Suction nozzle height adjustment and control arrangement
First Claim
1. A floor care appliance, comprising:
- a base portion for contacting a floor surface and performing a cleaning operation thereon;
at least one electrically powered device producing work related to the cleaning operation;
a motorized gear and cam arrangement for adjusting the height of the base portion relative to the surface;
a microprocessor for controlling said at least one electrically powered device and said motorized gear and cam arrangement; and
one or more switches operatively connected to said microprocessor for inputting the desired height of said base portion relative to the surface;
wherein said microprocessor is programmed to automatically adjust the height of said base portion relative to the surface based upon the input from said one or more switches and to automatically adjust the current to said at least one electrically powered device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A floor care appliance is provided with a microprocessor based control arrangement. The microprocessor adjust the height of the suction nozzle through a motorized suction nozzle height gear and cam arrangement. The microprocessor is programmed to turn the current off to either of the motor-fan assembly or the agitator drive motor when the current consumed by either exceeds a predetermined amount based upon the nozzle height. The height of the suction nozzle is selected by one or more switches located on the appliance handle. A separate switch is provided to select bare floor mode and the microprocessor is programmed to store the height of the suction nozzle prior to bare floor mode being selected. By pressing a the bare floor mode button again or the use of a sensor the suction nozzle is returned to the stored position when the suction nozzle is returned to the carpeted surface.
31 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A floor care appliance, comprising:
-
a base portion for contacting a floor surface and performing a cleaning operation thereon; at least one electrically powered device producing work related to the cleaning operation; a motorized gear and cam arrangement for adjusting the height of the base portion relative to the surface; a microprocessor for controlling said at least one electrically powered device and said motorized gear and cam arrangement; and one or more switches operatively connected to said microprocessor for inputting the desired height of said base portion relative to the surface; wherein said microprocessor is programmed to automatically adjust the height of said base portion relative to the surface based upon the input from said one or more switches and to automatically adjust the current to said at least one electrically powered device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A vacuum cleaner of the type having a suction nozzle, a motor-fan assembly, a dirt collecting system, and an agitator drive motor, comprising:
-
a motorized gear and cam arrangement for adjusting the height of the suction nozzle over a surface to be cleaned; a microprocessor for controlling the speed of the motor-fan assembly and the agitator drive motor; one or more switches operatively connected to said microprocessor for selecting the desired height of said suction nozzle relative to the surface; wherein said microprocessor is programmed to automatically adjust the height of said suction nozzle relative to the surface based upon the input from said one or more switches and to automatically adjust the current to said motor-fan assembly and said agitator drive motor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification