Cleaner for reducing inrush current and method for reducing inrush current of cleaner

Abstract

Disclosed is a cleaner comprising: a voltage-sensing circuit for measuring the voltage supplied from a battery to the brush device; an inrush current-reducing circuit which comprises a resistor for reducing the inrush current that is generated when charging a capacitor and a switch element used to control the inrush current; and a brush device including a processor that turns off the switch element in the inrush current-reducing circuit on the basis of the rate of decrease of the voltage measured by the voltage-sensing circuit being equal to or greater than a reference rate.

Description

Vacuum cleaner for reducing inrush current and method for reducing inrush current of vacuum cleaner

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleaner for reducing inrush current and a method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner.

[0002] A cordless vacuum cleaner is a type of vacuum cleaner that recharges its built-in battery without the need for a corded outlet. Cordless vacuum cleaners incorporate a suction motor that generates suction. The suction generated by the motor draws in dust and other foreign substances along with the air through the vacuum head (brush), separating these foreign substances from the air and collecting them.

[0003] Recently, the types of vacuum cleaner heads (brushes) that attach to the main body of cordless vacuum cleaners have become increasingly diverse. Cordless vacuum cleaner brushes can be broadly divided into main brushes, used for floor cleaning, and auxiliary brushes for specialized purposes. To accommodate a wider range of cleaning environments, these auxiliary brushes are becoming more specialized. Each brush has a different mechanical structure and motor specifications (power consumption, shape, etc.). Users can attach or detach various types of brushes to the main body or pipes depending on the cleaning purpose or environment.

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a cleaner may include a cleaner body including a battery; and a brush device connected directly to the cleaner body or through an extension tube. The brush device may include a voltage detection circuit for measuring a voltage supplied from the battery to the brush device; a capacitor charged using the voltage supplied from the battery to the brush device; an inrush current reduction circuit including a resistor for reducing an inrush current generated when charging the capacitor and a switch element used to control the inrush current; and a processor for turning off the switch element included in the inrush current reduction circuit when a rate of decline of the voltage measured by the voltage detection circuit is equal to or greater than a reference rate.

[0005] A method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include: an operation in which a processor of a brush device measures a voltage supplied from a battery to the brush device through a voltage detection circuit; an operation in which the processor of the brush device determines whether a rate of decline of the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit is greater than or equal to a reference rate; and an operation in which the processor of the brush device turns off a switch element included in a rate of decline of the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit based on the rate of decline being greater than or equal to the reference rate.

[0006] The above-described embodiments and other embodiments, advantages and features of the present disclosure will become more apparent when embodiments of the present disclosure are described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a vacuum cleaner for reducing inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining the function of a vacuum cleaner body according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of processors of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining a brush device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining an operation of detecting a type of brush device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining the identification resistance of a brush device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 7A is a block diagram illustrating the function of a vacuum cleaner for signal line communication according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 7b is a block diagram illustrating the function of a vacuum cleaner including an extension tube according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 7c is a diagram for explaining a circuit for signal line communication of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a power circuit of a brush device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of turning on a switch element included in an inrush current reduction circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit and a voltage detection circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 12 is a drawing for explaining the inrush current reduction effect according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 18 is a flowchart for explaining a method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 19 is a flowchart for explaining a method for switching the operation mode of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 20 is a drawing for explaining a brush mode and a handy mode according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] The terms used in this disclosure will be briefly explained, and one embodiment of the present disclosure will be specifically described.

[0030] The terms used in this disclosure are selected from widely used, current terms, taking into account the functions of one embodiment of the disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in such cases, their meanings will be described in detail in the description of the relevant embodiments of the disclosure. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should not be defined simply as names of terms, but rather based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the disclosure.

[0031] In this disclosure, the expression “at least one of a, b or c” may refer to “a”, “b”, “c”, “a and b”, “a and c”, “b and c”, “all of a, b and c”, or variations thereof.

[0032] Throughout this disclosure, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components may be included, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, terms such as "part," "module," etc., used in this disclosure refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and "part" and "module" may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software.

[0033] Below, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present disclosure. However, one embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In addition, in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted to clearly describe one embodiment of the present disclosure, and similar parts are designated with similar drawing reference numerals throughout the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining a vacuum cleaner for reducing inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Although a cordless vacuum cleaner (100) is used as an example in FIG. 1, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, one embodiment of the present disclosure can also be applied to a robot vacuum cleaner.

[0036] A cordless vacuum cleaner (100) may refer to a vacuum cleaner that has a built-in rechargeable battery and does not need to connect a power cord to an outlet during cleaning. The cordless vacuum cleaner (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be a stick-type vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner body (1000), a brush device (2000), and an extension tube (3000). However, not all of the components illustrated in FIG. 1 are essential components. The cordless vacuum cleaner (100) may be implemented with more components than those illustrated in FIG. 1, or may be implemented with fewer components. For example, the cordless vacuum cleaner (100) may be implemented with a vacuum cleaner body (1000) and a brush device (2000), excluding the extension tube (3000). In addition, the cordless vacuum cleaner (100) may further include a station (not illustrated) for dust discharge and battery charging of the vacuum cleaner body (1000).

[0037] The vacuum cleaner body (1000) may include a suction motor that forms a vacuum inside the cordless vacuum cleaner (100), a dust collector (dust bin) that receives foreign substances sucked from a surface to be cleaned (e.g., a floor, bedding, a sofa, etc.), and a handle that a user can hold and move while cleaning.

[0038] The cleaner body (1000) may have a mounting portion on which an extension pipe (3000) or a brush device (2000) is mounted. The extension pipe (3000) may be formed as a pipe or a flexible hose having a predetermined rigidity. The brush device (2000) may be detachably connected to one end of the extension pipe (3000). The other end of the extension pipe (3000) may be detachably connected to the extension pipe mounting portion of the cleaner body (1000). The extension pipe (3000) may transmit suction force generated by the suction motor of the cleaner body (1000) to the brush device (2000) and move air and foreign substances sucked through the brush device (2000) to the cleaner body (1000). The extension pipe (3000) may be formed in multiple stages between the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000). There may be two or more extension tubes (3000).

[0039] The brush device (2000) connected to the vacuum cleaner body (1000) or the extension tube (3000) is a device that can come into close contact with the surface to be cleaned and suck up air and foreign substances from the surface to be cleaned. The brush device (2000) may also be expressed as a vacuum cleaner head. The brush device (2000) may be rotatably coupled to the extension tube (3000). The brush device (2000) may include, but is not limited to, a motor, a drum having a rotating brush, etc. The brush device (2000) may have various types. For example, the brush device (2000) may be classified into, but is not limited to, a general brush (floor brush), a carpet brush, a bedding brush, a pet brush, a mop brush, a multi-brush (a brush that can be used on both carpets and floors), etc., depending on the intended use. The maximum motor output may vary depending on the type of the brush device (2000), and different electrical inputs may be required depending on the characteristics of each intended use. Hereinafter, an example is described in which the brush device (2000) is a multi-brush including a circuit for driving a motor, but is not limited thereto.

[0040] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the cleaner body (1000), the brush device (2000), and the extension tube (3000) included in the cordless cleaner (100) may include a power line (e.g., a + power line, a - power line) and a signal line. The power line may be a line for transmitting power supplied from a battery (1500) to the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000) connected to the cleaner body (1000). The signal line is different from the power line and may be a line for transmitting and receiving signals between the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000). The signal line may be implemented to be connected to the power line within the brush device (2000).

[0041] Referring to FIG. 1, a momentary shock may be applied to the cordless vacuum cleaner (100) during cleaning. At this time, the connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be momentarily detached from the connection portion of the extension tube (3000) and then reattached, or the connection portion of the vacuum cleaner body (1000) may be momentarily detached from the connection portion of the extension tube (3000) and then reattached. Hereinafter, this phenomenon may be expressed as hot swapping or chattering.

[0042] If the connection part of the brush device (2000) is momentarily disconnected from the connection part of the extension tube (3000) (or if the connection part of the cleaner body (1000) is momentarily disconnected from the connection part of the extension tube (3000), the power supply to the brush device (2000) is interrupted, so that the capacitor (2470) included in the brush device (2000) may be rapidly discharged. The capacitor (2470) may be expressed as an electrolytic capacitor, an electrolytic capacitor, or a first capacitor. The electrolytic capacitor may be a small, large-capacity capacitor used to remove ripple current remaining in the DC voltage when applying a smoothing circuit or bias to a power supply for an electronic circuit. In particular, if the brush device (2000) is a multi-brush that can be used for both floors and carpets, the driving load is large, so that the capacitor (2470) may be quickly discharged in a short period of time. When the capacitor (2470) is discharged, the operation of the brush device (2000) may stop. Meanwhile, when the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the connection portion of the extension tube (3000) and then reattached (or when the connection portion of the cleaner body (1000) is momentarily detached from the connection portion of the extension tube (3000) and then reattached), the inrush current from the cleaner body (1000) to the brush device (2000) may significantly increase as the discharged capacitor (2470) is charged. The inrush current may be the maximum instantaneous pressure current that flows temporarily. For example, the inrush current may mean a current that flows excessively when the capacitor stores energy.

[0043] Referring to the first image (110) of FIG. 1, at time T0, an impact occurs to the cordless vacuum cleaner (100), and the brush device (2000) may be detached from the extension tube (3000) or the vacuum cleaner body (1000) instantaneously. At this time, the voltage supplied to the brush device (2000) may rapidly decrease (refer to the brush supply voltage waveform (101)), the current supplied to the brush device (2000) may also rapidly decrease (refer to the brush supply current waveform (102)), and the capacitor (2470) may be discharged.

[0044] Referring to the second image (120) of FIG. 1, when the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) and then reattached, the voltage supplied to the brush device (2000) increases (see brush supply voltage waveform (101-1)), and as the capacitor (2470) is charged, a large inrush current may occur (see brush supply current waveform (102-1)). For example, the inrush current may be up to 56.9 A.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaner body (1000) monitors the operating current of the brush device (2000), and if a current exceeding a threshold value (e.g., 4.9 A) flows in the brush device (2000), the power supply to the brush device (2000) may be cut off to protect the brush device (2000). Accordingly, if a large inrush current occurs in the brush device (2000), the power supply to the brush device (2000) may be cut off, causing the operation of the brush device (2000) to stop. If the operation of the cordless cleaner (100) stops, the user must turn off the power of the cleaner body (1000) and then turn it back on to operate the brush device (2000) in order to resume the operation of the cordless cleaner (100), which may reduce usability.

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, due to the characteristics of the brush device (2000), depending on the floor conditions (e.g., carpet hair length, density, carpet / floor boundary, threshold, obstacle, etc.) or usage conditions (e.g., brush forward, backward, etc.), large and small shocks may be transmitted to the brush device (2000), the cleaner body (1000), the extension tube (3000), etc., which may lead to chattering of the connection portions and cause the operation of the brush device (2000) to stop. In particular, when the cordless cleaner (100) is used for a long time, the play in the connection portion between the cleaner body (1000) and the extension tube (3000), or the connection portion between the brush device (2000) and the extension tube (3000), or the connection portion between the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000) may increase due to mechanical wear. In this case, the chattering phenomenon in which the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the cleaner body (1000) or the extension tube (3000) and then reattached occurs more frequently, which increases the inrush current and frequently causes the brush device (2000) to stop operating. If the brush device (2000) frequently stops operating during the cleaning operation, the usability of the cleaner is reduced. In addition, if the phenomenon of the brush device (2000) stopping continues or is repeated, it may lead to a breakdown or damage to the product. For example, the switch element (e.g., FET) for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control inside the cleaner body (1000) may be damaged, or the power supply or motor control circuit inside the brush device (2000) may be damaged.

