BATTERY POWERED CORDLESS CLEANING SYSTEM

• US 20100088843A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Allemann, Markus, Reindle, Mark, Reed, Brett, Siegel, Norm, Butts, Mark, Rukavina, Doug, Horvath, Jamie, Gee, Jack W. II
• Granted Patent: US 8,607,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/389
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0004 Suction cleaners adapted to take up liquids, e.g. wet or dry vacuum cleaners floor-scrubbing machines taking-up dirty liquid by suction A47L11/30
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• 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: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A cordless, battery-powered system of cleaning products. The system of cleaning products includes devices such as upright vacuums (e.g., a stick vacuum, a lightweight upright vacuum, etc.), a hand-held vacuum, a carpet-cleaner, a canister vacuum, and the like. Each of the devices is powered by a battery pack which is interchangeable among the devices. The battery pack includes a combination of hardware and software for connecting to, identifying, and communicating with the cleaning products to ensure that each of the products receives the power necessary to ensure optimal performance.

Claims

1. A cordless cleaning system, comprising:

a rechargeable battery pack having a housing and at least two cells within the housing;

a first cordless cleaning device operable to removably receive and be powered by the rechargeable battery pack; and

a second cordless cleaning device operable to removably receive and be powered by the rechargeable battery pack,

wherein the first device is a first type of cleaning device and the second device is a second type of cleaning device, the first type being different than the second type, and

wherein at least one of the first device and the second device has an upright working position.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device includes at least two motors.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least two motors include a brush roll motor and a vacuum motor.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery charger external to the first device and the second device, the battery charger operable to receive and charge the rechargeable battery pack.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable battery pack has a lithium-based chemistry.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device is a stick or upright vacuum cleaner and the second device is a hand-held vacuum cleaner.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third cordless cleaning device operable to receive and be powered by the rechargeable battery pack, wherein the third device is a third type of cleaning device, the third type being different than the first and second types.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device is bagless.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a run-time to charge ratio is at least approximately 4 minutes of run-time per 1 hour of charging for each of the first device and the second device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a charge capacity of the rechargeable battery pack is at least approximately 10 volts.

11. A cordless vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a nozzle base portion having a suction inlet;

a body portion operable to receive a lithium-based battery pack that is removably coupled to the vacuum cleaner, the body portion being pivotable relative to the nozzle base portion;

a vacuum motor powered by the battery pack and configured to provide a suction force at the suction inlet;

a brush roll motor powered by the battery pack and configured to provide rotational movement to a brush roll,

wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured to operate in a first mode in which the vacuum motor is operable, and a second mode in which the brush roll motor and the vacuum motor are operable; and

a selection device configured to select the first mode or the second mode.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, further comprising a fuel gauge configured to indicate a status of the battery pack, the fuel gauge external to the battery pack and positioned in at least one of the body portion and the nozzle base portion.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the nozzle base portion includes an aperture which allows relatively larger objects to enter the suction inlet.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the vacuum cleaner is a stick-type vacuum cleaner.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the battery pack is positioned above the vacuum motor.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the body portion is supportable by the nozzle base portion in a vertical position without external support.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the selection device is located on a handle portion and is manipulable by a finger of a user.

18. A cordless upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a nozzle base portion having a suction inlet;

a body portion;

a pivotable joint coupled between the nozzle base portion and the body portion;

a suction source for providing a suction force at the suction inlet; and

a battery pack interface configured to receive a removable and rechargeable lithium-based battery pack,

wherein

the suction source is powered by the battery pack,

the body portion is pivotable relative to a first axis,

the body portion is pivotable relative to a second axis, and

the body portion is supportable by the nozzle base portion in a vertical position without external support.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the combined weight of the vacuum cleaner and the battery pack is less than approximately seven and one-half pounds.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the battery pack interface is a recess having a terminal contact portion, the recess configured to receive an extendable latch of the battery pack.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, further comprising a fuel gauge external to the battery pack and configured to indicate a status of the battery pack.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the first axis is parallel to a cleaning surface and the second axis is approximately perpendicular to the first axis.