vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To perform control corresponding to deterioration of a secondary battery.SOLUTION: A vacuum cleaner includes a main body control section 200 and a memory section 300. The memory section 30 preserves a detection value of a deterioration state of a secondary battery detected by a SOC / SOHQ detection section 210 of the main body control section 200 and use history information of the secondary battery. The main body control section 200 includes: a deterioration suppression control section 280 for generating a deterioration formula of the second battery on the basis of the use history information of the secondary battery preserved in the memory section 300; and a deterioration determination section 240 for comparing a target value of a deterioration state of the secondary battery with the detection value of the deterioration state of the second battery so as to determine whether deterioration suppression operation is to be executed, and performing the deterioration suppression control on the basis of the deterioration formula of the second battery when executing the deterioration suppression operation. The deterioration suppression control section 280 compares a calculation value of the deterioration state of the secondary battery with the detection value so as to detect that the secondary battery has exchanged into another secondary battery, and corrects the deterioration formula of the secondary battery when the battery is exchanged into another secondary battery.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with a rechargeable battery. [Background technology]

[0002] Examples of devices equipped with rechargeable batteries include the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Since rechargeable batteries degrade with repeated charging cycles, appropriate control is necessary.

[0003] Patent Document 1 relates to an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with a secondary battery. Patent Document 1 describes a secondary battery unit that is removable from the electric vacuum cleaner. The secondary battery unit includes a secondary battery, a charging unit, a temperature detection unit, a charging current control unit, and a degradation detection unit. The degradation detection unit detects the degree of degradation of the secondary battery. The charging current control unit changes the magnitude of the charging current based on the temperature of the secondary battery as well as the degree of degradation detected by the degradation detection unit.

[0004] Patent Document 2 relates to secondary batteries used in vehicles such as railways and automobiles, as well as in solar power generation and wind power generation. Patent Document 2 calculates the rate of degradation of a secondary battery and restricts the charging and discharging conditions of the secondary battery if the current rate of degradation is greater than a certain value compared to past rates of degradation. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-44950 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-65481 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In vacuum cleaners equipped with rechargeable batteries, multiple battery packs are available, and if the charge capacity of a battery decreases during cleaning, it may be possible to switch to another battery pack and continue cleaning. The degree of degradation of a battery pack varies depending on usage conditions, charge level, and when it was first put into use.

[0007] The technology described in Patent Document 1 had a problem in that when a secondary battery pack being used was replaced with another secondary battery pack with a different degree of degradation during the cleaning process, it was not possible to control the discharge according to the degree of degradation of the replacement secondary battery pack. Furthermore, the technology described in Patent Document 2 did not take into consideration the fact that secondary batteries are replaced during use.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and provide an electric vacuum cleaner that can perform control according to the degree of deterioration of the replaced secondary battery pack, even when the secondary battery pack is replaced in the middle of cleaning. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner body having an electric blower and a main unit control; a secondary battery pack having a secondary battery detachably connected to the vacuum cleaner body and supplying power to the electric blower; and a memory unit for storing information relating to the secondary battery, wherein the main unit control includes: a deterioration state detection unit for detecting the deterioration state of the secondary battery based on the voltage, current, and surface temperature of the secondary battery; an operation information collection and analysis unit for collecting the detected values ​​detected by the deterioration state detection unit and the usage history information of the secondary battery and storing them in the memory unit; and based on the usage history information of the secondary battery stored in the memory unit, The system comprises a degradation suppression control unit that creates a degradation formula for a secondary battery, and a degradation determination unit that compares a target value of the degradation state of the secondary battery stored in the memory unit with a detected value detected by the degradation state detection unit to determine whether or not to perform degradation suppression operation, and, if degradation suppression operation is to be performed, executes degradation suppression control based on the degradation formula of the secondary battery created by the degradation suppression control unit, wherein the degradation suppression control unit compares the calculated degradation state of the secondary battery with the detected degradation state of the secondary battery to detect when the secondary battery has been replaced with another secondary battery, and corrects the degradation formula of the secondary battery when it has been replaced with another secondary battery. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, even if the secondary battery pack is replaced in the middle of cleaning, control can be performed according to the degree of deterioration of the replaced secondary battery pack. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the electric vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where it is stored on the charging stand. [Figure 2] This is an exploded view of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a view from the direction of arrow III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is an external perspective view of an electric vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]It is an example of a top view of an operation unit 121 provided in the vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a control block diagram of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing processing contents of a deterioration determination unit 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart of deterioration suppression control using a deterioration formula according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a conceptual diagram of deterioration suppression control according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing a correction method for a deterioration formula. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing a method for correcting a deterioration formula of a secondary battery 1 to generate a deterioration formula of a secondary battery 2. [Figure 12] It is an example of a display unit of a vacuum cleaner. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same elements in all drawings. Descriptions of portions having the same functions are omitted. It should be noted that the configuration described below is merely an example, and is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention to the following specific modes.

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state where the vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is housed in a charging stand. In FIG. 1(a), the vacuum cleaner 100 is housed in the charging stand in a stick state.

