Surface cleaning equipment and dynamic control method of self-cleaning mode thereof

Abstract

The invention provides surface cleaning equipment and a dynamic control method of a self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment comprises the steps that the water amount of a clear water tank is detected in real time through a water level sensor; comparing and judging the water volume with at least a first preset threshold value and a second preset threshold value, and dynamically adjusting the self-cleaning mode to realize the matching of the water volume of the clear water tank with at least a first self-cleaning mode and a second self-cleaning mode; wherein when the second self-cleaning mode is selected and the water volume meets the first threshold value and does not meet the second threshold value, the first self-cleaning mode is automatically switched to execute self-cleaning after the first execution condition is judged to be met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a surface cleaning device and a dynamic control method for its self-cleaning mode. Background Technology

[0002] Existing surface cleaning equipment cleans floors with high-flow-rate cleaning fluid in a manner that completely wets the floor to be cleaned. By wetting the hard floor surface, the cleaning head transfers dust from the floor into the cleaning fluid, which is then removed from the hard floor surface and retained in a wastewater tank as contaminated cleaning fluid.

[0003] Surface cleaning equipment typically includes: a clean water tank containing cleaning solution; a roller brush that receives water from the cleaning solution and cleans the surface to be cleaned, and a wastewater tank that recovers contaminants from the cleaned floor; a motor-driven vacuum source to create a vacuum flow path from the cleaned floor to the wastewater tank; a rechargeable battery to power the components; and a base station for charging the surface cleaning equipment and for post-cleaning maintenance.

[0004] While surface cleaning equipment utilizes scrapers and other mechanisms to clean dirt from the roller brush in real time, a significant amount of dirt can accumulate on the brush after prolonged use or on surfaces with substantial amounts of dirt. Continuing to clean the surface using this brush severely reduces the cleaning efficiency of the equipment.

[0005] Therefore, when the roller brush has a lot of dirt, it needs to be docked at the base station for self-cleaning. In existing technologies, the base station relies solely on the "water present / absent" status of the surface cleaning device's sensors for self-cleaning the roller brush, failing to detect water volume gradients. If the water volume doesn't match the selected self-cleaning mode (depth / standard) (e.g., insufficient water in depth mode, sufficient water in standard mode), the device cannot intelligently adapt. Users must accurately estimate the water volume in advance to match the mode, and manually add water and restart if water runs out midway. This cumbersome operation and frequent cleaning interruptions result in a poor user experience.

[0006] Moreover, existing self-cleaning methods rely solely on "stop when water is insufficient" as a fallback mechanism. When the water supply is insufficient during deep self-cleaning, the system will continue to operate at high water consumption until it stops due to water shortage. Incomplete steps need to be repeated, wasting water and time. A single water shortage alarm cannot distinguish between "insufficient water supply requiring mode switching" and "severe water shortage requiring water replenishment," resulting in high troubleshooting costs for users and underutilization of equipment performance.

[0007] The aforementioned issues directly impact user experience and product competitiveness, representing the core pain point of the current self-cleaning control logic of surface cleaning equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This disclosure provides a surface cleaning device and a dynamic control method for its self-cleaning mode.

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of a surface cleaning device is provided. The surface cleaning device includes a clean water tank and a water level sensor disposed in the clean water tank, the water level sensor being used to detect the amount of water in the clean water tank. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device includes: The water level sensor is used to detect the water volume in the clean water tank in real time. The self-cleaning mode is dynamically adjusted based on a comparison between the water volume and at least a first threshold and a second threshold, so as to achieve a match between the water volume in the clean water tank and at least the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode. Specifically, when the second self-cleaning mode is selected, and the water volume meets the first threshold but does not meet the second threshold, the system automatically switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning after determining that the first execution condition is met.

[0010] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, in the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, by setting the first threshold and the second threshold, a corresponding relationship can be established between the water volume and the self-cleaning mode. Accordingly, the controller can switch the self-cleaning mode according to the water volume in the clean water tank, thereby improving the user experience.