[0047] Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to prevent frequent operation stoppage and product failure of the brush device (2000) due to inrush current, the brush device (2000) may include a processor (2410), an inrush current reduction circuit (2450), and a voltage detection circuit (2460). For example, the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may identify that the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) based on the battery supply voltage detected through the voltage detection circuit (2460). When the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000), the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may turn off the switch element included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450). When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is reattached to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) while the switch element included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) is turned off (when power is supplied to the brush device (2000) again), the supply current may flow through the resistor for reducing the inrush current instead of the switch element of the inrush current reduction circuit (2450). Since the capacitor (2470) may be charged or discharged while the current flows through the resistor included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450), the inrush current may be significantly reduced. A method for reducing the inrush current of a cleaner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 9.

[0048] Below, the configuration of the vacuum cleaner body (1000) will be examined in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining the function of a vacuum cleaner body (1000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 2, the cleaner body (1000) may include a suction force generating device (hereinafter referred to as a motor assembly (1100)) that generates suction force required to suck up foreign substances on a surface to be cleaned, a dust collector (1200, also referred to as a dust container) that receives foreign substances sucked up from the surface to be cleaned, a filter unit (1300), a pressure sensor (1400), a battery (1500) that can supply power to the motor assembly (1100), a communication interface (1600), a user interface (1700), a main processor (1800), and a memory (1900). However, not all of the components illustrated in FIG. 2 are essential components. The cleaner body (1000) may be implemented with more components than the components illustrated in FIG. 2, or may be implemented with fewer components. For example, the cleaner body (1000) may further include a motion sensor (not illustrated).

[0051] Let's take a look at each component below.

[0052] The motor assembly (1100) may include a suction motor (1110) that converts electrical power into mechanical rotational power, an impeller (1120) that is connected to the suction motor (1110) and rotates, and a printed circuit board (PCB) (1130) that is connected to the suction motor (1110). The suction motor (1110) and the impeller (1120) that is connected to the suction motor (1110) and rotates may create a vacuum inside the cleaner. Here, the vacuum means a state lower than atmospheric pressure. The suction motor (1110) may include, but is not limited to, a brushless motor (hereinafter, referred to as a BLDC (Brushless Direct Current) motor).

[0053] The printed circuit board (1130) may include, but is not limited to, a processor (hereinafter referred to as a first processor (1131)) that controls the suction motor (1110) and controls communication with the brush device (2000), a first switch element (1132) connected to a signal line, a switch element (1133) (hereinafter referred to as a PWM control switch element) used to supply power to the brush device (2000), a load detection sensor (1134) that detects the load of the brush device (2000), and a moisture detection circuit (1135) for detecting moisture flowing into the cleaner body (1000) through the path. The PWM control switch element (1133) may include, but is not limited to, a FET (Field Effect Transistor), a BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor), an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), or the like. The load detection sensor (1134) may include a shunt resistor, a shunt resistor and an amplifier circuit (OP-AMP), a current detection sensor, a magnetic field detection sensor (non-contact type), etc. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, an FET will be described as an example of a PWM control switch element (1133), and a shunt resistor will be described as an example of a load detection sensor (1134). The moisture detection circuit (1135) may include a portion that is open when no liquid flows in and forms resistance according to the flow of liquid. The moisture detection circuit (1135) may include a voltage distribution circuit. The moisture detection circuit (1135) may be located between the + terminal and the - terminal that electrically connect the motor assembly (1100) and the battery (1500). The moisture detection circuit (1135) may be connected to the input port of the first processor (1131) and the + power line that receives power from the battery (1500), but is not limited thereto.

[0054] The motor assembly (1100) may have an inverted motor structure in which the positions of the impeller (1120) and the PCB (1130) are inverted. In the inverted motor structure, the PCB (1130) may be positioned lower than the suction motor (1110) and the impeller (1120) may be positioned higher than the suction motor (1110) based on the air flow direction. Accordingly, the impeller (1120) may be positioned closer to the filter unit (1300) than the PCB (1130).

[0055] The first processor (1131) can obtain data related to the status of the suction motor (1110) (hereinafter referred to as status data) and data on moisture inflow, and transmit the status data of the suction motor (1110) and data on moisture inflow to the main processor (1800). In addition, the first processor (1131) can control the operation of the first switch element (1132) connected to the signal line (e.g., turn on or turn off) to transmit a signal (hereinafter referred to as the first signal) to the brush device (2000) through the signal line. The first switch element (1132) is an element that can make the status of the signal line Low. For example, the first switch element (1132) is an element that can make the voltage of the signal line 0 V. The first signal may include data representing at least one of a target rotational speed per minute (hereinafter, also referred to as target drum RPM) of the brush device (2000), a target trip level of the brush device (2000), or power consumption of the suction motor (1110), but is not limited thereto. For example, the first signal may include data for controlling a lighting device included in the brush device (2000). The first signal may be implemented with a preset number of bits. For example, the first signal may be implemented with 5 bits, 8 bits, and may have a transmission cycle of 10 ms per bit, but is not limited thereto.

[0056] The first processor (1131) can detect a signal (hereinafter referred to as a second signal) transmitted from the brush device (2000) through a signal line. The second signal may include data indicating a current state of the brush device (2000), but is not limited thereto. For example, the second signal may include data regarding a current operating condition (e.g., current drum RPM, current restraint level, current lighting device setting value, etc.). In addition, the second signal may further include data indicating a type of the brush device (2000). The first processor (1311) can transmit data indicating a current state of the brush device (2000) or data indicating a type of the brush device (2000) included in the second signal to the main processor (1800).

[0057] The motor assembly (1100) may be located within a dust collector (dust collector, 1200). The dust collector (1200) may be configured to filter and collect dust or dirt in the air drawn in through a brush device (2000). The dust collector (1200) may be configured to be detachable from the vacuum cleaner body (1000).

[0058] The dust collector (1200) can collect foreign substances through a cyclone method that separates foreign substances using centrifugal force. The air from which foreign substances have been removed through the cyclone method can be discharged to the outside of the vacuum cleaner body (1000), and the foreign substances can be stored in the dust collector (1200). A multi-cyclone can be arranged inside the dust collector (1200). The dust collector (1200) can be arranged so that foreign substances are collected toward the lower side of the multi-cyclone. The dust collector (1200) can include a dust collector door (also referred to as a cover of the dust collector (1200)) that is arranged so that the dust collector (1200) can be opened when connected to a station. The dust collector (1200) can include a first dust collector where relatively large foreign substances are primarily collected and a second dust collector where relatively small foreign substances are collected by the multi-cyclone. Both the first dust collection unit and the second dust collection unit can be arranged to be open to the outside when the dust collection box door is opened.

[0059] The filter unit (1300) can filter ultrafine dust, etc., that is not filtered out by the dust collector (1200). The filter unit (1300) can include an outlet that allows air that has passed through the filter unit (1300) to be discharged to the outside of the vacuum cleaner. The filter unit (1300) can include a motor filter, a HEPA filter, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0060] The pressure sensor (1400) can measure the pressure inside the flow path (hereinafter, also referred to as flow path pressure). In the case of a pressure sensor (1400) provided at a suction end (e.g., suction duct (40)), the static pressure can be measured to measure the change in flow rate at the corresponding location. The pressure sensor (1400) may be an absolute pressure sensor or a relative pressure sensor. When the pressure sensor (1400) is an absolute pressure sensor, the main processor (1800) can sense a first pressure value before operating the suction motor (1110) using the pressure sensor (1400). In addition, the main processor (1800) can sense a second pressure value after operating the suction motor (1110) at a target RPM, and use the difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value as the pressure value inside the flow path. At this time, the first pressure value may be a pressure value due to internal / external influences such as weather, altitude, vacuum cleaner status, and dust inflow, and the second pressure value may be a pressure value due to internal / external influences such as altitude, vacuum cleaner status, and dust inflow and a pressure value due to the operation of the suction motor (1110), and the difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value may be a pressure value due to the operation of the suction motor (1110). Therefore, when the difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value is used as the pressure value inside the passage, internal / external influences other than the suction motor (1110) can be minimized.

[0061] The euro pressure measured by the pressure sensor (1400) can be used to identify the current usage environment status of the brush device (2000) (e.g., the status of the surface to be cleaned (floor, carpet, mat, corner, etc.), the state of being lifted from the surface to be cleaned, etc.), and can also be used to measure the suction power that changes depending on the degree of contamination of the dust collector (1200) or the degree of dust collection.

[0062] The pressure sensor (1400) may be located at the suction end (e.g., suction duct (40)). The suction duct (40) may be a structure that connects the dust collector (1200) and the extension pipe (3000) or the dust collector (1200) and the brush device (2000) to allow a fluid containing foreign substances to move to the dust collector (1200). The pressure sensor (1400) may be located at the end of the straight portion of the suction duct (40) (or the inflection point between the straight portion and the curved portion) in consideration of contamination by foreign substances / dust, but is not limited thereto. The pressure sensor (1400) may also be located in the middle of the straight portion of the suction duct (40). Meanwhile, when the pressure sensor (1400) is located in the suction duct (40), the pressure sensor (1400) can be implemented as a negative pressure sensor because it is located in front of the suction motor (1110) that generates suction force.

[0063] In the present disclosure, the pressure sensor (1400) is described as an example in which it is located in the suction duct (40), but is not limited thereto. The pressure sensor (1400) may also be located in the discharge end (e.g., within the motor assembly (1100)). When the pressure sensor (1400) is located in the discharge end, the pressure sensor (1400) may be implemented as a positive pressure sensor because it is located at the rear end of the suction motor (1110). In addition, a plurality of pressure sensors (1400) may be provided within the cleaner.

[0064] The battery (1500) may be detachably mounted on the vacuum cleaner body (1000). The battery (1500) may be expressed as a battery pack or a battery module. The battery (1500) may be electrically connected to a charging terminal provided in the station. The battery (1500) may be charged by receiving power from the charging terminal. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery (1500) may control the voltage supplied to the vacuum cleaner body (1000) and may include a processor (e.g., a Micro-Computer, Microprocessor Computer, Microprocessor controller (MICOM)) for communicating with the main processor (1800). The battery (1500) may perform data communication with the main processor (1800). The battery (1500) may periodically transmit information regarding the battery charge status, output voltage, etc. to the main processor (1800).

[0065] The battery (1500) may include an LED display to indicate the charging, discharging, or status of the battery. For example, the LED display may display red, orange, or yellow depending on the charging rate, and green when charging is complete.

[0066] The communication interface (1600) may include a module for performing communication with an external device. For example, the cleaner body (1000) may perform communication with a station or server device through the communication interface (1600). The communication interface (1600) may include a short-range communication unit and a long-range communication unit, etc. The short-range wireless communication unit (short-range wireless communication interface) may include a Bluetooth communication unit, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication unit, a near field communication interface (NFC), a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication unit, a Zigbee communication unit, an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) communication unit, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication unit, an UWB (ultra wideband) communication unit, an ANT+ communication unit, etc., but is not limited thereto. The long-range communication unit may be used for the cleaner body (1000) to remotely communicate with a server device. The telecommunications unit may include the Internet, a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN), and a mobile communication unit. The mobile communication unit may include, but is not limited to, a 3G module, a 4G module, a 5G module, an LTE module, an NB-IoT module, an LTE-M module, and the like.

[0067] A user interface (1700) may be provided on the handle. The user interface (1700) may include an input interface and an output interface. The vacuum cleaner body (1000) may receive user input related to the operation of the vacuum cleaner through the user interface (1700) and output information related to the operation of the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner body (1000) may output information related to the operation status, information related to the remaining battery level, information related to the docking status, information related to the status of the dustbin (1200), information related to the status of the dust bag, information related to moisture inflow, etc. through the user interface (1700).