[0014] The electric vacuum cleaner 100 can be used in various configurations, such as handheld and stick configurations, for cleaning. The charging base 70a, in which the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is stored, stores the electric vacuum cleaner 100 in stick configuration and consists of a base member 71, three stand members 72, and a holder member 73. The holder member 73 is equipped with an output plug for an AC adapter used to charge the secondary battery pack 3 attached to the electric vacuum cleaner 100. When the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is placed on the charging base 70a, the output plug is connected to the input jack of the electric vacuum cleaner 100, allowing it to be charged.

[0015] The base member 71 has a mounting surface 71a and an extension portion 71b. The mounting surface 71a is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped portion. The extension portion 71b is a substantially frustoconical portion. The extension portion 71b is provided so as to be substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface 71a. The central axis of the extension portion 71b is provided so as to be located approximately in the center of the mounting surface 71a in the left-right direction and approximately 3 / 4 of the way from the front-back direction.

[0016] Furthermore, in Figure 1(b), the vacuum cleaner 100 is stored on the charging stand in a handheld state. In this state, the charging stand 70b stores the vacuum cleaner 100 in a handheld state and, unlike the charging stand 70a, omits two stand members 72, instead comprising one stand member 72, a base member 71, and a holder member 73. The user can also omit three stand members 72 for more compact storage, or omit one to adjust the height for easier access. The column of the charging stand, which is composed of the stand member 72 and the holder member 73, is formed on the axis of the dust case 2, so the vacuum cleaner 100 can be stably held when placed on the charging stand for charging.

[0017] Figure 2 is an exploded view of an electric vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is composed of a vacuum cleaner body 1, a dust case 2 (dust collector), a secondary battery pack 3 (energy storage device), and an airtight sealing member 90.

[0018] The vacuum cleaner body 1 is composed of a main body 10, a motor case 11, and a handle 12.

[0019] The main body 10 has a connection port 10a (suction port) to which an extension tube 150 (see Figure 1) and a standard suction nozzle 160 (see Figure 1) are connected. This connection port 10a is molded from the same resin as the main body 10, motor case 11, and handle 12. The connection port 10a has a roughly circular opening and is formed facing forward. In addition, attachments such as a crevice suction nozzle 110, extension tube 150, and standard suction nozzle 160 can be connected to the connection port 10a.

[0020] The main body 10 is equipped with a detachable dust case 2 and an inlet pipe 14 (see Figure 3) that sends air containing dust and debris, sucked in from the connection port 10a, into the dust case 2.

[0021] The motor case section 11 contains an electric blower (not shown) and a main circuit board (not shown). A circular intake port 11a is formed on the front of the motor case section 11, into which clean air collected by the dust case 2 is drawn. Below the intake port 11a on the front of the motor case section 11, there is a main terminal section 17 that connects to the charging bases 70a and 70b.

[0022] The handle portion 12 is located on the rear side of the main body portion 10 and is formed in a substantially arc shape. By making the handle portion 12 substantially arc-shaped, the user can grip the handle portion 12 at a position that is easy to use, depending on the situation in which they are using the device.

[0023] Furthermore, the handle portion 12 is provided with a locking member 13 for locking the secondary battery pack 3. This locking member 13 is shaped like a button and is supported so as to be able to swing. The upper surface of the handle portion 12 is provided with an operating section 121 (Figure 5).

[0024] Furthermore, a release button 18 is provided at the upper front end of the handle section 12, which is operated when removing accessories such as the extension tube 150 (see Figure 1). By pressing this release button 18, the lock between the main body section 10 and the accessories is released, allowing the accessories to be removed from the main body section 10.

[0025] An airtight sealing member 90 is attached to the front end of the main body 10. This airtight sealing member 90 has a roughly circular cylindrical body 91. The cylindrical body 91 has a brush section 90s at its tip, which is made of a bundle of soft bristles. The brush section 90s has bristles planted at multiple points with spacing between them, and is made of an elastically deformable (flexible) material such as polyamide resin. By attaching such an airtight sealing member 90 to the connection port 10a of the vacuum cleaner body 1, dirt can be swept from the surface to be cleaned, and the suction power can be improved by pressing the tip of the airtight sealing member 90 against the floor surface. Furthermore, by forming the connection section 91b from a hard material, the airtight sealing member 90 can be attached to the main body 10 in a stable state without falling off.

[0026] In this embodiment, the brush portion 90s is described as being formed of a brush made of polyamide bristles or the like, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be formed in an annular shape with soft resin at the tip. That is, the cylindrical body 91 is constructed by integrally molding two different members, an elastic portion 91a and a connecting portion 91b. The elastic portion 91a is made of an elastically deformable (flexible) material such as an elastomer. By doing so, the entire brush portion 90s of the airtight retaining member 90 can be brought into close contact with the floor surface, and the suction force can be improved compared to when it is not in close contact.

