EP3447188A1

EP3447188A1 - Garment care system with movement sensor and hose cord

Info

Publication number: EP3447188A1
Application number: EP17187966.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Orhan KAHYA; Valiyambath Krishnan Mohankuma; Yao Hean CHIAH; Winson Garcia Lim
Original assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
Current assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
Priority date: 2017-08-25
Filing date: 2017-08-25
Publication date: 2019-02-27

Abstract

The invention relates to a garment care system (10) for treating garments. The garment care system (10) comprises a hand unit (12) for treating garments, and a movement sensor (126) cooperating with a first microcontroller (110) arranged in the hand unit (12) for generating a digital movement signal characterizing the movement of the hand unit (12). The garment care system also comprises a base unit (11) for resting the hand unit (12), a hose cord (13) for connecting the base unit (11) and the hand unit (12). The hose cord (13) comprises a duct for carrying a fluid from the base unit (11) to the hand unit (12), and a single communication wire for carrying the digital movement signal from the hand unit (12) to the base unit (11), and for bidirectional digital communication between the base unit (11) and the hand unit (12). This solution allows reducing the number of wires in the hose cord.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of garment care.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Garment care systems comprising a base unit and a hand unit connected by a hose cord are known. They are sometimes referred to as pressurized steam generators. In this known type of product architecture, the hand unit transfers a signal to the base unit reflecting that user is requesting the generation of steam to be provided to the hand unit via the hose cord. The signal is transferred in an analog form on a dedicated electrical wire.
This type of product has some limitations in case additional signals, for example signals from sensors arranged in the hand unit, would be needed to be transferred from the hand unit to the base unit. Those limitations are linked to the fact that known hose cord can only accommodate a very limited number of different electrical wires, in view of the limited cross-section of the hose cord, and also in order to keep a certain level of mechanical flexibility of the hose cord during manipulation by user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to propose an improved garment care system comprising a base unit and a hand unit connected by a hose cord, that avoids or mitigates above-mentioned problems.
The invention is defined by the independent claims. The dependent claims define advantageous embodiments.
The garment care system for treating garments according to the invention comprises:

a hand unit for treating garments,
a movement sensor cooperating with a first microcontroller arranged in the hand unit, for generating a digital movement signal characterizing the movement of the hand unit,
a base unit for resting the hand unit,
a hose cord for connecting the base unit and the hand unit, the hose cord comprising:
1. a) a duct for carrying a fluid from the base unit to the hand unit,
2. b) a single communication wire for carrying the digital movement signal from the hand unit to the base unit, and for bidirectional digital communication between the base unit and the hand unit.