[0011] According to at least one embodiment of the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of a surface cleaning device of the present disclosure, the first threshold is used to determine the execution conditions of a first self-cleaning mode, the second threshold is used to determine the execution conditions of a second self-cleaning mode, and the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

[0012] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, in the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, by setting the first threshold and the second threshold, a corresponding relationship can be established between the water volume and the self-cleaning mode. Accordingly, the controller can switch the self-cleaning mode according to the water volume in the clean water tank, thereby improving the user experience.

[0013] According to the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the water volume is greater than or equal to a first threshold and the first self-cleaning mode is selected, the first self-cleaning mode is executed; if the water volume is less than the first threshold and the first self-cleaning mode is selected, the first self-cleaning mode is paused and a water replenishment prompt signal is output, and the first self-cleaning mode is restarted after water replenishment.

[0014] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein can accurately execute the user's commands and promptly prompt the user to add water, thereby improving the user experience.

[0015] According to the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the water volume is greater than or equal to a second threshold and the second self-cleaning mode is selected, the second self-cleaning mode is executed; if the water volume is less than the second threshold but greater than or equal to a first threshold, the second self-cleaning mode is selected and a water replenishment prompt signal is output and it is determined whether the first execution condition is met. If the first execution condition is met, the device is automatically switched to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning.

[0016] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, under certain conditions, by automatically switching the second self-cleaning mode to the first self-cleaning mode, the problem of mismatch between the self-cleaning mode and the water volume can be solved, thereby improving product user satisfaction and reducing the negative evaluation rate.

[0017] According to at least one embodiment of the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of a surface cleaning device of the present disclosure, the first execution condition includes a timing period in which the clean water tank is in place being greater than a first time period.

[0018] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, the timing cycle of the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein starts from when the surface cleaning device prompts the user to add water. If the user does not remove the clean water tank from the surface cleaning device within the first time period, it indicates that the user has not added water to the tank. In this case, there is no need to wait for the user to add water; instead, the first self-cleaning mode is executed, thereby allowing the roller brush to self-clean in the first self-cleaning mode. This avoids the situation where the user activates the self-cleaning function of the roller brush, resulting in the roller brush not being self-cleaned, thus improving the user experience. Furthermore, it can effectively prevent the roller brush from odor problems caused by insufficient water volume for the second self-cleaning mode, which prevents the roller brush from self-cleaning.

[0019] According to at least one embodiment of the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device of the present disclosure, the first time period is 15 seconds.

[0020] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, 15 seconds is a reasonable value, which not only meets the user's time requirement for removing the clean water tank, but also allows the system to enter the first self-cleaning mode as soon as possible, thereby self-cleaning the roller brush.

[0021] According to the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the water volume is less than a second threshold, the second self-cleaning mode is paused and a water replenishment prompt signal is output. After replenishment, the water volume is compared with at least a preset first threshold and a second threshold to determine whether to execute the first self-cleaning mode or the second self-cleaning mode.

[0022] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, by associating the amount of water after replenishment with the self-cleaning mode, the surface cleaning device disclosed herein can perform the self-cleaning operation of the roller brush as soon as possible, thereby shortening the user's waiting time and improving the user experience.

[0023] According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of a surface cleaning device is provided, wherein the water replenishment prompt signal is implemented by a light, a buzzer, or a combination thereof.

[0024] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, the water replenishment prompt signal is achieved through a light, a buzzer, or a combination thereof. Thus, the user can accurately know when water needs to be added to the clean water tank and the amount of water required.

[0025] According to at least one embodiment of the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device of the present disclosure, the first threshold is 30% of the full water volume of the clean water tank, and the second threshold is 50% of the full water volume of the clean water tank.

[0026] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, by setting specific values ​​for the first threshold and the second threshold, the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein will not encounter a situation where the water volume meets the requirements but the self-cleaning of the roller brush cannot be completed during operation.

