Vacuum cleaner and control method thereof

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vacuum cleaners with different floor brushes experience unstable operation and safety hazards due to false motor protection when detecting over-current or under-current conditions, as large-current motors trigger false protection and small-current motors fail to stall, leading to potential damage.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum cleaner with a control unit and detection unit, including a floor brush current detection module that identifies start peak and normal operating currents to determine stall currents for each brush, allowing the control unit to maintain or stop the motor operation accordingly, preventing burnout and ensuring stable operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If over-current point is used to determine motor stall state, then large-current motors trigger false protection, but small-current motors fail to detect stalling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor protection accuracyVSAvoidstall detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the detection parameter from absolute current value to current growth rate (ΔI/Δt). This allows the system to detect stall conditions for both large-current and small-current motors by monitoring how quickly current increases, rather than using a fixed current threshold that would be inappropriate for different motor types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic stall detection by continuously monitoring the rate of current change rather than using a static over-current threshold. The control unit calculates ΔI/Δt in real-time and compares it against a preset threshold, enabling adaptive protection that works across different motor current ranges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If different floor brushes with different current characteristics are used, then cleaning versatility is improved, but motor protection becomes unstable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning function varietyVSAvoidoperation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the current growth rate of the motor and comparing it against a preset threshold. When the growth rate exceeds the threshold, the system immediately stops the motor, creating a closed-loop protection system that maintains stability across different floor brush configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent sets preset thresholds for current growth rate before operation begins. This preliminary configuration allows the system to be prepared for stall detection across different motor types, enabling immediate protection response when stalls occur without requiring real-time calibration for each brush type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3654810B1Vacuum cleaner and control method thereof
Publication Date: 2023.09.27 TINECO APPLIANCES CO LTD
  • EP3654810B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3654810B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3a
  • EP3654810B1 patent drawingFigure 3b

AI summary

A vacuum cleaner and a control method thereof, wherein the vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner body (100), a floor brush assembly (300), and an extension tube (200) connecting the two together. The floor brush assembly (300) comprises a plurality of different floor brushes for performing different cleaning work. The vacuum cleaner is further provided with a control unit and a detection unit. The detection unit comprises a floor brush current detection module for detecting current passing through an electric motor in a floor brush. The floor brush current detection module sends detection signals to the control unit, and the control unit controls the electric motor to maintain an operating state or stop the operating state according to the detection signals.