Attachment for a cleaning device with moisture detection and method for moisture detection

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device, in particular a suction wiper, having a housing with at least one cleaning medium for receiving a cleaning agent, having a cleaning medium carrier for receiving the cleaning medium, having a drive for driving the cleaning medium carrier and having a controller. At least one vibration sensor for detecting a strength of a vibration is arranged in the housing and the controller is designed to determine the moisture of the cleaning medium, the controller evaluating a change in the strength of the vibration. The invention also relates to a method for operating a cleaning device.

Claims

1. A cleaning device comprising: a housing, a cleaning agent dosing unit comprising an electrically operated pump, at least one cleaning medium configured to receive a cleaning agent from the electrically operated pump, a cleaning medium carrier configured to receive the cleaning medium on an underside of the cleaning medium carrier, a drive configured to drive the cleaning medium carrier, at least one vibration sensor arranged in the housing, the at least one vibration sensor configured to detect a strength of a vibration, and a controller configured to assess a content of liquid cleaning agent in the cleaning medium based on a variation in the strength of vibration detected by the at least one vibration sensor, wherein the variation is caused by changes in a total oscillating mass of the cleaning medium due to the content of liquid cleaning agent in the cleaning medium.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a surface nature of a floor to be cleaned, and evaluate performance data of the drive for determining the surface nature.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vibration sensor comprises at least one acceleration sensor configured to detect a movement of the housing.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a memory unit, and wherein the controller is further configured to compare a detected strength of vibration with at least one defined or definable strength of vibration.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to compare a determined surface nature with at least one defined or definable surface nature.

6. The cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning agent dosing unit is arranged in the housing, the cleaning agent dosing unit further comprising a tank and a data and signal interface, and wherein the controller is configured to evaluate data of the cleaning agent dosing unit.

7. The cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to notify a user when at least one threshold value of a strength of a vibration is undershot or exceeded.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one threshold value of a strength of a vibration is an upper and/or lower threshold value.

9. A method of operating a cleaning device, comprising: assessing a content of liquid cleaning agent in a cleaning medium; detecting a strength of vibration in the cleaning device; and evaluating a change in the strength of the vibration, wherein the cleaning device comprises: a housing, a cleaning agent dosing unit comprising an electrically operated pump, wherein the cleaning medium is configured to receive the cleaning agent from the electrically operated pump, a cleaning medium carrier configured to receive the cleaning medium on an underside of the cleaning medium carrier, a drive configured to drive the cleaning medium carrier, at least one vibration sensor arranged in the housing, the at least one vibration sensor configured to detect the strength of a vibration, and a controller configured to assess the content of liquid cleaning agent in the cleaning medium based on a variation in the strength of vibration detected by the at least one vibration sensor, wherein the variation is caused by changes in a total oscillating mass of the cleaning medium due to the content of liquid cleaning agent in the cleaning medium.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: determining a surface nature of a floor to be cleaned by receiving performance data related to a coefficient of friction.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the content of liquid cleaning agent in the cleaning medium is varied as a function of the strength of vibration detected by the at least one vibration sensor by supplying cleaning agent to the cleaning medium by means of the cleaning agent dosing unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the content of liquid cleaning agent in the cleaning medium is varied as a function of a surface nature of a floor to be cleaned, which is determined by means of power consumption of the drive or by means of a defined or definable surface nature, by supplying cleaning agent to the cleaning medium by means of the cleaning agent dosing unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the cleaning device further comprises an acceleration sensor, and wherein the method further comprises: detecting an acceleration signal of the cleaning device caused by a movement of the cleaning device by the acceleration sensor and providing the acceleration signal to the controller, and discriminating a strength of a vibration signal detected by the at least one vibration sensor and providing the vibration signal to the controller so that it may be compared against the detected acceleration signal.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: selecting a cleaning agent supply mode based on a strength of a vibration, a surface nature and/or an acceleration of the cleaning device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) In the following, the invention is explained by means of an embodiment example with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows

(2) in FIG. 1 a perspective view of a cleaning device designed as an attachment,

(3) in FIG. 2 a perspective view of the attachment connected to a suction wiper, and