[0027] The cylindrical body 91 may be formed from the same material as the connecting portion 91b, and the tip of the cylindrical body 91 may be provided with short, electrostatically flocked bristles arranged in an annular pattern. Even with such electrostatic flocking, it is possible to make the tip of the airtight-holding member 90 adhere closely to the floor surface, similar to the elastomer, thereby improving the suction force.

[0028] A horizontally elongated fitting groove 10b is formed on the upper side surface of the connection port 10a of the main body portion 10. A projection (not shown) is formed at the base end of the connecting portion 91b, which engages with the fitting groove 10b in a concave and concave manner to lock into place.

[0029] Furthermore, the main body 10 is provided with a light-emitting element 10c (see Figure 2) above the connection port 10a. This light-emitting element 10c is configured to emit light forward, that is, toward the surface to be cleaned (such as the floor).

[0030] When the airtight sealing member 90 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the light-emitting element 10c is located above the airtight sealing member 90. In other words, the outer diameter of the airtight sealing member 90 is set so that the light-emitting element 10c is located outside the airtight sealing member 90.

[0031] The secondary battery pack 3 supplies power to an electric blower (not shown) and other devices, and is equipped with a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion or nickel-metal hydride battery. The secondary battery pack 3 also has a roughly cylindrical case 3a made of synthetic resin, and can be attached to and detached from the main body 10 by sliding the case 3a in the front-to-back direction.

[0032] A terminal portion 3b is provided on the upper surface of case 3a, which connects to the main body portion 10. A slide groove 3c is formed on the upper surface of case 3a in front of the terminal portion 3b, which is slidably supported by the main body portion 10. Furthermore, slide rails 3d, 3d are formed on the upper surface of case 3a, projecting to the left and right sides behind the terminal portion 3b, which are slidably supported by the main body portion 10.

[0033] Furthermore, on the front of case 3a, an inlet 3e is formed on one side (left side) in the left-right direction (width direction) through which cooling air is introduced to cool the secondary battery pack 3. This inlet 3e is elongated in the vertical direction.

[0034] Furthermore, on the front surface of case 3a, an exhaust hole 3f is formed on the other side (right side) in the left-right direction (width direction) for discharging air after cooling the secondary battery pack 3. This exhaust hole 3f is formed to have a shape symmetrical to the aforementioned introduction hole 3e.

[0035] Furthermore, a lock recess 3g is formed on the back of case 3a, into which the locking member 13 fits and locks into the main body 10.

[0036] Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrow III in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the dust case 2 is a cyclone type and has the function of separating the dust-containing air sucked in from the inlet pipe 14 into dust and air, and collecting the dust. The dust case 2 is positioned in front of the motor case section 11 with its axial direction in the front-to-back direction and has a substantially cylindrical storage section 2a. The storage section 2a has a storage opening on its front. In addition, a substantially rectangular inlet 2b (see Figure 2) connected to the inlet pipe 14 is formed on the top surface (side) of the dust case 2. The dust-containing air flowing into this inlet 2b becomes a swirling flow, centrifugal force acts on the dust, and after being separated into dust and air within the dust case 2, the air from which the dust has been separated is discharged from the rear (back) of the dust case 2.

[0037] Furthermore, a lid 2c, which is opened and closed when disposing of dust accumulated in the dust case 2, is rotatably supported on the front of the dust case 2 via a hinge portion 2d relative to the storage portion 2a, and closing the lid 2c closes the opening of the storage portion. In addition, a lid locking mechanism 2e for releasing the lock on the lid 2c is provided on the upper part of the lid 2c.

[0038] An exhaust port 16 is provided at the bottom of the motor case 11. Although not shown, this exhaust port 16 has multiple slits 16a along the front-to-back direction, and the multiple slits 16a are arranged in a vertical direction. The exhaust port 16 is provided on both the left and right sides. A cover member 16b is provided to cover one of the left or right sides of this exhaust port 16. The dust case 2, motor, and secondary battery pack 3 are arranged in a straight line or coaxially along the longitudinal direction of the vacuum cleaner body, and the cover member 16b slides around the axis of the motor case 11 and dust case 2 as its pivot point, allowing either the left or right exhaust port 16 to be selectively opened. The outer surface of the cover member 16b is formed substantially flush with the motor case 11.

[0039] Figure 4 is an external perspective view of an electric vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the dust case 2 of the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is mounted below the main body 10 and in front of the motor case 11. In this case, when the dust case 2 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the lid lock mechanism 2e is located on the side of the vacuum cleaner body 1. This is because if the lid lock mechanism 2e were located on the opposite side (outside), there is a risk that the lid lock mechanism 2e would be released during cleaning, but by positioning the lid lock mechanism 2e on the side of the vacuum cleaner body 1, malfunctions can be prevented. For example, when cleaning under a sofa or bed in stick mode, the vacuum cleaner body 1 may be brought close to the floor surface horizontally. In this case, if the lid lock mechanism 2e were located on the front side, there is a possibility that it would come into contact with the floor surface and release the lid lock mechanism 2e. The position of the lid lock mechanism 2e and the hinge portion 2d is not limited to this, and they may be located on the left or right side relative to the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0040] Furthermore, the dust case 2 is equipped with a detachable cleaning brush 2s (see Figures 2 and 3). This cleaning brush 2s is positioned in a location that is difficult to see from the outside when the dust case 2 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1. Therefore, it is unlikely to come off during operation, and there is no need to store the cleaning brush 2s separately from the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0041] Figure 5 is an example of a top view of an operating unit 121 provided in an electric vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] The control unit 121 is equipped with buttons 124 and 125 that change the operating mode by controlling the rotational speed of the electric blower housed in the motor case 11 (Figure 2) to vary the suction force through the standard suction port 160 (Figure 1). Button 124 drives the electric blower by switching to a suction force according to the user's preference. With button 124a, the suction force switches between "Standard" → "Strong" → "Standard" each time it is pressed. "Strong" is a mode with stronger suction force than "Standard". Button 125 drives the electric blower by automatically switching to a suction force according to the type of floor surface.

