CN113613537A

CN113613537A - Cleaning system including system for preventing overheating of motor and method thereof

Info

Publication number: CN113613537A
Application number: CN202080024371.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: K·波尔曼
Original assignee: Techtronic Cordless GP
Current assignee: Techtronic Cordless GP
Priority date: 2019-02-06
Filing date: 2020-02-04
Publication date: 2021-11-05
Also published as: WO2020163336A1; EP3920766A1; US20220104671A1; AU2020218752A1

Abstract

A cleaning system (100) includes a body (105), a motor (140) supported by the body (100), a sensor (325) configured to sense a characteristic of the motor (140), the characteristic selected from the group consisting of current, voltage, and power. The system (100) further includes a controller (305). The controller (305) is connected to the motor 140 and the sensor (325). The controller (305) includes an electronic processor (330) and a memory (335). The controller (305) is configured to receive a signal from the sensor (325) indicative of a characteristic of the motor (140), determine an integral of the signal over time based on the signal, and operate the motor (140) based on the integral of the signal over time.

Description

Cleaning system including system for preventing overheating of motor and method thereof

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/801,758, filed on 6/2/2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

Embodiments relate to tools, such as but not limited to cleaning systems or cleaners.

Disclosure of Invention

A tool such as a cleaner may include one or more motors. During operation, the motor may overheat. Monitoring the temperature of the motor can prevent overheating. Existing methods of preventing overheating include hardware devices (e.g., thermal circuit breakers) that cut power to the motor when a predetermined temperature is reached. Such hardware devices may increase the cost of the tool.

Accordingly, one embodiment provides a cleaning system comprising a body, a motor supported by the body, a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the motor, the characteristic selected from the group consisting of current, voltage, and power. The system further includes a controller. The controller is connected to the motor and the sensor. The controller includes an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of a characteristic of the motor, determine an integral of the signal over time based on the signal, and operate the motor based on the integral of the signal over time.

Another embodiment provides a method of operating a cleaning system having a motor. The method includes receiving a signal from a sensor indicative of a characteristic of the motor, the characteristic selected from the group consisting of current, voltage, and power. Determining, via the controller and based on the signal, an integral of the signal over time; and operating the motor based on an integration of the signal over time.

Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a system according to some embodiments.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the system of fig. 1, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the system of fig. 1, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a control system of the system of fig. 1, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing operation of the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing operation of the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 7 is a graph showing one or more characteristics of the system of fig. 1 over time, in accordance with some embodiments.

Fig. 8 is a graph showing an integration over time of characteristics of the system of fig. 1, in accordance with some embodiments.

Detailed Description

Before any embodiments of the application are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the application is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The application is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

Fig. 1 and 2 illustrate a system 100 according to some embodiments. The system 100 may be configured to clean a surface (e.g., a floor such as a hardwood floor, a carpeted floor, upholstery, etc.). Although shown as a handheld vacuum cleaner, in other embodiments, the system 100 may be another type of vacuum cleaner, such as, but not limited to, an upright vacuum cleaner or a stick vacuum cleaner. In yet another embodiment, the system 100 may be a power tool, such as, but not limited to, a drill, a screwdriver, and a circular saw.

The system 100 may include a housing 105 having a nozzle assembly 110 and a handle assembly 115. The nozzle assembly 110 may include a nozzle opening 120. The handle assembly 115 may include a handle 125 having a grip 130 for grasping by a user. The handle may further include a user interface 127. As shown, in some embodiments, user interface 127 includes a switch or button 129, or other operational interface. The handle assembly 115 may further include and/or support a canister 135. In some embodiments, the canister 135 may include a separator configured to remove dust particles from the airflow drawn into the system 100, which are then collected by the canister 135. The separator may be a cyclone separator, a filter bag and/or another type of separator.

The system 100 may further include a suction motor 140 (fig. 4) contained within a motor housing 145 of the housing 105. In some embodiments, the suction motor 140 is coupled to a suction source, such as, but not limited to, an impeller or fan assembly, which is driven by the suction motor 140. Air and/or debris is drawn through the nozzle opening 120 via the suction motor 140.