By providing a garment care system having a single communication wire for bidirectional digital communication between the base unit and the hand unit, signal, such as the digital movement signal which is generated by the hand unit, can be transferred to the base unit on this single communication wire. Moreover, because the hand unit and the base unit are implicitly arranged for serial communication, the number of wires in the hose cord can be limited to only one wire. With this solution, it thus becomes possible to have more than one sensor generating a plurality of signals towards the hand unit, without having to add electrical wires in the hose cord. In other words, the number of sensors (or the number of signals generated by a given sensor) can be increased without increasing the cost of the hose cord, as the corresponding signals are transferred serially with the base unit. Moreover, by implementing only a single communication wire, the mechanical flexibility of the hose cord is ensured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will further be explained with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1a schematically shows a first embodiment of a garment care system for treating garments in accordance with the invention,
Fig. 1b schematically shows a second embodiment of a garment care system for treating garments in accordance with the invention,
Fig. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a hand unit of the garment care system in accordance with the invention,
Fig. 3 schematically shows an embodiment of a base unit of the garment care system in accordance with the invention,
Fig. 4a schematically shows a first embodiment of a hose cord for use in the garment care system in accordance with the invention,
Fig. 4b schematically shows a second embodiment of a hose cord for use in the garment care system in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1a schematically shows a first embodiment of a garment care system 10 in accordance with the invention.
The garment care system 10 comprises a hand unit 12 for treating garments.
The garment care system 10 comprises also comprises a movement sensor 126 arranged in the hand unit 12. The movement sensor 126 and the first microcontroller 110 are adapted to generate a digital movement signal characterizing the movement of the hand unit 12.
The garment care system 10 also comprises a base unit 11 for resting the hand unit 12.
The garment care system 10 also comprises a hose cord 13 connecting the base unit 11 and the hand unit 12. The hose cord 13 comprises a duct 135 for carrying a fluid from the base unit 11 to the hand unit 12. The hose cord 13 also comprises a single communication wire 134a for carrying the digital movement signal from the hand unit 12 to the base unit 11, and for bidirectional digital communication between the base unit 11 and the hand unit 12.
For example, the hand unit 12 is a steam iron for ironing garments. Alternatively the hand unit 12 is a steamer head for spraying steam over garments.
Preferably, the digital movement signal corresponds to any one of acceleration signal, velocity signal, angular position signal, position signal, dual positions signal. Alternatively, those sensors can be used in combination in the hand unit 12. For example, a dual positions signal can be generated by a so-called ball sensor.
The movement sensor 126 cooperates with a first microcontroller 110 as follows.
Preferably, the first microcontroller 110 is adapted to simply re-direct the signal generated by movement sensor 126 on the single communication wire 134a.
Alternatively, the digital movement signal sent on the the single communication wire 134a corresponds to a processed or identified digital movement signal (for example short user's stroke, long user's stroke, device moving, device not moving, horizontal movement of the device, vertical movement of the device, speed of the device, movement strength and /or a combination thereof) after analysis by the microcontroller of the sensor information (e.g. level of acceleration signal(s), duration of acceleration , movement of ball sensor, frequency of acceleration value). The processed or identified digital movement signal is then sent by the first microcontroller 110 on the single communication wire 134a.
Preferably, the movement sensor 126 is an acceleration sensor of the type Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).
Fig. 2 schematically shows an embodiment of a hand unit 12 of the garment care system in accordance with the invention, while Fig. 3 schematically shows an embodiment of a base unit 11 of the garment care system in accordance with the invention.
As illustrated, the base unit 11 comprises a second microcontroller 120.
The second microcontroller120 and the first microcontroller110 are arranged for serial communication via the single communication wire 134a.
It is noted that in the above the term microcontroller is used, but that the invention also envisages alternative devices, such as microprocessors (with associated memory and any auxiliary circuits or dedicated communication modules.
Preferably, as illustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the base unit 11 comprises a first interface 111 coupled to the second microcontroller120. The first interface 111 corresponds to an Input/Output unit. The second microcontroller120 is coupled to the hose cord 13 through the first interface 111.
The hand unit 12 comprises a second interface 121 coupled to the first microcontroller110. The second interface 121 corresponds to an Input/Output unit. The first microcontroller110 is coupled to the hose cord 13 through the second interface 121.
Preferably, the first interface 111 and the second interface 121 are arranged for using a serial asynchronous receiver/transmitter communication protocol.
In particular, the communication protocol is defined by the base unit 11 being adapted to periodically sending to the hand unit 12 a command signal on the single communication wire 134a, and the hand unit 12 being adapted to sending to the base unit 11 the digital movement signal after receiving the command signal. This solution avoids conflicting situations where signals would be sent at the same time by the hand unit 12 and by the base unit 11 on the single communication wire 134a.
Preferably, the base unit 11 is adapted to periodically sending the command signal with a time period in the range [10 ms; 100 ms]:

if the time period is larger than 100ms, the user can feel the delay when he press the steam trigger, or when he moves the iron before the iron enters in an auto steam mode,
if the time period is smaller than 10ms, less data are able to be sent in one period because it is too short between a current and a next period. The difference between the two time periods will indeed determine how much data can be sent.