[0043] While both the electric blower housed in the motor case section 11 (Figure 2) and the rotating brush housed in the standard suction port 160 are stopped, pressing buttons 124 and 125 will drive the motors to achieve the corresponding suction force.

[0044] The control unit 121 includes a battery indicator unit 122 that flashes to indicate a low battery level in the secondary battery pack 3 (Figure 2), and a clogging indicator unit 123 that flashes to indicate clogging of the filter (not shown) housed in the dust case 2 when a decrease in suction power is detected. Furthermore, the control unit 121 includes a button 126 that stops the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 by stopping the drive of both the motor housed in the motor case unit 11 (Figure 2) and the rotating brush.

[0045] The vacuum cleaner 100 in this embodiment is equipped with a secondary battery pack 3. If the battery level of the secondary battery pack 3 decreases during cleaning, it may be replaced with another secondary battery pack to continue cleaning. Since the degree of deterioration of the secondary battery pack 3 differs depending on the usage conditions, charge state, and start date of use, it is preferable to perform charge and discharge control according to the secondary battery pack 3 installed in the vacuum cleaner 100 at the time of cleaning. The configuration for achieving this will be described below.

[0046] Figure 6 is a control block diagram of the main unit control unit 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] The main control unit 200 is connected to a higher-level control unit 400 that controls the electric blower and the like.

[0048] The main control unit 200 includes an SOC / SOHQ detection unit 210 (charge rate / degradation state detection unit) that detects the charge rate (SOC) and degradation state (SOH) of the secondary battery based on the secondary battery voltage V, current I, and secondary battery surface temperature T, and the number of charge / discharge cycles of the secondary battery and secondary battery usage history information (discharge current I of the secondary battery for each charge / discharge cycle) calculated based on the detected values ​​(charge rate SOC, degradation state SOH) detected by the SOC / SOHQ detection unit 210, and the voltage V, current I, and secondary battery surface temperature T of the secondary battery. dis , charging current I cha , upper limit voltage V max , battery surface temperature T S The system includes an operation information collection and analysis unit 220 that collects (°C) and stores it in a memory unit 300. The operation information collection and analysis unit 220 collects information necessary for predicting the degradation of the secondary battery and information necessary for degradation suppression control operation. In this embodiment, the SOC / SOHQ detection unit 210 (charge rate / degradation state detection unit) is mainly used as the degradation state detection unit.

[0049] Generally, the state of battery degradation (SOH) includes the capacity retention rate (SOHQ) and the resistance increase rate (SOHR). In this embodiment, the capacity retention rate (SOHQ) is used as the state of degradation (SOH), but the resistance increase rate (SOHR) may also be used. Any method can be used to detect the charge level (SOC) and the capacity retention rate (SOHQ), but the Kalman filter method is preferred from the viewpoint of low computational load and high accuracy in detecting these values.

[0050] Furthermore, the main control unit 200 is equipped with a time and storage temperature management unit 230 that acquires the shipping time (day) of the secondary battery detected by the Real time clock 500 and the storage temperature T (°C) detected by the thermometer 600, and stores them in the memory unit 300.

[0051] Further, the main body control unit 200 includes: shipping time (day) of the secondary battery stored in the memory unit 300, the insulation temperature T (°C) of the secondary battery, detected values of state of charge SOC / capacity retention rate SOHQ, the number of charge-discharge cycles, usage condition history (discharge current I of the secondary battery for each charge-discharge cycle dis , charging current I cha , upper limit voltage V max , battery surface temperature T S °C), secondary battery usage tendency information of a user, daily charge-discharge amount of the secondary battery, target deterioration curve data of the secondary battery, and deterioration formula information of the secondary battery, a deterioration suppression control unit 280 that creates a deterioration formula for the secondary battery in use.

[0052] Furthermore, the main body control unit 200 includes: a detected value of state of charge SOC of the secondary battery, a target value of capacity retention rate SOHQ of the secondary battery based on a target deterioration curve, a detected value of capacity retention rate SOHQ of the secondary battery, the number of charge-discharge cycles of the secondary battery, a history of usage conditions of the secondary battery (discharge current I of the secondary battery for each charge-discharge cycle dis , charging current I cha , upper limit voltage V max , battery surface temperature T S °C), a deterioration determination unit 240 that determines the deterioration state of the secondary battery and executes deterioration suppression control based on the deterioration formula of the secondary battery created by the deterioration suppression control unit 280.

