Patent Application
20240285141
The present invention relates to a method for improved cleaning of a spatially delimited region by means of a robot vacuum cleaner with a fan. The invention moreover relates to a robot vacuum cleaner of this type for carrying out this method.
Robot vacuum cleaners generally have the task of keeping a floor free from dust and of autonomously moving across said floor in order to do this. In such cases not only central and easily navigable regions are to be cleaned reliably, but also corner regions, or regions close to a wall, for which for example leaving a non-cleaned edge region behind should be avoided. Since robot vacuum cleaners usually only have a limited vacuuming power however, they do not as a rule fulfil this task or at least only do so unsatisfactorily.
With current robot vacuums basically two different concepts for improved cleaning into corners can be identified, namely a D-shaped housing and also rotating side brushes. With robot vacuums with a D-shaped housing design there is the option of offsetting the suction mouth forwards and above all to one side.
When for example a corner of a room is reached the suction mouth is thus as far as possible into the corner. Despite this, here too the vacuuming power usually available is not sufficient for satisfactory cleaning of an edge or corner. Robot vacuum cleaners with a rotating side brush on the other hand are capable of moving dirt away from walls or corners, wherein these side brushes, despite reaching a critical point in the corner region and providing an edgeless cleaning, still ultimately do not entirely reach the corners and leave visible residues, particularly on a carpet.
Robot vacuum cleaners with side brushes is known for example from DE 10 2007 060 750 A1, EP 2 891 442 A2 and also DE 10 2015 114 775 A1 for example, which however likewise does not make reliable cleaning, in particular of a corner region possible, or only do so unsatisfactorily.
A robot vacuum cleaner is likewise known from DE 10 2017 100 299 A1, which has a rotating brush for surface cleaning and a vertically aligned brush for cleaning a baseboard.
A robot vacuum cleaner with a rotating brush for floor cleaning and an above-the-floor cleaning facility with a nozzle, via which for example and upper side of a baseboard can be cleaned, is known from DE 10 2017 100 301 A1.
A robot vacuum cleaner with cleaning brushes to which lateral vacuum pressure is applied for cleaning of baseboards is known from DE 10 139 213 A1.
A robot vacuum cleaner with a side suction nozzle or cleaning brushes is known from DE 10 2016 110 817 A1, by means of which corner regions are likewise to be better cleaned.
A vacuum cleaner with a main body and a floor nozzle as well as a rotating brush driven by a rotating brush motor is known from DE 69 204 702 T2, wherein in addition an electrical current detection facility for detecting a motor current that is flowing through the rotating brush motor is provided. The facility itself is embodied for evaluation of a duration of the variation in the rotating brush motor current on the basis of the measured output signals of the electrical current detection facility, wherein a control facility for carrying out a predetermined arithmetic operation on the evaluation duration and for controlling the supply of the electrical power to the electrical fan on the basis of this result of the operation carried out. This should make it possible automatically to control an electrical fan at least synchronized with the usage circumstances of a floor nozzle.
A method for controlling a speed of rotation of at least one electric motor of a rotating brush as a function of a condition of a surface is known from DE 10 2007 021 299 A1. Here a vacuum device is moved over a region of the surface and, as a function of the condition of said surface, correlates corresponding detection signals from current values of a current consumed in each case by the at least one electric motor with a movement of the vacuum device in the respective surface region. Subsequently a parameter is evaluated with the aid of at least one required current setpoint value corresponding to a specific surface condition, after which the electric motor is operated with a rotation speed able to be defined corresponding to an evaluation result between the respective determined current setpoint value and the at least one required current value.
A facility for automatic vacuuming power regulation of a vacuum cleaner is known from DE 10 2008 010 068 A1, which in each case only supplies as much electrical power to a motor fan unit as is needed for an optimal cleaning of the floor surface that exists. This is intended to make possible a cleaning effect that stays the same over the period for which the vacuum cleaner is being used.
The disadvantage with the robot vacuums or vacuum cleaners known from the prior art is that, for a separate cleaning of a corner region, these either have specific side brushes or suction nozzles and thus require a specific adaptation of hardware, whereby the respective solutions are restricted to the respective robot vacuum cleaner.
