Method for operating a floor cleaning system, and floor cleaning system for use of the method

• US 20050150519A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Benzler, Gottfried, Keppler, Joachim, Skoumal, Roger
• Application Number:
  US11/029,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150519A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/19
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/024 Emptying dust or waste liquid containers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/38 Built-in suction cleaner installations, i.e. with fixed tube system to which, at different stations, hoses can be connected
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0047 Furniture or stationary devices with suction openings built-in suction cleaners A47L5/38
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• 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: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a floor cleaning system having a central suction station with which there is associated a self-propelled and self-steering suction appliance, dirt being picked up from a floor surface that is to be cleaned by means of the suction appliance and being transferred into a dirt collection vessel of the suction appliance, and the suction station having a suction unit, and the dirt collection vessel being sucked out by means of the suction unit. To refine the method in such a manner that the levels of noise produced by the floor cleaning system can be reduced, it is proposed, according to the invention, that the suction unit is optionally operated with a maximum suction power or a reduced suction power. The invention also proposes a floor cleaning system for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. Method for operating a floor cleaning system having a central suction station with which there is associated a self-propelled and self-steering suction appliance, dirt being picked up from a floor surface that is to be cleaned by means of the suction appliance and being transferred into a dirt collection vessel of the suction appliance, and the suction station having a suction unit, and the dirt collection vessel being sucked out by means of the suction unit, wherein the suction unit is selectively operated with a maximum suction power or a reduced suction power.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the suction unit is operated with a reduced suction power for a predetermined period of time and is then operated with a maximum suction power again.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the suction unit is operated with a reduced suction power for at most approximately eight hours and is then operated with a maximum suction power again.

4. Method according to claim 2, wherein the dirt collection vessel is sucked out with the maximum suction power of the suction unit at least once after the period of time which is predetermined for the operating mode with reduced suction power has elapsed.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein during the operating mode with reduced suction power, the period of time between two operations of sucking out the dirt collection vessel is measured and compared with a maximum permissible period of time, and the method is switched to the operating mode with maximum suction power if the maximum permissible period of time is exceeded.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein a command to restart the operating mode with reduced suction power is suppressed during this operating mode.

7. Floor cleaning system for use of the method according to claim 1, having a central suction station, with which there is associated a self-propelled and self-steering suction appliance, the suction appliance having a dirt collection vessel and a suction turbine for picking up dirt from a floor surface that is to be cleaned and for transferring the dirt into the dirt collection vessel, and the suction station having a suction unit for sucking out the dirt collection vessel, wherein the suction unit is selectively operable with a maximum suction power or a reduced suction power.

8. Floor cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the suction unit can be operated with a reduced suction power for a predetermined period of time and switches to an operating mode with a maximum suction power after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

9. Floor cleaning system according to claim 8, wherein the suction station comprises an activation element for activating the operating mode with reduced suction power, the predetermined period of time for the operating mode with reduced suction power not being extendable by multiple actuation of the activation element.

10. Floor cleaning system according to claim 9, wherein a timing element for recording the duration of the operating mode with reduced suction power is associated with the activation element, it not being possible for the timing element to be influenced by actuation of the activation element during the operating mode with reduced suction power.

11. Floor cleaning system according to claim 8, wherein the suction unit, following the completion of the operating mode with reduced suction power, can only be operated with reduced suction power again after the dirt collection vessel has been sucked out using maximum suction power at least once.

12. Floor cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the suction station automatically switches to an operating mode with maximum suction power of the suction unit if the period of time between two operations of sucking out the dirt collection vessel exceeds a predetermined maximum value.

13. Floor cleaning system according to claim 7, wherein the suction power of the suction unit is reducible by at least approximately 50% of the maximum suction power of the suction unit.