Cleaning tool and cleaning device having such a cleaning tool

• US 7,992,245 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Alfred Kã¤Rcher GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Schuetz, Michael, Eisenmann, Wilhelm, Fuchs, Alexander, De Silva, Ruwantha, Van De Ven, Andreas, Schaefer, Rainer, Duenne, Markus, Walz, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich; Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/798,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20100263141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 15/211, 15/491, 15/501, 15/503, 15/521, 15/82, 15/87, 153/19, 153/39, 153/83, 153/89, 153/91, 153/92, 116/208
• US Class Current: 15/52.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4002 Installations of electric equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning tool for a cleaning device, the cleaning tool being subject to wear during operation. In order to make it easier to identify wear, the invention proposes that the cleaning tool comprise a sensor device with a sensor element which has a physical characteristic variable which changes as a function of the degree of wear of the cleaning tool. The invention also proposes a cleaning device having such a cleaning tool, the cleaning device having a detector device which is coupled to the sensor device for the purpose of sensing the change in the physical characteristic variable of the sensor element, and having an indicator device which is connected to the detector device.

Claims

1. Cleaning tool for a cleaning device, in particular for cleaning a surface, the cleaning tool being subject to wear during operation, said cleaning tool comprising:

a sensor device with a sensor element which has a physical characteristic variable which changes as a function of the degree of wear of the cleaning tool,

wherein;

the sensor element is of flexible form, and

the cleaning tool is rotatably mounted, cleaning elements of the cleaning tool being disposed ahead of and behind the sensor element in the direction of rotation of the cleaning tool.

2. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic variable of the sensor element is adapted to change abruptly when a predefined degree of wear of the cleaning tool is reached.

3. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic variable is at least one of a temperature, ohmic resistance, inductance or capacitance of the sensor element.

4. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the sensor element comprises an electrical conductor loop which is adapted to be interrupted when a predefined degree of wear of the cleaning tool is reached.

5. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises a coil to which the sensor element is connected.

6. Cleaning tool according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning tool is rotatable about a rotation axis, and wherein the coil surrounds, in the circumferential direction, a cylindrical portion, which is aligned coaxially with the rotation axis, of a base body of the cleaning tool.

7. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool has a detector device which is associated with the sensor device and which is adapted to be connected to an indicator device and which detects the change in the physical characteristic variable of the sensor element.

8. Cleaning tool according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning tool comprises at least one of said indicator device and an energy source.

9. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device has electrical contact elements for connecting the sensor device to an external detector device which detects the change in the physical characteristic variable of the sensor element.

10. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device has electrical coupling elements for wireless coupling of the sensor device to an external detector device which detects the change in the physical characteristic variable of the sensor element.

11. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device has an electrical memory element.

12. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device has a transponder.

13. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the sensor element is disposed on a foil printed circuit.

14. Cleaning tool according to claim 13, wherein a transponder, which is electrically connected to the sensor element, is disposed on the foil printed circuit.

15. Cleaning tool according to claim 13, wherein the foil printed circuit is mounted on a carrier which can be axially inserted into a base body of the cleaning tool.

16. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool is formed as a rotatably mounted disk brush with a plate-like base body, from the lower face of which a large number of cleaning bristles project, the sensor element being disposed between the cleaning bristles.

17. Cleaning tool for a cleaning device, in particular for cleaning a surface, the cleaning tool being subject to wear during operation, said cleaning tool comprising:

a sensor device comprising a sensor element which has a physical characteristic variable which changes as a function of the degree of wear of the cleaning tool and a transponder,

wherein the cleaning tool is rotatable about a rotation axis and has a base body with an annular region which is aligned coaxially with the rotation axis and on which the transponder is disposed.

18. Cleaning tool for a cleaning device, in particular for cleaning a surface, the cleaning tool being subject to wear during operation, said cleaning tool comprising:

a sensor device with a sensor element which has a physical characteristic variable which changes as a function of the degree of wear of the cleaning tool,

wherein the cleaning tool is rotatable about a rotation axis and has a base body which is aligned coaxially with the rotation axis and from which the sensor element projects radially or axially in relation to the rotation axis.

19. Cleaning tool according to claim 18, wherein the sensor element is adapted to be latched or clamped to the base body.

20. Cleaning tool according to claim 18, wherein the sensor element is of flexible form.

21. Cleaning tool according to claim 20, wherein cleaning elements of the cleaning tool being disposed ahead of and behind the sensor element in the direction of rotation of the cleaning tool.

22. Cleaning tool for a cleaning device, in particular for cleaning a surface, the cleaning tool being subject to wear during operation, said cleaning tool comprising:

a sensor device with a sensor element which has a physical characteristic variable which changes as a function of the degree of wear of the cleaning tool,

wherein the cleaning tool is formed as a rotatably mounted roller brush with a cylindrical base body from which a large number of cleaning bristles project outward, the sensor element being disposed between the cleaning bristles.

23. Cleaning device for cleaning a surface, in particular a floor surface, comprising:

at least one cleaning tool, said cleaning tool comprising;

a sensor device with a sensor element which has a physical characteristic variable which changes as a function of the degree of wear of the cleaning tool,

wherein;

the sensor element is of flexible form, and

the cleaning tool is rotatably mounted, cleaning elements of the cleaning tool being disposed ahead of and behind the sensor element in the direction of rotation of the cleaning tool,

a detector device which is coupled to the sensor device for the purpose of sensing the change in the physical characteristic variable of the sensor element, and

an indicator device which is connected to the detector device.

24. Cleaning device according to claim 23, wherein the detector device has an evaluation electronics system which is integrated in a control device of the cleaning device and is adapted to be connected to the sensor device via electrical lines.

25. Cleaning device according to claim 23, wherein the detector device has electrical coupling elements for wireless coupling of the detector device to the sensor device.

26. Cleaning device according to claim 25, wherein the detector device is coupled to the sensor device by way of a coil, the coil surrounding, in the circumferential direction, a cylindrical portion of a base body of the cleaning tool.

27. Cleaning device according to claim 25, wherein the detector device comprises a read device for reading a transponder of the cleaning tool.

28. Cleaning device according to claim 27, wherein the read device is disposed on or in a top wall which covers the cleaning tool.

29. Cleaning device according to claim 27, wherein the cleaning tool is rotatably mounted on a bearing, and wherein the read device is disposed on or in a ring which surrounds the bearing in the circumferential direction.

30. Cleaning device for cleaning a surface, in particular a floor surface, comprising:

at least one cleaning tool, said cleaning tool comprising a sensor device with a sensor element which has a physical characteristic variable which changes as a function of the degree of wear of the cleaning tool,

a detector device which is coupled to the sensor device for the purpose of sensing the change in the physical characteristic variable of the sensor element, and

an indicator device which is connected to the detector device,

wherein;

the detector device has electrical coupling elements for wireless coupling of the detector device to the sensor device,

the detector device comprises a read device for reading a transponder of the cleaning tool, and

the read device is disposed on or in a ring which surrounds, in the circumferential direction, a cylindrical edge portion of a base body of the cleaning tool.

31. Cleaning device according to claim 30, wherein the ring is formed as a thread deflector.