For example, the time period is 30 ms.
As illustrated in Fig. 1a, the base unit 11 comprises a steam generator 119b for generating steam as fluid in the hose cord 13. The base unit 11 is adapted to vary the temperature of the steam generator 119b based on the digital movement signal.
For example, if the hand unit 12 moves above a certain value (for example the acceleration or the velocity of the hand unit 12 is above a certain threshold), then the temperature of the steam generator 119b is increased by a certain quantity.
The steam generator 119b may be supplied in water by a pump 149 from a water reservoir 119a.
Fig. 1b schematically shows a second embodiment of a garment care system for treating garments in accordance with the invention.
In this embodiment, the base unit 11 only comprises a pump 149 for providing water as fluid in the hose cord 13, from water reservoir 119a, and the base unit 11 is adapted to vary the flow rate of the pump 149 based on the digital movement signal.
For example, if the hand unit 12 moves above a certain value (for example the acceleration or the velocity of the hand unit 12 is above a certain threshold), then the flow rate of the pump increased by a certain quantity. Alternatively, the pump is activated when the hand unit moves and the pump is stopped when the hand unit is not moved by the user.
Preferably, as illustrated in Fig. 1a and Fig. 1b, the hand unit 12 comprises a soleplate 129a being in contact with a steam chamber 129b, and the base unit 11 is adapted to vary the temperature of the steam chamber 129b based on the digital movement signal.
For example, if the hand unit 12 moves above a certain value (for example the acceleration or the velocity of the hand unit 12 is above a certain threshold), then the temperature of the steam chamber 129b is increased by a certain quantity. Alternatively, the temperature of the steam chamber is increased when the hand unit moves and the temperature of the steam chamber is decreased when the hand unit is not moved by the user.
Fig. 4a schematically shows a first embodiment of a hose cord for use in the garment care system in accordance with the invention.
The hose cord comprises the single communication wire 134a.
The hose cord also comprises also comprises the duct 135 for carrying a fluid (in particular water or steam from the base unit 11 to the hand unit 12)
The hose cord also comprises three power wires 131, 132, 133 for supplying electrical power to the hand unit 12. In particular, the three power wires 131, 132, 133 correspond to the earth, live and neutral, respectively.
The power wire 133 is used as neutral for electrical signals carried by the single communication wire 134a.
The hose cord 13 may also further include an outer sheath 139, which is used to protect the power wires 131, 132, 133, the single communication wire 134a, and the duct 135.
Preferably, the base unit 11 is adapted to offset by a given DC value, the voltage on the single communication wire 134a, for providing power supply to the movement sensor 126. For example, the value of the DC voltage is 24 Volts. This means that the communication wire 134a is not only used to carry signals between the hand unit and the base unit, but also used to provide power supply to the movement sensor.
The power wire 133 is used as neutral for electrical signals carried by the single communication wire 134a, and as neutral of the DC voltage carried by the single communication wire 134a.
Fig. 4b schematically shows a second embodiment of a hose cord for use in the garment care system in accordance with the invention.
In this embodiment, compared to the hose cord as illustrated in Fig. 4a, the hose cord 13 further comprises an additional wire 134b, and the base unit 11 is adapted to apply a given DC value on the additional wire 134b, for providing power supply to the movement sensor 126. For example, the value of the DC voltage is 24 Volts. This means that the communication wire 134a is only used to carry signals between the hand unit and the base unit, and the power supply to the movement sensor 126 is provided separately via the additional wire 134b.
The power wire 133 is used as neutral for electrical signals carried by the single communication wire 134a, and as neutral of the DC voltage carried by the additional wire 134b.
If the movement sensor 126 is an acceleration sensor of the type Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), this sensor can be used to control, for example, the heating element in the hand unit 12 depending on the orientation and/or movements of the hand unit 12. In this way, a stationary iron may be controlled by the base unit 11 to be heated less than a moving iron, thus adjusting the heating to the iron's use. Other sensors, such as temperature sensors or light sensors, may also be used.
Preferably, the hand unit 12 comprises at least one light unit 124, such as light-emitting diode ("LED").
The light unit 124 may for example be controlled such as it reflects the movement of the hand unit: for example with flashing light having a frequency being proportional to the movement value or amplitude.
In this case, the second microcontroller120 is adapted to control the light unit 124 via the single communication wire 134a, based on the digital movement signal carried on the single communication wire 134a from the hand unit 12 to the base unit 11.
In accordance with the invention, it is possible using only a single communication wire (or a single pair of communication wires for the base unit 11 and the hand unit 12 to communicate. In particular, LED(s) in hand unit 12 may be controlled from the base unit 11, while sensors in the hand unit 12 may be read out from the base unit 11, their data being transmitted from the hand unit 12 to the base unit 11 on the single communication wire 134a.
It will be understood that the description of the invention given above is not intended to limit the invention in any way. Singular nouns and the articles "a" and "an" are of course not meant to exclude the possibility of plurals.
It will further be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments mentioned above and that many additions and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appending claims.