[0053] The memory unit 300 stores the foregoing shipping time (day) of the secondary battery, the insulation temperature T (°C) of the secondary battery, detected values of state of charge SOC / capacity retention rate SOHQ, the number of charge-discharge cycles, usage condition history (discharge current I of the secondary battery for each charge-discharge cycle dis , charging current I cha , upper limit voltage V max , battery surface temperature T S °C), secondary battery usage tendency information of a user, daily charge-discharge amount of the secondary battery, target deterioration curve data of the secondary battery, parameter tables, and deterioration formula information. In addition to base deterioration formula information, the memory unit 300 also stores newly created deterioration formula information for other secondary batteries.

[0054] The data related to the target degradation curve stored in the memory unit 300 is, for example, the value of the capacity retention rate (SOHQ) relative to the number of charge / discharge cycles. The target of the target degradation curve data is a value that can be arbitrarily set in advance by the user or manufacturer and stored in the memory unit 100. The degradation suppression control unit 280 compares the detected value of the capacity retention rate (SOHQ) with the value of the target degradation curve to provide guidance on whether or not to perform suppression operation during charging and discharging of the device.

[0055] Next, the processing of the deterioration determination unit 240 will be explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the deterioration determination unit 240 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] The degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 determines whether a predetermined number of charge-discharge cycles of the secondary battery have elapsed (step S701).

[0057] When a predetermined number of charge-discharge cycles of the secondary battery have elapsed, the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 retrieves the detected value of the capacity retention rate SOHQ from the memory unit 300 (step S702).

[0058] Furthermore, the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 extracts the target value of the target degradation curve of the capacity retention rate SOHQ from the memory unit 300 (step S703).

[0059] The degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 compares the detected value of the capacity retention rate SOHQ with the target value of the target degradation curve (step S704). If the detected value of the capacity retention rate SOHQ is equal to or greater than the target value of the target degradation curve (YES in step S704), the normal operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 is continued (step S705). This corresponds to condition A in Figure 6, which indicates that operation will continue without degradation suppression control. After normal operation is continued, the process is terminated.

[0060] If the detected value of the capacity retention rate SOHQ is less than the target value of the target degradation curve (NO in step S704), the degradation determination unit 240 of the main unit control unit 200 determines that degradation suppression control operation is necessary and prompts the user whether or not to operate the vacuum cleaner 100 in degradation suppression control operation (step S706). To prompt the user whether or not to operate in degradation suppression control operation, for example, the battery indicator unit 122 of the operation unit 121 is used. For the display, the battery indicator unit 122 is made to blink at a faster interval than when the battery level is low.

[0061] Step S706 is a step in which the user selects their preference for degradation suppression control. Some users desire longer battery life and therefore prefer degradation suppression operation, while others prioritize performance and are willing to heavily use the device, even if it means frequent battery replacement, without being concerned about battery life. Therefore, providing step S706 has the effect of increasing user satisfaction. In step S706, the user selects the operating state from buttons 124 and 125 on the control panel 121, as shown in Figure 5, according to their request. For example, pressing button 125 activates degradation suppression operation, while pressing button 124 activates normal operation.

[0062] If the user requests operation with degradation suppression control (YES in step S706), the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 executes degradation suppression control operation based on the information from the degradation suppression control unit 280 (step S707). This corresponds to condition B for executing degradation suppression control operation in Figure 6. After executing degradation suppression control operation, the process ends.

[0063] If the user does not wish to operate with degradation suppression control (NO in step S706), the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 continues normal operation (step S808). This corresponds to condition C in Figure 6, which indicates that operation will continue without degradation suppression control. Furthermore, the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 displays an alert on the battery display unit 122 of the operation unit 121 indicating that the secondary battery is degrading prematurely (step S809). The alert may be displayed on the vacuum cleaner body 1 of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0064] Step S708 is the step taken when the user does not wish to perform degradation suppression control operation in step S806. Since degradation suppression control operation is not performed in step S808, there is a possibility that the battery may degrade prematurely, so step S809 may be provided to display an early degradation alert. Displaying an alert has the effect of allowing the user to anticipate the need for early battery replacement and prepare a replacement battery in advance. When displaying the alert, the battery indicator unit 122 flashes at a faster interval than the flashing when the battery level is low. Then, after continuing normal operation, the process is terminated.

[0065] As described above, in this embodiment, the presence or absence of degradation suppression control operation is determined by comparing the detected value of the capacity maintenance rate (SOHQ) with the target value of the target degradation curve, thereby reducing the frequency of applying the computationally intensive degradation formula. By applying such a judgment algorithm, it becomes possible to apply it to devices that require reduced computational load, such as home appliances.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, under condition B, degradation suppression control is performed using a degradation formula. Various degradation formulas have been devised, and there is no particular restriction as long as the prediction accuracy is guaranteed, but in this embodiment, the following formula is used. The capacity retention rate SOHQ is expressed as shown in formula (1).

