Vacuum cleaner with performance monitoring system

• US 4,733,431 A
• Filed: 12/09/1986
• Issued: 03/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Appliance Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US06/939,756
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 15/339, 15/347, 15/319, 55/174, 116/268
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1427 Means for mounting or attaching bags or filtering receptacles in suction cleaners; Adapters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1472 combined with security means, e.g. for preventing use, e.g. in case of absence of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners

Abstract

A canister type vacuum cleaner includes a floor cleaning unit and a canister unit interconnected by a wand and hose assembly. The canister unit has a dust collection bag mounted in a dust collecting compartment by a dust bag mount. A suction fan evacuates the air within the dust collecting compartment causing dirt laden air to flow from the floor cleaning unit through the wand and hose assembly and into the dust bag through an intake port formed in the dust bag mount. The air is exhausted from the canister unit through a discharge port. A performance monitoring and indicating system provides information as to the operative condition of the vacuum cleaner by means of an "OK" light, a "No Bag" light, a "Check Bag" light and a "Check Hose" light. A dust bag sensor senses the differential pressure between the intake port and the dust collecting compartment and is actuated when a functional dust bag is properly mounted on the dust bag mount. A discharge sensor senses the differential pressure between the discharge port and the dust collecting compartment and an intake sensor senses the differential pressure between the outside of the vacuum cleaner and the intake port. The actuation of the intake and discharge sensors provide information to indicate when the dust bag has become too clogged or that a restriction exists in the wand and hose assembly.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner condition indicator for use with a vacuum cleaner having a dust collecting compartment and a dust bag adapted to be disposed in said dust collecting compartment, comprising

dust bag sensing means for sensing the differential pressure between the inside of said dust bag and said dust collecting compartment to provide a first signal when said dust bag is properly disposed in said dust collecting compartment, and to provide a second signal when said dust bag is not properly disposed in said dust collecting compartments, and

indicating means associated with said dust bag sensing means for providing sensorially perceptible indicating signals in response to said first and second signals.

2. A condition indicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said dust bag sensing means includes a first switch means actuated in response to said differential pressure being of at least a preselected magnitude.

3. A condition indicator as recited in claim 2 wherein said preselected magnitude is a pressure equivalent to approximately 1.5 inches of water.

4. A condition indicator as recited in claim 2 wherein said indicating means includes a first indicating light, the actuation of said first switch means controlling the illumination of said first indicating light.

5. A condition indicator as recited in claim 4 wherein said indicating means includes timing means prohibiting the illumination of said first indicating light except during a preselected time interval after said vacuum cleaner is energized.

6. A condition indicator as recited in claim 4 wherein said first indicating light is red in color.

7. A condition indicator as recited in claim 1 wherein said vacuum cleaner includes an intake port in communication with the inside of said dust bag and wherein said dust bag sensing means includes pressure sensing means to sense the pressure at said intake port.

8. A vacuum cleaner dust bag mount for mounting a dust bag in a vacuum cleaner, said dust bag adapted to receive dirt laden air therein, said bag mount comprising

mounting means for mounting said dust bag on said bag mount, said mounting means providing an intake air passage between the outside of said vacuum cleaner and the inside of said dust bag,

pressure sensing air passage means extending through said bag mount and in communication with said intake air passage and

shroud means in said intake air passage for shielding said pressure sensing air passage means so as to prevent said dirt laden air from entering said pressure sensing air passage means.

9. A dust bag mount as recited in claim 8 wherein said air intake passage includes a tubular passage and wherein said pressure sensing air passage means includes an air passage extending through a wall of said tubular passage and in communication with said tubular passage.

10. A dust bag mount as recited in claim 9 wherein said shroud means includes a generally flat shroud covering said air passage and offset from said wall of said tubular passage.

11. A dust bag mount as recited in claim 9 wherein said tubular passage extends from a first end adjacent an outside wall of said vacuum cleaner to a second end in a dust collecting compartment of said vacuum cleaner and wherein said shroud means is positioned so that said shroud means provides a communicating air passage between said air passage and the second end of said tubular passage.

12. A dust bag mount as recited in claim 11 wherein said shroud means is offset from the outside wall of said tubular passage to provide said communicating air passage, said shroud means is affixed to said tubular passage adjacent said first end so that said communicating air passage is in communication with said tubular passage only adjacent said second end.

