LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE FOR A HIGH PRESSURE CLEANING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A HIGH PRESSURE CLEANING DEVICE BY MEANS OF A LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE

Abstract

A liquid dispensing device for a high pressure cleaning device is provided, and includes a liquid inlet, which is connectable to a pump outlet by a pressure conduit, a liquid outlet, an input apparatus, a display apparatus, and a control unit including a storage member in which control parameters are storable, and wherein at least one control parameter can be output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device. In order to further develop the liquid dispensing device to enable an improved cleaning result in a simple manner, the liquid dispensing device includes an object detection unit for contactlessly detecting the object to cleaned, wherein object information corresponding to the object to be cleaned is transmittable from the object detection unit to the control unit and is processable thereby for providing at least one control parameter adapted to the object to be cleaned.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing device for a high pressure cleaning device, comprising a liquid inlet, which is connectable to a pump outlet of the high pressure cleaning device by way of a pressure conduit for pressurized cleaning liquid, a liquid outlet for dispensing the cleaning liquid in the direction of an object to be cleaned, an input apparatus, a display apparatus, and a control unit for controlling the high pressure cleaning device, wherein the control unit comprises a storage member in which control parameters can be stored, and wherein at least one control parameter can be output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device, wherein the liquid dispensing device comprises an object detection unit for contactlessly detecting the object to be cleaned, wherein object information corresponding to the object to be cleaned is transmittable from the object detection unit to the control unit and is processable by the control unit for providing at least one control parameter adapted to the object to be cleaned.

2. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein object information of a multitude of objects together with control parameters corresponding thereto for controlling the high pressure cleaning device are storable in the storage member of the control unit, and the object to be cleaned can be associated by the control unit with an object stored in the storage member and, in dependence on the association, at least one control parameter can be output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device.

3. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one control parameter comprises a conveying parameter of the high pressure cleaning device, in particular a predetermined value or predetermined value range for the pressure of the cleaning liquid, the volume flow of the cleaning liquid, and/or the dosing of a cleaning chemical that can be admixed to the cleaning liquid by the high pressure cleaning device.

4. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the object detection unit is configured in the form of a camera for capturing an image of the object to be cleaned, wherein image information corresponding to the object to be cleaned is transmittable to the control unit.

5. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the image information corresponding to the object to be cleaned is comparable with objects stored in the storage member by the control unit using image recognition algorithms.

6. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the object associated with the object to be cleaned by the control unit is displayable on the display apparatus, in particular in the form of a pictogram, an image, and/or or a label.

7. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the association made by the control unit of the object to be cleaned with the object displayed on the display apparatus is confirmable by the user using the input apparatus, wherein the at least one control parameter corresponding to the displayed object is outputtable from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device after confirmation.

8. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the at least one control parameter corresponding to the displayed object is automatically outputtable from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device if user confirmation does not occur within a predetermined display time.

9. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the association made by the control unit of the object to be cleaned with the object displayed on the display apparatus is rejectable by the user using the input apparatus and the output of the at least one control parameter corresponding to the displayed object to the high pressure cleaning device is blockable.

10. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 9, wherein after rejecting the association made by the control unit of the object to be cleaned with the object displayed on the display apparatus, a re-detection by the object detection unit of the object to be cleaned is triggerable automatically by the control unit or by the user using the input apparatus.

11. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the object to be cleaned can be associated with an object stored in the storage member by the user using the input apparatus after rejecting the association made by the control unit, and wherein the at least one control parameter that corresponds to the object with which the user associated the object to be cleaned can be output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device.

12. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the association made by the user of the object to be cleaned with an object stored in the storage member is storable in the storage member.

13. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 11, wherein after rejecting the association made by the control unit of the object to be cleaned with the object displayed on the display apparatus, a suggestion list of objects stored in the storage member is displayable on the display apparatus and the object to be cleaned can be associated with an object selected from the suggestion list by the user.

14. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 9, wherein after rejecting the association made by the control unit of the object to be cleaned with the object displayed on the display apparatus, a new object not previously stored in the storage member together with one or more control parameters corresponding to the new object is specifiable by the user and storable in the storage member, wherein the object to be cleaned can be associated with the new object and at least one control parameter corresponding to the new object can be output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device.

15. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 14, wherein the association of the object to be cleaned with the new object is storable in the storage member.

16. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control unit is connectable to an external data processing unit, in particular to a server, a computer network, a smartphone, or a tablet computer, for updating at least one of i) the storage content of the storage member and ii) a software program.

17. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the liquid dispensing device is configured as a spray gun.

