Trash Detecting Device and Automatic Vacumm cleaner Using the Same

• US 20150230680A1
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Egenpower Inc.
• Original Assignee: Egenpower Inc.
• Inventors: LI, Gary, CHIU, Sheng-Chan
• Application Number:
  US14/626,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20150230680A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2961 for discrete levels G01F23/2962 - G01F23/2968 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/04 Analysing solids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14

Abstract

A trash detecting device used in an automatic vacuum cleaner is disclosed to include a trash box defining therein a trash chamber, and an ultrasonic detection module mounted in the trash box. The ultrasonic detection module includes a control circuit, a transmitter electrically connected to the control circuit and controllable by the control circuit to transmit an ultrasonic signal toward the trash chamber, and a receiver electrically connected to the control circuit and adapted for receiving an eco signal created by the ultrasonic signal being reflected off a trash in the trash chamber and transmitting the eco signal to the control circuit for processing and causing the control circuit to output an examination signal, and thus, the trash detecting device is able to detect whether the trash amount in the trash box has reached saturation.

Claims

1. A trash detection device for automatic vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a trash box defining therein a trash chamber; and

an ultrasonic detection module mounted in said trash box, said ultrasonic detection module comprising a control circuit, a transmitter and a receiver, said transmitter being electrically connected to said control circuit and spaced above a bottom wall of said trash chamber at a predetermined elevation and controllable by said control circuit to transmit an ultrasonic signal toward said trash chamber, said receiver being electrically connected to said control circuit and spaced above a bottom wall of said trash chamber at a predetermined elevation and adapted for receiving an eco signal created by said ultrasonic signal being reflected off a trash in said trash chamber and transmitting said eco signal to said control circuit for processing and output.

2. The trash detection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said trash box comprises a trash inlet and two inspection holes respectively located in two adjacent walls thereof and respectively disposed in communication with said trash chamber, said two inspection holes being respectively disposed corresponding to said transmitter and said receiver.

3. The trash detection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said ultrasonic detection module further comprises two sleeves respectively sleeved onto said transmitter and said receiver.

4. The trash detection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said ultrasonic detection module further comprises a holder base mounted in said trash box and adapted to hold said control circuit, said holder comprising two locating holes, each said locating hole being adapted to hold one respective said sleeve.

5. An automatic vacuum cleaner, comprising

a housing;

a drive unit mounted in said housing, said drive unit comprising two motors and two steering wheels respectively coupled to said motors;

a trash detecting device comprising a trash box detachably mounted in said housing and an ultrasonic detection module mounted in said trash box, said trash box defining therein a trash chamber, said ultrasonic detection module comprising a control circuit, a transmitter and a receiver, said transmitter being electrically connected to said control circuit and spaced above a bottom wall of said trash chamber at a predetermined elevation and controllable by said control circuit to transmit an ultrasonic signal toward said trash chamber, said receiver being electrically connected to said control circuit and spaced above a bottom wall of said trash chamber at a predetermined elevation and adapted for receiving an eco signal created by said ultrasonic signal being reflected off a trash in said trash chamber and transmitting said eco signal to said control circuit for processing and for causing said control circuit to output an examination signal; and

a microprocessor mounted in said housing and electrically coupled with said motors of said drive unit and said control circuit of said trash detecting device and adapted for receiving said examination signal from said control circuit of said ultrasonic detection module, said microprocessor having built therein a standard cleaning path program and a focused cleaning path program, wherein when said microprocessor receives said examination signal from said control circuit of said ultrasonic detection module, said microprocessor implements said focused cleaning path program, driving said two motors to rotate said two steering wheels in carrying said housing along a focused cleaning path defined by said focused cleaning path program.

6. The automatic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein said focused cleaning path exhibits an outwardly extended circular spiral pattern.

7. The automatic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein said focused cleaning path exhibits an outwardly extended rectangular spiral pattern.

8. The automatic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein said trash box comprises a trash inlet and two inspection holes respectively located in two adjacent walls thereof and respectively disposed in communication with said trash chamber, said two inspection holes being respectively disposed corresponding to said transmitter and said receiver.

9. The automatic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein said ultrasonic detection module of said trash detecting device further comprises two sleeves respectively sleeved onto said transmitter and said receiver.

10. The automatic vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9, wherein said ultrasonic detection module of said trash detecting device further comprises a holder base mounted in said trash box and adapted to hold said control circuit, said holder comprising two locating holes, each said locating hole being adapted to hold one respective said sleeve.