Cleaning apparatus with mass balance

Abstract

A cleaning device (100) is described, comprising a cleaning nozzle (101) for cleaning a surface to be cleaned. The cleaning device (100) further comprises a rod (104) which is designed to enable a user of the cleaning device (100) to move the cleaning nozzle (101) over the surface to be cleaned.Furthermore, the cleaning device (100) comprises a body (205) movably mounted on the cleaning device (100) with one or more functional components (111, 112) for cleaning operation of the cleaning device (100), wherein the body (205) is movably mounted on the rod (104) and / or on a handle (105) arranged on the rod (104) of the cleaning device (100) such that during a cleaning process, a less force is required to effect a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) via the rod (104) than if the body (205) were immovably mounted on the rod (104) and / or on the handle (105) of the cleaning device (100).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cleaning device, in particular a hand-held device, such as a vacuum cleaner and / or a vacuum mop.

[0002] A handheld cleaning device, especially a battery-operated and / or cordless one, is usually relatively heavy and must be moved by the user during cleaning, particularly requiring repeated acceleration and deceleration. This can be tiring and therefore uncomfortable for the user.

[0003] DE 10 2012 010 075 B3 describes a vacuum cleaner with a backpack-style housing. US 2005 / 0 273 972 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner with a fold-out stand. US 2009 / 0 217 478 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner with means for detecting the vacuum cleaner's position. US 2019 / 0 357 740 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner with configurable weight distribution. DE 654 007 A describes a vacuum cleaner with a swiveling handle.

[0004] US 2008 / 022483 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner with a swiveling handle attached to the top of the upright portion of the vacuum cleaner using a ball joint and a connecting bolt. Because of the ball joint and a coil spring surrounding the connecting bolt between the ball joint and the top of the upright portion of the vacuum cleaner, the handle can swivel freely and rotate at any angle relative to the upright portion to provide increased flexibility in maneuvering the vacuum cleaner.

[0005] This document addresses the technical challenge of increasing the user comfort of a cleaning device, particularly with regard to moving the cleaning device during a cleaning process.

[0006] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments are defined in particular in the dependent patent claims, described in the following description, or illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, a cleaning device is described which includes a cleaning nozzle for cleaning a surface to be cleaned (in particular a floor to be cleaned). The cleaning nozzle can, for example, have a suction opening through which contaminants can be sucked from the surface to be cleaned.

[0008] Furthermore, the cleaning device includes a rod designed to allow a user to move the cleaning nozzle across the surface to be cleaned. The rod may include or be a suction tube. The suction tube may be designed to direct a suction airflow, generated by a blower of the cleaning device, to the suction opening of the cleaning nozzle (to vacuum up contaminants from the surface to be cleaned). The rod may be long enough to allow a user to move the cleaning nozzle across a floor while standing. The rod may also have a handle at the end facing the user, enabling the user to push or pull the cleaning device.

[0009] The cleaning device can therefore be a handheld cleaning device. Furthermore, the cleaning device can be designed as a vacuum and / or mop device. Additionally, the cleaning device can be a cordless and / or battery-operated cleaning device. For this purpose, the cleaning device can have an electrical energy storage device (e.g., a rechargeable battery or a battery) designed to supply one or more (functional) components of the cleaning device (in particular, the blower, an electrically operated actuator, and / or a control unit) with electrical energy. The electrical energy supply can be provided autonomously from the electrical energy storage device (without the need for a connected electrical supply cable). The electrical energy storage device can, for example, have a storage capacity for a cleaning operation of 15 minutes or more, or 30 minutes or more.

[0010] Furthermore, the cleaning device comprises a body movably mounted on the cleaning device, containing one or more functional components for the cleaning operation of the cleaning device. Preferably, one or more relatively heavy functional components of the cleaning device are part of the movably mounted body. The functional components (in particular the blower, a separator, a collection container, the electrical energy storage device, etc.) can together have a certain total weight. The portion of the one or more functional components belonging to the movably mounted body can account for 50% more of the total weight. In particular, the electrical energy storage device can be part of the movably mounted body.