The present invention therefore deals with the problem of specifying a method by means of which in particular improved cleaning of a spatially delimited region by means of a robot vacuum cleaner is independent of its external shape, brushes or other characteristics.
This problem is solved in accordance with the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous forms of embodiment are the subject matter of the independent claims.
The present invention is based on the general idea of increasing individual vacuuming power of a robot vacuum cleaner in especially difficult-to-clean regions, for example corner regions, and thereby, without any modification of a hardware configuration, of obtaining an improved cleaning result. In an inventive method for improved cleaning of a spatially tightly restricted region, for example a corner of a room, by means of a robot vacuum cleaner with a fan, the robot vacuum cleaner first of all approaches the spatially delimited region, for example the corner region, autonomously and with a first fan rotation speed, which means a first vacuuming power. When it does this, a sensor facility detects that the robot vacuum cleaner is approaching the spatially delimited region and conveys this information to a computer facility of the robot vacuum cleaner. The computer facility monitors the approach process and, before the spatially delimited region is reached, increases the fan rotation speed to a second, higher fan rotation speed, so that the fan has the second, higher fan rotation speed and thus the increased vacuuming power when the robot vacuum cleaner reaches the spatially delimited region, for example the corner region. The sensor facility also now continues to monitor a further movement of the robot vacuum cleaner into and out of the spatially delimited region and conveys this information to the computer facility. After departure from the spatially delimited region the computer facility reduces the fan rotation speed to the first fan rotation speed and thus the second vacuuming power to the first vacuuming power. The fan rotation speed in this case represents a rotation speed of the fan impeller.
It should be noted here that an increase in the vacuuming power, for example the fan rotation speed cannot occur suddenly, so that the robot vacuum cleaner can make available the higher second fan rotation speed and thus the higher second vacuuming power after a certain speed-up phase and a speed-up time. For this reason the computer facility already increases fan rotation speed a certain distance, for example a few centimeters, before reaching the spatially delimited region, for example the corner, so that the increased second vacuuming power is also actually available in the corner of a room. After the robot vacuum cleaner has cleaned and left the spatially delimited region, for example the corner, again the fan rotation speed can be reduced, or it is reduced. The second higher fan rotation speed then slowly and gradually approaches the first fan rotation speed again while the robot vacuum cleaner is continuing its cleaning movement. Both a speed-up phase and also a slow-down phase can take a few seconds in this case, which is taken into account by the computer facility. For example a position as from which the fan rotation speed must be speeded up can be computed from the detected current speed of the robot vacuum cleaner, in order to be able to have the required higher fan power available. The advantage of a merely temporary and short-term increased vacuuming power also lies in a reduced noise burden on a user, who is much less disturbed by this than by an ongoing high vacuuming power with an ongoing loud fan noise.
Cleaning into corners can thus be improved for example by the temporary increase in the vacuuming power (fan rotation speed), without further changes to the hardware of the robot vacuum cleaner being necessary to do this. In particular in this case the idea of replacing a fan of the robot vacuum cleaner already present with available vacuuming power or available fan rotation speed by a fan of higher power or of boosting the existing vacuuming power in mechanical ways or by nozzles is not contemplated. Instead a power of the fan or a fan rotation speed set for a cleaning process is simply increased on reaching the spatially delimited region, for example the corner, in that for example a control voltage, a control current or a control frequency for the fan is increased by the control electronics, for example the computer facility.
Shortly before the robot vacuum cleaner is in the last centimeters before for example a corner of a room, thus in the spatially delimited region, its fan rotation speed is increased. For a temporally limited period the robot vacuum cleaner thus has more vacuuming power available to it, through which the corner cleaning can be improved automatically. As soon as the robot vacuum cleaner moves out of the corner or the spatially delimited region again, the vacuuming power or the fan rotation speed is reset again. In this case the spatially delimited region can of course not only be a corner region, but also a wall or the leg of a table or chair. The higher noise level arising with an increase in the fan rotation speed is only of short duration in such cases and is thus much less disturbing for a user than a continuous loud fan noise. A positive side effect in this case is that a user hears when the robot vacuum cleaner is cleaning into a corner. It is of particular advantage moreover that this method is able to be implemented purely by a software solution for common robot vacuum cleaners and over and above this can be combined with any given forms of robot vacuums, for example with a D shape, with side brushes or with an extendable vacuuming arm.