[0027] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a surface cleaning apparatus is provided, comprising: A clean water tank is used to store water. A water level sensor, configured to detect the water level in the clean water tank in real time; A controller, connected to the water level sensor, is used to compare the water volume in the clean water tank detected by the water level sensor with at least a preset first threshold and a second threshold to dynamically adjust the self-cleaning mode, thereby achieving matching between the water volume in the clean water tank and at least the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode. When the second self-cleaning mode is selected and the water volume meets the first threshold but not the second threshold, the controller switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning after determining that the clean water tank has been in place for a timeout.

[0028] According to the technical solution of this embodiment, in the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, by setting a first threshold and a second threshold, a corresponding relationship can be established between the water volume and the self-cleaning mode. Accordingly, the controller can switch the self-cleaning mode according to the water volume in the clean water tank, thereby improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. These drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of a surface cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] The specific labels in the attached figures are as follows: 100 handle part 200 Frame Department 300 clean water tank 400 sewage tank 500 First connection component 600 Clean the base. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0034] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features described in this disclosure can be combined with each other. The technical solutions of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0035] Unless otherwise stated, the exemplary implementations / embodiments shown are to be understood as providing exemplary features of various details that provide ways in which the technical concepts of this disclosure can be implemented in practice. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the features of various implementations / embodiments may be additionally combined, separated, interchanged and / or rearranged without departing from the technical concepts of this disclosure.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a surface cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, the surface cleaning device disclosed herein is used to clean the floor surface to be cleaned. Preferably, the surface cleaning device is capable of wet cleaning the floor surface to be cleaned and recovering the liquid after cleaning the floor surface to be cleaned back to the surface cleaning device.

[0038] like Figure 1As shown, structurally, the surface cleaning device may include components such as a handle 100, a frame 200, a clean water tank 300, a wastewater tank 400, a first connecting assembly 500, and a cleaning base 600.

[0039] In use, the cleaning base 600 of the surface cleaning apparatus disclosed herein is configured to move on the floor surface to be cleaned, so as to perform wet cleaning on the floor surface to be cleaned by means of the cleaning base 600.

[0040] The handle 100 can be disposed at the upper end of the frame 200, thereby allowing the surface cleaning device to be operated by operating the handle 100. For example, the operator can control the posture of the surface cleaning device by operating the handle 100. For instance, by controlling the handle 100, the surface cleaning device can be tilted (i.e., at an angle of approximately 45° to the surface to be cleaned) or laid flat (i.e., approximately parallel to the surface to be cleaned). Correspondingly, when the frame 200 of the surface cleaning device is tilted (i.e., at an angle of approximately 60° to the surface to be cleaned) or laid flat (i.e., approximately parallel to the surface to be cleaned), the surface cleaning device is in cleaning mode and can clean the surface to be cleaned. Correspondingly, when the handle 100 is operated to make the frame 200 of the surface cleaning device vertical, the surface cleaning device is in a stopped state, or when the surface cleaning device is in a base station position, the frame 200 of the surface cleaning device is also in a roughly vertical state.

[0041] Physical buttons can be provided on the handle 100, so that the surface cleaning device can be controlled by these physical buttons, such as controlling the start and stop of the surface cleaning device, as well as controlling the liquid supply speed and suction power of the surface cleaning device, thereby improving the user experience of the surface cleaning device.

[0042] In this disclosure, the frame portion 200 is formed as the main load-bearing structure of the surface cleaning device, and the clean water tank 300 and the wastewater tank 400 of the surface cleaning device can be directly or indirectly fixed to the frame portion 200.

[0043] The clean water tank 300 is formed in the shape of a tank to store cleaning liquid. In one embodiment, the cleaning liquid can be purified water. Of course, those skilled in the art will know that the clean water tank 300 can also store a mixture of purified water and cleaning agent, etc.

[0044] A receiving space is formed on the frame portion 200, and the clean water tank 300 can be disposed in the receiving space, such that a portion of the outer surface of the clean water tank 300 is formed as part of the outer surface of the surface cleaning device.

[0045] In this disclosure, the clean water tank 300 can be detached from the frame portion 200 and filled with cleaning liquid manually by the user; of course, the clean water tank 300 of this disclosure can also be filled with cleaning liquid through the cleaning liquid interface provided on the frame portion 200.

[0046] Furthermore, when the frame portion 200 is provided with a cleaning liquid interface, the clean water tank 300 can be disposed inside the frame portion 200, in which case the clean water tank 300 does not form at least part of the outer surface of the surface cleaning device.

[0047] In this disclosure, in order to clean the surface to be cleaned, a clean water tank 300 is connected to a cleaning base 600 at least through a cleaning liquid pipeline, thereby providing cleaning liquid to the cleaning base 600 and thus achieving wet cleaning of the surface to be cleaned.

[0048] The frame portion 200 has a receiving space. The sewage tank 400 is detachably installed in the frame portion 200 and located in the receiving space. When the sewage tank 400 contains a large amount of liquid, the user can remove the sewage tank 400, pour out the sewage inside, and clean up the solid waste. At this time, part of the outer surface of the sewage tank 400 forms part of the outer surface of the surface cleaning device.

[0049] In order to recover the liquid after cleaning the surface, the wastewater tank 400 can be connected to the cleaning base 600 through a recovery pipeline. Accordingly, the mixture of wastewater and gas (dirt) can be recovered to the wastewater tank 400 through the recovery pipeline.

[0050] Accordingly, the surface cleaning device also includes a suction device (not shown in the figure), which is capable of generating negative pressure and providing this negative pressure to the wastewater tank 400, thereby achieving forced flow of gas and wastewater within the recovery pipeline. In this disclosure, the gas discharged from the suction device can flow to the outside of the surface cleaning device through gaps on a portion of the outer surface of the surface cleaning device.

[0051] The frame portion 200 is connected to the cleaning base 600 via the first connecting component 500, thereby making the frame portion 200 pivotally connected to the cleaning base 600. In this disclosure, the frame portion 200 has at least two rotational degrees of freedom relative to the cleaning base 600, thereby enabling the user to operate the surface cleaning device more conveniently.

[0052] The surface cleaning device disclosed herein also includes a water level sensor that can be disposed in a clean water tank 300. In one embodiment, the water level sensor may include a plurality of reed switches disposed on the outer surface of the clean water tank 300 and evenly distributed along the height direction of the clean water tank 300. A float with a magnetic element is disposed inside the clean water tank 300, thereby detecting the water level in the clean water tank 300 by triggering the reed switches through the magnetic element.

[0053] The cleaning base 600 may include a roller brush that can be driven to rotate. The roller brush can receive cleaning liquid from the clean water tank 300 and make frictional contact with the surface to be cleaned, thereby performing wet cleaning of the surface.

[0054] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of a surface cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0055] S1010, The water volume in the clean water tank 300 is detected in real time by a water level sensor; S1020, The self-cleaning mode is dynamically adjusted based on a comparison between the water volume and at least a first threshold and a second threshold, so as to achieve matching between the water volume in the clean water tank 300 and at least the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode; wherein, when the second self-cleaning mode is selected and the water volume meets the first threshold but does not meet the second threshold, the self-cleaning mode is automatically switched to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning after determining that the first execution condition is met.

[0056] Therefore, unlike the crude control logic of "fixed mode + single detection" in the prior art, the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein can switch between the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode according to the amount of water, which solves the core contradiction of water volume and mode mismatch and solves the problems existing in the background art.

[0057] In other words, in the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment disclosed herein, the mode is automatically switched / upgraded / maintained based on the water volume by means of a water level sensor and dual threshold judgment. Regardless of whether the user selects the deep self-cleaning mode (i.e., the second self-cleaning mode) or the standard self-cleaning mode (i.e., the first self-cleaning mode), the surface cleaning equipment can adapt to the optimal operating state without manual intervention, thus completely eliminating the user's manual adaptation cost.

[0058] The following will provide a detailed description of the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein.

[0059] S1020: Based on the comparison between the water volume and at least a preset first threshold and a second threshold, dynamically adjust the self-cleaning mode to achieve matching between the water volume of the clean water tank 300 and at least the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode.

[0060] In this disclosure, a first threshold is used to determine the execution conditions of a first self-cleaning mode, and a second threshold is used to determine the execution conditions of a second self-cleaning mode, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold. Therefore, in the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device of this disclosure, by setting the first and second thresholds, a correspondence can be established between the water volume and the self-cleaning mode. Accordingly, the controller can switch the self-cleaning mode according to the water volume in the clean water tank 300, improving the user experience.

[0061] In one embodiment, the first threshold is 30% of the full capacity of the clean water tank 300, and the second threshold is 50% of the full capacity of the clean water tank 300. Furthermore, the first self-cleaning mode is a standard self-cleaning mode, and the second self-cleaning mode is a deep self-cleaning mode. Those skilled in the art should understand that the number of self-cleaning modes can be set to multiple based on the requirements of the surface cleaning equipment; correspondingly, the number of thresholds can be the same as the number of self-cleaning modes.

[0062] Since the first self-cleaning mode is more water-efficient than the second self-cleaning mode, the first threshold can be set to 30% of the full water capacity, and the second threshold to 50% of the full water capacity. In other words, when the water volume is greater than or equal to 30% of the full water capacity, the surface cleaning device can complete the roller brush self-cleaning operation in the first self-cleaning mode. When the water volume is greater than or equal to 50% of the full water capacity, it can complete the roller brush self-cleaning operation in the second self-cleaning mode. Therefore, there will be no situation where the water volume meets the requirements (i.e., meets the requirements for roller brush self-cleaning operation in the first self-cleaning mode), but the roller brush self-cleaning is not completed.

[0063] Specifically, if the water volume is greater than or equal to the first threshold and the first self-cleaning mode is selected, the first self-cleaning mode is executed; if the water volume is less than the first threshold and the first self-cleaning mode is selected, the first self-cleaning mode is paused and a water replenishment prompt signal is output, and the first self-cleaning mode is restarted after water is replenished.

[0064] Therefore, in the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, when the user selects the first self-cleaning mode, it is necessary to determine whether the water volume is sufficient for the first self-cleaning mode. Since the first self-cleaning mode requires only a small amount of water, it is sufficient to determine whether the water volume is greater than or equal to a first threshold. In other words, when the water volume is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the first self-cleaning mode can be directly activated; when the water volume is less than the first threshold, the first self-cleaning mode cannot be executed, and the user is prompted to add water. After adding water, the self-cleaning process of the roller brush in the first self-cleaning mode is completed. Those skilled in the art should understand that when the surface cleaning device cannot execute the first self-cleaning mode, since the second self-cleaning mode requires more water than the first self-cleaning mode, the surface cleaning device is even less able to execute the second self-cleaning mode.

[0065] In other words, when the user selects the first self-cleaning mode, the surface cleaning device will not switch from the first self-cleaning mode to the second self-cleaning mode, regardless of whether the water volume in the clean water tank 300 exceeds the second threshold, in order to prevent inconvenience to the user.

[0066] Based on the above working process, the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment disclosed herein can accurately execute user commands and promptly prompt the user to add water, thereby improving the user experience.

[0067] In this disclosure, if the water volume is greater than or equal to the second threshold and the second self-cleaning mode is selected, the second self-cleaning mode is executed; if the water volume is less than the second threshold but greater than or equal to the first threshold, the second self-cleaning mode is selected while outputting a water replenishment prompt signal and determining whether the first execution condition is met. If the first execution condition is met, the system automatically switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning.

