A cleaning system comprising a system for preventing the motor from overheating and a method threfore

Abstract

A cleaning system (100) including a body (105), a motor (140) supported by the body (100), a sensor (325) configured to sense a characteristic of the motor (140), the characteristic selected from a group consisting of current, voltage, and power. The system (100) further includes a controller (305). The controller (305) is connected to the motor 140 and the sensor (325). The controller (305) includes an electronic processor (330) and a memory (335). The controller (305) is configured to receive, from the sensor (325), a signal indicative of the characteristic of the motor (140), determine, based on the signal, an integral of the signal over time, and operate the motor (140) based on the integral of the signal over time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a body;   a motor supported by the body;   a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the motor, the characteristic selected from a group consisting of current, voltage, and power; and   a controller connected to the motor and the sensor, the controlling including an electronic processor and a memory, the controller configured to
 receive, from the sensor, a signal indicative of the characteristic of the motor, 
 determine, based on the signal, an integral of the signal over time, and 
 operate the motor based on the integral of the signal over time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein operating the motor based on the integral of the signal over time includes prohibiting operation of the motor based on the integral of the signal over time. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the integral of the signal over time, the temperature of the motor. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning system of  claim 3 , wherein the temperature of the motor is further determined based on an efficiency of the motor. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning system of  claim 3 , wherein the temperature of the motor is further based on a heat dissipated from the cleaning system. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning system of  claim 5 , wherein the heat dissipated from the cleaning system is a function of air temperature around the cleaning system. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning system of  claim 5 , wherein the heat dissipated from the cleaning system is a function of cooling time of the motor after the motor is turned off. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein characteristic is a power of the motor. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning system of  claim 8 , wherein the power of the motor is determined based on a current of the motor and a voltage of the motor. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a brush roll motor. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a suction motor. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein operating the motor based on the integral of the signal over time includes surpassing a max efficiency. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a cleaning system having a motor, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a sensor, a signal indicative of a characteristic of the motor selected from a group consisting of current, voltage, and power;   determining, via a controller and based on the signal, an integral of the signal over time; and   operating the motor based on the integral of the signal over time.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of operating the motor based on the integral of the signal over time includes prohibiting operation of the motor based on the integral of the signal over time 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining a temperature of the based on the integral of the signal over time. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein characteristic is a power of the motor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the power of the motor is determined based on a current of the motor and a voltage of the motor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the motor is a brush roll motor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the motor is a suction motor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of operating the motor based on the integral of the signal over time includes surpassing a max efficiency.