[0068] The input interface may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a motion input unit, a voice input unit (e.g., a microphone), or a manipulation input unit (e.g., a power button, a suction strength adjustment button). The output interface may include, but is not limited to, a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a touch screen, a speaker, or the like.

[0069] The vacuum cleaner body (1000) may include at least one processor. The vacuum cleaner body (1000) may include one processor or multiple processors. For example, the vacuum cleaner body (1000) may include a main processor (1800) connected to a user interface (1700) and a first processor (1131) connected to a suction motor (1110). The at least one processor may control the overall operation of the vacuum cleaner. For example, the at least one processor may determine the power consumption (suction force strength) of the suction motor (1110), the drum RPM of the brush device (2000), the trip level of the brush device (2000), etc.

[0070] At least one processor according to the present disclosure may include at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an APU (Accelerated Processing Unit), a MIC (Many Integrated Core), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). The at least one processor may be implemented in the form of an integrated system on a chip (SoC) including one or more electronic components. Each of the at least one processors may be implemented as separate hardware (H / W). The at least one processor may be expressed as a MICOM (Micro-Computer, Microprocessor Computer, Microprocessor controller), an MPU (Micro Processor unit), or an MCU (Micro Controller Unit).

[0071] At least one processor according to the present disclosure may be implemented as a single core processor or as a multicore processor.

[0072] The memory (1900) may store a program for processing and controlling at least one processor, and may store input / output data. For example, the memory (1900) may store a pre-learned artificial intelligence (AI) model (e.g., SVM (Support Vector Machine) algorithm, etc.), status data of the suction motor (1110), measurement values ​​of the pressure sensor (1400), status data of the battery (1500), status data of the brush device (2000), error occurrence data (failure history data), power consumption of the suction motor (1110) corresponding to the operating condition, RPM of the drum with the rotating brush, constraint level, operation sequence of the suction motor (1110) corresponding to the suction force generation pattern, type of the brush device (2000) corresponding to the voltage value input through the signal line, PWM frequency by type of the brush device (2000), average input voltage by type of the brush device (2000), high load reference value (low load reference value) by type of the brush device (2000), information on pre-defined movement patterns (user gestures) corresponding to multiple control commands, and moisture inside the vacuum cleaner body (1000). You can store information about inflow, etc.

[0073] The memory (1900) may include external memory and internal memory. For example, the memory (1900) may include at least one type of storage medium among a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read-Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. Programs stored in the memory (1900) may be classified into a plurality of modules according to their functions.

[0074] Below, the operation of the vacuum cleaner's processors will be examined in detail with reference to Fig. 3.

[0075] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of processors of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 3, the main processor (1800) can check the status of components within the vacuum cleaner by communicating with the battery (1500), the pressure sensor (1400), the motion sensor (not shown) (e.g., a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor), and the first processor (1131) within the motor assembly (1100). At this time, the main processor (1800) can periodically communicate with each component using universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART) communication or I2C (Inter Integrated Circuit) communication, but is not limited thereto. For example, the main processor (1800) can obtain data on the voltage status of the battery (e.g., normal, abnormal, fully charged, fully discharged, etc.) from the battery (1500) using UART. The main processor (1800) can obtain data on the euro pressure from the pressure sensor (1400) using I2C communication. The main processor (1800) can obtain angular velocity data from a gyro sensor (not shown) via UART communication, and can also obtain acceleration data from an acceleration sensor (not shown) via I2C communication.

[0077] In addition, the main processor (1800) can obtain data on the suction force, RPM of the suction motor (1110), and status (e.g., normal, abnormal, etc.) of the suction motor (1110) from the first processor (1131) connected to the suction motor (1110) using UART communication. The suction force is an electrical power consumed to operate the cordless vacuum cleaner (100) and may be expressed as power consumption. The main processor (1800) can also obtain data related to the load of the brush device (2000) and data related to the type of the brush device (2000) from the first processor (1131). The main processor (1800) can also obtain data on moisture inflow into the vacuum cleaner body (1000) from the first processor (1131).

[0078] Meanwhile, the first processor (1131) may obtain status data (e.g., drum RPM, trip level, normal, abnormal, etc.) of the brush device (2000) from the brush device (2000) through signal line communication with the processor of the brush device (2000) (hereinafter referred to as the second processor (2410)). At this time, the first processor (1131) may transmit the status data of the brush device (2000) to the main processor (1800) through UART communication. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first processor (1131) may transmit the status data of the suction motor (1110) and the status data of the brush device (2000) to the main processor (1800) at different cycles. For example, the first processor (1131) may transmit status data of the suction motor (1110) to the main processor (1800) once every 0.02 seconds and transmit status data of the brush device (2000) to the main processor (1800) once every 0.2 seconds, but is not limited thereto.

[0079] The main processor (1800) may determine whether an error has occurred based on the status of components within the wireless vacuum cleaner (100), the status of the suction motor (1110), and the status of the brush device (2000), and may periodically transmit data related to the occurrence of an error to the station device via short-range wireless communication (e.g., BLE communication).

[0080] When the first processor (1131) of the cleaner body (1000) and the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) are connected via UART communication or I2C communication, problems may arise, such as high impedance influence due to internal wires of the extension tube (3000), damage to circuit elements due to electrostatic discharge (ESD) and / or overvoltage (e.g., exceeding the maximum voltage of the Micom AD port). Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first processor (1131) of the cleaner body (1000) and the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may communicate via signal line communication instead of UART communication or I2C communication. At this time, the circuit for signal line communication may include a voltage distribution circuit (hereinafter referred to as a voltage divider) to prevent damage to circuit elements due to overvoltage, power noise, surge, electrostatic discharge (ESD), electrical overstress (EOS), etc. However, communication between the first processor (1131) of the cleaner body (1000) and the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) is not limited to signal line communication.

[0081] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a noise reduction circuit is applied to the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000), the first processor (1131) of the cleaner body (1000) and the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may communicate using UART communication or I2C communication. The noise reduction circuit may include at least one of a low pass filter, a high pass filter, a band pass filter, a damping resistor, and a distribution resistor, but is not limited thereto. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when a level shifter circuit is applied to the cleaner body (1000) or the brush device (2000), the first processor (1131) of the cleaner body (1000) and the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may communicate using UART communication or I2C communication. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the case where the vacuum cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000) communicate through signal line communication will be described as a main example.

[0082] Meanwhile, the main processor (1800) may receive user input for setting buttons (e.g., ON / OFF button, + / - setting button) included in the user interface (1700) and control the output of the LCD. The main processor (1800) may identify the usage environment state of the brush device (2000) (e.g., the state of the surface to be cleaned (floor, carpet, mat, corner), the state of being lifted from the surface to be cleaned, etc.) using a pre-learned AI model (e.g., SVM algorithm), and may determine the operation information of the cordless cleaner (100) that matches the usage environment state of the brush device (2000) (e.g., power consumption of the suction motor (1110), drum RPM, trip level, etc.). At this time, the main processor (1800) may transmit the operation information of the cordless cleaner (100) that matches the usage environment state of the brush device (2000) to the first processor (1131). The first processor (1131) can adjust the suction power (power consumption, RPM) of the suction motor (1110) according to the operation information of the cordless cleaner (100), and can also transmit the operation information of the cordless cleaner (100) that is suitable for the usage environment of the brush device (2000) to the second processor (2410) through signal line communication. In this case, the second processor (2410) can adjust the drum RPM, the restraint level, the lighting device (e.g., an LED display), etc. according to the operation information of the cordless cleaner (100).

[0083] Meanwhile, if the main processor (1800) determines that moisture has entered the vacuum cleaner body (1000) through the moisture detection circuit (1135), it can transmit a signal to the first processor (1131) to stop the operation of the suction motor (1110), thereby preventing damage to the circuit and insulation breakdown.

[0084] Below, with reference to FIG. 4, the brush device (2000) will be examined in detail.

[0085] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining a brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 4, the brush device (2000) may include, but is not limited to, a motor (2100), a drum (2200) having a rotating brush attached thereto, and a lighting device (2300). The motor (2100) of the brush device (2000) may be provided within the drum (2200) or may be provided outside the drum (2200). When the motor (2100) is provided outside the drum (2200), the drum (2200) may receive power from the motor (2100) via a belt.

[0087] Referring to 410 of FIG. 4, the motor (2100) may be a planetary geared motor. The planetary geared motor may be a DC motor with a planetary gear (2101) coupled thereto. The planetary gear (2101) is for controlling the RPM of the drum (2200) according to a gear ratio. In the case of the planetary geared motor, the RPM of the motor (2100) and the RPM of the drum (2200) may have a constant or variable ratio. Referring to 420 of FIG. 4, the motor (2100) may be a BLDC motor, but is not limited thereto. In the case of the BLDC motor, the RPM of the motor (2100) and the RPM of the drum (2200) may be the same.

[0088] The lighting device (2300) is provided on the front or top of the brush device (2000) to illuminate a dark surface to be cleaned, to facilitate identification of dust or foreign substances on the surface to be cleaned, or to indicate the status of the brush device (2000). The lighting device (2300) may include an LED display, but is not limited thereto. For example, the lighting device (2300) may be a laser. The lighting device (2300) may operate automatically as the motor (2100) is driven, or may operate under the control of the second processor (2410). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the color or brightness of the lighting device (2300) may be changed under the control of the second processor (2410).

[0089] Referring to 420 of FIG. 4, the brush device (2000) may further include a driving circuit (PCB) (2400). The driving circuit (2400) may include a second processor (2410), a power circuit (not shown), a motor control circuit (e.g., an inverter) (not shown), etc., and the power circuit may include, but is not limited to, an inrush current reduction circuit (2450), a voltage detection circuit (2460), and a capacitor (2470). The driving circuit (2400) may also include a circuit for signal line communication with the cleaner body (1000). For example, the driving circuit (2400) may include a switch element (hereinafter, also referred to as a second switch element) (not shown) connected to a signal line (30), an identification resistor (not shown) indicating the type of the brush device (2000), etc. The driving circuit (2400) will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 7A to 7C.

[0090] Meanwhile, the types of brush devices (2000) may vary. For example, the brush devices (2000) may include, but are not limited to, a multi-brush (401), a floor brush (402), a mop brush (403), a turbo (carpet) brush (404), a bedding brush (405), a crevice brush (not shown), a pet brush (not shown), etc.

[0091] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the type of brush device (2000) can be distinguished by an identification resistor included in the brush device (2000). An operation of the cleaner body (1000) identifying the type of brush device (2000) coupled to the cordless cleaner (100) will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0092] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining an operation of identifying the type of brush device (2000) in a vacuum cleaner body (1000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 5, the vacuum cleaner body (1000) may include a first processor (1131) and a load detection sensor (1134) (e.g., a shunt resistor), and the brush device (2000) may include an identification resistor (2500). The identification resistor (2500) may be located between the power lines (10, 20) and the signal line (30). The identification resistor (2500) indicates the type of the brush device (2000) and may be different for each type of the brush device (2000). For example, the identification resistance (2500) of the multi brush (401, see FIG. 4) may be 330 KΩ, the identification resistance (2500) of the floor brush (402, see FIG. 4) may be 2.2 MΩ, and the identification resistance (2500) of the turbo (carpet) brush (404, see FIG. 4) may be 910 KΩ, but is not limited thereto.

[0094] The first processor (1131) can detect whether the brush device (2000) is attached or detached using the load detection sensor (1134). For example, when the brush device (2000) is not attached to the cordless cleaner (100) (e.g., handy mode, which is a mode of the cleaner body (1000) being held by the user), the operating current of the brush device (2000) detected by the load detection sensor (1134) may be “0A” (zero). On the other hand, when the brush device (2000) is attached to the cordless cleaner (100) (e.g., brush mode), the operating current of the brush device (2000) detected by the load detection sensor (1134) may be 50 mA or more. Accordingly, the first processor (1131) can determine that the brush device (2000) is detached when the operating current of the brush device (2000) detected by the load detection sensor (1134) is 0A, and can determine that the brush device (2000) is coupled when the operating current of the brush device (2000) detected by the load detection sensor (1134) is 50mA or more. Meanwhile, the reference operating current value for determining that the brush device (2000) is coupled is not limited to 50mA and may be changed.

[0095] If it is determined that a brush device (2000) is coupled to a wireless cleaner (100), the first processor (1131) can identify the type of the brush device (2000) based on a voltage value input to an input port of the first processor (1131). For example, if the brush device (2000) includes an identification resistor A, and the driving circuit (1130) of the cleaner body (1000) includes a voltage divider (resistor B and resistor C) connected to a signal line (30), the voltage input to the input port of the first processor (1131) can be as follows.

[0096]

[0097] The voltage value input to the input port of the first processor (1131) may decrease as the value of the identification resistor (2500) increases. When the resistors B and C are constant, the voltage value input to the input port varies depending on the value of the identification resistor A, so the first processor (1131) can identify the type of the brush device (2000) corresponding to the identification resistor (2500) based on the voltage value input to the input port. Refer to FIG. 6.

[0098] FIG. 6 is a table for explaining the identification resistance (ID resistance) of a brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0099] Referring to table (600) of FIG. 6, the identification resistance of the multi brush (401) may be 330 KΩ, the identification resistance of the floor brush (402) may be 2.2 MΩ, and the identification resistance of the turbo (carpet) brush (404) may be 910 KΩ. If the voltage of the battery (1500) is 25.2 V, the voltage value input to the input port of the first processor (1131) when the multi brush (401) is combined with the cordless cleaner (100) may be 2.785 V, the voltage value input to the input port of the first processor (1131) when the floor brush (402) is combined with the cordless cleaner (100) may be 0.791 V, and the voltage value input to the input port of the first processor (1131) when the turbo (carpet) brush (404) is combined with the cordless cleaner (100) may be 1.563 V. Accordingly, the first processor (1131) determines that the brush device (2000) is coupled to the cordless vacuum cleaner (100), and when the voltage of the battery (1500) is 25.2 V, it can identify that the multi-brush (401) is coupled when the voltage value input to the input port is 2.785 V, identify that the floor brush (402) is coupled when the voltage value input to the input port is 0.791 V, and identify that the turbo (carpet) brush (404) is coupled when the voltage value input to the input port is 1.563 V.

[0100] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 7a and 7b, the configuration of a wireless vacuum cleaner (100) for signal line communication between the vacuum cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000) will be examined.

[0101] FIG. 7a is a block diagram for explaining the function of a wireless vacuum cleaner (100) for signal line communication according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0102] The driving circuit (1130) within the motor assembly (1100) for signal line communication may include, but is not limited to, a first processor (1131), an input circuit (1139), an output circuit (1136), a power circuit (1138), etc.

[0103] The input circuit (1139) is a circuit for identifying the type of the brush device (2000) through the identification resistor of the brush device (2000) or detecting (receiving) a second signal transmitted from the brush device (2000). The input circuit (1139) may include a voltage divider (1137) (hereinafter, also referred to as a first voltage divider). The voltage divider (1137) is for dividing a voltage input from the signal line (30) to the input port of the first processor (1131). When the input circuit (1139) includes the voltage divider (1137), even if a noise voltage is applied to the signal line (30), the noise voltage may also be distributed and input to the input port of the first processor (1131) (e.g., an AD port (Analog to Digital port, also referred to as an Analog to Digital converter (ADC))).

[0104] The output circuit (1136) is a circuit for transmitting a first signal to the brush device (2000). The output circuit (1136) may include a first switch element (1132). The first switch element (1132) may be a FET (Field Effect Transistor) or a BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor), and is an element that can make the voltage of the signal line (30) 0 V (GND, Low) through a switching operation.

[0105] The first processor (1131) can control the operation of the first switch element (1132) connected to the signal line (30) to transmit a first signal to the brush device (2000) through the signal line (30) and detect a second signal transmitted from the brush device (2000) through the signal line (30). The first processor (1131) can also control the brush device (2000) by transmitting the first signal through the output circuit (1136). For example, the first processor (1131) can transmit a first signal including data representing at least one of a target RPM of the drum (2200) of the brush device (2000), a target trip level of the brush device (2000), or power consumption of the suction motor (1110) to the brush device (2000), thereby controlling the drum RPM, trip level, etc. of the brush device (2000).

[0106] The power circuit (1138) is connected to the battery (1500) and may be a circuit for supplying power to the motor assembly (1100). The power circuit (1138) may be a step-down converter, for example, a DC / DC converter.

[0107] The driving circuit (2400) of the brush device (2000) for signal line communication may include, but is not limited to, a second processor (2410), an input circuit (2420), an output circuit (2430), a power circuit (2440), an identification resistor (2500), etc.

[0108] The input circuit (2420) is a circuit for detecting (receiving) a first signal transmitted from the vacuum cleaner body (1000). The input circuit (2420) may include a switch element (e.g., a PNP transistor, a P-channel FET, etc.), but is not limited thereto. The input circuit (2420) may also include a second voltage divider.

[0109] The output circuit (2430) is a circuit for transmitting a second signal to the vacuum cleaner body (1000). The output circuit (2430) may include a second switch element (2435). The second switch element (2435) may be a FET (Field Effect Transistor) or a BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor), and is an element that can make the voltage of the signal line (30) 0 V (GND, Low) through a switching operation.

[0110] The second processor (2410) controls the operation of the second switch element (2435) connected to the signal line (30) to transmit a second signal to the cleaner body (1000) through the signal line (30), and can detect the first signal transmitted from the cleaner body (1000) through the signal line (30). The second processor (2410) can adjust the RPM of the drum (2200) to a target RPM or adjust the restraint level to a target restraint level according to the first signal. In addition, the second processor (2410) can also control the output or brightness intensity of the lighting device (2300) based on the first signal when the first signal includes data for controlling the lighting device (2300, see FIG. 4) included in the brush device (2000). For example, when the second processor (2410) receives a first signal indicating that a problem has occurred in the vacuum cleaner body (1000), it can control the lighting device (2300) to change the color to indicate the problem in the vacuum cleaner body (1000). The second processor (2410) can also control the lighting device (2300) to output a color corresponding to the current usage environment state of the brush device (2000) (e.g., the state of the surface to be cleaned (floor, carpet, mat, corner, etc.), the state of being lifted from the surface to be cleaned, etc.). When the second processor (2410) detects that a foreign substance is stuck in the drum (2200), it can change the color of the lighting device (2300) to a predetermined color (e.g., red).

[0111] FIG. 7b is a block diagram for explaining the function of a cordless vacuum cleaner (100) including an extension tube (3000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0112] The driving circuit (1130) of the motor assembly (1100) illustrated in FIG. 7b may correspond to the driving circuit (1130) of the motor assembly (1100) illustrated in FIG. 7a, and the driving circuit (2400) of the brush device (2000) illustrated in FIG. 7b may correspond to the driving circuit (2400) illustrated in FIG. 7a.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 7b, the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000) can be physically connected via an extension tube (3000). At this time, the extension tube (3000) can include a + power line (10), a - power line (20), and a signal line (30). Therefore, even if the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000) are connected via the extension tube (3000), the cleaner body (1000) and the brush device (2000) can stably perform signal line communication.

[0114] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the motor assembly (1100) may include a switch element (hereinafter, referred to as a PWM control switch element, 1133) for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control to control power of a battery (1500) supplied to a motor (2100) of a brush device (2000). The PWM control switch element (1133) is a component for the first processor (1131) of the cleaner body (1000) to control power supply to the brush device (2000), and may be expressed as a third switch element. The PWM control switch element (1133) may be a FET, but is not limited thereto.

[0115] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the first processor (1131) can control the power supply to the brush device (2000) by controlling the PWM control switch element (1133) according to the type of the brush device (2000). For example, if the brush device (2000) is a multi-brush (401) including a drive circuit (2400) (see 420 of FIG. 4), the first processor (1131) can continuously output a High signal to the PWM control switch element (1133) so that power is continuously supplied to the brush device (2000). In this case, since the PWM control switch element (1133) is continuously maintained in an ON state, the drive circuit (2400) of the brush device (2000) can continuously receive power.

[0116] On the other hand, if the brush device (2000) is a general brush that does not include a driving circuit (2400) (see 410 of FIG. 4), the first processor (1131) can alternately output a High signal and a Low signal to the PWM control switch element (1133), thereby causing the PWM control switch element (1133) to repeat an ON state and an OFF state. In this case, the PWM control switch element (1133) can satisfy the output required for each brush device (2000) according to the characteristics of each application by controlling the power of the battery (1500) supplied to the motor (2100). That is, the first processor (1131) can control the output of the motor (2100) by adjusting the duty value (hereinafter, also referred to as Duty) of the PWM control switch element (1133) to be high in the case of a first brush device requiring high output and supplying power to the first brush device, and adjusting the duty value to be low in the case of a second brush device requiring low output and supplying power to the second brush device. Here, the duty value refers to the duty cycle of the pulse width when the cycle is constant, and in particular, can refer to the ratio of the section in which power is transmitted (On duty section) and the section in which power is cut off (Off duty section). As the duty value increases, the total time in which current flows to the motor (2100) increases, and therefore, the average power supplied to the brush device (2000) can increase.

[0117] In addition, in the case of a cordless vacuum cleaner (100) to which a battery (1500) is applied, the voltage supplied from the battery (1500) tends to decrease as the battery (1500) is discharged. When the motor (2100) of the brush device (2000) is driven with a constant duty value, the voltage of the battery (1500) drops as the cleaning time elapses, causing a phenomenon in which the drum RPM of the brush device (2000) decreases. Therefore, the first processor (1131) of the vacuum cleaner body (1000) can also perform control to compensate for the phenomenon in which the drum RPM of the brush device (2000) decreases by increasing the duty value (the section in which the PWM control switch element (1133) is turned on and power is supplied during a single cycle) as the voltage of the battery (1500) drops.

[0118] Hereinafter, for the convenience of explanation, an example will be described in which a cordless vacuum cleaner (100) includes an extension tube (3000) and a vacuum cleaner body (1000) includes a PWM control switch element (1133), but the present invention is not limited thereto. Referring to Fig. 7c, an example of a circuit for signal line communication of a cordless vacuum cleaner (100) will be specifically examined.

[0119] FIG. 7c is a diagram for explaining a circuit for signal line communication of a wireless vacuum cleaner (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 7c, for convenience of explanation, an example will be given where A is 330 KΩ, B is 330 KΩ, and C is 82 KΩ.

[0120] The first processor (1131) can identify the type of brush device (2000) based on the voltage input to the input port (AD port). For example, if the AD port input voltage of the first processor (1131) is 2.785 V ( ), the first processor (1131) can identify that a multi-brush (401) having an identification resistance (2500) of 330KΩ(A) corresponding to the AD port input voltage of 2.785V is connected (see table (600) of FIG. 6).

[0121] When the brush device (2000) coupled to the wireless vacuum cleaner (100) is identified as a multi-brush (401) including a driving circuit (2400), the vacuum cleaner body (1000) can perform signal line communication with the brush device (2000).