In a further advantageous form of embodiment of the inventive method the robot vacuum cleaner has a rotating brush and approaches the spatially delimited region with a first brush speed. The computer facility monitors the approach process in this case and increases the brush speed before the spatially delimited region is reached to a second, higher brush speed, so that the brush has the second higher brush speed when the robot vacuum cleaner reaches the spatially delimited region, for example the corner. The sensor facility now detects an onwards movement of the robot vacuum cleaner into the region or out of said region and conveys this information to the computer facility. After departure from the spatially delimited region the latter reduces the brush speed from the second, higher brush speed to the first, lower brush speed. In addition to the higher 11 vacuuming power in the spatially delimited region a higher mechanical cleaning effect can also be easily implemented in this way. Only a software adaptation and not an adaption of the hardware of the robot vacuum cleaner is also usually required for this.
In a further advantageous form of embodiment of the inventive method the robot vacuum cleaner has a fan motor and a brush drive motor, wherein the robot vacuum cleaner approaches the region with a first electrical power of the fan motor and/or of the brush drive motor, and wherein the computer facility monitors the approach process and, before reaching the region, increases the first electrical power to a second, higher electrical power, so that the fan motor and/or the brush drive motor have/has the second, higher electrical power when the robot vacuum cleaner reaches the region. Moreover, the sensor facility detects an onwards movement of the robot vacuum cleaner into and out of the region and conveys this information to the computer facility, wherein the computer facility, after departure from the region, reduces the second electrical power to the first electrical power. The increased second electrical power can naturally go along with a higher second brush speed and/or a higher second fan rotation speed.
In such cases the second, higher electrical power of the fan motor and/or of the brush drive motor can lie above a recommended or maximum permitted continuous power of the fan motor or of the brush drive motor. A brief increase in the electrical power of the fan motor or of the brush drive motor beyond the recommended or maximum permitted continuous power of the fan motor or the brush drive motor can be performed in such cases without risk and at the same time with the advantage of improved cleaning into corners.
Expediently the sensor facility detects a movement of the robot vacuum cleaner via at least one distance sensor and/or a collision sensor. For example a contact between the robot vacuum cleaner and a baseboard of a wall is detected via a collision sensor, while a distance from the spatially delimited region, for example a wall, is detected via a distance sensor and can be communicated thereby to the computer facility.
Expediently the robot vacuum cleaner is able to be operated in a so-called Silent mode, in which the first fan rotation speed amounts to 50% of a maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed and the second, higher fan rotation speed amounts to 100% of the maximum permitted continuous fan speed. In addition or as an alternative, in the Silent mode, provided the robot vacuum cleaner has a rotating brush, of which the first brush speed amounts to 50% of a maximum permitted continuous brush speed and the second, higher brush speed to 100% of a maximum permitted continuous brush speed. Thus, in so-called Silent mode, a low-noise cleaning of a floor is usually possible, wherein, in the thorough cleaning of corner regions, for example, the fan rotation speed and/or the brush speed is raised there and only in said regions. As soon as this region to be specially cleaned is left, the computer facility reduces the fan rotation speed or the brush speed, whereby the robot vacuum cleaner can continue to move in its low-noise Silent mode. The fan rotation speed in this case is understood for example as the speed of rotation of a fan, while a brush speed is understood as a speed of rotation of a respective brush.
In an advantageous development of the inventive method the robot vacuum cleaner is able to be operated in an Eco mode, in which the first fan rotation speed amounts to 80% of a maximum permitted continuous speed of rotation of a fan and the second fan rotation speed amounts to 140% of the maximum permitted continuous speed of rotation of a fan. In addition or as an alternative, provided the robot vacuum cleaner has a rotating brush, of which the first, lower brush speed amounts to 80% of a maximum permitted continuous brush rotation speed and the second brush speed, higher by comparison with the first brush speed, to 140% of the maximum permitted continuous brush rotation speed. An Eco mode of this type can be set for example where, although the robot vacuum cleaner is to be operated in power-saving mode, a degree of soiling of the floor, and in particular also of the corner regions or of the spatially delimited regions, requires a higher cleaning power compared to the Silent mode however.