13. A vacuum cleaner condition indicator for use with a vacuum cleaner having an intake port, a dust collecting compartment, a dust bag adapted to be disposed in said dust collecting compartment and a discharge port, comprising

first sensing means sensing the differential pressure between said intake port and said dust collecting compartment to provide a first sensing signal,

second sensing means sensing the differential pressure between said discharge port and said dust collecting compartment to provide a second sensing signal,

third sensing means sensing the differential pressure between the outside of said vacuum cleaner and said intake port to provide a third sensing signal and indicator means associated with said first, second and third sensing means for providing sensorially perceptible indicating signals in response to said first, second and third sensing signals.

14. A condition indicator as recited in claim 13 wherein said first sensing means includes a first switch means actuated in response to the existence of a differential pressure of at least a first magnitude between said intake port and said dust collecting compartment.

15. A condition indicator as recited in claim 14 wherein said first magnitude is a pressure equivalent to approximately 1.5 inches of water.

16. A condition indicator as recited in claim 14 wherein said second sensing means includes a second switch means actuated in response to the existence of a differential pressure of at least a second magnitude between said discharge port and said dust collecting compartment.

17. A condition indicator as recited in claim 16 wherein said second magnitude is a pressure equivalent to approximately 60 inches of water.

18. A condition indicator as recited in claim 16 wherein said third sensing means includes a third switch means actuated in response to the existence of a differential pressure of at least a third magnitude between the outside of said vacuum cleaner and said intake port.

19. A condition indicator as recited in claim 18 wherein said third magnitude is a pressure equivalent to approximately 50 inches of water.

20. A condition indicator as recited in claim 18 wherein said indicator means includes an indicating light, the actuation of said first switch means controlling the illumination of said indicating light.

21. A condition indicator as recited in claim 20 wherein said indicating light is red in color.

22. A condition indicator as recited in claim 18 wherein said vacuum cleaner includes a suction producing motor unit, said indicator means controlling the energization of said suction producing motor unit in response to the actuation of said first switch means.

23. A condition indicator as recited in claim 18 wherein said indicator means includes an indicating light illuminated in response to the actuation of said second switch means.

24. A condition indicator as recited in claim 23 wherein said indicating light is yellow in color.

25. A condition indicator as recited in claim 18 wherein said indicator means includes an indicating light illuminated in response to the actuation of said third switch means.

26. A condition indicator as recited in claim 25 wherein said indicating light is yellow in color.

27. A condition indicator as recited in claim 18 wherein said indicator means includes an indicating light, the actuation of said first, second and third switch means controlling the illumination of said indicating light.

28. A condition indicator as recited in claim 27 wherein said indicating light is green in color.

29. A vacuum cleaner comprising

a canister unit having an air intake,

a wand and hose assembly having a first end and a second end, said first end adapted to be received in said air intake,

a floor cleaning unit adapted to receive said second end,

a dust collecting compartment in said canister unit,

a dust bag in said dust collecting compartment in pneumatic communication with said air intake,

31. A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 29 wherein said signal response means provides a first visually perceptible signal in response to said first sensing signal and provides a second visually perceptible signal in response to said second sensing signal.

36. A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 29 wherein said second pressure actuated switch means includes a discharge pressure actuated switch means responsive to the existence of a second differential pressure between said air discharge and said dust collecting compartment of at least a second magnitude for providing a check bag signal and an intake pressure actuated switch means responsive to the existence of a third differential pressure between the outside of said canister unit and said air intake of at least a third magnitude for providing a check hose signal.

30. said canister unit including an air discharge and suction means, said suction means adapted to cause air to flow from said wand and hose assembly into said canister unit through said air intake, through said dust bag and out of said canister unit through said air discharge, and

an operating condition indicating system including

first pressure actuated switch means responsive to the existence of a first differential pressure between said air intake and said dust collecting compartment of at least a first magnitude for providing a first sensing signal,

second pressure actuated switch means responsive to the existence of a second differential pressure in said cansiter unit for providing a second sensing signal, and

signal response means for responding to said first and second sensing signals and for providing sensorially perceptible indicating signals to an operator of said vacuum cleaner.

32. A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 30 wherein said first visually perceptible signal is a light relating to the presence of said dust bag in said dust collecting compartment and said second visually perceptible signal comprises light means for indicating the condition of said dust bag and said wand and hose assembly.

33. A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 30 wherein said first and second visually perceptible signals are lights mounted on said wand and hose assembly.

34. A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 30 wherein said first and second visually perceptible signals are lights mounted on said canister unit.

35. A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 30 wherein said first and second visually perceptible signals are lights mounted on said floor cleaning unit.

37. A vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 35 wherein said signal response means illuminates a first light in response to said check hose signal and illuminates a second light in response both to the presence of said check bag signal and the absence of said check hose signal.