[0122] The first processor (1131) of the vacuum cleaner body (1000) can receive a signal using an input port and transmit a signal using an output port. For example, when the first processor (1131) outputs a Low signal through the output port, the first switch element (1132) can be turned off. As the first switch element (1132) is turned off, the voltage of the signal line (30) is about 14 V ( ), it can be in a High state. When the voltage of the signal line (30) is about 14 V, it is greater than 5 V, so the PNP transistor (2425) is turned off, and a Low (0 V) signal can be input to the input port of the second processor (2410). Conversely, when the first processor (1131) outputs a High signal through the output port, the first switch element (1132) can be turned on. As the first switch element (1132) is turned on, the voltage of the signal line (30) changes to 0 V (GND), and can be in a Low state. When the voltage of the signal line (30) is 0 V, the PNP transistor (2425) is turned on, and a High signal (about 4.8 V) can be input to the input port of the second processor (2410). That is, when the first processor (1131) outputs a Low signal through the output port, a Low signal may be input to the input port of the second processor (2410), and when the first processor (1131) outputs a High signal through the output port, a High signal may also be input to the input port of the second processor (2410).

[0123] The second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can receive a signal using an input port and transmit a signal using an output port. For example, when the second processor (2410) outputs a High signal through the output port, the second switch element (2435) can be turned on. As the second switch element (2435) is turned on, the voltage of the signal line (30) can change to 0 V (GND), and thus become a Low state. When the voltage of the signal line (30) is 0 V, a Low signal (0 V) can be input to the input port of the first processor (1131). Conversely, when the second processor (2410) outputs a Low signal through the output port, the second switch element (2435) can be turned off. As the second switch element (2435) is turned off, the voltage of the signal line (30) can be about 14 V ( ), it can be in a High state. When the voltage of the signal line (30) is about 14 V, 2.785 V can be input to the input port of the first processor (1131). At this time, since the driving circuit (1130) of the cleaner body (1000) includes a voltage divider (1137), the high voltage (14 V) of the signal line (30) is distributed so that 2.785 V can be input to the input port of the first processor (1131). That is, when the second processor (2410) outputs a High signal through the output port, a Low signal (0 V) is input to the input port of the first processor (1131), and when the second processor (2410) outputs a Low signal through the output port, 2.785 V (about 2.8 V) can be input to the input port of the first processor (1131).

[0124] In Fig. 7c, a case in which a PNP transistor (2425) is included as a switching element in the driving circuit (2400) of the brush device (2000) is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a P-channel FET may be used as a switching element instead of the PNP transistor (2425).

[0125] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the first processor (1131) receives a signal from the second processor (2410), the driving circuit (1130) for signal line communication of the cleaner body (1000) includes a voltage divider (1137), thereby enabling stable signal transmission by minimizing the influence of noise on the signal line (30).

[0126] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one processor (e.g., main processor (1800) or first processor (1131)) of the cleaner body (1000) may keep the PWM control switch element (1133) used to control power supply to the brush device (2000) in an ON state when the brush device (2000) coupled to the cordless cleaner (100) is identified as a multi-brush (401) including a capacitor (2470). For example, the first processor (1131) may continue to output a High signal to the PWM control switch element (1133) so that power is continuously supplied to the brush device (2000). In this case, since the PWM control switch element (1133) is continuously maintained in an ON state, the brush device (2000) can continue to receive power. The capacitor (2470) included in the brush device (2000) can be charged using the voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000).

[0127] When the brush device (2000) is a multi-brush (401) including a capacitor (2470), if the connection part of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the connection part of the extension tube (3000) and then reattached (or if the connection part of the cleaner body (1000) is momentarily detached from the connection part of the extension tube (3000) and then reattached), a large inrush current may occur in the brush device (2000) as the discharged capacitor (2470) is charged. In particular, due to the characteristics of the brush device (2000), large and small impacts may be applied to the brush device (2000) depending on the floor conditions (e.g., carpet hair length, density, carpet / floor boundary, threshold, obstacle, etc.) or usage conditions (e.g., brush forward, backward, etc.), and when the play at the connection part increases, the phenomenon of the connection part of the brush device (2000) being momentarily detached from the connection part of the extension pipe (3000) and then reattached may frequently occur. Therefore, in order to prevent frequent operation stoppages and product failure of the brush device (2000) due to inrush current, the power circuit (2440) of the brush device (2000) may include an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) to reduce the inrush current. The power circuit (2440) of the brush device (2000) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 8.

[0128] FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining a power circuit (2440) of a brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0129] Referring to FIG. 8, the power circuit (2440) of the brush device (2000) may include an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) and a voltage detection circuit (2460). In addition, the power circuit (2440) of the brush device (2000) may further include a capacitor for controlling noise or a diode for ESD / EOS (Electrostatic Discharge / Electrical Over Stress) protection.

[0130] The inrush current reduction circuit (2450) may include a resistor (R1) (2451) (hereinafter, also referred to as a first resistor or inrush current reduction resistor) for reducing the inrush current generated when charging a capacitor (C1) (2470) and a switch element (2452) (e.g., FET) used to control the inrush current. At this time, the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) may be arranged in parallel with the switch element (2452) and in series with the capacitor (C1) (2470).

[0131] Additionally, the size of the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) can be determined by considering the supply voltage of the battery (1500) and the maximum threshold value of the inrush current.

[0132] Since I = V / R,

[0133] The inrush current I can be I = (supply voltage - C1 charging voltage) / (R1 + other resistance), where other resistance can include PCB pattern resistance, FET internal parasitic resistance, wire resistance, connection resistance, etc.

[0134] Assuming other resistances are Zero, battery supply voltage is 30 V, C1 initial charge voltage is 0 V, and R1 = 0 Ω, the inrush current can be infinite (I = (30 V - 0) / 0 = ∞).

[0135] On the other hand, assuming other resistances are Zero, battery supply voltage is 30 V, C1 initial charge voltage is 0 V, and R1 = 15 Ω, the inrush current can be 2 A (I = 30 V / 15 Ω = 2 A).

[0136] Therefore, when the maximum threshold value of the inrush current is set to 2A, the resistance (R1) (2451) can be determined as 15Ω, and when the maximum threshold value of the inrush current is set to 1.5A, the resistance (R1) (2451) can be determined as 20Ω.

[0137] Meanwhile, as the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) increases, the inrush current decreases, but the charging time of the capacitor (C1) may become longer. On the other hand, as the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) decreases, the inrush current increases, but the charging time of the capacitor (C1) may become shorter. Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the size of the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) may be determined in consideration of the charging time of the capacitor (C1) and the maximum threshold value of the inrush current. The size of the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) may be 5Ω to 50Ω, but is not limited thereto.

[0138] Below, an example is given in which the capacitor (C1) (2470) is 270 μF and the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) is 15 Ω, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0139] The switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) may be connected to the second processor (2410). The second processor (2410) may output a signal for turning the switch element (2452) ON / OFF. The operation of the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) will be described in more detail later with reference to FIG. 11.

[0140] The voltage detection circuit (2460) may include a plurality of resistors (e.g., a second resistor (R2) and a third resistor (R3)). The voltage detection circuit (2460) may be connected to a second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000). The second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may measure a battery supply voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000) based on a voltage value input to the input port (B) through the voltage detection circuit (2460). For example, the voltage value input to the input port (B) connected to the voltage detection circuit (2460) may be the battery supply voltage * (R3 / (R2+R3)). Therefore, as the battery supply voltage decreases, the voltage value input to the input port (B) of the second processor (2410) may also decrease.

[0141] Hereinafter, a method for reducing the inrush current of a brush device (2000) by using a voltage detection circuit (2460) and an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 9.

[0142] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0143] In step S910, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can measure the voltage (hereinafter, also referred to as battery supply voltage) supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000) through the voltage detection circuit (2460). For example, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can monitor the battery supply voltage supplied to the brush device (2000) during the cleaning operation.

[0144] Referring to FIG. 11, the voltage detection circuit (2460) may include a second resistor (R2) and a third resistor (R3). At this time, the voltage value input to the input port (B) of the second processor (2410) connected to the voltage detection circuit (2460) may be the battery supply voltage * (R3 / (R2+R3)). For example, if R2 is 47kΩ and R3 is 3kΩ, the voltage value input to the input port (B) of the second processor (2410) may be battery supply voltage * (3kΩ / (47kΩ + 3kΩ). If the battery supply voltage is 30V, the voltage value input to the input port (B) may be 1.8V, and if the battery supply voltage is 20V, the voltage value input to the input port (B) may be 1.2V. Accordingly, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may identify that the battery supply voltage supplied to the brush device (2000) is 30V when the voltage value input to the input port (B) is 1.8V, and may identify that the battery supply voltage supplied to the brush device (2000) is 20V when the voltage value input to the input port (B) is 1.2V. In the following, R2 The following example illustrates the case where R2 is 47kΩ and R3 is 3kΩ, but is not limited thereto. The time constants of R2 and R3 can be changed.

[0145] Returning to FIG. 9 again, in step S920, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can determine whether the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is greater than or equal to a reference rate.

[0146] Here, the reference speed may be a falling speed that serves as a standard for detecting that the connection part of the brush device (2000) is separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000). The reference speed may be a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within one of 2 ms to 7 ms, but is not limited thereto. For example, the reference speed may be a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within 2 ms, a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within 3 ms, a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within 4 ms, a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within 5 ms, a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within 6 ms, a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within 7 ms, a speed that drops by 2 V or more within 5 ms, a speed that drops by 3 V or more within 5 ms, etc. Below, the case where the reference speed is a speed that drops by 1.5 V or more within 5 ms is explained as an example, but is not limited thereto.

[0147] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) (or when the connection portion between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) is separated), the power supplied to the brush device (2000) may be rapidly reduced. At this time, the connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be momentarily separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000), or may be completely separated. When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) (or when the connection part between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) is separated), the power supply to the brush device (2000) is cut off, so the voltage drop rate measured by the voltage detection circuit (2460) in the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may be higher than the reference rate.

[0148] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is less than the reference rate (No of S920), the connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be properly connected to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000), and therefore, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may continuously monitor the battery supply voltage through the voltage detection circuit (2460). In addition, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may keep the switch element (2452) of the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) in an on state, so that the current supplied to the brush device (2000) may flow through the switch element (2452) instead of the resistor (2451).

[0149] In step S930, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) if the measured voltage drop rate is greater than or equal to the reference rate (No in S920).

[0150] If the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is greater than or equal to the reference rate (e.g., 1.5 V drop for 2 ms), the connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be momentarily or completely disconnected from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) (or the connection portion between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) may be momentarily or completely disconnected). Accordingly, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450).

[0151] In this case, when the connection part of the brush device (2000) is reconnected to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) and voltage is supplied to the brush device (2000) again from the battery (1500), the current flows through the resistor (2451) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) instead of the switch element (2452), so that the inrush current can be greatly reduced.

[0152] However, if the switch element (2452) is kept in the OFF state even after the capacitor (2470) is charged, a current consumption due to the resistor (2451) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) may occur, and the ripple current may increase due to the charge / discharge current limit of the capacitor (2470). Therefore, the brush device (2000) must change the switch element (2452) from the OFF state to the ON state at an appropriate time so that smoothing can be properly achieved in the capacitor (2470). Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 10, a method of the brush device (2000) turning the switch element (2452) on at an appropriate time will be described in detail.

[0153] FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a method of turning on a switch element (2452) included in an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0154] In step S1010, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can measure the voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000) through the voltage detection circuit (2460).