[0068] Therefore, in the dynamic control method of the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein, when the user selects the second self-cleaning mode, it is necessary to determine whether the water volume can meet the requirements of the second self-cleaning mode. If the water volume is greater than or equal to the second threshold and the second self-cleaning mode is selected, the second self-cleaning mode is executed; if the water volume is less than the second threshold, the second self-cleaning mode cannot be executed, and this is further divided into the following situations.

[0069] In the first scenario, due to insufficient water volume, the roller brush self-cleaning process in the second self-cleaning mode cannot be completed. In this case, the surface cleaning device will prompt the user to add water, and after adding water, the roller brush self-cleaning process in the second self-cleaning mode will be completed. Specifically, the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein includes a preset time for the user to add water to the surface cleaning device. Within the preset time after the surface cleaning device prompts the user to add water, the user needs to remove the clean water tank 300 from the frame 200 to indicate that the user is adding water to the clean water tank 300, thereby ensuring that the water volume in the clean water tank 300 meets the requirements of the second self-cleaning mode. At this time, when the user installs the clean water tank 300 back onto the frame 200, i.e., after the clean water tank 300 is positioned behind the surface cleaning device, the water volume sensor will again detect the water volume in the clean water tank 300 and repeat this step.

[0070] In the second case, due to insufficient water volume, the self-cleaning process of the roller brush in the second self-cleaning mode cannot be completed. At this time, it is further determined whether the water volume is greater than or equal to the first threshold, that is, the controller determines whether the surface cleaning device can complete the self-cleaning process of the roller brush in the first self-cleaning mode.

[0071] Specifically, when the water volume is greater than or equal to the first threshold, it indicates that although the surface cleaning device cannot temporarily execute the second self-cleaning mode, it can execute the first self-cleaning mode. However, the surface cleaning device cannot directly stop the second self-cleaning mode and switch to the first self-cleaning mode, as this would cause inconvenience to the user.

[0072] At this point, it can be determined whether the first execution condition is met. If the first execution condition is met, the system automatically switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning. Therefore, the dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device disclosed herein can more intelligently switch from the second self-cleaning mode to the first self-cleaning mode.

[0073] In the third scenario, due to insufficient water volume, the roller brush self-cleaning process in the second self-cleaning mode cannot be completed. In this case, it is further determined whether the water volume is greater than or equal to the first threshold. When the water volume in the clean water tank 300 is less than the first threshold, it indicates that the surface cleaning device cannot complete the roller brush self-cleaning process in the first self-cleaning mode. At this time, the surface cleaning device needs to prompt the user to add water and wait for the user to add water in order to complete the roller brush self-cleaning process in either the first or second self-cleaning mode.

[0074] In this disclosure, the first execution condition includes a timing period for the clean water tank 300 to be in place that is greater than a first time period. Specifically, the timing period of this disclosure begins when the surface cleaning device prompts the user to add water. If the user does not remove the clean water tank from the surface cleaning device within the first time period, it indicates that the user has not added water to the clean water tank 300. In this case, there is no need to wait for the user to add water; instead, the first self-cleaning mode is executed, allowing the roller brush to self-clean in the first self-cleaning mode. In addition, since the roller brush does not produce odor after self-cleaning, the user experience is also improved.

[0075] In a preferred embodiment, the first time period is 15 seconds. The surface cleaning device will prompt the user to start adding water. If the clean water tank 300 is not removed from the surface cleaning device after 15 seconds, the second self-cleaning mode will switch to the first self-cleaning mode, and the roller brush will be self-cleaned using the first self-cleaning mode. Overall, 15 seconds is a reasonable value, which not only meets the user's time requirement for removing the clean water tank, but also allows for quick entry into the first self-cleaning mode to self-clean the roller brush.

[0076] In general, in the third case, if the water volume is less than the first threshold, the second self-cleaning mode is paused and a water replenishment prompt signal is output. After water replenishment, the water volume is compared with at least the preset first threshold and the second threshold to determine whether to execute the first self-cleaning mode or the second self-cleaning mode.