The housing 105 may further include a battery receptacle 150. The battery receptacle 150 is configured to be physically and/or electronically coupled to a battery pack 155. The battery pack 155 can be configured to provide power to the system 100 for operation. Alternatively or additionally, the system 100 may include a power cord configured to receive power from an AC power source (e.g., an AC power outlet).

Fig. 3 illustrates a system 100 according to another embodiment. As shown, the system 100 may further include a base assembly 200. The base assembly 200 may include a floor nozzle 205. After entering through the floor nozzle 205, air and/or debris may pass through the nozzle opening 120, which may be in fluid communication with the separator and/or suction motor 140. In some embodiments, the base assembly 200 includes one or more wheels 210. In some embodiments, the base assembly 200 may further include a brushroll powered via a brushroll motor 215 (FIG. 4).

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a control system 300 of the system 100 according to some embodiments. The control system 300 includes a controller 305. The controller 305 is electrically and/or communicatively connected to various modules or components of the system 100. For example, the controller 305 is connected to the user interface 127, the suction motor 140, the brushroll motor 215, the power supply 310, an input/output (I/O) module 320, and one or more sensors 325.

In some embodiments, controller 305 includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to controller 305 and/or components and modules within system 100. For example, the controller 305 includes, among other things, an electronic processor 330 (e.g., a microprocessor or other suitable programmable device) and a memory 335.

For example, the memory 335 includes a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include a combination of different types of memory, such as Read Only Memory (ROM), Random Access Memory (RAM), and so forth. Various non-transitory computer readable media may be used, such as magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memory. The electronic processor 330 is communicatively coupled to the memory 335 and executes software instructions stored in the memory 335 or on another non-transitory computer readable medium, such as another memory or disk. The software may include one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions.

The power supply 310 is configured to provide nominal power to the controller 305 and/or other components of the system 100. As shown, in some embodiments, a power supply 310 receives power from the battery pack 155 and provides nominal power to the controller 305 and/or other components of the system 100. In other embodiments, power supply 310 may receive power from an AC power source (e.g., an AC power outlet).

The one or more sensors 325 are configured to sense one or more characteristics of the system 100. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors 325 include a voltage sensor, a current sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an air flow sensor, a pressure sensor, and/or an infrared sensor. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors 325 are configured to sense one or more characteristics (e.g., voltage, current, and/or power) of the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215.

In one embodiment of operation, a user operates button 129 to activate system 100. In such embodiments, when the button 129 is operated, power is provided to the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215. During operation, the one or more sensors 325 sense one or more characteristics (e.g., voltage, current, and/or power) of the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing a process or operation 400 for operating system 100, according to some embodiments. It should be understood that the order of the steps disclosed in process 600 may be varied. Furthermore, additional steps may be added and not all steps may be required. One or more characteristics of the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215 are sensed (block 405). A temperature of the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215 is determined based on the sensed one or more characteristics (block 410). In some embodiments, the temperature is determined by the controller 305. The temperature is compared to a temperature threshold (block 415). If the temperature exceeds the threshold, the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215 are shut down (block 420). If the temperature does not exceed the threshold, the operation 400 loops back to block 405.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing a process or operation 500 for determining a temperature of the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215, according to some embodiments. It should be understood that the order of the steps disclosed in process 600 may be varied. Furthermore, additional steps may be added and not all steps may be required. Characteristics of the motor are sensed (block 505). In some embodiments, the characteristic is current. In some embodiments, the characteristic is power. In such embodiments, the power may be determined by multiplying the sensed current and the sensed voltage. For example, fig. 7 is a graph 600 showing a plurality of characteristics (current 605, voltage 610, power 615, and temperature 620) of a motor (e.g., the suction motor 140 and/or the brushroll motor 215) over time.

An integral of the characteristic over a period of time is then determined (block 510). In some embodiments, the integral is determined via the controller 305. For example, fig. 8 is a graph 700 showing power integration versus temperature. The motor may then be controlled based on the integral of the characteristic over time (block 515). For example, if the integral exceeds a predetermined threshold, operation of the motor may be stopped.

