Surface type detection and surface treatment apparatus using the same

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Solution Overview

Problem

Upright vacuum cleaners face challenges in accurately determining surface types, leading to inefficient operation modes and potential erroneous mode changes due to fluctuations in current draw during movement, which affects cleaning performance.

Innovation Solution

The vacuum cleaner measures the current draw of its agitator motor over a predetermined time window, averages the values, and compares them to thresholds to determine the surface type, allowing it to transition between operational modes based on the detected surface type, thereby optimizing suction force and agitator rotation speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the vacuum cleaner uses current draw to determine surface type, then it can automatically adapt to different surfaces, but it experiences erroneous mode changes due to current fluctuations during movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic surface type adaptationVSAvoidmode determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by measuring current draw over a predetermined time window before making mode determination. This allows the system to capture stable current characteristics and avoid premature decisions based on transient fluctuations, thereby improving reliability while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring current draw and comparing it against threshold values. The mode determination is based on feedback from averaged current measurements over time, allowing the system to adjust its operational mode reliably while adapting to different surface types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the vacuum cleaner transitions between operational modes frequently, then it can optimize cleaning performance for different surfaces, but it increases power consumption and reduces cleaning efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement and averaging of current draw over a predetermined time window before transitioning modes. This prevents frequent or premature mode changes by ensuring that mode transitions only occur when sustained current patterns indicate a genuine surface type change, thereby optimizing cleaning efficiency while reducing unnecessary power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by using averaged current values rather than instantaneous readings for mode determination. This approach filters out transient fluctuations and reduces the frequency of mode transitions, optimizing the balance between cleaning efficiency and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Speed

If the vacuum cleaner uses instantaneous current draw for mode determination, then it responds quickly to surface changes, but it produces erroneous mode changes due to current fluctuations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse speed to surface changesVSAvoidmode determination accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement over a predetermined time window before making mode determination decisions. This preliminary action captures the trend of current draw rather than relying on instantaneous values, maintaining reliable mode determination while still responding to genuine surface changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses periodic measurement by sampling current draw at predetermined time intervals and averaging these measurements. This periodic approach filters out high-frequency fluctuations while maintaining the ability to detect genuine surface type changes, balancing response speed with determination accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11484169B2Surface type detection and surface treatment apparatus using the same

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC

AI summary

A surface treatment apparatus may include a surface cleaning head having an agitator, an agitator motor configured to cause the agitator to rotate, and a controller. The controller can be configured to determine a surface type corresponding to a surface to be cleaned and to transition the surface treatment apparatus between a first operational mode and a second operational mode based, at least in part, on the determined surface type. Determining the surface type may include measuring a plurality values corresponding to a current draw of the agitator motor over a predetermined time window at a predetermined time interval, determining an average corresponding to the measured values, comparing the average to at least a first threshold, and transitioning the surface treatment apparatus between the operational modes based, at least in part, on the comparison.