DETERMINING A START-UP OPERATION MODE OF A WETTING SYSTEM OF A CLEANING DEVICE

Abstract

A cleaning device for cleaning a surface is described. The cleaning device includes at least one cleaning element and a wetting system to supply a cleaning liquid to the at least one cleaning element. The wetting system is operable in one of at least one normal operation mode and a boost operation mode involving an increased supply rate of the cleaning liquid with respect to the at least one normal operation mode. During start-up of the cleaning device in a wet cleaning mode thereof, a start-up operation mode of the wetting system is determined to be one of the normal operation mode or the boost operation mode on the basis of assessment of an actual value of at least one parameter that is indicative of whether or not the at least one cleaning element is in a wet cleaning condition.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for cleaning a surface, the cleaning device being operable in at least a wet operation mode and comprising: at least one cleaning element configured to perform a cleaning action on the surface to be cleaned, a wetting system configured to supply a cleaning liquid to an area where the at least one cleaning element is located to thereby realize a wet cleaning condition of the at least one cleaning element in the wet operation mode of the cleaning device, wherein the wetting system is operable in one of at least one normal operation mode and a boost operation mode involving an increased supply rate of the cleaning liquid with respect to the at least one normal operation mode, and a controlling system configured to control operation of the cleaning device according to an operation program, wherein the operation program includes a wet operation mode algorithm involving a sequence of start-up steps to be taken when the wet operation mode of the cleaning device is initiated, and wherein the start-up steps comprise: retrieving an actual value of at least one parameter that is indicative of whether or not the at least one cleaning element is in the wet cleaning condition, determining a start-up operation mode of the wetting system to be one of the at least one normal operation mode or the boost operation mode by relating the actual value of the at least one parameter to an operation mode of the wetting system according to a predetermined relation between values of the at least one parameter and respective operation modes of the wetting system, and controlling the wetting system to operate in the start-up operation mode.

2. The cleaning device of claim 1, comprising a sensor arrangement to measure wetness of the at least one cleaning element directly or indirectly.

3. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the wetting system includes a pump arrangement configured to supply the cleaning liquid to the area where the at least one cleaning element is located by pumping the cleaning liquid towards the area where the at least one cleaning element is located, and wherein the boost operation mode of the wetting system involves operating the pump arrangement to run at a higher pumping speed than in the at least one normal operation mode of the wetting system.

4. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the start-up steps comprise controlling the wetting system to stop operating in the start-up operation mode after a predetermined period of time in case the start-up operation mode of the wetting system is the boost operation mode.

5. The cleaning device of claim 1, comprising a timer configured to be activated to count when a predetermined event takes place in respect of the cleaning device, wherein retrieving the actual value of at least one parameter that is indicative of whether or not the at least one cleaning element is in the wet cleaning condition comprises retrieving an actual time value from the timer.

6. The cleaning device of claim 5, wherein the predetermined event is termination of operation of the wetting system.

7. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning element is removable from the cleaning device, and wherein retrieving the actual value of at least one parameter that is indicative of whether or not the at least one cleaning element is in the wet cleaning condition comprises retrieving an indication of whether or not an action of putting the at least one cleaning element to place in the cleaning device has taken place prior to an initiation of the wet operation mode of the cleaning device.

8. The cleaning device of claim 1, comprising a user interface configured to at least communicate a user's command to operate the wetting system in the boost operation mode to the controlling system, wherein the controlling system is configured to control the wetting system to operate in the boost operation mode during a predetermined period of time upon receipt of a command from the user interface.

9. The cleaning device of claim 8, wherein the cleaning device is also operable in a dry operation mode, wherein the user interface is configured to also communicate a user's command to operate the cleaning system in the dry operation mode to the controlling system, and wherein the operation program includes a dry operation mode algorithm according to which the wetting system is inactivated.

10. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning element comprises a brush, and wherein the brush includes flexible brush elements having tip portions for contacting the surface to be cleaned.

11. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning element is movable in the cleaning device.

12. The cleaning device of claim 1, comprising a reservoir configured to contain the cleaning liquid to be supplied to the area where the at least one cleaning element is located by means of the wetting system.

13. The cleaning device of to any of claim 1, comprising a discharging system configured to receive a liquid/dirt mixture from the at least one cleaning element and to discharge the liquid/dirt mixture to a collection area.

14. The cleaning device of claim 1, comprising a vacuum system including a vacuum source configured to generate underpressure at a position of the at least one cleaning element.