[0077] In other words, after the user adds water to the clean water tank, the water level in the tank will generally not fall below the first threshold. However, considering that this situation may also occur, if the water level in the clean water tank after adding water is less than the first threshold, the user will be prompted again that the water level in the clean water tank is insufficient, and the first self-cleaning mode or the second self-cleaning mode will be stopped.

[0078] When the water level in the clean water tank is greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold, the surface cleaning device executes a first self-cleaning mode. When the water level in the clean water tank is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the surface cleaning device executes a second self-cleaning mode. Therefore, for the surface cleaning device after water replenishment, if the user activated the second self-cleaning mode before replenishing water, the second self-cleaning mode will not continue to be executed after replenishment; instead, the self-cleaning mode corresponding to the water level will be selected.

[0079] In other words, the amount of water the user adds determines the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning device at that moment. Based on the above description, when the user selects the first self-cleaning mode, even if the amount of water in the clean water tank after adding water exceeds the second threshold, the surface cleaning device will not execute the second self-cleaning mode, but will only execute the first self-cleaning mode.

[0080] Generally speaking, the surface cleaning device disclosed herein can only automatically switch from the second self-cleaning mode to the first self-cleaning mode during operation, and cannot automatically switch from the first self-cleaning mode to the second self-cleaning mode.

[0081] In some embodiments, the water replenishment prompt signal is implemented through voice, light, buzzer, or a combination thereof. This allows the user to accurately know when the clean water tank needs replenishment and the amount of water required.

[0082] For example, when the user selects the first self-cleaning mode and the clean water tank needs refilling, the system can announce "Please refill to 30% of full capacity" via voice, and / or provide a yellow light warning, and / or have a buzzer sound intermittently. When the user selects the second self-cleaning mode and the clean water tank needs refilling, the system can announce "Please refill to 50% of full capacity" via voice, and / or provide a red light warning, and / or have a continuous buzzer sound.

[0083] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a surface cleaning apparatus is provided, the surface cleaning apparatus including a controller capable of performing the methods described above.

[0084] Specifically, the controller is connected to a water level sensor and is used to compare the water volume in the clean water tank 300 detected by the water level sensor with at least a preset first threshold and a second threshold to dynamically adjust the self-cleaning mode, thereby achieving matching between the water volume in the clean water tank 300 and at least the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode. When the second self-cleaning mode is selected and the water volume meets the first threshold but does not meet the second threshold, the controller switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning after determining that the clean water tank 300 has been in place for a timeout.

[0085] Based on the above implementation, compared with the existing technology's coarse control logic of "fixed mode + single detection," where the surface cleaning equipment continuously operates in the self-cleaning mode (depth / standard) after the user manually selects it, without any logic design for automatic mode switching; and only when the waterless sensor detects "no water" does the self-cleaning process stop directly and trigger a single water shortage alarm, this disclosure can solve the problem that the surface cleaning equipment's lower water limit meets the self-cleaning needs of the roller brush, but the surface cleaning equipment does not perform roller brush self-cleaning, through a closed-loop logic of "water volume sensor + dual threshold judgment + timeout adaptation + precise prompt," combined with hardware detection and software control collaboration.

[0086] Furthermore, existing surface cleaning equipment lacks a buffer mechanism for insufficient water supply during operation and a fallback design for user operation timeouts. After water shortage and shutdown, users must manually replenish water, troubleshoot the problem, and re-trigger the self-cleaning command, with no restart function. The surface cleaning equipment disclosed in this invention features flexible handling of mid-process anomalies, avoiding cleaning interruptions and repetitive operations. Specifically, this solution designs three handling methods for different water supply anomalies: "mode switching," "pause and restart," and "timeout adaptation." Insufficient water supply during operation does not require restarting the process; cleaning can continue even if incomplete, completely solving the problem of "repetitive operations after interruption."