[0011] This describes a cleaning device in which at least some of the functional components of the cleaning device (in particular the electrical energy storage device) are movably mounted on the cleaning device, especially on the rod and / or the handle of the cleaning device. This increases the ease of use of a (hand-held) cleaning device.

[0012] The body can be movably mounted on the cleaning device in such a way that (during a cleaning process) less force is required to effect a change in the movement of the cleaning nozzle via the rod (by the user) than if the body were fixed to the cleaning device. In a preferred example, the movably mounted body is movably mounted on the cleaning device in such a way that (during a cleaning process), due to its inertia, the body only partially, not at all, or only with a time delay responds to a change in the movement of the cleaning nozzle effected via the rod (by the user). By mounting a portion of the functional components of the cleaning device (i.e., a portion of the components that contribute to the cleaning operation of the cleaning device) in this way, the ease of movement of a (hand-held) cleaning device can be significantly increased.

[0013] The cleaning device can thus have a body movably mounted on the cleaning device, containing one or more functional components for the cleaning operation (in particular, an electrical energy storage device). The body is preferably movably mounted on the rod and / or on the handle of the cleaning device such that, during a cleaning process (in particular, during all cleaning processes), less force is required to effect a change in the movement of the cleaning nozzle via the rod than if the body were fixedly mounted on the rod and / or on the handle of the cleaning device (due to the inertia of the movably mounted body).

[0014] The mounting of the movable body on the cleaning device, particularly on the rod and / or the handle, is preferably designed for use during (especially during all) cleaning processes of the cleaning device. In other words, the mounting is preferably mechanically designed such that the movable body can be used permanently (especially throughout the entire service life for which the cleaning device was designed) as a movable body during (especially during all) cleaning processes of the cleaning device. Put another way, the intended use of the movable body is preferably its use as a movable body during (especially during all) cleaning processes of the cleaning device.

[0015] The body is movably mounted on the cleaning device, particularly on the rod or handle, such that it can oscillate about at least one pivot axis of the cleaning device when the cleaning nozzle's movement is changed. The body is thus designed as a pendulum body, which is (optionally freely) mounted to oscillate about at least one pivot axis. This pivot axis can, for example, include the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device's rod. Alternatively or additionally, the pivot axis can be the transverse axis of the cleaning device, which runs perpendicular to the direction of movement intended for the cleaning device during operation. The direction of movement intended for operation during cleaning can, for example, be a direction in which the cleaning nozzle is advanced or retracted via the rod arranged perpendicular to the cleaning nozzle.

[0016] By arranging at least some of the functional components of the cleaning device as a pendulum-like element on the cleaning device, a particularly convenient movement, especially a change in movement, of the cleaning device can be made possible.

[0017] The movable (pendulum) body can be connected to a bearing located on the pendulum axis via a pendulum arm. The pendulum arm can be designed so that its length is variable and / or adjustable (e.g., manually by the user). The cleaning device can thus be designed so that the natural frequency of the oscillation and / or pendulum motion of the movable body is variable and / or adjustable. This allows the cleaning device to be precisely adapted to the user's movements, further increasing user comfort.

[0018] The body can be movably arranged on the cleaning device in such a way that it can perform a pendulum motion in a specific pendulum direction around the pendulum axis. Furthermore, the body can be movably arranged on the cleaning device in such a way that less force is required to effect a change in the movement of the cleaning nozzle via the rod in a direction of movement that has at least one directional component corresponding to the pendulum direction than if the body were fixedly arranged on the cleaning device. In particular, in such a situation, the change in movement due to the body's inertia can cause a pendulum motion in the pendulum direction, so that the body does not complete the movement fully and / or immediately, and the user therefore does not have to exert the force required to effect the change in the body's movement.This can further increase the comfort of the cleaning device.