15. A cleaning device of claim 1 and a charging dock, wherein the cleaning device comprises a rechargeable battery arrangement, and wherein the charging dock is configured to receive and hold the cleaning device and to charge the rechargeable battery arrangement of the cleaning device when the cleaning device is in place on the charging dock.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to FIG. 1, which is a diagrammatic representation of a wet cleaning device according to an embodiment of the invention, a surface to be cleaned, and a charging dock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates the design of a wet cleaning device 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The particular wet cleaning device 1 represented in FIG. 1 and described in the following is just one example of many types of cleaning devices which are feasible in the framework of the invention. In this respect, it is noted that the invention does not only relate to wet cleaning devices, but also to other types of cleaning devices such as wet/dry cleaning devices having a dry cleaning function besides a wet cleaning function, and vacuum cleaners having a vacuum cleaning function besides a wet cleaning function and possibly also a dry cleaning function.

[0026] The wet cleaning device 1 is configured to be used for the purpose of subjecting a surface 2 such as a floor surface to a wet cleaning action. At a side that is supposed to face the surface 2 during operation of the wet cleaning device 1, the wet cleaning device 1 comprises a cleaning system 10 including a cleaning element 11. In the following, it is assumed that the cleaning element 11 comprises a roller-shaped brush that is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, which does not alter the fact that other embodiments of the cleaning element 11 are possible as well. In the framework of the invention, the cleaning system 10 may comprise more than one cleaning element. For example, the cleaning system 10 may comprise a pair of roller-shaped brushes which are arranged so as to be rotatable in opposite directions about their respective longitudinal axes.

[0027] The wet cleaning device 1 comprises a first reservoir 12 that serves for containing a cleaning liquid, and a wetting system 20 that serves for supplying the cleaning liquid to the brush 11 during operation of the wet cleaning device 1, and that is positioned between the first reservoir 12 and the cleaning system 10 to that end. The wetting system 20 may comprise any suitable type of pump arrangement 21, for example. The wet cleaning device 1 also comprises a second reservoir 13 that serves for containing used, dirty cleaning liquid, and a discharging system 30 that serves for receiving a mixture of cleaning liquid and dirt from the brush 11 and for transporting the mixture to the second reservoir 13, and that is positioned between the cleaning system 10 and the second reservoir 13 to that end. Although this is not illustrated in FIG. 1, all of the cleaning system 10, the reservoirs 12, 13, the wetting system 20 and the discharging system 30 may be accommodated in a suitable housing of the wet cleaning device 1. The wet cleaning device 1 comprises a handle 40 that is configured to be held by a user of the wet cleaning device 1, so that the user can easily grasp the wet cleaning device 1 and move it across the surface 2 to be cleaned as desired. Preferably, the wet cleaning device 1 is a cordless device comprising a rechargeable battery arrangement 41, as shown, wherein it is practical if the wet cleaning device 1 is part of a set including a charging dock 3 besides the wet cleaning device 1. Such a set may also include a flushing tray that can be used for the purpose of cleaning the brush 11.

[0028] Basic aspects of how the wet cleaning device 1 is operated are as follows. During operation, the brush 11 is driven so as to rotate and the wetting system 20 is activated so as to supply the cleaning liquid to the brush 11, as indicated in FIG. 1 by a downward arrow on the left, and to thereby cause the brush 11 to be in a wet cleaning condition. An area of the surface 2 that is within reach of the brush 11 is wetted by the brush 11. Any stains as may be present on the area of the surface 2 are detached under the influence of the cleaning liquid and/or are scrubbed off by the brush 11, and any dirt as may be present on the area of the surface 2 is removed along with the cleaning liquid that is sucked towards the second reservoir 13 by means of the discharging system 30, as indicated in FIG. 1 by an upward arrow on the right. The brush 11 may particularly include flexible brush elements having tip portions for contacting the surface 2.

[0029] The wet cleaning device 1 is equipped with a user interface 42 including an on/off button. Assuming an off mode of the wet cleaning device 1, operation of the wet cleaning device 1 is initiated when the user depresses the on/off button. The wet cleaning device 1 comprises a controlling system 50 including a microcontroller that is programmed to put the brush 11 in motion and to activate both the wetting system 20 and the discharging system 30 in reaction to the user depressing the on/off button. When the user depresses the on/off button once again, the user causes the controlling system 50 to control the wet cleaning device 1 to stop operating through shutting down power supply to the various functional components of the wet cleaning device 1.

