Self-propelling cleaner

• US 20050183230A1
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Uehigashi, Naoya
• Application Number:
  US11/042,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20050183230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• 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 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• 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 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Abstract

In a dust transporting pipe 6, a microphone 20 is installed in a predetermined position. An output signal of the microphone 20, that is, a voltage signal of amplitude according to sound volume of the inside of the dust transporting pipe 6 picked is inputted to a controller 10. Initial amplitude according to sound volume of the inside of the dust transporting pipe 6 in the case of sucking dust in a state in which there is no dust inside a dust chamber 5 at all and the amount of change in amplitude indicating what amount amplitude changes from the initial amplitude in the case that the dust chamber 5 becomes full of dust are previously stored in the controller 10.

Claims

1. A self-propelling cleaner comprising:

a main body;

a cleaning unit that accommodates dust taken from a cleaning nozzle through a dust transporting pipe within a dust chamber;

a propelling unit that automatically moves and turnarounds the main body within a preset region;

a controller for controlling the propelling unit and the cleaning unit;

a microphone mounted in the dust transporting pipe;

a dust full detection unit that detects a full state of dust in the dust chamber based on a sound volume picked by the microphone and a preset reference sound volume;

a switching unit for switching cleaning modes; and

a display that indicates the full state when the dust full detection unit detects the full state,

wherein the propelling unit stops moving the main body when the dust full detection unit detects the full state,

wherein the propelling unit moves the main body in different manner from that at a time of normal cleaning when the dust full detection unit detects the full state,

wherein the dust full detection unit switches the reference sound volume according to the cleaning mode switched by the switching unit.

2. A self-propelling cleaner comprising:

a main body;

a cleaning unit that accommodates dust taken from a cleaning nozzle through a dust transporting pipe within a dust chamber;

a propelling unit that automatically moves and turnarounds the main body within a preset region;

a controller for controlling the propelling unit and the cleaning unit;

a microphone mounted in the dust transporting pipe; and

a dust full detection unit that detects a full state of dust in the dust chamber based on a sound volume picked by the microphone and a preset reference sound volume.

3. The self-propelling cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller controls the propelling unit to stop moving the main body when the dust full detection unit detects the full state.

4. The self-propelling cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller controls the propelling unit to move the main body in different manner from that at a time of normal cleaning when the dust full detection unit detects the full state.

5. The self-propelling cleaner as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a switching unit for switching cleaning modes,

wherein the dust full detection unit switches the reference sound volume according to the cleaning mode switched by the switching unit.

6. The self-propelling cleaner as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a display that indicates the full state when the dust full detection unit detects the full state.

7. The self-propelling cleaner as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a speed detection unit that detects speed of the main body; and

a notification unit that notifies a warning to a user,

wherein when the controller detects that sound volume picked by the microphone changes by a predetermined value or more as compared with preset reference sound volume and the speed detection unit detects a decrease in speed of the main body, the controller controls the notification unit to notify the warning to the user.

8. The self-propelling cleaner as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the controller detects that sound volume picked by the microphone changes by a predetermined value or more as compared with preset reference sound volume and the speed detection unit detects a decrease in speed of the main body, the controller controls the cleaning unit to stop cleaning.

9. The self-propelling cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller controls the cleaning unit to resume cleaning after a lapse of a predetermined time since the cleaning unit and the propelling unit is stopped, and

wherein when the sound volume picked by the microphone is less than or equal to the predetermined value as compared with the preset reference sound volume, the controller controls the propelling unit to resume propelling the main body.