Battery-powered cordless cleaning system

• US 9,456,726 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Industries Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Techtronic Industries Company Limited
• Inventors: Reed, Brett A., Reindle, Mark, Sebastian, Will
• Primary Examiner(s): Leykin, Rita
• Application Number:
  US14/550,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20150145444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/376, 320/132, 320/134, 320/135, 320/136, 320/163, 320/145, 320/121, 320/124, 320/127, 320/157, 320/164
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/26 with driven dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2878 Dual-powered vacuum cleaners, i.e. devices which can be operated with mains power supply or by batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/08 Arrangements for controlling the speed or torque of a single motor H02P6/10, H02P6/28 take precedence

Abstract

A cleaning system including a motor, an impeller driven by the motor, a battery receptacle, and a motor controller. The battery receptacle is configured to receive a battery pack. The battery pack includes one or more battery cells and a battery controller. The motor controller is configured to receive from the battery controller one of a first type of data and a second type of data, and operate the motor at a defined speed, the defined speed being a first speed upon receiving the first type of data, and a second speed upon receiving the second type of data.

Claims

1. A cleaning system comprising:

a motor;

an impeller driven by the motor;

a battery receptacle configured to receive a battery pack, the battery pack including one or more battery cells and a battery controller; and

a motor controller configured to

receive from the battery controller at least one selected from the group consisting of a first signal indicative of a first battery capacity and a second signal indicative of a second battery capacity, and

operate the motor at a defined speed, the defined speed being

a first speed upon receiving the first signal, and

a second speed upon receiving the second signal.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the battery receptacle is configured to receive one of the battery pack and a second battery pack.

3. The cleaning system of claim 2, wherein the motor controller receives the first signal from the battery controller of the battery pack and the second signal from a second battery controller of the second battery pack.

4. The cleaning system of claim 1, further comprising a second-motor.

5. The cleaning system of claim 4, wherein the second-motor is operated at a second defined speed based on receiving at least one selected from the group consisting the first signal and the second signal.

6. The cleaning system of claim 5, wherein the second defined speed is

a first second-motor speed when the motor controller receives the first signal, and

a second second-motor speed when the motor controller receives the second signal.

7. The cleaning system of claim 4, wherein the second-motor drives a brush-roll.

8. A method of operating a cleaning system, the method comprising:

receiving a first battery pack including a first battery controller;

receiving a first signal indicative of a first battery capacity from the first battery controller;

outputting a first control signal based on receiving the first signal;

operating a motor at a first speed based on the first control signal;

receiving a second battery pack including a second battery controller;

receiving a second signal indicative of a second battery capacity from the second battery controller;

outputting a second control signal based on receiving the second signal; and

operating the motor at a second speed based on the second control signal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

operating a second-motor at the first speed based on the first control signal;

and

operating the second-motor at the second speed based on the second control signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the motor drives one selected from the group of an impeller and a brush-roll.

11. A cleaning system comprising:

a motor;

an impeller driven by the motor;

a battery receptacle configured to receive a first battery pack and a second battery pack; and

a controller configured to

receive a first signal indicative of a first battery capacity from the first battery pack and a second signal indicative of a second battery capacity from the second battery pack, and

operate the motor at a defined speed, the defined speed being

a first speed based on the first signal, and

a second speed based on the second signal.

12. The cleaning system of claim 11, further comprising a second-motor.

13. The cleaning system of claim 12, wherein the second-motor is operated at a second defined speed, the second defined speed is

a first speed when the motor controller receives the first signal, and

a second speed when the motor controller receives the second signal.

14. The cleaning system of claim 12, wherein the second-motor drives a brush-roll.