[0019] The cleaning device can comprise a blower unit with a blower for generating a suction airflow through the cleaning nozzle, mounted as a movable body. The blower unit can be rotatably mounted about the rod or about the longitudinal axis of the rod. Furthermore, the blower unit can have a center of mass that is located or concentrated on one side of the rod, in particular on the side of the rod that faces the surface to be cleaned (or is oriented downwards) during the cleaning operation of the cleaning device. Such a center of mass can be achieved, in particular, by arranging the electrical energy storage device in the blower unit on the side of the center of mass. This allows for the efficient and stable provision of a pendulum-like element designed to oscillate about the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device's rod (to ensure ease of lateral movement).to increase the lateral movement of the cleaning device).

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, the movable body can be mounted on the rod (e.g., on the upper third of the rod) and / or on the handle of the cleaning device attached to the rod, in particular such that the body can oscillate about a pivot point on the rod and / or the handle when the cleaning nozzle's movement is changed, and / or can oscillate about the transverse axis of the cleaning device. Such an arrangement efficiently provides a pendulum body for oscillation about the transverse axis of the cleaning device (to increase the ease of use for back-and-forth movement of the cleaning device).

[0021] The cleaning device may include an actuator (e.g., an electric motor) configured to actively move the movable body during and / or as a result of a change in the cleaning nozzle's movement, particularly to reduce the force required to move the cleaning nozzle via the rod compared to when the body is stationary on the cleaning device. By providing an actuator, active movement of the movable body can be achieved. This further increases user comfort when moving the cleaning device (especially by reducing the force required by the user, at least on average).

[0022] The cleaning device can include a motion sensor (e.g., an inertial sensor) configured to detect changes in the cleaning nozzle's movement caused by the rod. Furthermore, the cleaning device can include a control unit configured to operate the actuator based on the motion sensor's data, actively moving the movable body. Thus, the (pendulum) body can be actively moved in response to changes in the cleaning nozzle's movement initiated by the user. This significantly enhances the cleaning device's ease of use.

[0023] The cleaning device may include a user interface that allows the user to define and / or influence one or more parameters, in particular the amplitude and / or speed of movement, of the movement of the movable body caused by the actuator. This can further increase user comfort.

[0024] It should be noted that all aspects of the cleaning device described in this document can be combined in a variety of ways. In particular, the features of the patent claims can be combined in a variety of ways.

[0025] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing. These show: Figure 1 shows an exemplary hand-held cleaning device; Figure 2 shows an exemplary cleaning device with a mass mounted to oscillate about the suction pipe; and Figures 3a and 3b each show an exemplary cleaning device with a mass mounted to oscillate about a transverse axis.

[0026] As stated at the outset, this document deals with increasing the comfort of a handheld cleaning device, particularly with regard to moving the cleaning device during a cleaning process. In this context, it shows Fig. 1 An exemplary cleaning device 100 with a cleaning nozzle 101, which is designed to be moved over a surface to be cleaned, in particular over a floor to be cleaned. The cleaning nozzle 101 includes, for example, a suction opening 102 through which contaminants, such as dust particles, can be sucked up from the surface to be cleaned.

[0027] The cleaning nozzle 101 can be connected via a joint 103 to a tube 104 (generally a hollow rod), in particular a suction tube. The tube 104 has a handle 105 at the end opposite the joint 103, which can be held by a user to move the cleaning device 100, in particular to move the cleaning nozzle 101 over the surface to be cleaned.

[0028] A blower unit 110, comprising a blower 111 configured to create a suction airflow through the pipe 104 and through the suction opening 102 of the cleaning nozzle 101, can be arranged on the pipe 104. Furthermore, a separator and / or a collection container 112 for receiving the suctioned contaminants can be arranged in the blower unit 110. An electrical energy storage device 113 (e.g., a lithium-ion battery) can also be arranged in the blower unit 110.