[0155] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) and then reattached, power may be supplied again from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000), and the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may be activated. At this time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may monitor the voltage value supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000) through the voltage detection circuit (2460). When the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) and then reattached, the voltage value supplied to the brush device (2000) may gradually increase.

[0156] In step S1020, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can determine whether the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is equal to or higher than a reference voltage value.

[0157] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can determine whether the voltage value supplied to the brush device (2000) reaches a reference voltage value. Here, the reference voltage value may be a voltage value at a point in time when the capacitor (2470) is almost fully charged and thus the inrush current does not significantly increase even when the switch element (2452) is turned on. For example, the reference voltage value may be 15 V to 25 V, but is not limited thereto.

[0158] The reference voltage value may be determined by considering the maximum output value (voltage when fully charged) of the battery (1500) or the minimum output value (voltage when fully discharged) of the battery (1500). For example, when the minimum output of the battery (1500) is 19 V, the reference voltage value may be 20 V, but is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, the case where the reference voltage value is 20 V will be described as a main example.

[0159] In step S1030, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can turn on the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) when the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is equal to or higher than the reference voltage value (Yes in S1020).

[0160] For example, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) when the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) reaches a reference voltage value. When the switch element (2452) is turned on, the current supplied to the brush device (2000) can flow through the switch element (2452) instead of the inrush current reduction resistor (2451). Since there is no current consumed in the inrush current reduction resistor (2451), the function of the capacitor (2470) can be performed smoothly.

[0161] In step S1040, if the brush device (2000) is separated from the cleaner body (1000), the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) may not reach the reference voltage value.

[0162] If the user completely disconnects the brush device (2000) from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000), power is not supplied to the brush device (2000) again, so the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) may not reach the reference voltage value within a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the switch element (2452) is turned off.

[0163] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaner body (1000) can detect the separation of the brush device (2000) and change the operation mode from the brush mode to the handy mode. The operation of the cleaner body (1000) after detecting the separation of the brush device (2000) will be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 19.

[0164] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 11, the operation of the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) and the voltage detection circuit (2460) will be examined in more detail.

[0165] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) and a voltage detection circuit (2460) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0166] Referring to FIG. 11, when the brush device (2000) is operating normally, the second processor (2410) can keep the switch element (2452) (FET #1) in the on state. At this time, the current supplied from the cleaner body (1000) to the brush device (2000) through the extension pipe (3000) can flow from the capacitor (C1) (2470) to the ground (GND) through the switch element (2452) (FET DS) (② path). Since the internal resistance (FET DS) of the switch element (2452) is close to 0 ohm (e.g., 0.3 ohm), the current consumption due to the switch element (2452) is very small, so smoothing can be well achieved in the capacitor (2470).

[0167] Meanwhile, if the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) (or if the connection portion between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) is separated), the power supplied to the brush device (2000) may be rapidly reduced. In this case, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may detect a voltage drop exceeding a reference speed (e.g., a 1.5 V drop within 2 ms) through the voltage detection circuit (2460) and turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450). If the capacitor (2470) is completely discharged after the switch element (2452) is turned off, the second processor (2410) may be deactivated. If the capacitor (2470) is not completely discharged after the switch element (2452) is turned off, the second processor (2410) may remain activated.

[0168] When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) and then reattached (or when the connection part between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) is momentarily separated and then reconnected), power can be supplied to the brush device (2000) again. At this time, since the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) is in an off state, the current can flow through the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) instead of the switch element (2452). For example, the current supplied from the cleaner body (1000) to the brush device (2000) through the extension tube (3000) can flow from the capacitor (C1) (2470) to the ground (GND) through the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) (① path). At this time, due to the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451), the inrush current is greatly reduced, thereby preventing damage to the components and stoppage of the brush device (2000).

[0169] Meanwhile, when power is supplied again to the brush device (2000), the second processor (2410) that was deactivated can be activated again. The activated second processor (2410) can monitor the battery supply voltage through the voltage detection circuit (2460) and, when the battery supply voltage reaches a reference voltage value (e.g., 20 V), can turn on the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450). That is, when the charging of the capacitor (2470) is completed to a certain level or higher and the inrush current is not generated significantly, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the switch element (2452) to allow current to flow through the switch element (2452) instead of the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) in order to increase the efficiency of the capacitor (2470). At this time, the current supplied from the vacuum cleaner body (1000) to the brush device (2000) through the extension tube (3000) can flow from the capacitor (C1) (2470) to the ground (GND) through the switch element (2452) (FET DS) (② path).

[0170] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) controls the on / off of the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) at an appropriate time based on the battery supply voltage, thereby significantly reducing the inrush current, thereby preventing the operation of the brush device (2000) from being unnecessarily interrupted, and maximizing the efficiency of the capacitor (2470).

[0171] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, the inrush current reduction effect according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be examined in detail.

[0172] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the inrush current reduction effect according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0173] Referring to FIG. 12, during a cleaning operation, an impact may occur to the brush device (2000), and the connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) (time point T0). The second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may determine that the connection portion of the brush device (2000) has been detached from the extension tube (3000) (or identify that a chattering phenomenon has occurred) when the battery supply voltage changes from 29.4 V to 26 V in just 0.5 ms (time point T1). In addition, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) (time point T2). When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is detached from the extension tube (3000), the power supply to the brush device (2000) is cut off, the capacitor (2470) is discharged, and the motor (2100) of the brush device (2000) may stop operating. However, due to inertia, the drum RPM (revolutions per minute) of the brush device (2000) may gradually decrease.

[0174] When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) and then reattached (at time T3), voltage can be supplied to the brush device (2000) again. Even when voltage is supplied to the brush device (2000) again, since the switch element (2452) is in an off state, current flows through the inrush current reduction resistor (2451), so that a large inrush current does not occur, and it can be confirmed that the brush device (2000) operates normally.

[0175] Referring to FIG. 13, when the connection part of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) and then reattached, and voltage is supplied to the brush device (2000) again (time point T3), the inrush current may be reduced by the inrush current reduction resistor (2451) to approximately 1.8 A. For example, assuming that the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) is 15 Ω, other resistance components (PCB pattern resistance, wire resistance, terminal connection resistance, element parasitic resistance, etc.) are 1.67 Ω, the battery voltage is 30 V, and the capacitor (C1) (2470) is in a discharged state (C1 initial charge voltage: 0 V), the inrush current that occurs when the capacitor (C1) is charged is as follows.

[0176] I = V / R = (Battery voltage 30V - C1 charging voltage) / (R1 + other resistance)

[0177] I = (30V - 0V) / (15Ω + 1.67Ω) = 1.8A

[0178] The vacuum cleaner body (1000) may not cut off the power supply to the brush device (2000) because the inrush current (1.8 A) flowing to the brush device (2000) is less than the reference level (e.g., 4.9 A) for stopping the brush device (2000).

[0179] Meanwhile, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) again when the battery supply voltage monitors and reaches the reference voltage value (time point T4). That is, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the switch element (2452) again when the capacitor (2470) is almost fully charged and there is almost no inrush current.

[0180] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, after the charging of the capacitor (2470) is completed (at time T5), the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can control the inverter to drive the motor (2100) again. In this case, the drum RPM, which has been gradually decreasing, can be restored to the target RPM. Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, even if the connecting portion of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached and then attached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000), the drum RPM of the brush device (2000) does not change significantly, and therefore, the user can assume that the brush device (2000) is operating normally.

[0181] Meanwhile, the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) can be designed in various ways. Various inrush current reduction circuits (2450) will be examined in detail with reference to FIGS. 14 to 17.

[0182] FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit (2450-1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0183] An inrush current reduction circuit (2450-1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be positioned above a capacitor (C1) (2470). The inrush current reduction circuit (2450-1) may include an inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) and a switch element (Q1) (2452). The inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) and the switch element (Q1) (2452) may be arranged in parallel.

[0184] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection part of the brush device (2000) can be instantaneously detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000). At this time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can identify that the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) (e.g., 1.5 V drop for 3 ms) is higher than the reference rate (e.g., 1.5 V drop within 5 ms), and turn off the switch element (Q1) (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450-1).

[0185] When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is reattached to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner (1000), the switch element (Q1) (2452) is in the off state, so that the current supplied to the brush device (2000) can flow to the capacitor (C1) (2470) through the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451). Accordingly, the inrush current can be significantly reduced because the capacitor (C1) (2470) is charged / discharged through the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451).

[0186] When the charging of the capacitor (C1) (2470) is almost complete (e.g., when the battery supply voltage reaches 20 V), the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the switch element (Q1) (2452) again. In this case, the current supplied to the brush device (2000) can flow to the capacitor (C1) (2470) through the switch element (Q1) (2452) (e.g., FET DS) instead of the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451). Since the internal resistance (FET DS) of the switch element (Q1) (2452) is close to 0 ohm, no current consumption due to the switch element (Q1) (2452) occurs, and smoothing can be well achieved in the capacitor (C1) (2470).

[0187] FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit (2450-2) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0188] An inrush current reduction circuit (2450-2) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be positioned above a capacitor (C1) (2470). The inrush current reduction circuit (2450-2) may include an inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451), a first switch element (Q1) (2453), and a second switch element (Q2) (2454). The inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451) may be arranged in series with the first switch element (Q1) (2453) and in parallel with the second switch element (Q2) (2454).

[0189] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection part of the brush device (2000) can be instantaneously detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000). At this time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can identify that the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) (e.g., 1.5 V drop for 3 ms) is greater than or equal to the reference rate (e.g., 1.5 V drop within 5 ms), and can turn off the second switch element (Q2) (2454) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450-2) and turn on the first switch element (Q1) (2453). Alternatively, when the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000), which was deactivated due to a power interruption to the brush device (2000), is reactivated, the second processor (2410) may turn off the second switch element (Q2) (2454) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450-2) and turn on the first switch element (Q1) (2453).

[0190] When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is reattached to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner (1000), the second switch element (Q2) (2454) is turned off and the first switch element (Q1) (2453) is turned on, so that the current supplied to the brush device (2000) can flow to the capacitor (C1) (2470) through the first switch element (Q1) (2453) and the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451). Accordingly, the inrush current can be significantly reduced because the capacitor (C1) (2470) is charged / discharged through the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451).

[0191] When the charging of the capacitor (C1) (2470) is almost complete (e.g., when the battery supply voltage reaches 20 V), the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the second switch element (Q2) (2454) and turn off the first switch element (Q1) (2453). In this case, the current supplied to the brush device (2000) can flow to the capacitor (C1) (2470) through the second switch element (Q2) (2454) (e.g., FET DS) instead of the inrush current reduction resistor (R1) (2451). Since the internal resistance (FET DS) of the second switch element (Q2) (2454) is close to 0 ohm, no current consumption occurs due to the second switch element (Q2) (2454), and smoothing can be achieved well by the capacitor (C1) (2470).

[0192] FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit (2450-3) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0193] An inrush current reduction circuit (2450-3) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first switch element (Q1) (2455), a second switch element (Q2) (2456), and a second capacitor (C2) (2457). The second capacitor (C2) (2457) may be added in parallel with a resistor (R) connected between a gate (G) and a source (S) of the first switch element (Q1) (2455). The first switch element (Q1) (2455) may be, but is not limited to, a P-channel FET.

[0194] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection part of the brush device (2000) can be instantaneously detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000). At this time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can identify that the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) (e.g., 1.5 V drop for 3 ms) is higher than the reference rate (e.g., 1.5 V drop within 5 ms), and turn off the second switch element (Q2) (2456) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450-3). For example, when the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) outputs a Low signal to turn off the second switch element (Q2) (2456), the second capacitor (C2) (2457) may be discharged, and the first switch element (Q1) (2455) may also be turned off.

