Portable household appliance

• US 7,950,107 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2006
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biogen Idec MA Inc. (Biogen, Inc.), Catia Roschi, Riccardo Roschi
• Original Assignee: Kostec SA
• Inventors: Pineschi, Massimiliano
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US12/085,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20090151114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 154/12, 153/19, 153/39
• US Class Current: 15/412
• 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 9/2878 Dual-powered vacuum cleaners, i.e. devices which can be operated with mains power supply or by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4264 with capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

The portable household appliance comprises: a motor unit (3) arranged to operate at least at lower operating speeds (M) or at higher speeds (MD, MX) and vice versa; first power supply means (9) arranged to constantly supply said motor unit (3); control means for increasing said lower speeds (M) in a first time interval (T1) up to said higher speeds (MD, MX) or to reduce said higher speeds (MD, MX) in a second time interval (T2) up to said lower speeds (M); auxiliary means (10) for the temporary power supply of said motor unit (3) which can be actuated during said first time interval (T1).

Claims

1. A portable household appliance comprising:

a motor unit arranged to operate at least at a lower operating speeds or at a higher speeds and vice versa;

a first power supply designed to constantly supply said motor unit;

a controller which is configured

in a first time interval, to increase said lower operating speeds up to said higher speeds or

in a second time interval, to reduce said higher speeds up to said lower operating speed;

an auxiliary power supply of said motor unit configured to be actuated during said first time interval;

wherein said motor unit is arranged to recharge at least said auxiliary power supply in said second time interval;

wherein said controller is also arranged to switch said motor unit to a recharge generator unit so to recharge said auxiliary power supply in said second time interval; and

wherein said auxiliary power supply comprises at least one ultra-capacitor.

2. A portable household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said first power supply comprises a battery.

3. A portable household appliance according to claim 2, wherein said battery is of the rechargeable type by a power recharger.

4. A portable household appliance according to claim 3, wherein said power recharger comprises an inductive recharger.

5. A portable household appliance according to claim 4, wherein said inductive recharger comprises:

a base configured to shapes a placement seat of said household appliance under a recharge condition of said battery and/or of said auxiliary power supply;

a recharge power transmitter, housed in said base and which can be connected to a conventional electric energy mains supply;

a first electronic device arranged to automatically actuate said recharge power transmitter when said household appliance is positioned in said placement seat;

a recharge receiver housed in said portable household appliance and connected to said battery and said auxiliary power supply.

6. A portable household appliance according to claim 5, wherein said placement seat is shaped to receive said household appliance in a pre-established position so that said transmitter and said recharger receiver are facing each other.

7. A portable household appliance according to claim 5, wherein said at least one ultra-capacitor is rechargeable one or more times with said base and separately from said battery.

8. A portable household appliance according to claim 5, wherein said first electronic device comprises a programmable electronic board.

9. A portable household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one ultra-capacitor is connected to said motor unit and said first power supply through connection circuits.

10. A portable household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said controller is provided to be placed between said at least one ultra-capacitor and said first power supply and arranged to actuate and/or stop said at least one ultra-capacitor in each said first time interval.

11. A portable household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said at least one ultra-capacitor is suitable to supply said motor unit separately from said first power supply.

12. A portable household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said portable household appliance comprises a vacuum cleaner.