Method for operating a header device for a vacuum cleaner and corresponding header device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vacuum cleaner attachments with rotatable brush rollers often get blocked by objects like clothes or carpet fringes, requiring manual removal against motor resistance, which is cumbersome and potentially damaging.

Innovation Solution

The brush roller reverses direction of rotation when a blockage is detected, allowing automatic unwinding of objects without user intervention, using a permanent magnet brushless motor and sensorless monitoring to detect excessive current consumption and adjust rotation accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the brush roller rotates in one operating direction during operation, then cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but objects get wound up and block the brush roller requiring manual removal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidbrush roller blockage removal

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

When a blockage is detected, the brush roller automatically reverses its direction of rotation to unwind objects that have become entangled in the bristles. This inversion of the normal rotation direction enables automatic removal of blockages without requiring manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between maintaining cleaning effectiveness and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The system detects blockages through monitoring motor current consumption and automatically initiates reverse rotation to clear the brush roller. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for user intervention in blockage removal, maintaining both cleaning effectiveness and operational ease.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If manual removal of objects is performed by pulling against motor resistance, then objects can be removed, but user effort increases and damage risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject removal capabilityVSAvoidobject damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring users to pull objects against the motor's rotational force, the system reverses the brush roller's rotation direction to automatically unwind and eject entangled objects. This eliminates the harmful pulling forces that could damage delicate items like carpet fringes while maintaining the ability to remove blockages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical action of pulling objects off the brush roller is replaced by an automated rotational reversal mechanism controlled by the motor. This substitution eliminates the need for direct user contact and force application, reducing both user effort and the risk of object damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If the motor switches off when blockage is detected, then the brush roller stops rotating, but objects remain wound up and require manual intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblockage detection accuracyVSAvoidautomatic blockage clearance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Upon detecting a blockage through motor current monitoring, the system automatically initiates reverse rotation of the brush roller to clear the obstruction. This self-service approach maintains reliable blockage detection while adding automatic clearance capability, eliminating the need for manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors motor current consumption as feedback to detect blockages. When the current exceeds a threshold indicating a blockage, the control system automatically responds by reversing the brush roller rotation, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that maintains both detection accuracy and automatic clearance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method simplifies the removal of objects wound on the brush roller, reducing user effort and preventing damage, while allowing quick resumption of cleaning operations with adaptive rotation control.

Implementation Method 1

The motor is preferably a permanent magnet brushless motor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

sensorless monitoring of the motor, e.g. B. by detecting the power consumption

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical resistance monitoring: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentEP2245974B1Method for operating a header device for a vacuum cleaner and corresponding header device

Publication Date: 2021.08.11 MIELE & CO KG

Figure 1~2

AI summary

The operation method involves rotating the brush roller (16) in a normal operational direction during operation, and rotating the brush roller in a reverse direction opposite to the normal operational direction of rotation when the brush roller is detected to be jammed. The jamming is detected when the current consumption of motor exceeds a predetermined threshold. The brush roller is rotated in the reverse direction by a predetermined angle upon occurrence of jamming. An independent claim is included for an attachment device.