[0030] The wet cleaning device 1 comprises a timer 43 that is configured to be activated to count when a predetermined event takes place in respect of the wet cleaning device 1, such as termination of operation of the wetting system 20, which coincides with termination of operation of the entirety of the wet cleaning device 1 in the present embodiment. The controlling system 50 is programmed to check the actual time value that is present in the timer 43 when the wet cleaning device 1 is put from the off mode to the on mode, and to compare the actual time value to a threshold time value. If the actual time value appears to be higher than the threshold time value, the controlling system 50 controls the wetting system 20 to operate in a special mode during a predetermined period of time, namely a boost operation mode which involves increased pumping speed and associated faster supply of the cleaning fluid to the brush 11. This procedure is based on the insight that after a certain time of non-use of the wet cleaning device 1, the brush 11 dries, and that when the wet cleaning device 1 is put to the on mode without the brush 11 being in the wet cleaning condition, it would take quite some time for the wet cleaning device 1 to be able to effectively perform a wet cleaning action as desired if it was not for the temporary special operation mode of the wetting system 20. Thus, the timer 43 serves to provide the indication that is needed by the controlling system 50 for determining whether to control the wetting system 20 to operate in the normal operation mode or to control the wetting system 20 to operate in the boost operation mode during start-up of the wet cleaning device 1. When it appears that the actual time value that is retrieved from the timer 43 is lower than the threshold time value, the wetting system 20 is controlled to operate in the normal operation mode right from the start, based on the assumption that the brush 11 is still wet enough, i.e. is in the wet cleaning condition.

[0031] Additionally or alternatively, the controlling system 50 may be programmed to take one or more other factors into account for the purpose of determining which operation mode of the wetting system 20 should be set during start-up of the wet cleaning device 1. Examples of such other factors include an indication whether or not the wet cleaning device 1 was on the charging dock 3 before the wet cleaning device 1 was put to the on mode, an indication whether the brush 11 was replaced/mounted in the cleaning system 10 before the wet cleaning device 1 was put to the on mode, and an indication whether the battery arrangement 41 was replaced or recharged after having run out completely. In respect of the latter example, it is noted that interruption of power supply from the battery arrangement 41 may result in complete flush of a memory of the controller arrangement 50 so that the indication may be obtained by assessing the state of the memory.

[0032] During operation of the wet cleaning device 1, it may be desirable to control the wetting system 20 to be in the boost operation mode, for example in the case of a stain that is difficult to remove. In view thereof, the user interface 42 may further be equipped with a button for triggering the boost operation mode of the wetting system 20. In such a case, the controlling system 50 may be programmed to control the wetting system 20 to operate in the boost operation mode during a predetermined period of time when the user depresses the button as mentioned.

[0033] If the boost operation mode is initiated automatically and the user acts to prematurely terminate the boost operation mode, one of several options may be applicable, depending on the way in which the controlling system 50 is programmed. In the first place, the controlling system 50 may be programmed to subsequently control operation of the wet cleaning device 1 in the same way as when the boost operation mode would have been performed during a complete period of time. In the second place, the controlling system 50 may be programmed to control operation of the wet cleaning device 1 in the same way as when the boost operation mode would not have been initiated. In the third place, the controlling system 50 may be programmed to continue the boost operation mode until the complete period of time of the boost operation mode has lapsed.

[0034] It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed in the foregoing, but that several amendments and modifications thereof are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention as defined in the attached claims. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such amendments and modifications insofar they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalents thereof. While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary only, and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The drawings are schematic, wherein details which are not required for understanding the invention may have been omitted, and not necessarily to scale.

[0035] Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by a person skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the figures, the description and the attached claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0036] Elements and aspects discussed for or in relation with a particular embodiment may be suitably combined with elements and aspects of other embodiments, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Thus, the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0037] The terms “comprise” and “include” as used in this text will be understood by a person skilled in the art as covering the term “consist of”. Hence, the term “comprise” or “include” may in respect of an embodiment mean “consist of”, but may in another embodiment mean “contain/have/be equipped with at least the defined species and optionally one or more other species”.

[0038] It follows from the foregoing that it is not essential to the invention that the cleaning device 1 is equipped with a rechargeable battery arrangement 41. In this respect, it is noted that the invention also covers the use of a simple dock for receiving and holding the cleaning device, which is without charging ability. Hence, the invention also relates to a set of a cleaning device 1 and a dock, wherein the dock is configured to receive and hold the cleaning device 1.

[0039] The invention may be summarized as follows. A cleaning device 1 for cleaning a surface 2 is operable in at least a wet operation mode and comprises at least one cleaning element 11 and a wetting system 20 configured to supply a cleaning liquid to an area where the at least one cleaning element 11 is located, wherein the wetting system 20 is operable in one of at least one normal operation mode and a boost operation mode involving an increased supply rate of the cleaning liquid with respect to the at least one normal operation mode. During start-up of the cleaning device 1 in the wet cleaning mode thereof, a start-up operation mode of the wetting system 20 is determined to be one of the at least one normal operation mode or the boost operation mode on the basis of assessment of an actual value of at least one parameter that is indicative of whether or not the at least one cleaning element 11 is in a wet cleaning condition.