Base station for connection with a surface treatment device, system comprised of a surface treatment device and base station, and method for operating a base station

• US 10,210,734 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Vorwerk & Company Interholding Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Vorwerk & Company KG)
• Inventors: Meyer, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Nwugo, Ojiako K
• Application Number:
  US15/749,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20180225943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 340628
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/02 Floor surfacing or polishing machines polishing machines in general B24B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/02 Docking stations; Docking operations
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/103 using a light emitting and receiving device
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/107 for detecting light-scattering due to smoke

Abstract

A surface treatment device, in particular a cleaning robot, has at least one optical device element and an evaluation unit. The optical device element is configured such that light emitted by the optical device element is at least partially reflected to an optical device element by means of the external element. During an interaction of the optical device element and the external element for the purpose of detecting a presence of smoke between the optical device element and the external element, the evaluation unit evaluates a measurement signal received by the optical device element with respect to a temporal change in signal amplitude, and triggers an alarm signal when a defined threshold value has been passed.

Claims

1. A base station for connection with a surface treatment device for servicing activities, wherein the base station has at least one optical base element and an evaluation unit, wherein the optical base element is designed to interact with an external element in such a way that light emitted by the optical base element is at least partially reflected to the optical base element by the external element, wherein, while the optical base element and external element interact for purposes of detecting the presence of smoke between the optical base element and external element, the evaluation unit is designed to evaluate a measuring signal received from the optical base element for a change in the signal amplitude over time, and trigger an alarm signal once a defined threshold has been passed.

2. The base station according to claim 1, wherein several optical base elements are provided.

3. The base station according to claim 2, wherein the optical base element has a diode.

4. The base station according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is a photodiode or a camera chip.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the optical base element or optical device element is a mirror for at least partially reflecting the light emitted by the optical device element or optical base element.

10. A method for operating a base station described in claim 1, wherein at least one optical base element of the base station interacts with an external element, wherein the optical base element is spaced a distance apart for an interaction, wherein the optical base element emits light, which is received by the optical base element, wherein an evaluation unit of the base station evaluates the measuring signal received by means of the optical base element for purposes of detecting the presence of smoke between the optical base element and external element for a change in the signal amplitude over time, and triggers an alarm signal once a defined threshold has been passed.

6. A system comprised of a surface treatment device, and a base station for connection with the surface treatment device for servicing activities, wherein the surface treatment device has at least one optical device element, and wherein the base station has at least one optical base element designed to interact with the optical device element, wherein an evaluation unit is allocated to the at least one optical element, and, while the optical elements interact for purposes of detecting the presence of smoke between the optical device element and optical base element, is designed to evaluate a measuring signal received from the optical elements for a change in the signal amplitude over time, and trigger an alarm signal once a defined threshold has been passed, and wherein an interaction between the optical elements takes place upon contact between the surface treatment device and base station, wherein a function as a smoke sensor can also be simultaneously accompanied by implementation of servicing activities for the base station.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the optical elements are arranged on the surface treatment device and base station in such a way that a distance between the optical device element and optical base element measures roughly 1 cm to 20 cm during an interaction.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the optical device element or optical base element is a light source.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the optical base element or optical device element is a sensor.