[0087] Existing technologies cannot distinguish the type of problem by using a single alarm. This solution uses a combination of sound, light, and buzzer, along with flashing / constant light differences, to accurately convey three states: "mode switching," "timeout reminder," and "water shortage pause." Users can respond quickly, achieving more accurate alarms and reducing the cost of troubleshooting.

[0088] This disclosure uses X1 (30%) to distinguish between "operable standard mode" and "requiring water replenishment," and X2 (50%) to distinguish between "upgradeable depth mode" and "maintain standard mode," achieving precise matching of water volume and mode and solving the problem of "excessive intervention." After pausing water replenishment, the original mode is automatically resumed; if no water is drawn within 15 seconds, the standard mode is automatically activated, avoiding the problems of "manual restart after interruption" and "long waiting times," thus improving process smoothness. Mode switching uses "gentle light," timeout uses "single-tone beep," and water shortage pauses use "light + beep," solving the problem of "vague alarms" and reducing user troubleshooting costs.

[0089] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment / mode," "some embodiments / modes," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment / mode or example is included in at least one embodiment / mode or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment / mode or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments / modes or examples. Furthermore, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments / modes or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments / modes or examples.

[0090] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0091] Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely for illustrating the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art can make other changes or modifications based on the above disclosure, and these changes or modifications still fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of a surface cleaning device, the surface cleaning device comprising a clean water tank and a water level sensor disposed in the clean water tank, the water level sensor being used to detect the amount of water in the clean water tank; characterized in that, The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment includes: The water level sensor is used to detect the water volume in the clean water tank in real time. The self-cleaning mode is dynamically adjusted based on a comparison between the water volume and at least a first threshold and a second threshold, so as to achieve a match between the water volume in the clean water tank and at least the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode. Specifically, when the second self-cleaning mode is selected, and the water volume meets the first threshold but does not meet the second threshold, the system automatically switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning after determining that the first execution condition is met.

2. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first threshold is used to determine the execution conditions of the first self-cleaning mode, and the second threshold is used to determine the execution conditions of the second self-cleaning mode. The second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

3. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the water volume is greater than or equal to the first threshold and the first self-cleaning mode is selected, the first self-cleaning mode is executed; if the water volume is less than the first threshold and the first self-cleaning mode is selected, the first self-cleaning mode is paused and a water replenishment prompt signal is output. The first self-cleaning mode is restarted after water is replenished.

4. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the water volume is greater than or equal to the second threshold and the second self-cleaning mode is selected, the second self-cleaning mode is executed; if the water volume is less than the second threshold but greater than or equal to the first threshold, the second self-cleaning mode is selected and a water replenishment prompt signal is output, and it is determined whether the first execution condition is met. If the first execution condition is met, the system automatically switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning.

5. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first execution condition includes the timing period for the water tank to be in place being greater than the first time period.

6. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first time period is 15 seconds.

7. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that, If the water volume is less than the first threshold, the second self-cleaning mode is paused and a water replenishment prompt signal is output. After water replenishment, the water volume is compared with at least the preset first threshold and the second threshold to determine whether to execute the first self-cleaning mode or the second self-cleaning mode.

8. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The water replenishment prompt signal is achieved through voice, light, buzzer, or a combination thereof.

9. The dynamic control method for the self-cleaning mode of the surface cleaning equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first threshold is 30% of the full capacity of the clean water tank, and the second threshold is 50% of the full capacity of the clean water tank.

10. A surface cleaning device, characterized in that, include: A clean water tank is used to store water. A water level sensor, configured to detect the water level in the clean water tank in real time; A controller, connected to the water level sensor, is used to compare the water volume in the clean water tank detected by the water level sensor with at least a preset first threshold and a second threshold to dynamically adjust the self-cleaning mode, thereby achieving matching between the water volume in the clean water tank and at least the first self-cleaning mode and the second self-cleaning mode. When the second self-cleaning mode is selected and the water volume meets the first threshold but not the second threshold, the controller switches to the first self-cleaning mode to perform self-cleaning after determining that the clean water tank has been in place for a timeout.

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