Expediently the robot vacuum cleaner is also able to be operated in a so-called Power mode, in which the first fan rotation speed amounts to 100% of a permitted maximum continuous fan rotation speed and the second fan rotation speed to 200% of a permitted maximum continuous fan rotation speed. In addition or as an alternative, here to, where a rotating brush is also provided, the first brush speed can amount to 100% of a maximum permitted continuous brush rotation speed and the second brush speed to 200% of the maximum permitted continuous brush rotation speed. A Power mode of this type is used in particular where the floor to be cleaned is heavily soiled and the higher noise burden in the Power mode is not felt to be disturbing for a user. As a rule electronic and mechanical components, for example a fan, as well as upstream electronics, are designed for a continuous power, which is not exceeded in normal operation. A vacuuming power or fan rotation speed of 100% usually corresponds to this continuous power in this case, wherein both a rotating brush or its drive and also a fan are also at least designed for short-duration higher loads. Therefore, for briefly cleaning into a corner, the robot vacuum cleaner can also control its fan with an increased power value, without said fan sustaining any damage during the process.
The present invention is further based on the general idea of specifying a robot vacuum cleaner with a sensor facility, a fan and a computer facility for carrying out the method described in the previous paragraphs, wherein a robot vacuum cleaner of this type, in respect of its configuration, its dimensions or its individual brushes, can be embodied in almost any way, since the inventive method is possible purely through a software adaptation.
Expediently the sensor facility of the robot vacuum cleaner has at least one distance sensor and/or a collision sensor. An exact position of the robot vacuum cleaner can be detected via such a distance sensor or collision sensor and thereby the inventive method can be carried out reliably.
Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the FIGS. with the aid of the drawings.
It goes without saying that the features mentioned here and the features still to be explained below are able to be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the framework of the present invention.
Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in greater detail in the description given below, wherein the same reference characters refer to the same or similar components or to components with the same function.
In the figures, in schematic diagrams in each case,
According to
An approach of the robot vacuum cleaner 1 to the region 2 is detected in this case via the sensor facility 4, wherein this information is conveyed at the same time to a computer facility 5 of the robot vacuum cleaner 1. The computer facility 5 in this case monitors the approach process and, before reaching the region 2, which is shown in
The sensor facility 4 continues to detect the further movement of the robot vacuum cleaner 1 in the region 2 and out of said region and conveys this information to the computer facility 5. In accordance with
In addition the robot vacuum cleaner 1 can also have a rotating brush (not shown in any greater detail), wherein in this case the robot vacuum cleaner 1 approaches the region 2 with a first brush speed. In this case the computer facility 5 monitors the approach process and, before reaching the spatially delimited region 2, increases the first brush speed to a second, higher brush speed, so that the brush already has the second, higher brush speed when the robot vacuum cleaner 1 enters the region 2. Since the increase in the vacuuming power or the brush power takes a few seconds, the reaching of the region 2 can be estimated using for example a speed of movement of the robot vacuum cleaner 1 via the sensor facility 4, which features a distance sensor or a collision sensor for example, and the fan rotation speed or the brush speed can in this way be raised in good time beforehand, so that the increased second fan rotation speed or the increased second brush speed is already available on entry into the region 2. The sensor facility 4 detects the onwards movement of the robot vacuum cleaner 1 in the region 2 or also out of this region 2 and conveys this information to the computer facility 5. The latter, after leaving the region 2, reduces the second, higher brush speed to the first, lower brush speed, which can likewise take a few seconds. Subsequently the robot vacuum cleaner 1 moves onwards with the first fan rotation speed, where necessary with a first brush speed, and cleans a floor 6 in an energy-saving manner.
The robot vacuum cleaner 1 has a fan motor for driving the fan and has a brush motor for driving the brush, wherein the robot vacuum cleaner approaches the region 2 with a first electrical power of the fan motor and/or of the brush drive motor, and wherein the computer facility 5 monitors the approach process.
