Cleaning apparatus and detecting method thereof

• US 8,689,398 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chung, Yu-Liang, Wu, Tung-Chuan, Chen, Long-Der, Wang, Chun-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): SCRUGGS, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US13/562,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/39, 318/587, 324/649
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2815 using optical detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2831 Motor parameters, e.g. motor load or speed
• 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 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/534 by measuring transmission alone, i.e. determining opacity

Abstract

The disclosure provides a cleaning apparatus and detecting method thereof. The cleaning apparatus includes a fan, a motor, a detecting device and a control unit. The motor drives the fan to create an air flow through the cleaning apparatus. The detecting device is electrically connected to the motor, and is utilized detected an impedance of the motor. The control unit is electrically connected to the motor and the detecting device respectively, for comparing the impedance of the motor with a predetermined value and outputting a signal indicative of a comparison result.

Claims

1. A method for debris detection in a cleaning apparatus, said method comprising:

measuring an impedance of a motor of a fan of the cleaning apparatus;

determining a level of debris accumulation in the cleaning apparatus based on the impedance of the motor;

issuing a signal indicative of the level of debris accumulation exceeding a predetermined value;

determining a dust covered surface area of an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor is disposed inside an inlet of the cleaning apparatus;

controlling a cleaning operation of the cleaning apparatus based on the determined dust covered surface area; and

blowing exhaust air of the fan toward the sensing surface of the optical sensor before determining the dust covered surface area.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

stopping the motor in response to said signal.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

arranging multiple optical sensors at different locations in the inlet for detecting the sensing surface at said different locations;

wherein the cleaning operation of the cleaning apparatus is controlled based on the determined dust covered surface areas received from said optical sensors.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said controlling comprises:

turning the cleaning apparatus to a direction of the optical sensor with the determined dust covered surface areas larger than those determined by the other optical sensors.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said controlling further comprises:

adjusting at least one of suction power and a moving speed of the cleaning apparatus in said direction.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a turning radius of the cleaning apparatus is equal to a length of the inlet.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein measuring the impedance of the motor comprises measuring a current supplied to the motor, the method further comprising:

turning off the motor if the measured current decreases below a predetermined current value.

8. A method for debris detection in a cleaning apparatus, said method comprising:

measuring an impedance of a motor of a fan of the cleaning apparatus, by measuring a current supplied to the motor;

determining a level of debris accumulation in the cleaning apparatus based on the impedance of the motor;

issuing a signal indicative of the level of debris accumulation exceeding a predetermined value;

turning off the motor if the measured current decreases below a predetermined current value;

determining a dust covered surface area of an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor is disposed inside an inlet of the cleaning apparatus; and

blowing exhaust air of the fan toward the sensing surface of the optical sensor before determining the dust covered surface area.

9. A method for debris detection in a cleaning apparatus, said method comprising:

determining a level of debris accumulation in the cleaning apparatus based on a measured impedance of the motor;

issuing a signal indicative of the level of debris accumulation exceeding a predetermined value;

determining a dust covered surface area of an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor is disposed inside an inlet of the cleaning apparatus;

blowing exhaust air of the fan toward a sensing surface of the optical sensor, prior to the exhaust air exiting the cleaning apparatus; and

controlling a cleaning operation of the cleaning apparatus based on the determined dust covered surface area.