shown in the example below, the light source used to achieve cleaning can be part of the vacuum cleaner 200. Alternatively (or additionally), the vacuum cleaner 200 is placed in the docking station when not used for cleaning. If needed, the docking station can provide a practical way to store the vacuum cleaner 200 in a space-saving manner while charging its battery 250. In the case of the robotic vacuum cleaner 100, typically the entire vacuum cleaner 100 is docked in the docking station 190; this may differ for non-robotic vacuum cleaners. Figure 5 The stick vacuum cleaner 200, for example, may only have one component of the vacuum cleaner 200, such as the body 203 or the cleaning head 201, dockable. The docking station may also include one or more violet visible light sources for illuminating specific parts of the vacuum cleaner 200. About Figures 1 to 4 In the robotic vacuum cleaner 100, the decontamination process can be controlled by a controller in the docking station, or by a controller in the vacuum cleaner 200, or a combination of both. The docking station may include separate docking compartments for the body 203, the rod 202, and the cleaning head 201. Additional docking compartments may be provided for additional attachments. A violet visible light source may be provided for each individual component stored in the docking station. Docking sensors, such as contact sensors or optical sensors, may be used to detect when any vacuum cleaner component (including the body 203) is placed in its respective docking compartment. The decontamination procedure may include a light source selectively configured to operate only for decontaminating the docked components.

[0048] Figure 6 Showing more details Figure 5The main body 203 of the stick vacuum cleaner 200. In addition to the features already discussed above, the main body 203 also includes a user interface 260 with buttons 261 and a display screen 262. The user interface 260 may be a touchscreen for allowing more advanced interaction with the control system of the vacuum cleaner 200. The user interface 260 will be frequently touched by the user. An LED light source may be integrated into the user interface 260 for cleaning this frequently touched area. For example, the LED light source may be located in or near the buttons 261. Optionally, the display screen 262 itself may be configured to emit light in the violet portion of the visible spectrum. Similar to other visible violet light sources in the vacuum cleaner, the display screen may emit violet light when the vacuum cleaner 200 is in park mode, but may also emit violet light during use in floor care mode.

[0049] An LED strip 40 for emitting violet visible light is mounted opposite the handle 240 to allow for cleaning of the handle 240. The LED strip 40 may be attached to the handle, or integrated into the handle if it is made of a transparent material. Additional LEDs 45 are disposed on the body 203, between the cones of the cyclone separator 270. These additional LEDs 45 can illuminate surfaces of the body 203 that are frequently touched by the user during use and are therefore susceptible to microbial contamination.

[0050] Figure 7 Showing the use of Figure 5 The cleaning head 201 of the stick vacuum cleaner 200. A light strip 50 is provided on the top surface of the cleaning head to illuminate the stick 200 and the stick connector 232 when performing a cleaning procedure.

[0051] Figure 8 Showing Figure 7 A cross-section of the cleaning head 201. It shows the relationship with... Figure 7 The same light strip 50 as shown in the image, as well as another light strip 60. This additional light strip 60 is placed opposite and close to the brush bar 210. Since the light strip 60 can only illuminate one side of the brush bar 210, it is preferable to rotate the brush bar 210 as part of the cleaning process. Alternatively, additional light strips and / or light guides are provided to ensure that all sides of the brush bar 210 are equally illuminated.

[0052] Figure 9a The body 203 of a different vacuum cleaner is shown. Body 203 includes an accessory connector 236 configured to attach cleaning heads or different types of cleaning tools. When connected to a stick, body 203 can be used for similar purposes. Figure 5 The stick vacuum cleaner shown. Optionally, it can also be used in a compact handheld vacuum cleaner. Figure 9b Showing Figure 9aThe main body 203 is shown, with its bin 220 removed. Removing the bin reveals the cyclone separator 270. A ring-shaped light strip 70 is provided around the periphery of the cyclone separator 270 for illuminating the bin 220 from within. If the bin 220 is made of at least partially transparent material, it can act as a light guide for illuminating other components, such as the accessory connector 236 and the handle 240 of the main body 203. Because the ring-shaped light strip 70 is positioned close to the top of the bin 220, the light is unlikely to be obstructed if the bin 220 is not emptied before the decontamination process is initiated.