[0067] Capacity maintenance rate SOHQ(%)=100-ΔQ(%)···(1) ΔQ is the percentage of capacity reduction, and ΔQ is expressed by equation (2).

[0068] ΔQ=f(a: upper limit voltage, b: charging current, c: discharging current, d: storage temperature)...(2) Note that (2) is the case where the degradation factors are discharge current, charging current, upper voltage limit, and temperature, but it can also be applied to other degradation factors.

[0069] An example of a degradation formula is shown below.

[0070] ΔQ=100- ast×day - acyc×day ···(3) (day: number of days, ast: storage degradation coefficient, acyc: cycle degradation coefficient) Furthermore, ast and acyc are represented by equations consisting of a constant and a variable, the degradation factor.

[0071] Furthermore, the formula for the case where storage degradation is excluded from cycle degradation can be shown by formula (4).

[0072] ΔQ = 100 - acyc × day ···(4) It is also possible to convert the number of days into the number of cycles and use that information.

[0073] Next, the degradation suppression control process will be explained using Figures 8 and 9.

[0074] Figure 8 is a flowchart of degradation suppression control using the degradation formula according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a conceptual diagram of degradation suppression control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Figure 9 illustrates the specific method of the flowchart in Figure 8 for the past, present, and future. Note that Figure 9 is shown as an example with the horizontal axis representing the number of cycles. In practice, the cycle count is 1 in the past, 10 in the present, and 20 in the future. Furthermore, if degradation is expected not only from cycles but also from storage, the contribution of storage degradation can be added to the degradation formula. Note that the number of cycles and days can be calculated based on the time required for each cycle and converted to days. The target degradation curve shown by the dashed line in Figure 9 indicates the target value of the capacity retention rate (SOHQ) at the number of cycles on the horizontal axis. In Figure 9, the detected value of the capacity retention rate (SOHQ) at the 10th cycle is significantly below the target value. Therefore, degradation suppression control is implemented to limit the degradation factors of the secondary battery (maximum charge limit, charging current, discharging current, temperature) so that the detected value of the capacity retention rate (SOHQ) approaches the target value at the 20th cycle in the future.

[0076] In Figure 8, the deterioration determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 acquires operating information from the memory unit 300 (step S801).

[0077] The degradation suppression control unit 280 of the main control unit 200 calculates the capacity retention rate SOHQ from the past to the present using a degradation formula (step S802). Step S802 corresponds to the process of calculation using the degradation factors stored in the memory unit 300 from the past to the present in Figure 9.

[0078] The degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 compares the detected value of the capacity maintenance rate SOHQ with the past and present capacity maintenance rate SOHQ calculated by the degradation suppression control unit 280, and sets a target value for the next target capacity maintenance rate SOHQ (step S803). If there is no difference between the detected value of the capacity maintenance rate SOHQ and the calculated capacity maintenance rate SOHQ as a result of the comparison, it is fine as is, but if there is a difference, the future target degradation curve value in Figure 9 is corrected.

[0079] Next, the deterioration determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 selects candidate deterioration suppression factors from the operating information (step S804). The factors to be suppressed are not limited to one, but may be multiple.

[0080] Next, the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 uses the degradation formula and the selected degradation suppression factor as a parameter to calculate the value that will result in the target degradation curve in a predetermined cycle (step S805).

[0081] Next, the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 determines whether the detected value of the capacity retention rate SOHQ has reached the target value of the target degradation curve (step S806).

[0082] If the detected value of the capacity retention rate SOHQ reaches the target value of the target degradation curve (YES in step S806), the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 starts suppression control operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 with suppressed parameters (step S807). After that, the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 terminates the process.

[0083] If the detected value of the capacity retention rate SOHQ has not reached the target value of the target degradation curve (NO in step S806), the degradation determination unit 240 of the main control unit 200 returns to step S804, raises the limit priority in the parameter table by one, and recalculates in step S805 to check whether the target has been reached.

[0084] In a vacuum cleaner equipped with a rechargeable battery, multiple rechargeable battery packs 3 are available, and if the charge capacity of a rechargeable battery decreases during cleaning, it may be possible to continue cleaning by replacing it with another rechargeable battery pack 3. The degree of degradation of the rechargeable battery pack 3 varies depending on the usage conditions, charge state, and start date of use. When replacing the rechargeable battery pack 3 being used with another rechargeable battery pack 3 that has a different degree of degradation during cleaning, it is not possible to perform discharge control according to the degradation level of the replaced rechargeable battery pack 3. In this embodiment, discharge control according to the degradation level of the rechargeable battery pack 3 is controlled based on a degradation formula. When replacing the rechargeable battery pack 3 being used with another rechargeable battery pack 3 that has a different degree of degradation, it is desirable to correct the degradation formula.