(4) in FIG. 3 an example of a curve of strength of vibration and a vibration perceived by a user as a function of the moisture of the cleaning medium.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The cleaning device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a housing 3, with a connecting piece 5, with at least one cleaning medium 7 for receiving a cleaning agent and with a cleaning medium carrier 9 for receiving the cleaning medium 7. A vibration sensor 11 is adapted to detect a vibration or a strength of a vibration, and a controller 13 is adapted to evaluate the data of the at least one vibration sensor 11. In the example shown, the vibration sensor 11, the controller 13, a cleaning agent dosing unit 17 having a tank 15, and a drive 19 are arranged in the housing 3, and the connecting piece 5 is pivotably mounted in the housing 3. The cleaning medium 7 is located on an underside of the cleaning medium carrier 9 facing away from an underside of the housing 3, which cleaning medium carrier 9 has a connection suitable for transporting liquid to the tank 15 of the cleaning medium metering unit 17 for supplying the cleaning medium to the cleaning medium 7, the necessary flow work being provided by an electrically actuable pump 21 also arranged in the housing 3. A signal and data interface enables communication between the controller 13 and the cleaning agent dosing unit 17.

(6) The vibration sensor 11 detects the vibrations induced by the oscillating movement of the system cleaning medium 7cleaning medium carrier 9 or the strength of these vibrations and forwards this information to the controller 13. For this purpose, the vibration sensor 11 is connected to the controller 13 for transferring signals.

(7) The controller 13 evaluates the data transmitted by the vibration sensor 11 and uses them to determine the moisture of the cleaning medium 7. A user can be informed of the moisture content determined via an indicator 23 arranged in the housing 3, the indicator 23 being connected to the controller 13 for transferring signals. Within the scope of the evaluation, the controller 13 compares the detected vibrations, i.e. the transmitted data, with values stored in a memory unit of the controller 13. The stored values can also be threshold values, in particular threshold values for the strength of the vibrations, which the controller 13 notifies the user if they are exceeded and/or undershot. Depending on the result of the evaluation, the electrically operable pump 21 of the cleaning agent dosing unit 17 can deliver cleaning agent from the tank 15 to the cleaning medium 7. The controller 13 can also detect the condition of the cleaning medium 7 by means of the comparison and inform the user about this.

(8) In addition to determining the moisture of the cleaning medium 7, the controller 13 is adapted to determine the surface nature of the floor to be cleaned, for which purpose the controller 13 is connected to the drive 19 for transferring signals. Via this connection, the controller 13 receives information about the performance data of the drive 19, which is used as a basis for determining the surface nature, in particular the coefficient of friction. The surface nature determined in this way can also be compared with at least one surface nature stored in the memory unit of the controller 13.

(9) An acceleration sensor integrated in the acceleration sensor 11 detects the accelerations occurring during the movement of the cleaning device and forwards this data by means of a signalling connection to the controller 13, which evaluates this data and, if necessary, discriminates the data transmitted by the vibration sensor 11 against this data in order to improve the accuracy of the determination of the moisture of the cleaning medium 7.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a suction wiper 27 with a mounted cleaning device 1. The energy required to supply the devices arranged in the housing 3 of the cleaning device 1 is provided by a voltage source 29 arranged in the suction wiper 27 via the contacts integrated in the connector 5. The suction wiper 27 has a switch 33 arranged in a handling handle 31 for switching the suction wiper 29 and the cleaning device 1 on and off. A further switch 35 for activating and deactivating a wiping function is arranged below this. The wiping function can be understood as a supply of cleaning agent to the cleaning medium 7 as well as operation of the drive 19. Furthermore, the voltage source 29 has a control 37 which controls the functions of the suction wiper 27 and which can interact with, cooperate with and/or replace the controller 13 of the cleaning device 1.

(11) FIG. 3 shows an example of the course of a vibration strength (solid line) and a vibration perceived by a user (dashed line) as a function of the moisture of the cleaning medium 7, which are shown as acceleration in the example shown. The correlation between the strength of the vibration and the moisture of the cleaning medium 7, the correlation between the perceived vibration and the moisture of the cleaning medium 7, the minimum of the strength of the vibration at approximately an average moisture of the cleaning medium 7 and the minimum of the vibration perceived by a user, which is detectable at a lower moisture of the cleaning medium 7, can be clearly seen.