Operating device and cleaning appliance which can be carried on the back

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating device for controlling, in particular for activating and deactivating, a cleaning device and/or an energy supply device of a cleaning appliance that can be carried on the back, which operating device includes a control signal generating device for producing control signals for controlling the cleaning device and/or the energy supply device and a signal transmission device for transmitting the control signals, wherein the control signal generating device includes at least one first switch member for activating and deactivating the cleaning device, wherein the operating device includes at least one second switch member for activating and deactivating at least one mode of operation of the cleaning device and wherein the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member are constructed in a haptically distinguishable manner.

1 . An operating device for controlling, in particular for activating and deactivating, at least one of a cleaning device and an energy supply device of a cleaning appliance that can be carried on the back, which operating device comprises a control signal generating device for producing control signals for controlling at least one of the cleaning device and the energy supply device and a signal transmission device for transmitting the control signals, wherein the control signal generating device comprises at least one first switch member for activating and deactivating the cleaning device, wherein the operating device comprises at least one second switch member for activating and deactivating at least one mode of operation of the cleaning device and wherein the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member are constructed in a haptically distinguishable manner. 
     
     
         2 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a housing. 
     
     
         3 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises at least one side wall and wherein the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member are arranged or formed in or on the at least one side wall. 
     
     
         4 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein at least one of:
 a) the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member are arranged or formed on the same side wall of the housing;   and   b) the at least one side wall forms an upper side of the housing which faces in a direction opposed to the direction of the force of gravity when the operating device is arranged and oriented in the intended manner.   
     
     
         5 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first switch member is in the form of an electromechanical push-button actuator or switch and wherein the at least one second switch member is in the form of a membrane push-button or switch. 
     
     
         6 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member are constructed in a manner such that a first actuating force for actuating the at least one first switch member and a second actuating force for actuating the at least one second switch member differ. 
     
     
         7 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the second actuating force is larger than the first actuating force, in particular, is at least twice as big. 
     
     
         8 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a fixing device for attaching or fixing the operating device to an item of clothing of an operator, in particular, to a belt. 
     
     
         9 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the fixing device is at least one of:
 a) in the form of a belt clip;   and   b) arranged or formed on a side wall of the housing;   and   c) formed with the housing in one piece manner.   
     
     
         10 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator device for at least one of indicating a status of the energy supply device and indicating the at least one mode of operation of the cleaning device. 
     
     
         11 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
 a) the indicator device is constructed in the form of a battery indicator;   and   b) the indicator device is constructed in the form of at least one of an optical and acoustic indicator device;   and   c) the indicator device comprises an optical segmental display;   and   d) the indicator device comprises an optical segmental display having at least two light emitting elements;   and   e) the indicator device comprises an optical segmental display having at least two light emitting elements in the form of light emitting diodes.   
     
     
         12 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
 a) the indicator device is arranged or formed in or on the same side wall as at least one of the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member;   and   b) the indicator device is arranged or formed between the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member;   and   c) the at least one second switch member and the indicator device form a unit.   
     
     
         13 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first switch member comprises a first actuating surface and wherein the at least one second switch member comprises a second actuating surface and wherein the spacing between a surface of the side wall, in or on which the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member are arranged or formed, and the first actuating surface is greater than the spacing between the surface and the second actuating surface. 
     
     
         14 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the second actuating surface is set back into the housing with respect to the surface. 
     
     
         15 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the signal transmission device is in the form of at least one electrical connecting line or in the form of a non-contact-making signal transmission device. 
     
     
         16 . The operating device in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein at least one of:
 a) the at least one electrical connecting line is in the form of a connecting cable;   and   b) a first end of the electrical connecting line is connected non-detachably to the housing and wherein at least one plug connector element is arranged or formed at a second end of the electrical connecting line for the purposes of being brought into engagement with the cleaning appliance in at least one of force-locking and positively-locking manner;   and   c) the electrical connecting line is fed out from a side wall of the housing and wherein a spacing between this side wall and the at least one second switch member is smaller than a spacing between this side wall and the at least one first switch member;   and   d) the non-contact-making signal transmission device comprises a transmitting device for transmitting radio signals.   
     
     
         17 . A cleaning appliance with a cleaning device that is arranged to be carried on the back, a mains-network-independent energy supply device for supplying the cleaning device with energy, in particular electrical energy, and an operating device for controlling at least one of the cleaning device and the energy supply device, wherein the operating device is constructed in the form of an operating device for controlling, in particular for activating and deactivating, at least one of the cleaning device and the energy supply device, which operating device comprises a control signal generating device for producing control signals for controlling at least one of the cleaning device and the energy supply device and a signal transmission device for transmitting the control signals, wherein the control signal generating device comprises at least one first switch member for activating and deactivating the cleaning device, wherein the operating device comprises at least one second switch member for activating and deactivating at least one mode of operation of the cleaning device and wherein the at least one first switch member and the at least one second switch member are constructed in a haptically distinguishable manner. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning appliance in accordance with  claim 17 , further comprising a housing, wherein at least one of:
 a) the operating device is arranged spatially separate from the housing;   and   b) the operating device is connected to at least one of the cleaning device and the energy supply device for control purposes;   and   c) the cleaning applicance comprises a control and/or regulating device for at least one of controlling and regulating the cleaning device, wherein the control and/or regulating device is connected to the energy supply device, the cleaning device and the operating device for control purposes;   and   d) the cleaning appliance comprises a transmitting and/or receiving device for at least one of transmitting control signals to and receiving control signals from the operating device;   and   e) the operating device comprises a signal transmission device for transmitting the control signals, wherein the signal transmission device is in the form of a non-contact-making signal transmission device, wherein the cleaning appliance comprises a transmitting and/or receiving device for at least one of transmitting control signals to and receiving control signals from the operating device, namely from the non-contact-making signal transmission device thereof;   and   f) the cleaning appliance comprises a transmitting and/or receiving device for at least one of transmitting control signals to and for receiving control signals from the operating device, wherein the transmitting and/or receiving device is connected to at least one of the control and regulating device, the energy supply device and the cleaning device for control purposes.   
     
     
         19 . The cleaning appliance in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the operating device is connected to the cleaning device for control purposes in cable-connected manner or in non-contact-making manner. 
     
     
         20 . The cleaning appliance in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein at least one of:
 a) the cleaning appliance comprises a carrier frame;   and   b) the cleaning device comprises a suction device.