LU103262B1 - Cleaning device and method for operating a cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device with - a drive unit (2) designed to drive a blower (3) and/or drive assembly, - an accumulator (1) designed to supply the drive unit (2) with energy, and - a control and/or regulating device in which a plurality of power levels (P(high), P(medium), P(low)) are stored, with which the drive unit (2) is operated with an individual load assigned to the respective power level (P(high), P(medium), P(low)), wherein each power level (P(high), P(medium), P(low)) is assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold (Umina, Uminb, 41, 43, 45) which depends on the load of the respective power level (P(high), P(medium), P(low)). Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding method for operating such a cleaning device.

Description

' LU103262

Description

Cleaning device and method for operating a cleaning device

The invention relates to a cleaning device and a method for operating a

Cleaning device. In particular, the invention relates to a cleaning device with a drive unit for driving a fan and/or a cleaning actuator and an accumulator that supplies the drive unit with energy during operation, wherein the

The drive unit can be operated in several power levels, which are stored in a control and/or regulating device of the cleaning device. Furthermore, the

The invention particularly relates to a method for operating such a cleaning device.

For cleaning devices that are powered by a battery, it is currently common practice to switch them off at a predefined undervoltage threshold so that there is enough energy in the battery to

The battery's discharge level should be displayed. However, the battery should not be discharged too deeply to prevent damage. Furthermore, it is not advisable for the cleaning device to switch itself off completely, including any display it may have, and thus no longer provide the user with any feedback, e.g., on the battery's charge level.

accumulator can give.

A discharge time from a fully charged battery to the undervoltage threshold determines a running time of the cleaning device and depends, among other things, on the selected

This depends on the power level. As a result, the available energy in the battery is not fully utilized. To allow longer operating times for the user of the cleaning device, more expensive battery cells with higher capacities may be used.

The invention therefore addresses the problem of providing a cleaning device with a

drive unit and an accumulator and a method for operating a

To provide a cleaning device that makes more optimal use of existing battery cell capacity. The use of more expensive, higher-capacity battery cells should be avoided.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by a cleaning device having the features of patent claim 1 and a method having the features of patent claim 5.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the following subclaims.

The invention is based on the basic idea that due to a physical

Behavior of the accumulator at constant power consumption increases the current flow,

while a voltage level decreases. Due to an internal resistance of the

Accumulator, the voltage level at terminals of the

The battery capacity drops to such an extent that a final discharge voltage is reached and the battery is defined as "empty." This means that at a higher power consumption, only a lower capacity of the battery can be used. At a lower

The final discharge voltage is reached later, which in turn allows for more optimal use of the battery capacity. Therefore, each

Each power level is assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold, so that the

Switch-off thresholds for the different power levels vary individually.

The advantages achievable with the invention are, in addition to enabling a longer

The advantage of the cleaner's running time at lower power levels is that the user can clean a larger area without the use of more expensive battery cells with higher cell capacity.

The invention relates to a cleaning device comprising - a drive unit which is designed to drive a blower and/or a

- an accumulator which is designed to supply the drive unit with energy, and - a control and/or regulating device in which several power levels are stored, with which the drive unit can be operated with an individual, the respective

power level, whereby each power level is assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold, which is determined by the

Load depends on the respective performance level.

If the cleaning device is operated at a current power level and the

If the pack voltage or cell voltage of the accumulator is equal to the individual, predetermined cut-off threshold assigned to the current power level, the current power level is switched off. The individual, predetermined cut-off threshold is a

Threshold at which the power level to which it is assigned is switched off. The higher the

power level, the higher the assigned individual, predetermined shutdown threshold.

In a preferred embodiment, the control and/or regulating device is designed and constructed to carry out a change from a current power level to a lower power level during operation by switching off the cleaning device when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold assigned to the current power level is reached and then restarting the cleaning device, so that after

When the cleaning device is restarted, the user can only select a lower power level than the current power level before the restart. This allows the cleaning device to continue to be used at the lower power level if the user so wishes.

Preferably, each power level is further assigned an individual, predetermined switch-on threshold, which is stored in the control and/or regulating device. The higher the

power level, the higher the assigned individual, predetermined switch-on threshold.

Alternatively, the control and/or regulating device is preferably designed and constructed to change from a current power level to a lower one during operation.