[0085] In this embodiment, the information for the base degradation formula is stored in the memory unit 300 shown in Figure 6, and the degradation formula calculation is performed by the degradation suppression control unit 280. In this embodiment, when correcting the degradation formula, the degradation suppression control unit 280 corrects the base degradation formula using the information for the base degradation formula and the cleaning history information stored in the memory unit 300, and creates a degradation formula for the replaced secondary battery (new secondary battery). The corrected degradation formula information for the replaced secondary battery (new secondary battery) is also stored in the memory unit 300.

[0086] The following explains how to correct the base degradation formula. In the base degradation formula, the secondary battery currently in use is denoted as secondary battery 1, and the replaced secondary battery (another secondary battery) is denoted as secondary battery 2.

[0087] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the correction method for the degradation formula. The degradation suppression control unit 280 of the main control unit 200 calculates the capacity retention rate SOHQ from the past to the present using the degradation formula. The degradation determination unit 240 also performs degradation suppression control (step S1001). This step S1001 corresponds to the process shown in the flowchart of Figure 8.

[0088] When the user replaces secondary battery 1 with secondary battery 2, the degradation suppression control unit 280 checks for a difference of a predetermined amount or more between the calculated capacity retention rate SOHQ and the detected capacity retention rate SOHQ, or the difference between the capacity retention rate SOHQ stored in the memory and the calculated capacity retention rate SOHQ, and detects that secondary battery 1 has been replaced with secondary battery 2 based on the difference between the two (step S1002).

[0089] Normally, if secondary battery 1 is not replaced with secondary battery 2, the calculated capacity retention rate (SOHQ) and the detected capacity retention rate (SOHQ) will be the same. However, if secondary battery 1 is replaced with secondary battery 2, the calculated capacity retention rate (SOHQ) is calculated using the degradation formula for secondary battery 1, and the detected capacity retention rate (SOHQ) is the value for secondary battery 2, resulting in a difference between the two. Therefore, the degradation suppression control unit 280 detects if this difference is greater than a predetermined value, determines that secondary battery 1 has been replaced with secondary battery 2, and recognizes the need to create a degradation formula for secondary battery 2.

[0090] Regarding the predetermined difference, even when using secondary battery 1, there may be an error between the detected capacity retention rate SOHQ and the capacity retention rate SOHQ calculated by degradation formula 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the predetermined difference can be arbitrarily set taking this error into consideration. The absolute value may be used for the predetermined difference.

[0091] Next, the degradation suppression control unit 280 corrects the degradation formula for secondary battery 1 to create a degradation formula for secondary battery 2. In correcting the degradation formula, the daily charge / discharge amounts of secondary battery 1 and secondary battery 2, which are history information stored in the memory unit 300, and the usage history of secondary battery 2 are used to correct the degradation formula for secondary battery 1 and create a degradation formula for secondary battery 2.

[0092] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing a method for correcting the degradation formula of secondary battery 1 and creating the degradation formula of secondary battery 2.

[0093] The degradation formula for secondary battery 1 is the aforementioned formula (4). The correction of the degradation formula for secondary battery 1 is carried out in two stages: correction 1 and correction 2.

[0094] First, the SOC / SOHQ detection unit 210 of the main control unit 200 detects the daily charge / discharge amount (denoted as β) of the secondary battery 2 and stores it in the vacuum cleaner's memory unit 300 via the operation information collection and analysis unit 220.

[0095] Furthermore, the degradation suppression control unit 280 calculates the ratio (β / α) of the daily charge / discharge amount of secondary battery 1 (α) to the daily charge / discharge amount of secondary battery 2 (β), and uses this as a correction coefficient to correct equation (4), resulting in equation (5). This equation (5) is designated as the corrected degradation equation 1.

[0096] ΔQ=100-(β / α)× acyc×day ···(5) Next, the degradation suppression control unit 280 adds the usage history information of the secondary battery 2 stored in the memory unit 300 (discharge current I of the secondary battery 2 for each charge / discharge cycle) to acyc of the corrected degradation equation (5) dis , charging current I cha , upper limit voltage V max , battery surface temperature T S Input the temperature (°C) and calculate the volume retention rate (SOHQ). Then, compare the calculated volume retention rate (SOHQ) with the detected volume retention rate (SOHQ). If there is a difference between the two, determine the correction coefficient γ so that the error between the correction 1 degradation formula and the detected volume retention rate (SOHQ) is minimized.

[0097] The corrected degradation formula 2, obtained by correcting the corrected degradation formula 1, is represented by formula (6). The corrected degradation formula 2 becomes the new degradation formula for the secondary battery 2, and the degradation determination unit 240 uses the corrected degradation formula 2 to perform degradation suppression control.