Claims

A garment care system (10) for treating garments, the garment care system (10) comprising:
- a hand unit (12) for treating garments,

- a movement sensor (126) cooperating with a first microcontroller (110) arranged in the hand unit (12), for generating a digital movement signal characterizing the movement of the hand unit (12),

- a base unit (11) for resting the hand unit (12),

- a hose cord (13) for connecting the base unit (11) and the hand unit (12), the hose cord (13) comprising:
a) a duct (135) for carrying a fluid from the base unit (11) to the hand unit (12),

b) a single communication wire (134a) for carrying said digital movement signal from the hand unit (12) to the base unit (11), and for bidirectional digital communication between the base unit (11) and the hand unit (12).
The garment care system according to claim 1, wherein the digital movement signal corresponds to any one of acceleration signal, velocity signal, angular position signal, position signal, dual positions signal.
The garment care system according to claim 2, wherein the movement sensor (126) is an acceleration sensor of the type Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).
The garment care system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein:
the base unit (11) comprises a second microcontroller (120),

the second microcontroller (120) and the first microcontroller (110) are arranged for serial communication via the single communication wire (134a).
The garment care system according to claim 4, wherein the base unit (11) comprises a first interface (111) coupled to the second microcontroller (120), and wherein the hand unit (12) comprises a second interface (121) coupled to the first microcontroller (110).
The garment care system according to claim 5, wherein the first interface (111) and the second interface (121) are arranged for using a serial asynchronous receiver/transmitter communication protocol.
The garment care system according to claim 6, wherein said communication protocol is defined by the base unit (11) being adapted to periodically sending to the hand unit (12) a command signal on said single communication wire (134a), and the hand unit (12) being adapted to sending to the base unit (11) said digital movement signal after receiving said command signal.
The garment care system according to claim 7, wherein the base unit (11) is adapted to periodically sending said command signal with a time period in the range [10 ms; 100 ms].
The garment care system according to claim 1, wherein the base unit (11) comprises a steam generator (119b) for generating steam as said fluid, the base unit (11) being adapted to vary the temperature of the steam generator (119b) based on said digital movement signal.
The garment care system according to claim 1, wherein the base unit (11) comprises a pump (149) for providing water as said fluid, the base unit (11) being adapted to vary the flow rate of said pump (149) based on said digital movement signal.
The garment care system according to claim 1, wherein the hand unit (12) comprises a soleplate (129a) being in contact with a steam chamber (129b), the base unit (11) being adapted to vary the temperature of the steam chamber (129b) based on said digital movement signal.
The garment care system according to any one of the claims 1 to 11, wherein the base unit (11) is adapted to offset by a given DC value, the voltage on said single communication wire (134a), for providing power supply to said movement sensor (126).
The garment care system according to any one of the claims 1 to 11, wherein the hose cord (13) further comprises an additional wire (134b), and wherein the base unit (11) is adapted to apply a given DC value on said additional wire (134b), for providing power supply to said movement sensor (126).
The garment care system according to claim 4, wherein the hand unit (12) comprises a light unit (124), the second microcontroller (120) being adapted to control said light unit (124) via said single communication wire (134a), based on said digital movement signal carried on said single communication wire (134a) from the hand unit (12) to the base unit (11).
The garment care system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hose cord (13) further comprises three power wires (131, 132, 133) for supplying electrical power to the hand unit (12).