Performance level automatically when the individual, predetermined, current

The shutdown threshold assigned to the power level can be

Cleaning device can continue to be used at the lower power level.

The accumulator may comprise a package of several accumulator cells. It is preferably designed as

The individual, predetermined cut-off threshold assigned to the current power level is preferably reached when a pack and/or

Cell voltage of the accumulator is equal to this predetermined cut-off threshold.

The invention further relates to a method for operating a cleaning device with an accumulator which is designed to charge the cleaning device for carrying out a

cleaning process with energy, and a control and/or regulating device,

In which a plurality of power levels are stored, each power level being assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold which depends on the load of the respective power level, the method comprising the following steps: operating the cleaning device in one of the power levels, which then represents a current power level, and - when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold of the current power level is reached, switching off the current power level and providing a lower power level.

Preferably, the step of switching off the current power level and providing a lower power level comprises: switching off the cleaning device when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold of the current power level is reached and then

Restart the cleaning device so that after restarting the

Cleaning device a user of the cleaning device only one to the one before

Restart current power level can select lower power level.

Alternatively, the step of switching off the current power level and

Providing a lower power level automatically switches from a current power level to a lower power level.

In a preferred embodiment, the accumulator supplies a drive unit of the cleaning device with energy, which drives a fan of the cleaning device.

The cleaning device is preferably a dry and/or wet vacuum cleaner.

A cleaning device is understood to be a mains-independent cleaning system that is powered by a rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery is preferably a lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The cleaning device is preferably designed as a vacuum cleaner.

The vacuum cleaner can be designed as any type of vacuum cleaner. It is preferably designed as

Stick or stick vacuum cleaners.

The respective individual, predetermined switch-off threshold is preferably a

Undervoltage threshold of the respective power level.

An embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawings ı5 and is described in more detail below. It shows schematically and not to scale

Fig. 1 is a sketched representation of a cleaning device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a time course of a voltage of a battery during a

Unloading process of a cleaning device according to the state of the art;

Fig. 3 shows a time course of the voltage during a discharge process of the

Fig. 1 shown accumulator;

Fig. 4 is a sketched representation of the accumulator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 a pack or cell voltage of the accumulator depending on

Performance levels of the cleaning device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a method according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a sketched representation of a cleaning device according to the invention.

Cleaning device comprises an accumulator 1 and a drive unit 2, which is driven by the

Battery 1 is supplied with energy. The battery is, for example, a lithium-ion

Accumulator. Furthermore, the cleaning device has a fan 3, which is driven by the

Drive unit 2. The cleaning device further comprises accessories 4 and a handle 5, which has a switch or a button for switching the

The accessory 4 can be, for example, a suction pipe and/or a

Floor nozzle/wiping attachment (with or without electric drive) if the

The cleaning device is a vacuum cleaner. The cleaning device further comprises a

Control and/or regulating device (not shown) in which different power levels are stored that can be selected by a user in order to carry out a cleaning process with different loads or power levels.

During operation, the user moves the cleaning device over an area to be cleaned.

surface by guiding the accessory 4 on the surface with the help of the handle 5. s The accumulator 1 supplies the drive unit 2 with

Energy that drives the fan 3. The cleaning performance achieved by the user depends on the current power level of the various power levels selected by the user during the cleaning process.

Fig. 2 shows a time course of a voltage during a discharge process of a

Accumulator of a cleaning device according to the state of the art. Shown is a

Voltage U as a function of time t. The cleaning device according to the state of the

The technology corresponds to the cleaning device shown in Fig. 1, with the difference that its control and/or regulating device is designed and constructed differently. As shown in Fig. 2, the accumulator, when fully charged, has its maximum voltage Umax ı5, which, upon discharge, first drops to a nominal voltage Unenn. The accumulator can maintain its nominal voltage Unenn relatively constant over a longer discharge period. When the accumulator is almost discharged, the voltage drops suddenly, with a

Minimum voltage Uerence Must not be undercut in order to avoid permanent damage to the battery. In the control and/or regulating device according to the state of the art, a fixed predetermined switch-off threshold Umin is stored for all power levels Pochy, P(low), upon reaching which the drive unit is switched off regardless of the current

The discharge time from a fully charged battery to the predetermined cut-off threshold Umin determines a

Running time of the cleaning device. The fixed predetermined switch-off threshold Umin is based on the state of the art at the high power level Pech), while for a low

Power level Piiedrigy NOCh there is a usable residual capacity, which according to the status of

Technology is not used.