[0053] The invention has been described above with respect to many different embodiments. It should be noted that the invention is equally applicable to other types of vacuum cleaners. Furthermore, features used in and described with reference to specific embodiments may be combined with other embodiments. The scope of the invention is defined only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A docking station for a floor care device, the floor care device including at least one component susceptible to contamination when the floor care device is used in floor care mode, the docking station comprising: - A docking compartment for receiving and holding at least one element of the floor care equipment. - A docking sensor for providing a docking signal when at least one component of the floor care equipment is held in the docking chamber; - At least one light source for emitting light in the violet portion of the visible spectrum, said at least one light source being arranged to illuminate at least one component of the floor care equipment by emitting light when the floor care equipment is held in the docking compartment, and - A docking station controller, operatively connected to the docking sensor and the at least one light source, operates to receive a docking signal and, in response, execute a decontamination procedure comprising illuminating at least one component of the floor care equipment with the at least one light source for decontamination. A communication unit, operatively connected to the docking station controller, enables communication between the docking station controller and the floor care controller of the floor care equipment. The stain removal procedure includes sending instructions to the floor care controller to rotate the at least one component, and to illuminate the at least one component during and / or after rotation.

2. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is configured to emit light with a wavelength of approximately 405 nm.

3. The docking station according to claim 1 or 2 further includes a contamination detector for detecting contamination on a contaminated portion of at least one component of the floor care equipment, and wherein the decontamination procedure includes selectively illuminating the contaminated portion.

4. A docking station for a floor care device, the floor care device including at least one component susceptible to contamination when the floor care device is used in floor care mode, the docking station comprising: - A docking compartment for receiving and holding at least one element of the floor care equipment. - A docking sensor for providing a docking signal when at least one component of the floor care equipment is held in the docking chamber; - At least one light source for emitting light in the violet portion of the visible spectrum, said at least one light source being arranged to illuminate at least one component of the floor care equipment by emitting light when the floor care equipment is held in the docking compartment, and - A docking station controller, operatively connected to the docking sensor and the at least one light source, operates to receive a docking signal and, in response, execute a decontamination procedure comprising illuminating at least one component of the floor care equipment with the at least one light source for decontamination. A communication unit, operatively connected to the docking station controller, enables communication between the docking station controller and the floor care controller of the floor care equipment. The stain removal process includes receiving a stain signal from the floor care controller indicating a stained portion of the at least one component, and selectively illuminating the stained portion in response to the stain signal.

5. A combination of a docking station and a floor care device according to any one of the preceding claims, the floor care device comprising at least one component susceptible to contamination when the floor care device is used in floor care mode.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the floor care device further comprises at least a second component that is susceptible to contamination when the floor care device is used in floor care mode, and wherein when the floor care device is received in and held by the docking chamber, the at least one component is located between the at least one light source and the second component and is configured to direct light emitted by the light source to the second component.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the at least one component is a trash can.

8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the second component is an air filter or a cover for at least partially surrounding the trash can.

9. The combination of claim 5, wherein the floor care device further comprises a floor care controller, and wherein both the docking station and the floor care device include a communication unit operatively coupled to their respective controllers for enabling communication between the docking station controller and the floor care controller of the floor care device.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the stain removal procedure includes the docking station controller receiving a stain signal from the floor care controller indicating a contaminated portion of the at least one component, and selectively illuminating the contaminated portion in response to the stain signal.

11. The combination of claim 9 or 10, wherein the at least one component is a rotatable component, wherein the stain removal procedure includes the docking station controller sending instructions to the floor care controller to rotate the rotatable component and illuminating the rotatable component during and / or after rotation of the rotatable component.

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