In some embodiments, the temperature of the motor is determined based on integration. In some embodiments, the temperature of the motor is determined using equation 1 below.

Temp. -Power x (1-Efficiency) -heat dissipated by the system

Where Temp is the motor temperature, Power is the integrated Power, and Efficiency is the motor Efficiency curve. In some embodiments, the temperature of the motor is determined based on integrating the area over time.

The amount of heat dissipated by the system 100 may be estimated based on empirical information about the motor operating in the system 100, including the temperature of the motor at a particular current level drawn at a predetermined ambient temperature. In one embodiment, the system 100 includes a thermistor positioned to represent the ambient air temperature in which the system 100 operates, and wherein the amount of heat dissipated by the system is a function of the ambient air temperature. For example, empirical data relating to the motor may be offset or compensated when calculating the amount of heat dissipated by the system 100 based on the ambient air temperature in which the system 100 is operating.

Another factor in estimating the amount of heat dissipated by the system 100 in some usage scenarios is the length of time the motor is not running or the cooling time measured from when the motor is turned off, particularly when the cooling time is less than a predetermined interval, such as 3 minutes, or 5 minutes, or 10 minutes, or other predetermined interval. In one embodiment, the system 100 includes a timer that begins counting the cooling time after the motor is turned off. In this embodiment, the amount of heat dissipated by the system 100 is a function of the cooling time if the motor is turned on for a predetermined interval. In another embodiment, the heat dissipated by the system 100 is a function of cooling time and ambient air temperature. The system 100 may include a battery or holding capacitor that powers the timer after the motor is turned off. Alternatively, the system 100 may be a battery powered system 100, and the system battery powers the timer after the motor is turned off.

In some embodiments, the operation of the motor may be stopped when maximum efficiency is reached. However, in other embodiments, the operation of the motor is based on an integration of the sensed characteristics, and thus may exceed maximum efficiency while still allowing the motor to operate.

Accordingly, embodiments provide, among other things, a system and method for operating a motor based on an integration of a characteristic of the motor over time. Various features and advantages of the application are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A cleaning system, comprising:

a body;

a motor supported by the body;

a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the motor, the characteristic selected from the group consisting of current, voltage, and power; and

a controller connected to the motor and the sensor, the controller including an electronic processor and a memory, the controller configured to:

receiving signals from the sensor indicative of characteristics of the motor,

determining an integral of the signal over time based on the signal, an

The motor is operated based on an integration of the signal over time.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein operating the motor based on the integration of the signal over time comprises inhibiting operation of the motor based on the integration of the signal over time.

3. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the temperature of the motor based on an integration of the signal over time.

4. The cleaning system of claim 3, wherein the temperature of the motor is determined further based on an efficiency of the motor.

5. The cleaning system of claim 3, wherein the temperature of the motor is further based on heat dissipated from the cleaning system.

6. The cleaning system of claim 5, wherein the amount of heat dissipated from the cleaning system is a function of the temperature of the air surrounding the cleaning system.

7. The cleaning system of claim 5, wherein the heat dissipated from the cleaning system is a function of the cooling time of the motor after the motor is turned off.

8. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is power of the motor.

9. The cleaning system of claim 8, wherein the power of the motor is determined based on the current of the motor and the voltage of the motor.

10. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the motor is a brushroll motor.

11. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the motor is a suction motor.

12. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein operating the motor based on an integration of the signal over time comprises exceeding a maximum efficiency.

13. A method of operating a cleaning system having a motor, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from a sensor indicative of a characteristic of the motor, the characteristic selected from the group consisting of current, voltage, and power;

determining, via the controller and based on the signal, an integral of the signal over time; and

the motor is operated based on an integration of the signal over time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein operating the motor based on the integration of the signal over time comprises inhibiting operation of the motor based on the integration of the signal over time.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising: the temperature is determined based on an integration of the signal over time.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the characteristic is the power of the motor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the power of the motor is determined based on a current of the motor and a voltage of the motor.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the motor is a brushroll motor.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the motor is a suction motor.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein operating the motor based on the integration of the signal over time comprises exceeding a maximum efficiency.