Vacuum cleaner

• US 6,023,814 A
• Filed: 09/15/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yashima Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yashima Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Imamura, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Time in patent office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 15/319, 15/339
• US Class Current: 15/339
• 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 a dust sensor of the light emitting and light receiving type, which sensor detects the quantity of dust which is sucked during a cleaning operation. The vacuum cleaner also includes a sensitivity correction section which compensates for lowering of the dust detection sensitivity due to soiling of the dust sensor, a limit detection section which detects a condition in which the compensation of dust detection sensitivity by the sensitivity correction section reaches a limit value, and an information section which informs the vacuum cleaner user of the condition in which correction of the dust detection sensitivity by the sensitivity correction section has reached its limit value.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising;

a vacuum cleaner body,

a suction fan which is provided at a predetermined position of the vacuum cleaner body,

suction passage means for sucking in air with dust, and for guiding the dust and the air to the vacuum cleaner body,

a dust sensor of a light emitting and light receiving type which is provided at a predetermined position along the suction passage means, and has a dust detection sensitivity,

sensitivity correction means for correcting the dust detection sensitivity of the dust sensor, and

limit detection means for detecting a condition in which correction of the dust detection sensitivity by the sensitivity correction means reaches a limit value.

2. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dust sensor consists a light emitting device having a light emitting face and a light receiving device having a light receiving face, and further comprising a transparent window member for covering the light emitting face of the light emitting device and a transparent window member for covering the light receiving face of the light receiving device.

3. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 2, further comprising information means for responding to detection of a limit condition by the limit detection means in which limit condition correction in the dust detection sensitivity by the sensitivity correction means reaches the limit value, and for informing a user of the limit condition in which correction of the dust detection sensitivity by the sensitivity correction means reaches the limit value.

4. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 3, wherein the information means informs not only the limit condition in which correction in the dust detection sensitivity by the sensitivity correction means reaches the limit value, but also a quantity of dust detected by the dust sensor.

5. A vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 4, wherein the limit detection means includes a resistance type potential dividing circuit which is connected in series to the light emitting device and a switching device which is controlled by a voltage obtained by the resistance type potential dividing circuit, and wherein the switching device is connected in series to the information means.