[0195] When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is reattached to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner (1000) and voltage is supplied again to the brush device (2000), the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the second switch element (Q2) (2456). For example, the second processor (2410) can turn on the second switch element (Q2) (2456) by outputting a High signal. When the second switch element (Q2) (2456) is turned on, the second capacitor (C2) (2457) can be gradually charged. As the second capacitor (C2) (2457) is charged, a voltage (Vgs) is slowly applied between the gate (G) and source (S) of the first switch element (Q1) (2455), causing the source (S)-drain (D) channel of the first switch element (Q1) (2455) to slowly open. Accordingly, since the first capacitor (C1) (2470) is slowly charged, the inrush current during the initial charging of the first capacitor (C1) (2470) can be reduced.

[0196] FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining an inrush current reduction circuit (2450-4) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0197] An inrush current reduction circuit (2450-4) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a first switch element (Q1) (2458), a second switch element (Q2) (2459), and a second capacitor (C2) (2457). The second capacitor (C2) (2457) may be connected between the gate (G) and the source (S) of the first switch element (Q1) (2458). The first switch element (Q1) (2458) may be, but is not limited to, an N-channel FET.

[0198] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the connection part of the brush device (2000) can be instantaneously detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000). At this time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can identify that the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) (e.g., 1.5 V drop for 3 ms) is higher than the reference rate (e.g., 1.5 V drop within 5 ms), and turn off the second switch element (Q2) (2459) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450-4). For example, when the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) outputs a High signal to turn off the second switch element (Q2) (2459), the second capacitor (C2) (2457) may be discharged, and the first switch element (Q1) (2458) may also be turned off.

[0199] When the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is reattached to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner (1000) and voltage is supplied again to the brush device (2000), the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the second switch element (Q2) (2459). For example, the second processor (2410) can turn on the second switch element (Q2) (2459) by outputting a Low signal. When the second switch element (Q2) (2459) is turned on, the second capacitor (C2) (2457) can be gradually charged. As the second capacitor (C2) (2457) is charged, a voltage (Vgs) is slowly applied between the gate (G) and source (S) of the first switch element (Q1) (2458), causing the source (S)-drain (D) channel of the first switch element (Q1) (2458) to slowly open. Accordingly, since the first capacitor (C1) (2470) is slowly charged, the inrush current during the initial charging of the first capacitor (C1) (2470) can be reduced.

[0200] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the on / off of the switch element (2452, 2453, 2454, 2456, or 2459) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450, 2450-1, 2450-2, 2450-3, or 2450-4) may be controlled based on current instead of voltage supplied to the brush device (2000). Referring to FIG. 18, a method for the cleaner to reduce inrush current based on current supplied to the brush device (2000) will be described in detail.

[0201] FIG. 18 is a flowchart for explaining a method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0202] In step S1810, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may measure the current supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000) through the current detection circuit. For example, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may monitor the battery supply current supplied to the brush device (2000) during the cleaning operation. When the brush device (2000) is operating normally, the current value measured through the current detection circuit may be about 0.5 A to 1 A, but is not limited thereto.

[0203] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, since the current flowing in the brush device (2000) is not large, the current detection circuit may include an operational amplifier (OP Amp). In addition, the current detection circuit may include a shunt resistor, etc.

[0204] In step S1820, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can determine whether the rate of decrease of the current measured through the current detection circuit is greater than or equal to a threshold rate.

[0205] Here, the critical speed may be a falling speed that serves as a reference for detecting that the connection part of the brush device (2000) is separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000). For example, the critical speed may be a speed that drops by 0.5 A or more within one of 2 ms to 5 ms, but is not limited thereto. Hereinafter, a case where the critical speed is a speed that drops by 0.5 A or more within 3 ms will be described as an example, but is not limited thereto.

[0206] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the connection portion of the brush device (2000) is separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) (or when the connection portion between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) is separated), the current supplied to the brush device (2000) may be reduced from 05 A to 1 A to 0 A. The connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be momentarily separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000), or may be completely separated. When the connection part of the brush device (2000) is separated from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) (or when the connection part between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) is separated), the current flowing in the brush device (2000) immediately becomes 0A, so the current falling speed (e.g., falling by 0.5A within 1ms) measured by the current detection circuit in the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may be higher than the critical speed (e.g., falling by 0.5A within 3ms).

[0207] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the rate of decrease of the current measured through the current detection circuit is less than the critical rate (No in S1820), the connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be properly connected to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000), and thus the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may continuously monitor the current of the brush device (2000) through the current detection circuit. In addition, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may keep the switch element (2452) of the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) in an on state, so that the current supplied to the brush device (2000) may flow through the switch element (2452) instead of the resistor (2451).

[0208] In step S1830, the cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) if the measured current falling speed is greater than or equal to the threshold speed (No in S1820).

[0209] If the current drop rate measured through the current detection circuit (e.g., 0.5 A drop within 1 ms) is greater than or equal to the critical rate (e.g., 0.5 A drop within 3 ms), the connection portion of the brush device (2000) may be momentarily or completely disconnected from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) (or the connection portion between the extension tube (3000) and the cleaner body (1000) may be momentarily or completely disconnected). Accordingly, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450).

[0210] In this case, when the connection part of the brush device (2000) is reconnected to the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) and voltage is supplied to the brush device (2000) again from the battery (1500), the current flows through the resistor (2451) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) instead of the switch element (2452), so that the inrush current can be greatly reduced.

[0211] However, if the switch element (2452) is kept in the off state even after the capacitor (2470) is charged, a consumption current is generated due to the resistor (2451) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450), and the ripple current may increase due to the charge / discharge current limit of the capacitor (2470).

[0212] Accordingly, when the connection part of the brush device (2000) is momentarily detached from the extension tube (3000) or the cleaner body (1000) and then reattached, power is supplied again to the brush device (2000), and the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) is activated, the second processor (2410) can monitor the current value supplied to the brush device (2000) and turn on the switch element (2452) at an appropriate time.

[0213] For example, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can determine whether the current value supplied to the brush device (2000) reaches a reference current value. Here, the reference current value may be a current value at a point in time when the capacitor (2470) is almost fully charged and the inrush current does not significantly increase even when the switch element (2452) is turned on. For example, the reference current value may be 0.2 A, but is not limited thereto.

[0214] The second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) when the current value supplied to the brush device (2000) reaches the reference current value. When the switch element (2452) is turned on, the current supplied to the brush device (2000) can flow through the switch element (2452) instead of the inrush current reduction resistor (2451). Since there is no current consumed in the inrush current reduction resistor (2451), the function of the capacitor (2470) can be performed smoothly.

[0215] In FIGS. 9 and 10, an operation for controlling the on / off of a switch element (2452) included in an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) based on a voltage supplied to a brush device (2000) is described, and in FIG. 18, an operation for controlling the on / off of a switch element (2452) included in an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) based on a current supplied to a brush device (2000) is described, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0216] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may control the on / off of the switch element (2452) by considering both the voltage detected through the voltage detection circuit (2460) and the current detected through the current detection circuit. For example, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may turn off the switch element (2452) when the rate of decline of the voltage detected through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is equal to or greater than a reference rate and the rate of decline of the current detected through the current detection circuit is equal to or greater than a threshold rate. And the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) can turn on the switch element (2452) when power is supplied again to the brush device (2000), the voltage detected through the voltage detection circuit (2460) reaches a reference voltage value, and the current detected through the current detection circuit reaches a reference current value.

[0217] Meanwhile, when the brush device (2000) is completely separated from the vacuum cleaner body (1000), the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) may not reach the reference voltage value within a predetermined time after the switch element (2452) is turned off, or the current measured through the current detection circuit may not reach the reference current value. The case where the brush device (2000) is completely separated from the vacuum cleaner body (1000) will be examined in detail with reference to FIG. 19.

[0218] FIG. 19 is a flowchart for explaining a method for switching the operation mode of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0219] In step S1910, the cleaner body (1000) can detect separation of the brush device (2000) during the cleaning operation.

[0220] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaner body (1000) can detect whether the brush device (2000) is attached or detached using the load detection sensor (1134). For example, when the brush device (2000) is not attached to the cordless cleaner (100), the operating current of the brush device (2000) detected by the load detection sensor (1134) may be “0A” (zero). On the other hand, when the brush device (2000) is attached to the cordless cleaner (100), the operating current of the brush device (2000) detected by the load detection sensor (1134) may be 50 mA or more. Therefore, the cleaner body (1000) can detect that the brush device (2000) is detached from the cordless cleaner (100) when the operating current of the brush device (2000) detected by the load detection sensor (1134) becomes 0A during the cleaning operation.

[0221] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaner body (1000) can detect the connection or disconnection of the brush device (2000) to the wireless cleaner (100) through a voltage value (hereinafter referred to as an input voltage value) input to the input port of the first processor (1131) through the signal line (30). For example, when the brush device (2000) is not coupled to the wireless cleaner (100), the input voltage value may be “0V” (zero). On the other hand, when the brush device (2000) is coupled to the wireless cleaner (100), the input voltage value may be a value greater than 0V, and may vary depending on the type of the brush device (2000). For example, when the battery voltage is 25.2 V and the multi-brush (401) is connected to the vacuum cleaner body (1000), the input voltage value may be 2.785 V, and when the floor brush (402) is connected to the vacuum cleaner body (1000), the input voltage value may be 0.791 V. Accordingly, the vacuum cleaner body (1000) may determine that the brush device (2000) is separated from the cordless vacuum cleaner (100) when the voltage value input to the input port of the first processor (1131) through the signal line (30) changes to 0 V during the cleaning operation.

[0222] In step S1920, the vacuum cleaner body (1000) can switch from brush mode to handy mode.

[0223] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the vacuum cleaner body (1000) detects separation of the brush device (2000) during a cleaning operation, the operation mode can be switched from the brush mode to the handy mode.

[0224] Brush mode (1202) may be a mode in which cleaning is performed by attaching a brush device (2000). Handy mode (1201) may be a mode in which cleaning is performed by detaching the brush device (2000) and using only the vacuum cleaner body (1000).

[0225] Referring to Fig. 20, in the same suction power mode, the handy mode can operate with a higher suction power than the brush mode. For example, the jet mode can be set for the cordless cleaner (100). At this time, in the handy mode (2001), the cordless cleaner (100) drives the suction motor (1110) with a power consumption of 580 W to generate a suction power of 220 W, but in the brush mode (2002), the cordless cleaner (100) drives the suction motor (1110) with a power consumption of 335 W to generate a suction power of 140 W.

[0226] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a cleaner may be provided that reduces inrush current generated in a brush device (2000) when the brush device (2000) is instantaneously detached from an extension tube (3000) or a cleaner body (1000) and then reattached. The technical problem to be solved in this document is not limited to the technical problem mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains from the description below.

[0227] A vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a vacuum cleaner body (1000) including a battery (1500); and a brush device (2000) connected directly to the vacuum cleaner body (1000) or via an extension tube (3000). The brush device (2000) may include: a voltage detection circuit (2460) for measuring a voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000); a capacitor (2470) charged using the voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000); an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) including a resistor (2451) for reducing an inrush current generated when charging the capacitor (2470) and a switch element (2452) used to control the inrush current; And when the rate of decline of the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is greater than or equal to the reference rate, the processor (2410) may be included to turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when voltage is supplied again to the brush device (2000) and the capacitor (2470) is charged, the current flows through the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current, so that the inrush current can be significantly reduced.

[0228] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may turn on the switch element (2452) when the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) reaches a reference voltage value after turning off the switch element (2452). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, by turning on the switch element (2452) when the charging of the capacitor (2470) is almost complete and almost no inrush current is generated, smoothing can be well achieved in the capacitor (2470).