18. The liquid dispensing device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input apparatus in combination with the display apparatus forms a touch-sensitive screen.

19. A method for controlling a high pressure cleaning device using a liquid dispensing device, wherein the liquid dispensing device comprises a liquid inlet, which is connectable to a pump outlet of the high pressure cleaning device by way of a pressure conduit for pressurized cleaning liquid, and wherein the liquid dispensing device comprises a liquid outlet for dispensing the cleaning liquid in the direction of an object to be cleaned, and wherein the liquid dispensing device comprises an input apparatus, a display apparatus, and a control unit for controlling the high pressure cleaning device, wherein the control unit comprises a storage member in which control parameters are storable, and wherein at least one control parameter can be output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device, and wherein the liquid dispensing device comprises an object detection unit for contactlessly detecting the object to be cleaned, wherein object information corresponding to the object to be cleaned is transmitted from the object detection unit to the control unit and is processed by the control unit for providing at least one control parameter adapted to the object to be cleaned, which is output to the high pressure cleaning device.

20. The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein object information of a multitude of objects together with control parameters corresponding thereto for controlling the high pressure cleaning device are stored in the storage member of the control unit, and the object to be cleaned is associated by the control unit with an object stored in the storage member and at least one control parameter corresponding to the associated object is output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device.

21. The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the object detection unit is configured in the form of a camera and captures an image of the object to be cleaned and transmits image information corresponding to the object to be cleaned to the control unit.

22. The method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the image information provided by the camera is compared by the control unit with the objects stored in the storage member using image recognition algorithms.

23. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the object associated by the control unit with the object to be cleaned is displayed on the display apparatus, in particular in the form of at least one of i) a pictogram, ii) a label, and iii) an image.

24. The method in accordance with claim 23, wherein the association made by the control unit of the object to be cleaned with the object displayed on the display apparatus is either confirmed or rejected by the user, wherein in the case of confirmation the at least one control parameter corresponding to the displayed object is output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device, and wherein in the case of rejection the output of the at least one control parameter corresponding to the displayed object to the high pressure cleaning device is blocked.

25. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein after rejecting the association made by the control unit of the object to be cleaned with the object displayed on the display apparatus, a re-detection of the object to be cleaned by the object detection unit is triggered automatically by the control unit or by the user using the input apparatus, and after re-detection a new association of the object to be cleaned with an object stored in the storage member is made by the control unit.

26. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the object to be cleaned is associated with an object stored in the storage member by the user after rejecting the association made by the control unit, and wherein at least one control parameter that corresponds to the object with which the user associated the object to be cleaned is output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device.

27. The method in accordance with claim 26, wherein the association made by the user of the object to be cleaned with an object stored in the storage member is stored in the storage member.

28. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein a suggestion list of objects stored in the storage member is displayed to the user on the display apparatus after rejecting the association made by the control unit, and wherein the user selects an object from the suggestion list, wherein the object to be cleaned is then associated with the selected object and control parameters corresponding to the selected object are output to the high pressure cleaning device.

29. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the user, after rejecting the association made by the control unit, stores a new object, which was not previously stored in the storage member, together with one or more control parameters corresponding to the new object in the storage member, wherein the object to be cleaned is then associated with the new object and at least one control parameter corresponding to the new object is output from the control unit to the high pressure cleaning device.

30. The method in accordance with claim 29, wherein the association of the object to be cleaned with the new object is stored in the storage member.

31. The method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the control unit is connected to an external data processing unit for updating at least one of i) the storage content of the storage member and ii) a software program.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a perspective depiction of a liquid dispensing device for a high pressure cleaning device;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a second perspective depiction of the liquid dispensing device from FIG. 1;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section view of the liquid dispensing device from FIG. 1;

[0050] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged depiction of detail X in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] Schematically depicted in the drawing is an advantageous embodiment of a liquid dispensing device in accordance with the invention, which is denoted as a whole with the reference numeral 10.

[0052] In the depicted embodiment, the liquid dispensing device 10 is configured in the form of a spray gun 12 and comprises a housing 14 with a front housing region 16 and a rear housing region 18. A handle 20 protrudes from the rear housing region 18, which is adjoined by a protective bracket 22. The protective bracket 22 in combination with the handle 20 and the rear housing region 18 surrounds a handle opening 24 in which the user can engage with their fingers when gripping the handle 20.

[0053] Arranged in the rear housing region 18 is a spring-loaded check valve 26, into the valve housing 28 of which an inlet conduit 30 opens and to which an outlet conduit 32 connects. The free end of the inlet conduit 30 forms a liquid inlet 34 and the free end of the outlet conduit 32 forms a liquid outlet 36. In the valve housing 28, a closing member 38 is biased by means of a closing spring 40 into a closing position in which it sealingly abuts against a valve seat 42 and thereby interrupts a flow connection between the liquid inlet 34 and the liquid outlet 36. The closing member 38 can be moved counter to the closing force of the closing spring 40 into an open position in which it adopts a distance from the valve seat 42 and thereby unblocks the flow connection between the liquid inlet 34 and the liquid outlet 36.

[0054] A pressure conduit for pressurized cleaning liquid can be connected to the liquid inlet 34 in the typical manner, by way of which the fluid inlet 34 can be connected to the pump outlet of a high pressure cleaning device, which is known per se and therefore is not depicted in the drawing to achieve a better overview, such that cleaning fluid that was pressurized by the high pressure cleaning device can be supplied to the spray gun 12. Under the action of the pressurized cleaning liquid, the closing member 38 of the check valve 26 automatically transitions into its open position, so that the cleaning liquid can be discharged via the outlet conduit 32 and the liquid outlet 36 in the direction of an object to be cleaned. Provision may also be made that a discharge apparatus, for example a spray lance, a spray nozzle, a washing brush, or a surface cleaning device, is able to be connected to the liquid outlet 36, by means of which the object to be cleaned can be acted upon with pressurized cleaning liquid.

[0055] High pressure cleaning devices by means of which a cleaning liquid can be pressurized are known to the person skilled in the art. They comprise a motor and a pump driven by the motor as well as control electronics.

[0056] The spray gun 12 comprises an electrical unit 44, which is partially accommodated by the rear housing region 18, wherein a raised portion 46 of the electrical unit 44 protrudes from a top side 48 of the rear housing region 18.

[0057] The electrical unit 44 is of splash-proof configuration in the form of a pre-mountable unit that can be inserted into the housing 14.

[0058] The electrical unit 44 comprises a control unit 50 for controlling the high pressure cleaning device, the pump outlet of which, as already mentioned, is in flow connection with the liquid inlet 34 by way of a pressure conduit. The control unit 50 is set up to communicate wirelessly, in particular by radio, with the control electronics of the high pressure cleaning device in order to control the high pressure cleaning device.

[0059] In addition, the electrical unit 44 comprises an input apparatus 52 and a display apparatus 54. The input apparatus 52, in combination with the display apparatus 54, forms a touch-sensitive screen (touch screen) 56.

[0060] The electrical unit 44 also comprises an object detection unit 58, which in the depicted embodiment is configured as a camera 60. By means of the camera 60, an object to be cleaned that is arranged in front of the spray gun 12 can be detected. To achieve this, the camera 60 can capture an image of the object to be cleaned.

[0061] The camera 60 is in electrical connection with the control unit 50 by way of a connecting line that is not depicted in the drawing and is known per se. The control unit 50 comprises a storage member 62.

[0062] The electrical unit 44 comprises a battery 64 for supplying energy. In addition, the electrical unit 44 comprises an electronic switch 66, which is electrically connected to the control unit 50. A switch plunger 68 of the electronic switch 66 can be actuated by the user by means of an operating element, which in the depicted embodiment is configured as a pivot lever 70. The pivot lever 70 is biased by means of a restoring spring 72 into an inoperative position in which it projects into the handle opening 24. The user can pivot the pivot lever 70 with their index finger against the force of the restoring spring 72 into an operating position. As a result, the pivot lever actuates the electronic switch 66 by way of the switch plunger 68, which then transmits a switching signal to the control unit 50. The switching signal causes the control unit 50 to continuously repeatedly transmit an activation signal to the control electronics of the high pressure cleaning device, such that the high pressure cleaning device is switched on by the control electronics and pressurized cleaning liquid is provided to the spray gun 12. The high pressure cleaning device remains switched on until the user releases the switch lever 70, such that it adopts its inoperative position under the action of the restoring spring 72. The adoption of the inoperative position by the pivot lever 70 is detected by the electronic switch 66. The electronic switch 66 then terminates the transmission of a switching signal to the control unit 50, which then no longer provides an activation signal to the control electronics of the high pressure cleaning device, such that the high pressure cleaning device is switched off by the control electronics.

[0063] As already mentioned, by means of the camera 60, an image can be captured of an object to be cleaned that is positioned in front of the spray gun. The camera 60 transmits corresponding image information, namely the captured image, to the control unit 50. In the storage member 62 of the control unit 50, object information in the form of images of a multitude of objects are stored together with at least one respective control parameter corresponding to the respective object for the high pressure cleaning device. The control parameters are selected in such a way that the respective object can be optimally cleaned by the high pressure cleaning device. By means of image recognition algorithms, in particular by means of a pattern recognition method, the control unit 50 compares the image of the object to be cleaned provided by the camera 60 with the objects stored in the storage member 62. The control unit 50 hereby checks which of the stored objects has the greatest degree of correspondence with the object to be cleaned. The object to be cleaned is then associated by the control unit 50 with the object stored in the storage member that has the greatest degree of correspondence.

[0064] In a further step, the stored object associated with the object to be cleaned is then displayed on the touch-sensitive screen 56 in the form of a pictogram, a label and/or an image. The user can thus recognize on the touch-sensitive screen 56 which stored object the control unit 50 associated with the object to be cleaned.

[0065] The user can then either confirm or reject the association made by the control unit 50 by touching corresponding screen fields of the touch-sensitive screen 56.

[0066] If the user confirms the association made by the control unit, the control unit 50 outputs the at least one control parameter corresponding to the object displayed on screen 56 to the high pressure cleaning device. The at least one control parameter is transmitted by radio to the control electronics of the high pressure cleaning device. For this purpose, the control unit 50 as well as the control electronics of the high pressure cleaning device comprise a corresponding radio member. After receiving the at least one control parameter, the control electronics control or regulate the operation of the high pressure cleaning device according to the at least one control signal.

[0067] The at least one control parameter may comprise, e.g., a conveying parameter of the high pressure cleaning device, in particular a predetermined value or predetermined value range for the pressure of the cleaning liquid, the volume flow of the cleaning liquid, and/or the dosing of a cleaning chemical that can be admixed with the cleaning liquid by the high pressure cleaning device. The control parameter is selected in such a way that it enables an optimal cleaning of the respective object. When the object to be cleaned is correctly associated with an object stored in the storage member 62, the high pressure cleaning device is thus operated in such a way that an optimal cleaning result can be achieved.

[0068] If the user rejects the association made by the control unit 50, the at least one control parameter corresponding to the displayed object is not output by the control unit 50 to the control electronics of the high pressure cleaning device. Rather, the control unit 50 automatically triggers a new detection of the object to be cleaned by the camera 60 again capturing an image of the object to be cleaned. Alternatively, provision may be made that the user, after rejecting the association made by the control unit 50, triggers a re-detection of the object to be cleaned by touching a corresponding screen field of the screen 56. The image then taken of the object to be cleaned is then again associated by the control unit 50 with an object stored in the storage member 62, which is then again displayed on the touch-sensitive screen 56.

[0069] The user also has the option to prompt the control unit 50 to display a suggestion list of objects stored in the storage member 52 on the screen 56 by touching a corresponding screen field of the screen 56. The user can then select a stored object from the suggestion list. The object to be cleaned that was detected by the camera 60 is then associated with the selected object and the at least one control parameter that corresponds to the selected object is output from the control unit 50 to the high pressure cleaning device.

[0070] In addition, the user has the option of storing a new object not previously stored in the storage member 62 together with one or more control parameters corresponding to the new object in the storage member 62, wherein the control parameters corresponding to the new object are then output from the control unit 50 to the high pressure cleaning device.

[0071] The association made by the user of the object detected by the camera 60 that is to be cleaned with the new object is stored in the storage member 52, such that when the object to be cleaned is re-detected by means of the camera 60, the association now stored can be automatically performed by the control unit 50.

[0072] The storage content of the storage member 62 as well as a software program of the control unit 50 can be updated and supplemented. For this purpose, the control unit 50 can be connected to an external data processing unit, for example to a server, a computer network (cloud), a smartphone or a tablet computer. This makes it possible to store in the storage member 62 object information of a multitude of objects together with corresponding control parameters for controlling the high pressure cleaning device not only at the manufacturing plant of the spray gun 12, but further object information and control parameters can also be stored at a later time by establishing a connection to the external data processing unit. In addition, the software program that is used for processing the object information provided by the object detection unit 58, in particular pattern recognition methods, can be updated.

[0073] The detection of the object to be cleaned by means of the object detection unit 58, in particular by means of the camera 60, has the advantage that a best possible cleaning of the object to be cleaned can be carried out without the user needing to have in-depth knowledge to this end. The object to be cleaned is associated with an object, wherein control parameters for optimally cleaning said object are stored in the storage member 62 and can be output from the control unit 50 to the high pressure cleaning device. This makes it possible to easily set the operation of the high pressure cleaning device in such a way that a cleaning that is as optimal as possible of the object to be cleaned can be performed.