Motor control apparatus for an electric vacuum cleaner

• US 5,166,585 A
• Filed: 10/04/1991
• Issued: 11/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Jyoraku, Fumio, Koharagi, Haruo, Endo, Tsunehiro, Miyashita, Kunio, Tahara, Kazuo, Ishii, Yoshitaro, Saito, Kohichi, Toyoshima, Hisanori, Watanabe, Syuji, Hishi, Wakichiro, Yamashita, Koujirou
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US07/771,738
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 318/254, 318/138, 318/439, 318/66, 318/68, 318/268, 134/21, 134/18, 388/803, 388/804, 388/806, 388/904, 388/926, 388/930-937, 81/467, 81/469, 15/319
• US Class Current: 318/400.08
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2826 the condition of the floor
• 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 9/2889 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: H02P 23/0077 Characterised by the use of a particular software algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/06 Arrangements for speed regulation of a single motor wherein the motor speed is measured and compared with a given physical value so as to adjust the motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/904 Stored velocity profile
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/93 Load or torque

Abstract

Method and apparatus for operating a vacuum cleaner in which by detecting a rotational speed of a variable speed fan motor adapted to give a suction force to the cleaner and its change range, the choking state of the filter and the state of the cleaned surface are discriminated, and a speed command of the fan motor is corrected on the basis of the result of the discrimination, and the comfortable cleaning can be performed by the optimum suction force.

Claims

1. An apparatus for operating a vacuum cleaner having a filter to collect particles from a surface to be cleaned and a variable speed motor connected to a device to cause particles to be picked up from said surface and collected by said filter, comprising:

detecting means for sequentially detecting a rotational speed of said motor at predetermined intervals during the cleaning of said surface;

surface identifying means for determining a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a fluctuation pattern in the rotational speed detected by said detecting means within a predetermined sampling time; and

control means for automatically controlling said motor to set the rotational speed thereof to a speed predetermined for a characteristics of said surface indicated by said surface identifying means, whereby the rotational speed of the motor can be automatically set to an optimum condition in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor, means for comparing the detected fluctuation pattern with a plurality of stored fluctuation patterns which respectively represent different characteristics of surfaces, and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a stored fluctuation pattern which is most similar to said detected fluctuation pattern.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including means for detecting a choking state of said filter, and wherein said control means is responsive to the choking state of said filter for adjusting the predetermined speed to which the motor is controlled in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor is a brushless motor and said detecting means includes a magnetic pole position detecting circuit associated with said brushless motor.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor is coupled to a fan to produce an air flow through said filter.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor;

and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from the shape of a detected fluctuation pattern.

7. An apparatus for operating a vacuum cleaner having a filter to collect particles from a surface to be cleaned and a variable speed motor connected to a device to cause particles to be picked up from said surface and collected by said filter, comprising:

detecting means for detecting the rotational speed of said motor;

means for determining the maximum speed and the minimum speed of said motor within a predetermined sampling time from the rotational speed detected by said detecting means;

surface identifying means for identifying a characteristic of a surface being cleaned from values of the maximum and minimum speed of said motor during said predetermined sampling time;

control means for generating a control command based on a characteristic of the surface being cleaned as identified by said surface identifying means; and

means for controlling the speed of said motor in accordance with said control command.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor, means for comparing the detected fluctuation pattern with a plurality of stored fluctuation patterns which respectively represent different characteristics of surfaces, and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a stored fluctuation pattern which is most similar to said detected fluctuation pattern.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, further including means for detecting a choking state of said filter, and wherein said control means is responsive to the choking state of said filter for adjusting the predetermined speed to which the motor is controlled in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for determining the average rotational speed of said motor from said values of maximum and minimum rotational speed and for comparing said average rotational speed to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for comparing the value of minimum rotational speed during said sampling time to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said motor is coupled to a fan to produce an air flow through said filter.

13. An apparatus for operating a vacuum cleaner having an air flow passage through which particles are conveyed on an air stream from an inlet to an outlet and including a motor which operates to cause said particles to enter said inlet from a surface being cleaned and a filter in said air passage to collect said particles, said apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting the rotational speed of said motor;

means for determining the maximum speed and the minimum speed of said motor within a predetermined sampling time from the rotational speed indicated by said detecting means;

surface identifying means for identifying a characteristic of said surface being cleaned and a degree of choking of said filter from values of the maximum and minimum speed indicated by said determining means;

control means for generating a control command based on a characteristic of said surface and a degree of choking of said filter identified by said identifying means; and

means for controlling the speed of said motor and the quantity of air per unit time in said air stream in accordance with said control command.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor, means for comparing the detected fluctuation pattern with a plurality of stored fluctuation patterns which respectively represent different characteristics of surfaces, and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a stored fluctuation pattern which is most similar to said detected fluctuation pattern.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, further including means for detecting a choking state of said filter, and wherein said control means is responsive to the choking state of said filter for adjusting the predetermined speed to which the motor is controlled in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for determining the average rotational speed of said motor from said values of maximum and minimum rotational speed and for comparing said average rotational speed to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for comparing the value of minimum rotational speed during said sampling time to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

18. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said motor is coupled to a fan to produce an air flow through said filter.

19. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing having an air flow inlet, an air flow outlet and an air passage extending between said air flow inlet and said air flow outlet;

a filter in said air passage to collect particles in air flowing in said passage;

an electric blower including a fan and a fan motor for producing an air flow in said air passage from said air inlet to said air outlet;

means for determining the rotational speed of said fan motor;

means for detecting the maximum speed and the minimum speed of the said fan motor within a predetermined sampling time from the rotational speed indicated by said determining means;

means for identifying a characteristic of a surface subjected to a suction force produced by said air flow and a degree of choking of said filter from values of the maximum and minimum speed detected by said detecting means;

means for generating an output speed command based on the identified characteristic of the surface and the degree of choking of the filter identified by said identifying means; and

means responsive to said speed command for controlling the speed of said fan motor.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor, means for comparing the detected fluctuation pattern with a plurality of stored fluctuation patterns which respectively represent different characteristics of surfaces, and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a stored fluctuation pattern which is most similar to said detected fluctuation pattern.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, further including means for detecting a choking state of said filter, and wherein said control means is responsive to the choking state of said filter for adjusting the predetermined speed to which the motor is controlled in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for determining the average rotational speed of said motor from said values of maximum and minimum rotational speed and for comparing said average rotational speed to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

23. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for comparing the value of minimum rotational speed during said sampling time to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

24. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing having an air flow inlet, an air flow outlet and an air passage extending between said air flow inlet and said air flow outlet;

a filter in said air passage to collect particles in air flowing in said passage;

a variable speed motor for causing particles to be picked up at said air flow inlet and collected by said filter;

means for determining the rotational speed of said motor;

means for detecting the maximum speed and the minimum speed of the said motor within a predetermined sampling time from the rotational speed indicated by said determining means;

means for identifying a characteristic of a surface subjected to a suction force produced by said air flow and a degree of choking of said filter from values of the maximum and minimum speed detected by said detecting means;

means for generating an output speed command based on the identified characteristic of the surface and the degree of choking of the filter identified by said identifying means; and

means for responsive to said speed command for controlling the speed of said fan motor.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor, means for comparing the detected fluctuation pattern with a plurality of stored fluctuation patterns which respectively represent different characteristics of surfaces, and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a stored fluctuation pattern which is most similar to said detected fluctuation pattern.

26. An apparatus according to claim 24, further including means for detecting a choking state of said filter, and wherein said control means is responsive to the choking state of said filter for adjusting the predetermined speed to which the motor is controlled in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for determining the average rotational speed of said motor from said values of maximum and minimum rotational speed and for comparing said average rotational speed to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

28. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said means for detecting a choking state of said filter includes means for comparing the value of minimum rotational speed during said sampling time to predetermined values representing different degrees of choking.

29. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a filter to collect particles from a surface to be cleaned;

a variable speed motor connected to a device to cause particles to be picked up from said surface and collected by said filter;

detecting means for sequentially detecting a rotational speed of said motor at predetermined intervals during the cleaning of said surface;

surface identifying means for determining a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a fluctuation pattern in the rotational speed detected by said detecting means within a predetermined sampling time; and

control means for automatically controlling said motor to set the rotational speed thereof to a speed predetermined for a characteristic of said surface indicated by said surface identifying means, whereby the rotational speed of the motor can be automatically set to an optimum condition in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

30. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 29, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor, means for comparing the detected fluctuation pattern with a plurality of stored fluctuation patterns which respectively represent different characteristics of surfaces, and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from a stored fluctuation pattern which is most similar to said detected fluctuation pattern.

31. A vacuum cleaner to claim 29, further including means for detecting a choking state of said filter, and wherein said control means is responsive to the choking state of said filter for adjusting the predetermined speed to which the motor is controlled in accordance with the surface being cleaned.

32. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 31, wherein said motor is coupled to a fan to produce an air flow through said filter.

33. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 31, wherein said surface identifying means includes means for detecting a fluctuation pattern in the detected rotational speed of said motor;

and means for identifying a characteristic of the surface being cleaned from the shape of a detected fluctuation pattern.