Thermal protection system for electrical appliance

• US 20050235452A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust
• 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

Abstract

An electrical appliance includes a housing carrying a drive motor, a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor monitors the operating temperature of the drive motor. The controller is responsive to the temperature sensor. The controller adjusts the current applied to the drive motor in response to a high temperature condition detected by the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. An electrical appliance, comprising:

a housing;

a drive motor carried on the housing;

a temperature sensor carried on said housing, said temperature sensor monitoring an operating temperature of said drive motor; and

a controller carried on said housing, said controller being responsive to said temperature sensor and adjusting current applied to said drive motor in response to a high temperature condition detected by said temperature sensor.

2. The electrical appliance of claim 1, further including a porous filter bag carried on said housing.

3. The electrical appliance of claim 1, further including a dirt cup carried on said housing.

4. The electrical appliance of claim 1, further including a rotary agitator carried on said housing.

5. The electrical appliance of claim 1, wherein said electrical appliance is a canister type vacuum cleaner.

6. The electrical appliance of claim 1, wherein said electrical appliance is an upright type vacuum cleaner.

7. The electrical appliance of claim 1, further including a restart actuator connected to said controller, upon said temperature sensor detecting said high temperature condition, said controller maintaining current applied to said drive motor in an adjusted condition until both said motor cools below said high temperature condition and said restart actuator is engaged.

8. The electrical appliance of claim 1, further including a position sensor connected to said controller, upon said temperature sensor detecting said high temperature condition, said controller maintaining current applied to said drive motor in an adjusted condition until both said motor cools below said high temperature condition and said position sensor detects said electrical appliance in a restart position.

9. The electrical appliance of claim 8, wherein said position sensor is selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer and a mercury switch.

10. The electrical appliance of claim 1, further including an indicator indicating when said high temperature condition has been detected.

11. The electrical appliance of claim 10, wherein said indicator is selected from a group consisting of a light source and a sound source.

12. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing;

a suction generator carried on said housing, said suction generator including a drive motor;

a temperature sensor carried on said housing, said temperature sensor monitoring an operating temperature of said drive motor;

a rotary agitator carried on said housing; and

a controller carried on said housing, said controller being responsive to said temperature sensor and adjusting current applied to said drive motor in response to a high temperature condition detected by said temperature sensor.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, further including a porous filter bag carried on said housing.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, further including a dirt cup carried on said housing.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said vacuum cleaner is a canister type vacuum cleaner.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said vacuum cleaner is an upright type vacuum cleaner.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said drive motor also drives said rotary agitator.

18. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing;

a dirt collector carried on said housing;

a suction generator carried on said housing, said suction generator including a first drive motor;

a first temperature sensor carried on said housing, said first temperature sensor monitoring an operating temperature of said first drive motor;

a rotary agitator carried on said housing;

a second drive motor driving said rotary agitator;

a second temperature sensor carried on said housing, said second temperature sensor monitoring an operating temperature of said second drive motor; and

a controller carried on said housing, said controller being responsive (a) to said first temperature sensor and adjusting current applied to said first drive motor in response to a high temperature condition detected by said first temperature sensor and (b) to said second temperature sensor and adjusting current applied to said second drive motor in response to a high temperature condition detected by said second temperature sensor.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, further including a restart actuator connected to said controller, upon one of said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor detecting said high temperature condition, said controller maintaining current applied to one of said first drive motor and said second drive motor in an adjusted condition until both one of said first drive motor and said second drive motor cools below said high temperature condition and said restart actuator is engaged.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, further including a position sensor connected to said controller, upon one of said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor detecting said high temperature condition, said controller maintaining current applied to one of said first drive motor and said second drive motor in an adjusted condition until both one of said first drive motor and said second drive motor cools below said high temperature condition and said position sensor detects said vacuum cleaner in a restart position.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein said position sensor is selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer and a mercury switch.

22. A method of thermally protecting an electrical device, comprising:

equipping said electrical device with a temperature sensor and a controller responsive to said temperature sensor;

adjusting current applied to at least a portion of said electrical device in response to said temperature sensor sensing a high temperature condition.

23. The method of claim 22, including maintaining current applied to at least said portion of said electrical device in an adjusted condition until both at least said portion of said electrical device cools below said high temperature condition and an additional predetermined restart condition is met.

25. The method of claim 23, including maintaining current applied to at least said portion of said vacuum cleaner in an adjusted condition until both at least said portion of said vacuum cleaner cools below said high temperature condition and an additional predetermined restart condition is met.

24. A method of thermally protecting a vacuum cleaner, comprising:

equipping said vacuum cleaner with a temperature sensor and a controller responsive to said temperature sensor;

adjusting current applied to at least a portion of said vacuum cleaner in response to said temperature sensor sensing a high temperature condition.

26. An electrical device, comprising:

an electric motor;

a temperature sensor monitoring an operating temperature of said electric motor; and

a controller responsive to said temperature sensor and adjusting current applied to said electric motor in response to a high temperature condition detected by said temperature sensor.

27. The electrical device of claim 26, further including a restart actuator connected to said controller, upon said temperature sensor detecting said high temperature condition, said controller maintaining an adjusted condition until both said motor cools below said high temperature condition and said restart actuator is engaged.

28. The electrical device of claim 26, further including a position sensor connected to said controller, upon said temperature sensor detecting said high temperature condition, said controller maintaining an adjusted condition until both said motor cools below said high temperature condition and said position sensor detects said electrical device in a restart position.