Apparatus comprising an electric motor with variable motor power

• US 5,355,548 A
• Filed: 10/06/1993
• Issued: 10/18/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oreck Holdings LLC (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dekker, Jan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): GERRITY, STEPHEN FRANCIS
• Application Number:
  US08/132,435
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 15/319, 15/339
• US Class Current: 15/319
• 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 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

An apparatus, for example a vacuum cleaner, is provided which comprises an electric motor with variable motor power, a control circuit for controlling the variable motor power, and a vacuum chamber for generating a partial vacuum by means of the electric motor and, the control circuit being effective to temporarily increase the variable motor power to a power level above a nominal motor power in dependence upon the partial vacuum generated in the vacuum chamber.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising an electric motor with a variable motor power, a vacuum chamber for generating a partial vacuum by means of the electric motor, and a control circuit for controlling the variable motor power and comprising means for temporarily increasing the variable motor power to a power level above a nominal power level, said means being effective to temporarily increase the variable motor power in dependence upon the partial vacuum generated in the vacuum chamber, the temporary increase of the variable motor power being inhibited if the partial vacuum exceeds a reference partial vacuum related to a maximum speed value of the motor.

2. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means comprise a pressure sensor for measuring the partial vacuum.

3. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressure sensor is constructed by means of a pressure-sensitive switch for generating a digital signal in dependence upon the partial vacuum relative to a reference partial vacuum.

4. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means are adapted to temporarily increase the variable motor power for a first time interval when the partial vacuum is below the reference partial vacuum, and for a second time interval when the partial vacuum is above the reference partial vacuum.

5. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pressure sensor is constructed by means of an analog pressure transducer for generating an analog signal in dependence upon the partial vacuum.

6. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means are adapted to temporarily increase the nominal motor power for a variable time interval, the variable time interval being dependent upon the analog signal.

7. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pressure sensor is capable of measuring the partial vacuum both for controlling the variable motor power and for temporarily increasing the variable motor power.

8. A vacuum cleaner comprising an electric motor with a variable motor power, a vacuum chamber for generating a partial vacuum by means of the electric motor, a control circuit for controlling the variable motor power and a pressure sensor for temporarily increasing the variable motor power to a power level above a nominal power level, said pressure sensor measuring the partial vacuum and including a pressure-sensitive switch for generating a digital signal in dependence upon the partial vacuum relative to a reference partial vacuum, said pressure sensor being adapted to temporarily increase the variable motor power for a first time interval when the partial vacuum is below the reference partial vacuum, and for a second time interval when the partial vacuum is above the reference partial vacuum.

9. A vacuum cleaner comprising an electric motor with a variable motor power, a vacuum chamber for generating a partial vacuum by means of the electric motor, a control circuit for controlling the variable motor power and a pressure sensor for temporarily increasing the variable motor power to a power level above a nominal power level, said pressure sensor measuring the partial vacuum and including an analog pressure transducer for generating an analog signal in dependence upon the partial vacuum, said pressure sensor being adapted to temporarily increase the variable motor power for a variable time interval, the variable time interval being dependent upon the analog signal.

10. A vacuum cleaner comprising an electric motor with a variable motor power, a vacuum chamber for generating a partial vacuum by means of the electric motor, a control circuit for controlling the variable motor power and a pressure sensor for temporarily increasing the variable motor power to a power level above a nominal power level, said pressure sensor measuring the partial vacuum and including an analog pressure transducer for generating an analog signal in dependence upon the partial vacuum, said pressure sensor being capable of measuring the partial vacuum both for controlling the variable motor power and for temporarily increasing the variable motor power.

11. A vacuum cleaner comprising an electric motor with a variable motor power, a vacuum chamber for generating a partial vacuum by means of the electric motor, and a control circuit for controlling the variable motor power and comprising means for temporarily increasing the variable motor power to a power level above a nominal power level, wherein said means are effective to temporarily increase the variable motor power for a time interval related to the partial vacuum generated in the vacuum chamber, the time interval being determined by at least one of (a) the partial vacuum before the increase in the variable motor power and (2) the partial vacuum during the increase in the variable motor power, the temporary increase of the variable motor power being inhibited if the partial vacuum exceeds a reference partial vacuum related to a maximum speed value of the motor.