Dust indication system for vacuum cleaner

• US 5,815,884 A
• Filed: 11/27/1996
• Issued: 10/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yashima Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yashima Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Jun, Imamura, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): OLEKSA, DIANA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US08/757,164
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 15/319, 15/339
• 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 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes an optical dust sensor for detecting a quantity of dust which sensor is provided at a predetermined position of a suction path for sucking air by a suction force of the vacuum cleaner, whereby an output signal is supplied to a display device so that a display corresponding to the quantity of the sucked dust, which signal is output from the optical dust sensor and is varied in a stageless manner corresponding to the quantity of the dust.

Claims

1. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner, comprising;

an optical dust sensor for optically detecting a quantity of dust suctioned through a suction path of a vacuum cleaner, and for outputting a detection signal corresponding to an amount of detected dust;

an amplifier circuit for amplifying the detection signal from the optical dust sensor;

a rectifying circuit for rectifying the amplified detection signal;

a voltage-current convertor circuit for producing a current proportional to a voltage of the rectified amplified detection signal; and

a display responsive to the current produced by the voltage-current convertor circuit for visually indicating a quantity of dust detected by the optical dust sensor, the optical dust sensor, the amplifier circuit, the rectifying circuit and the voltage-current convertor circuit operating together such that the current produced by the voltage-current convertor circuit varies continuously in correspondence to the quantity of dust detected by the optical dust sensor.

2. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1, further including an electrical generator for generating a voltage which corresponds to a suction force of a vacuum cleaner.

3. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display includes a light emitting diode.

4. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 3, further including variable resistance means for limiting a current of the light emitting diode, the variable resistance means being connected in series to the light emitting diode.

5. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display includes

a first indicator for providing a visual indication proportional to the detection signal, and

a second indicator for providing a visual indication inversely proportional to the detection signal.

6. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are provided within a single mold.

7. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 5, further including a lens for mixing light radiated from the first indicator and the second indicator.

8. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first indicator is a first light emitting diode and the second indicator is a second light emitting diode.

9. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode are connected together in series, and the current produced by the voltage-current converter current is applied to a connecting point of the first and second light emitting diodes.

10. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator have different display colors.

11. A vacuum cleaner, including:

dust indication system as recited in claim 1;

a pipe or hose defining a suction path;

a suction fan for producing suction along the suction path;

a motor for driving the suction fan; and

a dust bag for collecting dust suctioned through the suction path.

12. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the dust indication system further includes an electrical generator for generating a voltage which corresponds to the suction force of the vacuum cleaner.

13. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the display includes a light emitting diode.

14. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the dust indication system further including variable resistance means for limiting a current of the light emitting diode, the variable resistance means being connected in series to the light emitting diode.

15. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the display includes

a first indicator for providing a visual indication proportional to the detection signal, and

a second indicator for providing a visual indication inversely proportional to the detection signal.

16. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator are provided within a single mold.

17. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 15, wherein the dust indication system further includes a lens for mixing light radiated from the first indicator and the second indicator.

18. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first indicator is a first light emitting diode and the second indicator is a second light emitting diode.

19. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 18, wherein

the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode are connected together in series, and

the current produced by the voltage-current convertor circuit is applied to a connecting point of the first and second light emitting diodes.

20. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first indicator and the second indicator have different display colors.

21. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11, wherein the display includes one or more light emitting diodes, and the dust indication system further includes a transparent membrane covering the one or more light emitting diodes.

22. A dust indication system for a vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the display includes one or more light emitting diodes, and

further including a transparent membrane covering the one or more light emitting diodes.