[0029] The hand-held cleaning device 100 is moved by a user across the surface to be cleaned, in particular the floor. For this purpose, the user must exert force on the cleaning device 100, depending on the desired direction or axis of movement. The weight to be moved can be relatively large, especially due to the arrangement of the blower unit 110 on the tube 104 of the cleaning device 100 (particularly compared to a vacuum cleaner with a suction hose). This can lead to fatigue in the user's body, especially in the hand and arm.

[0030] Typically, the main weight of a hand-held cleaning device 100 (in particular the electrical energy storage unit 113 and / or the blower 111) is located relatively close to the rotation axes of the user's wrist, and thus relatively close to the handle 105 of the cleaning device 100, in order to minimize the moment of inertia of the cleaning device 100 when its movement changes. Nevertheless, a change in the movement of the cleaning device 100 initiated by the user usually requires a relatively high effort from the user.

[0031] In the Figures 2 and 3a to 3bEach cleaning device 100 is shown, each having a pendulum body 105 which is movably, and in particular oscillatibly, mounted on the cleaning device 100. The pendulum body 105 can, for example, comprise the electrical energy storage device 113 of the cleaning device 100. The oscillatibly mounted pendulum body 105 is preferably arranged relatively close to the handle 105 of the cleaning device 100 (e.g., on the uppermost third of the tube 104).

[0032] In the Fig. 2In the illustrated cleaning device 100, the pendulum body 205 is mounted on the tube 104 of the cleaning device 100 via one or more bearings 202 such that the pendulum body 205 can oscillate around the tube 104, in particular around the longitudinal axis of the tube 104. The direction of oscillation 201 is indicated by the double arrow. Optionally, the entire blower unit 110 can be rotatably mounted about the longitudinal axis of the tube 104. The mass of the blower unit 110 can be concentrated on one side of the tube 104, so that the blower unit 110 has a center of mass on one side of the tube 104, through which a pendulum body 205 is effectively formed. For example, the electrical energy storage device 113 can be arranged on one side of the tube 104 inside the blower unit 110 to ensure that the rotatably mounted blower unit 110 has its center of mass on one side of the tube 104.

[0033] The cleaning device 100 can be designed such that the natural or resonant frequency at which the pendulum body 205 oscillates (in particular, oscillates about the longitudinal axis of the tube 104) can be changed. For this purpose, for example, the distance 206 of the pendulum body 205 to the pendulum axis (e.g., to the longitudinal axis of the tube 104) can be adjustable. Adjusting the natural or resonant frequency of the pendulum body 205 allows the user to adapt the oscillation behavior of the pendulum body 205 to the user's movement habits, e.g., to the speed at which the cleaning device 100 is moved by the user.

[0034] Figures 3a and 3b Figure 1 shows an exemplary cleaning device 100 with a pendulum body 205 designed to oscillate around the transverse axis of the cleaning device 100. The transverse axis is perpendicular to the surface of the image. Figures 3a and 3bThe cleaning device 100 includes a bearing 302, via which the pendulum body 205 is attached to the cleaning device 100, e.g. to the blower unit 110 ( Fig. 3a ) or on the handle 105 ( Fig. 3b The pendulum body 205 is rotatably mounted. It can be attached to the bearing 302 via a pendulum arm 303 (e.g., via one or more threads). The pendulum body 205 (e.g., with the electrical energy storage device 113) can then perform a pendulum motion 301 about the transverse axis of the cleaning device 100. By adjusting the length 206 of the pendulum arm 303, the natural frequency and / or the period of the pendulum motion 301 can be adjusted, if necessary.

[0035] The pendulum body 205 can be configured to perform a passive pendulum movement 201, 301 about one or more pendulum axes (e.g., about the longitudinal axis of the pipe 104 of the cleaning device 100 and / or about the transverse axis of the cleaning device 100). The passive pendulum movement 201, 301 can be caused by a change in the movement of the cleaning device 100 (e.g., when the user changes the direction of movement of the cleaning device 100).

