Dust bag arrangement and filling indicator for floor care apparatus

• US 7,673,368 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Cloud, John A. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Muller; Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US11/252,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20070084011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 153/39
• 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 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation

Abstract

A floor care apparatus has a housing, including a wall, for storing a dust bag. The dust bag is angled relative to the wall and pressure sensors fill the space between the wall and dust bag. During use, as dust fills the bag, the bag expands and impinges upon a first of the pressure sensors and subsequently upon a second of the pressure sensors thereby indicating a filling of the bag with dust. A processor, connected to each of the pressure sensors, sorts a relative difference between signals of the sensors during dust filling. A visual indicator displays to users the relative fullness of the dust bag. To achieve angular disposition between the wall and dust bag, tapers, angular walls, ribs or combinations thereof are contemplated.

Claims

1. A floor care apparatus, comprising:

a housing having a wall;

a dust bag within the housing and angled relative to the wall; and

a plurality of pressure sensors between the wall and the dust bag where the dust bag is angled relative to the wall so that, during use as the dust bag fills, the dust bag first contacts one of the pressure sensors and then sequentially contacts at least one additional pressure sensor thereby indicating a filling of the dust bag.

2. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, further including a processor connected to each of the plurality of pressure sensors to sort a relative difference between signals from the one and the another pressure sensors during the filling.

3. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, further including a visual indicator showing a relative fullness of the dust bag during use.

4. The floor care apparatus of claim 3, wherein the visual indicator includes a segmented display or analog meter.

5. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dust bag and the wall are angled relative to one another in a range from about 15 to about 45 degrees.

6. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dust bag is tapered from an air inlet to an air outlet side.

7. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dust bag includes first and second portions angled relative to the wall.

8. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are vertically aligned in a space between the wall and the dust bag where the dust bag is angled relative to the wall.

9. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a rib, the plurality of pressure sensors being fashioned on the rib.

10. The floor care apparatus of claim 9, wherein the rib is in an interior of the dust bag.

11. The floor care apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor detects force pressure.

12. A floor care apparatus, comprising:

a housing having an internal chamber including a wall;

a dust bag within the internal chamber and angled relative to the wall;

a plurality of pressure sensors aligned in a space between the wall and the dust bag where the dust bag is angled relative to the wall so that, during use as the dust bag fills, the dust bag contacts a first of the pressure sensors and subsequently contacts at least a second of the pressure sensors thereby indicating a filling of the dust bag with dust;

a processor connected to the pressure sensors to sort a relative difference between one of

     1) signals from each of the first and second pressure sensors during the filling, and

     2) signals from either the first and second pressure sensors during the filling and a reference pressure; and

a visual indicator connected to the processor to indicate a relative fullness of the dust bag during use according to the relative difference sorted by the processor.

13. The floor care apparatus of claim 12, wherein the dust bag is tapered from an air inlet to an air outlet side.

14. The floor care apparatus of claim 12, wherein the dust bag includes first and second portions angled relative to the wall and at least one of the plurality of pressure sensors is disposed between the wall and each of the first and second portions.

15. The floor care apparatus of claim 12, further including a rib in the internal chamber of the housing.

16. The floor care apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pressure sensors sense one of air pressure and force pressure.