Fig. 3 shows a time course of the voltage during a discharge process of the

Fig. 1 shown accumulator. The time course of the voltage shown in Fig. 3 during a discharge process of the accumulator shown in Fig. 1 corresponds to the course shown in Fig. 2. However, the cleaning device according to the invention has

In contrast to the cleaning device according to the state of the art, the control and

Control system in which each power level (Poch), Plow) is assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold (Umina), Umino, which depends on the load of the respective power level (Poch) or Pelow). The high power level (Pach) is assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold (Umina), while the low power level (Plow)

Power level Paiedrigy An individual, predetermined switch-off threshold Umin» is assigned, which is lower than the predetermined switch-off threshold Umina and a voltage difference

AUmin to this. As a result, when the cleaning device is operated at the low power level Plow), the cleaning device is not switched off at a time ta, but at a time tv, between which there is a time difference Δt, whereby additional running time Δt is gained when operating at the low power level Plow.

Fig. 4 shows a sketched representation of the accumulator shown in Fig. 1. The

Battery 1 has an internal resistance R;. Due to the physical behavior of battery 1, a current flow | increases at constant power consumption, while a voltage level U decreases. Due to the internal resistance Ri,

Discharge power the voltage level at battery terminals (not shown) of the

Accumulator 1 in such a way that at the various power levels shown in Fig. 3, the individual, predetermined, respectively assigned cut-off thresholds are reached at different times. ı5 Fig. 5 shows a pack or cell voltage of the accumulator as a function of

Performance levels of the cleaning device shown in Fig. 1. The cleaning device in this case has three performance levels, namely a high

Power level P(still) With a switch-on threshold 40 with a pack voltage or UDC of 21.5 V and a cell voltage of 3.15 V and with an individual, predetermined

Cut-off threshold 41 UDC of 20 V and a cell voltage of 2.85 V, an average

Power level P(miter With a switch-on threshold 42 with a pack voltage or UDC of 20.75 V and a cell voltage of 2.96 V and with an individual, predetermined

Cut-off threshold 43 UDC of 19.25 V and a cell voltage of 2.75 V and a low

Power level Piedarigy With a switch-on threshold 44 with a pack voltage or UDC of 20.0 V and a cell voltage of 2.85 V and with an individual, predetermined

Switch-off threshold 45 UDC of 18.5 V and a cell voltage of 2.64 V. In the control and regulation device, each power level (Phigh), Pmid, Plow) is assigned an individual predetermined switch-on threshold 40, 42, 44. The

Voltage specifications (UDC) are exemplary for a Lilon battery with 7 cells in

Series connection.

Fig. © shows a flow diagram of a method according to the invention. The method is suitable for operating the cleaning device shown in Fig. 1, which has a display symbolically shown in Fig. 6. In the control and regulating device, three

Power levels are stored, a high power level, a medium power level and a low power level, which correspond to the power levels shown in Fig. 5.

The method comprises operating the cleaning device in one of the power levels, which then represents a current power level, wherein, when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold of the current power level is reached, the current power level is switched off and a lower power level is provided.

To perform a cleaning process with the cleaning device, a step 16 is carried out, which comprises pressing an I/O or input/output button by a user. During operation, in a step 11, it can be detected at each power level that the accumulator is empty if the control and/or regulating device detects that a

SoC (State-of-Charge) of the battery is almost 0%. This leads to step 18, in which the display shows that the battery is empty. Also, in step 15, the

The cleaning device can be switched off at any power level by pressing a symbolically displayed I/O button or input/output button, which results in a

Step 17, in which the display is turned off or kept off.

The method comprises a start step 14, which comprises a restart or a switching on of the cleaning device, wherein no button is pressed and a

Display is off and/or held in step 17. If the control and/or

Control device of the cleaning device detects in a step 10 that the

If the accumulator is empty, the display will indicate in step 18 that the

Accumulator is empty. If step 18 times out a predetermined

duration or a timeout, step 12 is executed in which the display is switched off.

In a first variant of the process, the following steps are carried out: Switching off the

Cleaning device when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold of the current power level is reached and the cleaning device is then restarted, so that after the cleaning device has been restarted, a user of the cleaning device can only select a power level lower than the power level current before the restart.

If after step 16 a SoC (state of charge) of the accumulator is greater than 0% and a pack voltage or UDC of the accumulator is greater than 20.75 V and a cleaning mode is detected in a step 29, a step 26 is executed in which an average

Power level is shown on the display, where, if UDC is greater than 21.5 V, a symbolic button is shown to confirm the power selection to the high

Power level can be activated, which leads to step 25 for activation to step 27, in which the high power level is displayed and executed, and otherwise, i.e., if not activated, the medium power level is continued and displayed. If step 16 is executed when the SoC of the battery is greater than 0% and

UDC is less than 20.75 V, and in step 29 a cleaning mode is detected, a

Step 28 is executed, in which the low power level is displayed by the display, whereby, if UDC is greater than 20.75 V, a step 25 for confirming the power selection to the medium power level leads to step 26, in which the medium power level is displayed and executed by means of the display, and otherwise, i.e. if not actuated

The low power level is continued and displayed.

An alternative procedure is as follows: If the UDC is operating in the high

If the UDC is less than 20.0 V, starting from step 27, the medium power level is automatically set in step 30, as indicated by a dashed arrow, and the medium power level is displayed in step 26. If the UDC is less than 19.25 V when operating at the medium power level, starting from step 26, the low power level is automatically set in step 31, and the low power level is displayed in step 28.

List of reference symbols

AU voltage difference

At time difference

Current flow

Ri internal resistance t, ta, tb time

U voltage

Ucrenz limit stress

Umax Maximum voltage

Umin, Umina, Uminb minimum voltage

Unenn Nominal voltage 1 Accumulator 2 Drive unit 3 Fan 4 Accessories 5 Handle 40, 42, 44 each switch-on threshold 41, 43, 45 each switch-off threshold

Claims (10)

Patent claims 1. Cleaning device with - a drive unit (2) which is designed to drive a fan (3) and/or a cleaning actuator, - an accumulator (1) which is designed to supply the drive unit (2) with energy, and 2. a control and/or regulating device in which a plurality of power levels (P(still), Pimitten, Prlow)) are stored, with which the drive unit (2) is operated with an individual load assigned to the respective power level (Pstill), Pimitten, Pilowy)), wherein each power level (Pioch), Pimitten, Pniearig)) is assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold (Umina, Uminp, 41, 43, 45) which depends on the load of the respective power level (Poch), Pmitel), Plow)). 3. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control and/or regulating device is set up and designed to carry out a change from a current power level to a lower power level during operation by switching off the cleaning device when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold assigned to the current power level is reached and then restarting the cleaning device, so that after restarting the cleaning device, a user of the cleaning device can only select a power level lower than the current power level before the restart. 4. Cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each power level (Pnoch), Pmiten, Pniedrig)) is assigned an individual, predetermined switch-on threshold (40, 42, 44). 5. Cleaning device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the control and/or regulating device is arranged and designed to carry out a change (30, 31) from a current power level to a lower power level automatically during operation when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold assigned to the current power level is reached. 6. Method for operating a cleaning device with an accumulator (1) which is designed to supply the cleaning device with energy to carry out a cleaning process, and a control and/or regulating device in which several power levels (P(still), Pmidten, Plow)) are stored, wherein each power level (Pstill), P (middle), Plowy) is each assigned an individual, predetermined switch-off threshold (Umina, Uminp, 41, 43, 44) which depends on the load of the respective power level (P(still), Pmidten, Prlow)), wherein the method comprises operating the cleaning device in one of the power levels (Prnoch), Pimitten, Plow)), which then represents a current power level, and, when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold of the current power level is reached, switching off the current power level and providing a lower power level. 7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the step of switching off the current power level (Pen) and providing a lower power level (Pelow) comprises: switching off the cleaning device when the individual, predetermined switch-off threshold of the current power level is reached and then restarting the cleaning device, so that after restarting the cleaning device, a user of the cleaning device can only select a power level lower than the current power level before the restart. 8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the step of switching off the current power level and providing a lower power level comprises an automatic change from the current power level to a lower power level. 9. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the accumulator (1) supplies a drive unit (2) of the cleaning device with energy, which drives a fan (3) of the cleaning device. 10. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 4 or method according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the respective individual, predetermined switch-off threshold (Umina, Uminp, 41, 43, 45) is an undervoltage threshold of the respective power level (P och, Pemitten, Pniedrig)).