Shutoff control methods for surface treating machines
First Claim
1. A vacuum assembly comprising, in combination:
- a recovery vessel;
an air moving device in fluid communication with the recovery vessel for removing air from the recovery vessel;
a vacuum motor coupled to the air moving device;
an inlet to the recovery vessel allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel, with the air flowing in a path through the inlet, the recovery vessel, and the air moving device; and
means for detecting a blockage in the path of the air and interrupting operation of the vacuum motor;
wherein the detecting means monitors the current level to the vacuum motor and interrupts the current to the vacuum motor when the current level drops to a fixed percentage over a fixed period of time.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (200) is provided in a floor scrubber (10) for automatically shutting off the motor (60) which rotates an agitator (64) and the motor (96) of a vacuum assembly under various operating conditions of the floor scrubber (10). The current to the motors (60, 96) is detected by devices (204, 206) and monitored by a control circuit (202) controlling devices (208, 210 which interrupt operation of the motors (60, 96). In the preferred form, operation of the agitator (64) is interrupted when the current to the brush motor (60) is less than or equal to a threshold level indicating that the agitator (64) has been raised from the floor surface as the current to the brush motor (60) would be above the threshold level when the agitator (64) engages the floor surface. Operation of the vacuum assembly is interrupted when the current to the vacuum motor (96) drops to a fixed percentage over a period of time from normal operating levels indicating the path of the air in the vacuum assembly has been blocked.
85 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A vacuum assembly comprising, in combination:
- a recovery vessel;
an air moving device in fluid communication with the recovery vessel for removing air from the recovery vessel;
a vacuum motor coupled to the air moving device;
an inlet to the recovery vessel allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel, with the air flowing in a path through the inlet, the recovery vessel, and the air moving device; and
means for detecting a blockage in the path of the air and interrupting operation of the vacuum motor;
wherein the detecting means monitors the current level to the vacuum motor and interrupts the current to the vacuum motor when the current level drops to a fixed percentage over a fixed period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2)
- a recovery vessel;
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3. A vacuum assembly comprising, in combination:
- a recovery vessel;
an air moving device in fluid communication with the recovery vessel for removing air from the recovery vessel;
a vacuum motor coupled to the air moving device;
an inlet to the recovery vessel allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel, with the air flowing in a path through the inlet, the recovery vessel, and the air moving device; and
means for detecting a blockage in the path of the air and interrupting operation of the vacuum motor;
wherein the detecting means interrupts operation of the vacuum motor after a time delay so that the vacuum motor will not be inadvertently shut off if the path of the air is momentarily restricted. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
- a recovery vessel;
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7. A surface treating machine comprising, in combination:
- an agitator for contacting the surface to be treated;
a brush motor coupled to the agitator for rotating the agitator;
means for moving the agitator between a raised position and a lowered position, with the agitator being elevated from the surface in the raised position and engaging the surface in the lowered position; and
means for detecting that the agitator is in the raised position and interrupting operation of the brush motor after an opportunity to move the agitator to the lowered position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
- an agitator for contacting the surface to be treated;
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11. A vacuum method comprising the steps of:
- providing a recovery vessel having an inlet allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel;
removing air from the recovery vessel by an air moving device in fluid communication with the recovery vessel and coupled to a vacuum motor, with the air flowing in a path through the inlet, the recovery vessel, and the air moving device; and
detecting a blockage in the path of the air and interrupting operation of the air moving device comprising the step of monitoring the current level to the vacuum motor and interrupting the current to the vacuum motor when the current level drops to a fixed percentage over a fixed period of time. - View Dependent Claims (12)
- providing a recovery vessel having an inlet allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel;
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13. A vacuum method comprising the steps of:
- providing a recovery vessel having an inlet allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel;
removing air from the recovery vessel by an air moving device in fluid communication with the recovery vessel, with the air flowing in a path through the inlet, the recovery vessel, and the air moving device; and
detecting a blockage in the path of the air and interrupting operation of the air moving device after a time delay so that the air moving device will not be inadvertently shut off if the path of the air is momentarily restricted. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
- providing a recovery vessel having an inlet allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel;
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17. A method for treating a surface comprising the steps of:
- providing an agitator for contacting the surface to be treated;
providing a brush motor coupled to the agitator for rotating the agitator;
moving the agitator between a raised position and a lowered position, with the agitator being elevated from the surface in the raised position and engaging the surface in the lowered position; and
detecting that the agitator is in the raised position and interrupting operation of the brush motor after an opportunity to move the agitator to the lowered position. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
- providing an agitator for contacting the surface to be treated;
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21. A surface treating machine comprising, in combination:
- an agitator for contacting the surface to be treated;
a brush motor coupled to the agitator for rotating the agitator;
means for moving the agitator between a raised position and a lowered position, with the agitator being elevated from the surface in the raised position and engaging the surface in the lowered position;
means for detecting that the agitator is in the raised position and interrupting operation of the brush motor after an opportunity to move the agitator to the lowered position; and
a vacuum assembly comprising, in combination;
a recovery vessel;
an air moving device in fluid communication with the recovery vessel for removing air from the recovery vessel;
a vacuum motor coupled to the air moving device;
an inlet to the recovery vessel allowing the entry of air into the recovery vessel, with the air flowing in a path through the inlet, the recovery vessel, and the air moving device; and
means for detecting a blockage in the path of the air and interrupting operation of the vacuum motor.
- an agitator for contacting the surface to be treated;
Specification