[0229] The reference voltage value according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a voltage value at a point in time when charging of the capacitor (2470) is completed to a certain level or higher, and may be determined by considering the lowest output value of the battery (1500).

[0230] The reference voltage value according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be 15 V to 25 V.

[0231] A resistor (2451) for reducing inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be arranged in parallel with a switch element (2452) and in series with a capacitor (2470). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the switch element (2452) is turned on, current may flow through the switch element (2452), and when the switch element (2452) is turned off, current may flow through the resistor (2451), thereby reducing inrush current.

[0232] The size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be determined in consideration of the supply voltage of the battery (1500) and the maximum threshold value of the inrush current. If the size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current is large, the inrush current may be reduced, but the time for the capacitor (2470) to be charged may be increased. On the other hand, if the size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current is small, the time for the capacitor (2470) to be charged may be shortened, but the inrush current may be increased. Therefore, the size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current may be determined in consideration of the supply voltage of the battery (1500), the maximum threshold value of the inrush current, the charging time of the capacitor (2470), etc.

[0233] The size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be 5Ω to 50Ω.

[0234] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference speed may be a speed at which the voltage drops by 1.5 V or more within one of 2 ms to 7 ms. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the battery supply voltage drops by about 1.5 V within a short period of time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may determine that chattering has occurred and immediately turn off the switch element (2452) to reduce the inrush current.

[0235] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a cleaner body (1000) may include a PWM control switch element (1133) used to control power supply to a brush device (2000); a load detection sensor (1134) for detecting a load of the brush device (2000); and at least one processor for controlling the PWM control switch element (1133) to cut off power supply to the brush device (2000) when a load value of the brush device (2000) measured through the load detection sensor (1134) reaches a reference load value for stopping operation of the brush device (2000). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaner body (1000) may protect the brush device (2000) by cutting off power supply to the brush device (2000) when a load value of the brush device (2000) measured through the load detection sensor (1134) reaches the reference load value.

[0236] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an identification resistor (2500) indicating the type of the brush device (2000). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the cleaner body (1000) can easily identify the type of the brush device (2000) by using the identification resistor (2500).

[0237] An identification resistor (2500) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be located between a power line (10; 20) and a signal line (30) in a brush device (2000). A voltage value input to an input port of at least one processor of a cleaner body (1000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may decrease as the value of the identification resistor (2500) increases. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a voltage value input to an input port of at least one processor of a cleaner body (1000) may vary depending on the type of brush device (2000) connected to the cleaner body (1000).

[0238] At least one processor of the cleaner body (1000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can determine the type of the brush device (2000) including the identification resistor (2500) corresponding to the voltage value input to the input port through the signal line (30). If the determined type of the brush device (2000) is a brush device (2000) including a capacitor (2470), the at least one processor of the cleaner body (1000) can maintain the PWM control switch element (1133) used to control the power supply to the brush device (2000) in an ON state. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the brush device (2000) connected to the cleaner body (1000) includes a driving circuit (2400), the PWM control switch element (1133) can be maintained in an ON state so that power is continuously supplied.

[0239] At least one processor of the cleaner body (1000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can detect separation of the brush device (2000) from the cleaner body (1000) using a voltage value input to an input port of the at least one processor through a load detection sensor (1134) or a signal line (30). At least one processor of the cleaner body (1000) can switch the operation mode of the cleaner body (1000) from the brush mode to the handy mode as the brush device (2000) is separated from the cleaner body (1000). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when switched from the brush mode to the handy mode, the cleaner body (1000) can increase the suction power.

[0240] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a current detection circuit for measuring a current supplied from a battery (1500) to the brush device (2000). A processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may turn off a switch element (2452) included in an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) when a rate of decrease of a current measured through the current detection circuit is greater than or equal to a threshold rate. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when voltage is supplied again to the brush device (2000) to charge the capacitor (2470), the current flows through the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current, so that the inrush current can be significantly reduced.

[0241] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the critical speed may be a speed at which the current drops by 0.5 A or more within one of 2 ms to 5 ms. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the battery supply current drops by about 0.5 A within a short period of time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may determine that chattering has occurred and immediately turn off the switch element (2452) to reduce the inrush current.

[0242] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a communication circuit for communicating with a cleaner body (1000) via a signal line (30). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the brush device (2000) can freely communicate with the cleaner body (1000), thereby transmitting status information of the brush device (2000) to the cleaner body (1000) or receiving a control signal from the cleaner body (1000).

[0243] A method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include: an operation in which a processor (2410) of a brush device (2000) measures a voltage supplied from a battery (1500) to the brush device (2000) through a voltage detection circuit (2460); an operation in which the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) determines whether a rate of decline of the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is equal to or greater than a reference rate; and an operation in which the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) turns off a switch element (2452) included in a rate of decline of the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) based on the fact that the rate of decline of the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is equal to or greater than the reference rate. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when voltage is supplied back to the brush device (2000) to charge the capacitor (2470), the current flows through the resistor (2451) to reduce the inrush current, so that the inrush current can be greatly reduced.

[0244] A method for reducing inrush current of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation in which a processor (2410) of a brush device (2000) turns off the switch element (2452) and then turns on the switch element (2452) when a voltage measured through a voltage detection circuit (2460) reaches a reference voltage value. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, by turning on the switch element (2452) when the charging of the capacitor (2470) is almost complete and inrush current is hardly generated, smoothing can be well achieved in the capacitor (2470).

[0245] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) may include a resistor (2451) for reducing an inrush current generated when charging a capacitor (2470) and a switch element (2452) used to control the inrush current. The resistor (2451) for reducing an inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be arranged in parallel with the switch element (2452) and in series with the capacitor (2470). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the switch element (2452) is turned on, current may flow through the switch element (2452), and when the switch element (2452) is turned off, current may flow through the resistor (2451), thereby reducing the inrush current.

[0246] The size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be determined in consideration of the supply voltage of the battery (1500) and the maximum threshold value of the inrush current. If the size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current is large, the inrush current may be reduced, but the time for the capacitor (2470) to be charged may be increased. On the other hand, if the size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current is small, the time for the capacitor (2470) to be charged may be shortened, but the inrush current may be increased. Therefore, the size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current may be determined in consideration of the supply voltage of the battery (1500), the maximum threshold value of the inrush current, the charging time of the capacitor (2470), etc.

[0247] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reference speed may be a speed at which the voltage drops by 1.5 V or more within one of 2 ms to 7 ms. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the battery supply voltage drops by about 1.5 V within a short period of time, the second processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) may determine that chattering has occurred and immediately turn off the switch element (2452) to reduce the inrush current.

[0248] A method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an operation of turning off a switch element (2452) included in an inrush current reduction circuit (2450) when a rate of decrease in current measured through a current sensing circuit is greater than or equal to a threshold rate.

[0249] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an identification resistor (2500) indicating the type of the brush device (2000).

[0250] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a communication circuit for communicating with a cleaner body (1000) via a signal line (30). According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the brush device (2000) can freely communicate with the cleaner body (1000), thereby transmitting status information of the brush device (2000) to the cleaner body (1000) or receiving a control signal from the cleaner body (1000).

[0251] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a lighting device (2300) controlled by a processor.

[0252] A processor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can control the brightness or color of the output of a lighting device (2300) depending on the operating state of the vacuum cleaner.

[0253] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can be directly coupled to a cleaner body (1000).

[0254] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure can be coupled to a cleaner body (1000) via one or more extension tubes (3000).

[0255] A brush device (2000) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include an identification resistor (2500) indicating the type of the brush device (2000).

[0256] A device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term "non-transitory storage medium" simply means a tangible device that does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is permanently stored in the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

[0257] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a commodity between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through an application store or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner body (1000) including a battery (1500); and It includes a brush device (2000) connected to the above cleaner body (1000), The above brush device (2000) is A voltage detection circuit (2460) for measuring the voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000); A capacitor (2470) charged using the voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000); An inrush current reduction circuit (2450) including a resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current generated when charging the capacitor (2470) and a switch element (2452) used to control the inrush current; and A processor (2410) that turns off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) based on the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) being greater than or equal to a reference rate. vacuum cleaner.

2. In the first paragraph, the processor (2410) A vacuum cleaner in which, after turning off the above-mentioned switch element (2452), when the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) reaches a reference voltage value, the above-mentioned switch element (2452) is turned on.

3. In the second paragraph, the reference voltage value is, A vacuum cleaner, comprising a voltage value at a point in time when the charging of the capacitor (2470) has been completed to a certain level or higher, and is determined at least in part based on the lowest output value of the battery (1500).

4. In the third paragraph, the reference voltage value is, Vacuum cleaner, 15V to 25V.

5. In the first paragraph, the resistance (2451) is A vacuum cleaner arranged in parallel with the above switching element (2452) and in series with the above capacitor (2470).

6. In the first paragraph, the size of the resistance (2451) is A vacuum cleaner, wherein the supply voltage of the battery (1500) and the maximum threshold value of the inrush current are determined at least in part.

7. In the 6th paragraph, the size of the resistor (2451) for reducing the inrush current is A vacuum cleaner with 5Ω to 50Ω.

8. In paragraph 1, the reference speed is, A vacuum cleaner having a voltage drop of 1.5 V or more within a time period of 2 ms to 7 ms.

9. In the first paragraph, the vacuum cleaner body (1000) A PWM control switch element (1133) used to control power supply to the above brush device (2000); A load detection sensor (1134) for detecting the load of the above brush device (2000); and A cleaner comprising at least one processor that controls the PWM control switch element (1133) to cut off power supply to the brush device (2000) when the load value of the brush device (2000) measured through the load detection sensor (1134) reaches a reference load value for stopping operation of the brush device (2000).

10. In paragraph 9, At least one processor of the above cleaner body (1000) Determine the type of brush device (2000) including an identification resistor (2500) corresponding to the voltage value input to the input port through the signal line (30), A cleaner, wherein, when the type of the brush device (2000) determined above is a brush device (2000) including the capacitor (2470), the PWM control switch element (1133) used to control power supply to the brush device (2000) is kept in the ON state.

11. In the 9th paragraph, at least one processor of the cleaner body (1000) By using the voltage value input to the input port of the at least one processor through the load detection sensor (1134) or the signal line (30), the separation of the brush device (2000) from the cleaner body (1000) is detected, A cleaner in which the operation mode of the cleaner body (1000) is switched from brush mode to handy mode as the brush device (2000) is separated from the cleaner body (1000).

12. In the first paragraph, the brush device (2000) Further comprising a current detection circuit for measuring the current supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000), The processor (2410) of the above brush device (2000) A vacuum cleaner that turns off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) when the rate of decrease of the current measured through the current detection circuit is greater than or equal to the critical rate.

13. In paragraph 11, the critical speed is, A vacuum cleaner having a rate of decrease of 0.5A or more within a time of 2ms to 5ms.

14. A method for reducing the inrush current of a cleaner including a cleaner body (1000) and a brush device (2000) connected to the cleaner body (1000) and including a capacitor (2470), An operation in which the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) measures the voltage supplied from the battery (1500) to the brush device (2000) through the voltage detection circuit (2460); An operation in which the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) determines whether the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) is greater than or equal to a reference rate; and A method including an operation of the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) to turn off the switch element (2452) included in the inrush current reduction circuit (2450) based on the voltage drop rate measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) being greater than or equal to a reference rate.

15. In paragraph 14, the method, A method further comprising an operation of turning on the switch element (2452) when the voltage measured through the voltage detection circuit (2460) reaches a reference voltage value after the processor (2410) of the brush device (2000) turns off the switch element (2452).

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