[0098] ΔQ=100-γ×(β / α)× acyc×day ···(6) Furthermore, correcting degradation formula 1 requires usage history information for secondary battery 2. While the history information for secondary battery 2 is being acquired, degradation suppression operation by the degradation determination unit 240 cannot be performed, which may cause discomfort to the user. Therefore, it is advisable to notify the user as shown in Figure 12. Figure 12 is an example of the display unit of a vacuum cleaner. In Figure 12, the display unit shows "Degradation suppression control selected" when degradation suppression control is selected, and "Usage history information being stored" when the secondary battery is being replaced from secondary battery 1 to secondary battery 2 and the usage history information for secondary battery 2 is being acquired and stored in the memory unit 300. By notifying the user in this way, discomfort can be reduced.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, degradation formula 1 for secondary battery 1 is corrected to create degradation formula 2 for secondary battery 2. For the correction, a correction coefficient is calculated based on the usage history information of secondary battery 2, and degradation formula 1 is corrected. However, the accuracy of degradation formula 2 is improved by obtaining the correction coefficient from multiple usage history information sources, averaging them, and using the averaged correction coefficient. Therefore, the accuracy of the correction formula can be improved by collecting usage history information for each unit cycle, for example every 100 cycles, calculating the correction coefficient for each unit cycle, and averaging the correction coefficients for all unit cycles.

[0100] Furthermore, it is possible to collect usage history information via a network, process it in a data center to calculate a correction factor, receive this correction factor information in the main control unit, and use it as the degradation formula for the secondary battery 2. One specific example of a network is the internet.

[0101] As explained above, according to this embodiment, even when secondary battery 1 is replaced with secondary battery 2, the degradation formula for secondary battery 1 is corrected to create the degradation formula for secondary battery 2, so that control corresponding to the replaced secondary battery 2 becomes possible.

[0102] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are included. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of explaining the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0103] 1...Vacuum cleaner body, 2...Dust case, 2a...Storage section, 2b...Inlet, 2c...Lid, 2d...Hinge section, 2e...Lid locking mechanism, 2s...Cleaning brush, 3...Secondary battery pack, 3a...Case, 3b...Terminal section, 3c...Slide groove, 3d...Slide rail, 3e...Inlet hole, 3f...Discharge hole, 3g...Locking recess, 5...Information terminal device, 10...Main body section, 10a...Connection port, 10b...Matching groove, 10c...Light-emitting element, 11...Motor case section, 11a...Suction port, 12...Handle section, 13...Locking member, 14...Inlet tube, 16...Exhaust port, 16a...Slit, 16b...Cover member, 17...Main body terminal section, 18...Release button, 70a...Charging stand, 70b...Charging stand, 71...Base Component, 71a... Mounting surface, 71b... Extension part, 72... Stand member, 73... Holder member, 90... Airtight sealing member, 90s... Brush part, 91... Cylindrical body, 91a... Elastic part, 91b... Connection part, 100... Vacuum cleaner, 110... Crevice suction nozzle, 121... Operation unit, 122... Battery indicator unit, 123... Clogging indicator unit, 124... Button, 124a... Button, 125... Button, 126... Button, 150... Extension tube, 160... Standard suction nozzle, 200... Main unit control unit, 210... SOC / SOHQ detection unit, 220... Operation information collection and analysis unit, 230... Time and storage temperature management unit, 240... Deterioration judgment unit, 280... Deterioration suppression control unit, 300... Memory unit, 400... Higher-level control unit, 500... Real time clock, 600... Thermometer

Claims

1. In an electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner body having an electric blower and a main unit control; a secondary battery pack having a secondary battery that is detachably connected to the vacuum cleaner body and supplies power to the electric blower; and a memory unit that stores information about the secondary battery, The main control unit is, A degradation state detection unit detects the degradation state of the secondary battery based on the voltage, current, and surface temperature of the secondary battery, The operation information collection and analysis unit collects the detected value detected by the deterioration state detection unit and the usage history information of the secondary battery, and stores them in the memory unit. A degradation suppression control unit that creates a degradation formula for the secondary battery based on the usage history information of the secondary battery stored in the memory unit, The system includes a degradation determination unit that compares a target value for the degradation state of the secondary battery stored in the memory unit with a detected value detected by the degradation state detection unit, determines whether or not to perform degradation suppression operation, and, if degradation suppression operation is to be performed, executes degradation suppression control based on the degradation formula of the secondary battery created by the degradation suppression control unit, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the degradation suppression control unit compares the calculated degradation state of the secondary battery with the detected degradation state of the secondary battery to detect when the secondary battery has been replaced with another secondary battery, and corrects the degradation formula of the secondary battery when it has been replaced with another secondary battery.

2. In the vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the degradation state of the secondary battery is the capacity retention rate of the secondary battery.

3. In the vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the degradation suppression control unit detects that the secondary battery has been replaced with another secondary battery when it detects that the difference between the calculated capacity retention rate of the secondary battery and the detected capacity retention rate of the secondary battery is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

4. In the vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the degradation suppression control unit calculates the ratio of the daily charge / discharge amount of the secondary battery to the daily charge / discharge amount of the other secondary battery and corrects the degradation formula of the secondary battery.

5. In claim 4, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the degradation suppression control unit further corrects the correction result of the degradation formula of the secondary battery based on the specification history information of the other secondary battery, and sets it as the degradation formula of the other secondary battery.

6. In the vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the usage history information of the aforementioned secondary battery and the usage history information of the aforementioned other secondary battery are discharge current, charging current, upper limit voltage, and battery surface temperature.

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