Patent Application
20060070203
The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to a floor cleaning apparatus equipped with a sound cancellation generator so as to provide more quiet operation.
Floor care cleaning equipment such as canister, upright and handheld vacuum cleaners as well as extractors have long been known in the art. Such equipment is generally equipped with a suction generator including a fan and cooperating drive motor. Some of the devices are also equipped with a separate drive motor for a rotary agitator. Still further, self propelled units are equipped with an additional unit drive motor.
During operation of the floor care cleaning equipment the motor or motors generate a significant amount of sound or noise. The present invention relates to a floor cleaning apparatus equipped with a sound cancellation generator to allow for more quiet operation as well as to a method for reducing operating noise in a floor cleaning apparatus or appliance.
In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a floor cleaning apparatus is provided. The floor cleaning apparatus comprises a housing, a suction generator including a motor that is carried on the housing and a sound cancellation generator. The suction generator motor produces a first sound during operation of the floor cleaning apparatus. The sound cancellation generator produces a second sound during operation of the floor cleaning apparatus. The second sound is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with the first sound so that noise generated during operation of the floor cleaning apparatus is reduced.
More specifically describing the invention the sound cancellation generator includes a controller and a sound transducer. Further the sound cancellation generator includes a sound sensor for detecting an amplitude A and frequency F of the first sound. The controller is responsive to detected amplitude and frequency signals from the sound sensor. The sound transducer is responsive to the controller to then produce a second sound having an amplitude of substantially A and a frequency of substantially F, substantially 180 degrees out of phase with the first sound.
In accordance with additional aspects of the present invention the housing may include a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. The canister assembly may be pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet. In one possible embodiment a rotary agitator is carried on the nozzle assembly adjacent the suction inlet.
Still further the floor cleaning apparatus may include a dirt collection vessel carried on the nozzle assembly and the canister assembly. In one possible embodiment the dirt collection vessel takes the form of a porous dust bag. In another possible embodiment the dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup. That dirt cup may include a cylindrical dirt collection chamber and a tangentially directed inlet. Further a first filter may be provided in the dirt cup. A second filter may be provided downstream from the suction generator.
In accordance with additional aspects of the present invention the floor cleaning apparatus may include a wireless control interface. The wireless control interface includes a control actuator, a transmitter connected to the control actuator, a receiver remote from the transmitter and a CPU connected to the receiver.
The floor cleaning apparatus may also include a control handle and wand assembly displaceable between a first, floor cleaning position wherein the handle and wand is carried on the housing and a second, remote cleaning position wherein the handle and wand assembly is removed from the housing. In such an embodiment the control actuator and the transmitter may be carried on the control handle and wand assembly.
In the following description there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
As illustrated in
The nozzle assembly 12 includes a suction inlet 16. A rotary agitator 18 carried on the nozzle assembly 12 is mounted in the suction inlet 16. The rotary agitator 18 includes bristle tufts 20, brushes, wipers or the like to beat dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned as the agitator 18 is rotated at high speeds with respect to that carpet and the nozzle assembly 12.
The canister assembly 14 includes a dirt collection vessel 22 housed in an internal cavity 23. As illustrated in
The canister assembly 14 also includes a telescopic wand assembly generally designated by reference numeral 32. The wand assembly 32 includes first and second telescopic wand sections 34, 36. The second wand section 36 is telescopingly received in the first wand section 34. The wand sections 34 and 36 are connected together by a wand lock, generally designated by reference numeral 38, that is carried on the end of the section 34. A control handle 40 having a hand grip 42 is provided at the end of the first wand section 34 opposite the wand lock 38. The end of the second wand section 36 opposite the wand lock 38 is received in a connector 44 mounted to the rear of the canister assembly 14. A flexible hose 46 extends from the control handle 40 to the inlet 48 connected to the dirt collection vessel 22.
During standard floor cleaning operation, the rotary agitator 18 scrubs and beats dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. A suction generator 50 carried on the housing draws air entrained with that dirt and debris through the suction inlet 16, the connector 44, the wand section 36, the wand section 34, the control handle 40, the hose 46 and the inlet 48 into the dirt collection vessel 22. The dirt and debris is captured in the vessel 22 while relatively clean air is drawn over the motor of the suction generator 50 in order to provide cooling. That air is then exhausted through a final filter 53 and returned to the environment through an exhaust port 54.
As illustrated in
The operation of the suction generator 50 and rotary agitator 18 are controlled by the operator through manipulation of the control actuator or user interface 60 provided on the control hand grip 42. As best illustrated in
The vacuum cleaner 10 of the present invention is characterized by relatively quiet operation. This is achieved by equipping the vacuum cleaner 10 with a sound cancellation generator, generally designated by reference numeral 100 (see
More specifically, during vacuum cleaner operation, the motor of the suction generator 50 turns the fan to generate suction for drawing dirt and debris into the vacuum cleaner. Simultaneously the motor of the suction generator 50 produces a first sound. That sound may be characterized as having an amplitude A and a frequency F. The sound wave 110 produced by the suction generator motor is schematically illustrated in
The sound cancellation generator 100 functions to produce a second sound that is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with the first sound. More specifically, the sound cancellation generator 100 produces a second sound wave 112 schematically illustrated in
More particularly describing the operation of the invention, the sound sensor 104 detects the amplitude and frequency of the first sound generated by the motor of the suction generator 50 and sends appropriate amplitude and frequency signals to the controller 102. The controller 102 responds to the detected amplitude and frequency signals and substantially instantaneously sends a frequency amplitude and phase signal to the sound transducer 106. The sound transducer 106 responds to the control signals of the controller 102 to produce the second sound having an amplitude of substantially A and a frequency of substantially F all substantially 180 degrees out of phase with the first sound. The resulting cancellation effect between the first sound wave 110 produced by the suction generator motor and the second sound wave 112 produced by the sound transducer 106 of the sound cancellation generator 100 substantially reduces the operating noise of the vacuum cleaner 10.
In an effort to enhance the noise suppression it should be appreciated that both the suction generator motor and the sound cancellation generator 100 may also be mounted in a sound dampening compartment 114 of the housing of the vacuum cleaner (i.e. either in the nozzle assembly 12 or canister assembly 14). Such a compartment 114 may be lined with acoustical insulating material.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, while the sound cancellation generator 100 is illustrated and described as cancelling the sound generated by the motor of the suction generator 50, the sound cancellation generator could just as easily be utilized to cancel sound generated by a separate agitator drive motor and/or self propulsion motor if the vacuum cleaner 10 is so equipped. Further, multiple sound cancellation generators 100 could be provided on a single vacuum cleaner 10 if desired.
The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiment do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/615,779 filed on 4 Oct. 2004.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60615779 | Oct 2004 | US |
