Vacuum Cleaner Teach-In Function for Motor Nozzle Floor Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum cleaners with motor nozzles face challenges in automatically detecting and adapting to different floor types without additional sensors, leading to inefficient power consumption and performance variations due to changes in the drive train and wear over time.
Innovation Solution
A teach-in function is introduced that records a reference current value during operation on a specific floor type, allowing the vacuum cleaner to adjust its power settings and detect floor types based on relative current changes, eliminating the need for additional sensors and optimizing power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the vacuum cleaner uses fixed power settings for different floor types, then the device structure remains simple, but power consumption is inefficient and battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum cleaner automatically detects floor type by monitoring motor current characteristics and adjusts its own power settings without external intervention. The control unit continuously monitors the current drawn by the brush motor and blower motor, compares it against stored reference values for different floor types, and autonomously adjusts motor power accordingly, eliminating the need for manual floor type selection or additional sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the actual current consumption of the motors during operation and using this information to detect floor type changes. The control unit compares real-time current measurements with reference values stored in memory, and adjusts power settings based on this feedback loop, enabling dynamic adaptation to different flooring surfaces.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors are added for floor type detection, then floor detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum cleaner uses its existing motor current monitoring capability to perform floor type detection without requiring additional sensors. The control unit leverages the current already being drawn by the motors during normal operation as the detection signal, turning a routine operational parameter into a useful measurement for floor type identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts useful detection information from the motor current characteristics that are already present during normal vacuuming operation. By analyzing the current draw patterns of the brush motor and blower motor, the system extracts floor type information without adding separate detection hardware, effectively taking out the sensing function from a dedicated sensor and embedding it in the existing motor control system.
3Measurement precision
If the vacuum cleaner does not adapt to drive train changes and wear over time, then the control system remains simple, but detection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary learning during an initial phase where it establishes reference current values for different floor types by monitoring motor current characteristics. This learning process occurs before normal operation begins, allowing the system to store baseline data in memory that accounts for the specific drive train configuration and wear state at the time of learning, thereby preparing accurate reference values for subsequent detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adapts to drive train changes and wear by allowing the reference current values to be updated or relearned when necessary. The control unit can detect when recalibration is needed and perform parameter adjustments by updating the stored reference values, thereby maintaining detection accuracy despite changes in motor characteristics, battery voltage, or mechanical wear over time.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a method for operating a basic unit of a vacuum cleaner, the unit is operated in a learning mode (BE) in a reference operating mode in response to a learning signal (SE) triggered by a learning event (EE), and a current characteristic value (WKA) correlated with a current operating current (IB) is recorded. A reference value (WR) for the recorded characteristic value (WKA) is then determined based on a learning criterion (KE). The learning mode (BE) is terminated upon an end signal (SN) and the unit switches to normal operation (BN), where the current characteristic value (WKA) is recorded and a current blower power (LG) is determined from the current characteristic value (WKA) and the reference value (WR) based on a control rule (VS).The basic unit comprises a suction nozzle for connection to a motorized nozzle, which contains a brush motor and a cleaning brush driven by it, an electrical interface for the motorized nozzle and at least its brush motor, a blower driven by a fan motor for drawing suction air through the suction nozzle, and a central unit for carrying out the method according to the invention. The vacuum cleaner comprises the basic unit and the motorized nozzle.