Floor cleaning device for dry and wet cleaning as well as method for operating a self-propelled floor cleaning device

• US 10,398,269 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2014
• 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: Hillen, Lorenz, Meggle, Martin, Scheffel, Jenny, Von Der Heyden, Jan, Eidmohammadi, Nazil, Hoffmann, Sabrina
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Binh X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Remavege, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/808,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20160037983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 15319, 15320, 15347, 15363, 134 6
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/145 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/201 with supply of cleaning agents
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0004 Suction cleaners adapted to take up liquids, e.g. wet or dry vacuum cleaners floor-scrubbing machines taking-up dirty liquid by suction A47L11/30
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2847 Surface treating elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30

Abstract

A method for operating a self-propelled floor cleaning device, in a first operating step, drives the floor cleaning device across a first treatment path across the floor to be cleaned according to a predetermined driving strategy, or according to a predetermined algorithm, which is calculated on the basis of data, which are detected by sensors and thereby carries out a first cleaning step by a first cleaning device. In the first operating step, areas of the floor surfaces to be cleaned, which are cleaned in at least a second operating step by a second cleaning device, or which are excluded from the cleaning by the second cleaning device, are determined. A floor cleaning device, which is suitable for carrying out the method, has a chassis, a first cleaning device for dry cleaning a floor surface, and a second cleaning device for wet cleaning areas of the floor surface.

Claims

1. A method for operating a self-propelled floor cleaning device having first and second cleaning devices disposed therein, comprising the following steps:

driving the floor cleaning device across floor surfaces to be cleaned in a first operating step using on-board sensors, according to a predetermined driving strategy, or according to a predetermined algorithm, which is calculated on the basis of data,

driving the floor cleaning device across the floor surfaces to be cleaned in at least a second operating step, such that the floor surfaces driven over in the second operating step are also driven over in the first operating step;

cleaning at least a portion of the floor surfaces with the first cleaning device during the first operating step;

detecting during the first operating step, by means of the sensors, areas of the floor surfaces which are to be cleaned in at least the second operating step, and which are excluded from the cleaning in the second operating step, based on a determination by the sensor of a surface quality of the floor surfaces, such that the sensor distinguishes at least between floor surfaces made of carpet, floor surfaces made of plastic, and floor surfaces made of wood; and

cleaning in the second operating step with the second cleaning device only said areas of the floor surface detected in the first operating step to be cleaned in the second operating step,

wherein during the step of driving the floor cleaning device in the second operating step, the floor cleaning device is driven over the areas detected in the first operating step to be excluded from cleaning in the second operating step, without cleaning said areas to be excluded, or the floor cleaning device omits driving over said areas detected to be excluded, and

wherein the step of cleaning with the first cleaning device is a dry cleaning and the step of cleaning with the second cleaning device is a wet cleaning.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of depositing dust collected during the dry cleaning in a dust collection container and depositing dirty water collected during the wet cleaning in the same dust collection container.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second operating step commences at a base station after the dust collection is emptied and after a fresh water tank of the cleaning device is filled.

2. A method for operating a self-propelled floor cleaning device having first and second cleaning devices disposed therein, comprising the following steps:

driving the floor cleaning device across floor surfaces to be cleaned in a first operating step using on-board sensors, according to a predetermined driving strategy, or according to a predetermined algorithm, which is calculated on the basis of data,

driving the floor cleaning device across the floor surfaces to be cleaned in at least a second operating step, such that the floor surfaces driven over in the second operating step are also driven over in the first operating step;

cleaning at least a portion of the floor surfaces with the first cleaning device during the first operating step;

detecting during the first operating step, by means of the sensors, areas of the floor surfaces which are to be cleaned in at least the second operating step, and which are excluded from the cleaning in the second operating step, based on a determination by the sensor of a surface quality of the floor surfaces, such that the sensor distinguishes at least between floor surfaces made of carpet, floor surfaces made of plastic, and floor surfaces made of wood; and

cleaning in the second operating step with the second cleaning device only said areas of the floor surface detected in the first operating step to be cleaned in the second operating step,

wherein during the step of driving the floor cleaning device in the second operating step, the floor cleaning device is driven over the areas detected in the first operating step to be excluded from cleaning in the second operating step, without cleaning said areas to be excluded, or the floor cleaning device omits driving over said areas detected to be excluded, and

wherein the step of cleaning with the first cleaning device is a dry cleaning and the step of cleaning with the second cleaning device is a wet cleaning, and wherein the step of cleaning with the first cleaning device takes place in a direction of movement that is opposite a direction of movement of the step of cleaning with the second cleaning device.