[0036] Alternatively or additionally, the cleaning device 100 can include an actuator 210 (e.g., an electric motor) configured to actively cause movement 201, 301 of the pendulum body 205. The cleaning device 100 can further include a motion sensor 211, e.g., an inertial sensor, an accelerometer, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), etc., configured to acquire sensor data relating to the movement of the cleaning device 100. The actuator 210 can then be operated (e.g., by a control unit 212) depending on the sensor data from the motion sensor 211, in particular to reduce the moment of inertia exerted on the user of the cleaning device 100.

[0037] A cleaning device 100 is thus described, which has a movably mounted body 205, wherein the movably mounted body 205 comprises at least a part of the components 113, in particular the relatively heavy components 113, of the cleaning device 100. In particular, the movably mounted body 205 can comprise the electrical energy storage device 113 of the cleaning device 100.

[0038] The movable arrangement of at least part of the mass of the cleaning device 100 (i.e., the movable body 205) makes it possible to ensure that this part of the mass of the cleaning device 100 does not (at least initially) need to move when the user of the cleaning device 100 initiates a change in motion, since the movable body 205 remains in its original motion and / or position due to its inertia. As a result, the force required by the user to effect the change in motion of the cleaning device 100 is reduced.

[0039] The natural frequency of the movable body 205 can be adapted to the user-induced movement of the cleaning device 100 (e.g., a back-and-forth motion) in such a way that the body 205 remains in one position throughout the entire movement and thus does not need to be accelerated and possibly decelerated by the user. This makes it possible to move the cleaning device 100 in a particularly comfortable and, in particular, very energy-efficient manner.

[0040] The control unit 212 of the cleaning device 100 can be configured to actively move the movable body 205 in response to the sensor data 211 of the motion sensor 211 of the cleaning device 100, such that (at least on average) the forces required by the user to move the cleaning device 100 are reduced. For example, the actuator 210 can provide at least part of the force required to move the movable body 205 in response to the movement of the cleaning device 100. The force provided by the actuator 210 then no longer needs to be applied by the user.

[0041] The cleaning device 100 can include a user interface that allows the user to define one or more parameters and / or properties of the cleaning device 100, such as the natural frequency of the movable body 205, the length 206 of the pendulum arm 303, the magnitude and / or amplitude of a deflection of the movable body 205, the speed of the movable body 205, etc. This allows the user to adapt the cleaning device 100 to their needs, particularly regarding their movement habits. In this way, the user comfort of the cleaning device 100 can be further increased.

[0042] Thus, a cleaning device 100 is described which has a reduced strain on the body of a user and / or leads to reduced fatigue for a user.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. In particular, it should be noted that the description and the figures are intended only to illustrate the principle of the proposed cleaning device 100. Reference sign

[0044] 100 Cleaning device 101 Cleaning nozzle 102 Suction nozzle 103 Joint 104 Rod 105 Handle 110 Blower unit 111 Functional component - blower 112 Functional component - collection container 113 Functional component - electrical energy storage 201 Pendulum motion 202 Bearing 205 Body 206 Length 210 Actuator 211 Motion sensor 212 Control unit 301Swing movement 302Bearings 303Swing arm

Claims

1. Cleaning apparatus (100), which comprises - a cleaning nozzle (101) for cleaning a surface to be cleaned; - a bar (104) which is embodied to enable a user of the cleaning apparatus (100) to move the cleaning nozzle (101) over the surface to be cleaned; and - a body (205), mounted movably on the cleaning apparatus (100), having one or more functional components (111, 112, 113) for a cleaning operation of the cleaning apparatus (100); characterised in that - the body (205) is mounted movably on the bar (104) and / or on a handle (105) of the cleaning apparatus (100) arranged on the bar (104) so that during a cleaning process a lower force is to be applied in order to effect a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) by way of the bar (104) than if the body (205) were to be arranged immovably on the bar (104) and / or on the handle (105) of the cleaning apparatus (100); - the one or more functional components (111, 112, 113) of the cleaning apparatus (100), which are part of the movably mounted body (205), comprise an electrical energy storage unit (113); and - the body (205) is mounted movably on the bar (104) and / or on the handle (105) of the cleaning apparatus (100) so that when a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) is effected, the body (205) is able to oscillate about at least one oscillating axle of the cleaning apparatus (100).

2. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the oscillating axle comprises, - a longitudinal axle of the bar (104); and / or - a transverse axle of the cleaning apparatus (100) which runs transversely to a movement direction provided for the cleaning apparatus (100) during the cleaning operation.

3. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the movably mounted body (205) is connected to a bearing (202, 302) arranged on the oscillating axle by way of an oscillating arm (303); and - a length (206) of the oscillating arm (303) can be changed and / or adjusted.

4. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the resonance frequency of an oscillation and / or an oscillating process of the movably mounted body (205) can be changed and / or adjusted.

5. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the body (205) is arranged movably on the bar (104) and / or on the handle (105) of the cleaning apparatus (100) so that - the body (205) can execute an oscillating movement (201, 301) in an oscillating direction about the oscillating axle; and - in order to effect a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) by way of the bar (104) in a movement direction, which has at least one directional component which matches the oscillating direction, a lower force is to be applied than if the body (205) were to be arranged immovably on the cleaning apparatus (100), in particular on account of an inertia of the body (205).

6. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical energy storage unit (113) is embodied for electrical energy supply, in particular for self-sufficient electrical energy supply, to the cleaning apparatus (100).

7. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the cleaning apparatus (100) as a movably mounted body (205) comprises a fan unit (110) with a fan (111) for generating a suction air flow through the cleaning nozzle (101); - the fan unit (110) is mounted in a manner so as to be able to rotate about the bar (104), and - the fan unit (110) has a centre of gravity which is arranged on a centre of gravity side of the bar (104), in particular on the side of the bar (104) which is facing the surface to be cleaned during the cleaning operation of the cleaning apparatus (100).

8. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein an electrical energy storage unit (113) of the fan unit (110) is arranged on the centre of gravity side.

9. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the movably mounted body (205) is mounted on the bar (104) and / or on the handle (105) of the cleaning apparatus (100) in such a manner that when a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) is effected, the body (205) is able to oscillate about a supporting point on the bar (104) and / or on the handle (105), and / or is able to oscillate about a transverse axle of the cleaning apparatus (100).

10. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus (100) comprises an actuator (210), which is configured to actively move the movably mounted body (205) during an and / or as a result of a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101), in particular to effect that a lower force is to be applied during the change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) over the bar (104) than if the body (205) were to be arranged immovably on the cleaning apparatus (100).

11. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to claim 10, wherein the cleaning apparatus (100) comprises, - a movement sensor (211), which is configured to capture sensor data in respect of a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) effected by way of the bar (104); and - a control unit (212) which is configured to operate the actuator (210) as a function of the sensor data of the movement sensor (211) in order to actively move the movably mounted body (205).

12. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of claims 10 to 11, wherein the cleaning apparatus (100) comprises a user interface, which enables a user of the cleaning apparatus (100) to fix one or more parameters, in particular an amplitude and / or a movement speed of a movement of the movably mounted body (205) effected by the actuator (210).

13. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the movably mounted body (205) is mounted in a moveable manner on the bar (104) and / or on the handle (105) of the cleaning apparatus (100) so that on account of its inertia, the body (205) performs a change in movement of the cleaning nozzle (101) effected by way of the bar (104) only partially, not at all or in a time-delayed manner.

14. Cleaning apparatus (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the cleaning apparatus (100) is a hand-guided cleaning apparatus (100); - the cleaning apparatus (100) is a wireless and / or battery-operated cleaning apparatus (100); and / or - the cleaning apparatus (100) is embodied as a suction and / or wiping apparatus; and / or - the bar (104) comprises, in particular is, a suction pipe, which is embodied to guide a suction air flow effected by a fan (111) of the cleaning apparatus (100) to a suction mouth (102) of the cleaning nozzle (101).

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