Autonomously Driven Floor Vacuum Cleaner, Method for Vacuum Cleaning and Use of an Autonomously Driven Floor Vacuum Cleaner

• US 20180000305A1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Published: 01/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eurofilters NV
• Original Assignee: Eurofilters NV
• Inventors: SCHULTINK, Jan, SAUER, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 10,722,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/06 Control of the cleaning action for autonomous devices; Automatic detection of the surface condition before, during or after cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0606 rigidly anchored brushes, combs, lips or pads
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/246 with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners

Abstract

The present invention relates to an autonomously operable vacuum cleaner that has a modular design. The vacuum cleaner in this respect comprises a cleaning head module as well as a separate canister module. The cleaning head module and the canister module are in this respect connected to one another via a hose so that dust sucked in via the cleaning head module can be conveyed into the canister module.

Claims

1. An autonomously operable vacuum cleaner, comprising

a cleaning head module;

a canister module having rechargeable batteries that is separate from the cleaning head module and comprises a control that carries out a navigation function to provide an autonomous control of the vacuum cleaner; and

a hose that fluidically and electrically connects the cleaning head module to the canister module, wherein

both the cleaning head module and the canister module each have a drive mechanism that provides independent mobility to the respective modules; and

wherein

the canister module or the cleaning head module comprises a motor fan unit by which a vacuum is made possible to suck air into the canister module via the cleaning head module,

characterized in that

a connection of the cleaning head module to the hose and/or the connection of the hose to the canister module is configured as releasable.

2. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1, wherein that the releasable connection of the cleaning head module to the hose or the connection of the hose to the canister module is configured as a plug-in connection, as a plug-in connection with a snap-in option or as a screw connection.

3. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1, wherein the canister module provides power or control signals to the cleaning head module via at least one electric line that is integrated in or extends in parallel with the hose.

4. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 3, wherein the at least one electric line is configured as releasable.

5. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 4, wherein a plug-in connection of each electric line comprises

a socket at the canister module and a plug connectable to the socket of the canister module at the hose and a socket at the cleaning head module and a further plug connectable to the socket of the cleaning head module at the hose;

or

a socket at the hose and a plug connectable to the socket of the hose at the canister module and a socket at the cleaning head module and a plug connectable to the socket of the cleaning head module at the hose;

or

a socket at the hose and a plug connectable to the socket of the hose at the canister module and a further socket at the canister module and a plug connectable to the further socket of the hose at the cleaning head module;

or

a socket at the canister module and a plug connectable to the socket of the canister module at the hose and a socket at the hose and a plug connectable to the socket of the hose at the cleaning head module.

6. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1, wherein

i) the cleaning head module can be released from the hose connected to the canister module having a motor fan unit and can be replaced with a driveless cleaning head to be operated by a user or with a cleaning tool;

or

the hose can be released from the canister module having a motor fan unit together with the cleaning head module and can be replaced with a further hose to which a driveless cleaning head to be operated by a user or a cleaning tool, is attached, or

ii) a suction pipe to be operated by the user is inserted between the hose and the cleaning head module and the cleaning head module can be operated by the user by the suction pipe.

7. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 6, wherein in the event of replacement of the cleaning head module, the control of the vacuum cleaner carrying out the navigation function can be

deactivated by a user and the drive function can be set to idle;

or

brought into an operating mode in which the control carrying out the navigation function allows the canister module to follow the user.

8. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control receives and/or processes sensor input data of at least one sensor for mapping a surrounding space.

9. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1, wherein the canister module comprises at least one unit for separating sucked in dust.

10. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning head module or the driveless cleaning head has at least one cleaning brush.

11. A method of vacuum cleaning comprising vacuum cleaning using an autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1,

i) in which the canister module comprises a motor fan unit, the cleaning head module is released from the hose connected to the canister module and is replaced with a driveless cleaning head to be operated by a user or with a driveless cleaning tool;

or

in which the canister module comprises a motor fan unit, the hose is released from the canister module together with the cleaning head module and is replaced with a further hose to which a driveless cleaning head to be operated by a user or a driveless cleaning tool, and the driveless cleaning head or the cleaning tool is operated by the user for vacuum cleaning;

or

ii) in which a suction pipe to be operated by the user is inserted between the hose and the cleaning head module and the cleaning head module can be operated by the user by the suction pipe.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11, comprisng using a suction pipe is inserted between the hose and the driveless cleaning head or between the hose and the driveless cleaning tool, for operating the driveless cleaning head or the driveless cleaning tool.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11, comprising

deactivating the navigation function and setting the drive function to idle;

or

bringing the navigation function into an operating mode in which the control carrying out the navigation function allows the canister module to follow a user

to control the vacuum cleaner carring out the navigation function.

14. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the driveless cleaning head or the further hose has a releasable electric line that is connected to the canister module and is supplied with power.

15. A method of providing a suction unit or a power supply for a tool comprising providing an autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1, wherein, in the autonomously operable vacuum cleaner

a) the cleaning head module is separated from the canister module comprising a motor fan unit, the tool is coupled to the canister module by a suction hose, and the tool is vacuumed by the canister module;

or

b) the cleaning head module is separated from the canister module, that optionally comprises a motor fan unit, the tool is coupled to the canister module by an electrical line, and is supplied with electrical energy for operating the tool over said line.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising, in the autonomously operable vacuum cleaner, controlling the vacuum cleaner navigation function in the canister module

by deactivating the canister module by a user and setting the drive function to idle;

or

bringing the canister module into an operating mode in which a control carrying out the navigation function allows the canister module to follow the user.

17. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 3, wherein the at least one electric line is configured as releasable between the canister module and the hose or between the hose and the cleaning head module.

18. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 3, wherein the at least one electric line is configured as a plug-in connection between the canister module and the hose or between the hose and the cleaning head module.

19. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 6, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a crevice tool, an upholstery tool or a furniture brush.

20. The autonomously operable vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a camera sensor, a sonar sensor, a lidar sensor, an infrared sensor or a 3D scanner sensor.