Before reaching the region 2 the computer facility 5 increases the first electrical power to a second, higher electrical power, so that the fan motor and/or the brush drive motor have/has the second, higher electrical power when the robot vacuum cleaner 1 reaches the region 2. The sensor facility 4 moreover detects an onwards movement of the robot vacuum cleaner 1 into and out of the region 2 and conveys this information to the computer facility 5. After leaving the region 2 the second electrical power is reduced to the first electrical power. In this case the second electrical power of the fan motor and/or of the brush drive motor can lie above a recommended or maximum permitted continuous power of the fan motor or of the brush drive motor. There can be a short-duration increase in the electrical power of the fan motor or of the brush drive motor to above the recommended or maximum permitted continuous power of the fan motor or of the brush drive motor without risk and at the same time with the advantage of improved cleaning into the corners.
According to
In the Silent mode there is to be a low-noise cleaning of the floor 6 by the robot vacuum cleaner 1, so that in this case the first fan rotation speed corresponds to appr. 50% of a maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed and the second fan rotation speed to 100% of the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed. The vacuuming power correlates in this case with a vacuuming power of the robot vacuum cleaner 1. Thus, where the robot vacuum cleaner 1 reaches the spatially delimited region 2, for example a corner of a room or a corner region 3, the vacuuming power or fan rotation speed is doubled. After leaving the corner region 3 or generally the spatially delimited region 2 and after the cleaning of said region, the robot vacuum cleaner 1 reduces its second, higher fan rotation speed by half, so that, on moving on, this once again amounts to only 50% of the maximum permitted continuous fan power or continuous fan rotation speed. By analogy it can behave in the same way with the brush speed or with the brush power.
In Eco mode the first fan rotation speed amounts to 80% of a maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed, while the second fan rotation speed amounts to 140% of the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed. There is thus an increase by a factor of 0.75 between the first fan rotation speed and the second fan rotation speed. This enables the corner region 3 to be cleaned especially effectively and thoroughly. As soon as the robot vacuum cleaner 1 leaves the corner region 3 or generally the region 2, the fan rotation speed is reduced again to 80% of the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed.
In Power mode the robot vacuum cleaner 1 cleans especially thoroughly and thus also during usual movement on the floor 6 outside of the region 2 with 100% of the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed or continuous fan power. The first fan rotation speed or the first brush speed thus amounts to 100% of the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed or the maximum permitted continuous brush rotation speed. If the robot vacuum cleaner 1 reaches the region 2, the first fan rotation speed is doubled shortly beforehand to the second fan rotation speed, so that the robot vacuum cleaner 1 cleans in region 2 with 200% of the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed or vacuuming power or continuous brush rotation speed. After leaving the region 2, the computer facility once again reduces the fan rotation speed or, where brushes are present, reduces the brush speed to 100% of the respective maximum permitted continuous speed, so that the robot vacuum cleaner 1 subsequently continues to clean again with the first fan rotation speed, which corresponds in this case to the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed. A short-duration increase in the fan rotation speed or the brush speed, even to 200% of the maximum permitted continuous fan rotation speed or continuous brush rotation speed, is no problem over the long term in this case.
The inventive method and the inventive robot vacuum cleaner 1 allow regions 2 that have to date especially not been cleaned or not been cleaned sufficiently well, for example corner regions 3, but also regions around items of furniture, rounded sections, obstacles such as table legs or chair legs, to be cleaned especially effectively, advantageously without any change or adaptation to the hardware of the robot vacuum cleaner 1 being required for this. Only an adaptation of software is required for this, which advantageously is not only low-cost but can also be transferred to all widely-available robot vacuum cleaners 1.
In particular the inventive method can advantageously be transferred in any given way to robot vacuum cleaners 1 with a D shape, with side brushes or with extendable vacuuming arms etc. The fact that the hardware stays the same enables a low-cost but still highly effective method to be created.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2021 206 579.1 | Jun 2021 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/066140 | 6/14/2022 | WO |
