Surface treatment apparatus rotational speed indicator user interface

Abstract

A surface treatment apparatus may include a surface cleaning head having an agitator, an agitator motor configured to cause the agitator to rotate, a suction motor configured to cause debris to be drawn from a surface to be treated, a debris sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of debris in a dirty air path, a user interface (UI), and a controller. The controller can be configured to receive the signal indicative of the amount of the debris in the dirty air path, adjust a rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor, and adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface treatment apparatus comprising:
 an upright section;   a surface cleaning head having an agitator, the surface cleaning head being pivotally coupled to the upright section;   an agitator motor configured to cause the agitator to rotate;   a vacuum assembly coupled to the upright section, the vacuum assembly including a dust cup and a suction motor, the dust cup and the suction motor being fluidly coupled to the surface cleaning head;   a debris sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of debris in a dirty air path;   a user interface (UI) coupled to the surface cleaning head, the UI includes at least a first light source and a second light source; and   a controller configured to:
 receive the signal indicative of the amount of the debris in the dirty air path; 
 adjust a rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor based on the signal indicative of the amount of debris in the dirty air path; and 
 adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor by:
 illuminating the first light source and disabling the second light source when the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor exceeds a first motor rotation speed threshold while being less than a second motor rotation speed threshold; and 
 illuminating the first light source and the second light source when the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor exceeds the first and the second motor rotation speed thresholds. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor comprises:
 adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of both the suction motor and the agitator motor.   
     
     
         3 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the debris sensor is an infrared (IR) optical sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the IR optical sensor further comprises:
 an IR transmitter configured to transmit IR light; and   an IR receiver configured to output the signal based on a quantity of the IR light received by the IR receiver.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation speed of the suction motor and the agitator motor are controlled by adjusting a current supplied to the suction motor and the agitator motor. 
     
     
         7 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the debris sensor is located within the dirty air path. 
     
     
         8 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a surface cleaning head having an agitator;   a dust cup fluidly coupled to the surface cleaning head;   a suction motor fluidly coupled to the surface cleaning head;   an agitator motor configured to cause the agitator to rotate;   a debris sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of debris in a dirty air path;   a user interface (UI) coupled to the surface cleaning head, the UI includes at least a first light source and a second light source; and   a controller configured to:
 receive the signal indicative of the amount of the debris in the dirty air path; 
 adjust a rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor based on the signal indicative of the amount of debris in the dirty air path; and 
 adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor by:
 illuminating the first light source and disabling the second light source when the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor exceeds a first motor rotation speed threshold while being less than a second motor rotation speed threshold; and 
 illuminating the first light source and the second light source when the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor exceeds the first and the second motor rotation speed thresholds. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor comprises:
 adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of both the suction motor and the agitator motor.   
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the debris sensor is an infrared (IR) optical sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the IR optical sensor further comprises:
 an IR transmitter configured to transmit IR light; and   an IR receiver configured to output the signal based on a quantity of the IR light received by the IR receiver.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the rotation speed of the suction motor and the agitator motor are controlled by adjusting a current supplied to the suction motor and the agitator motor. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the debris sensor is located within the dirty air path. 
     
     
         15 . A surface treatment apparatus comprising:
 a suction motor configured to cause debris to be drawn from a surface to be treated;   a debris sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an amount of debris in a dirty air path;   a surface cleaning head having an agitator;   a user interface (UI) coupled to the surface cleaning head, the UI includes at least a first light source and a second light source; and   a controller configured to:
 receive the signal indicative of the amount of the debris in the dirty air path; 
 adjust a rotation speed of the suction motor based on the signal indicative of the amount of debris in the dirty air path; and 
 adjust the UI based on the rotation speed of the suction motor by:
 illuminating the first light source and disabling the second light source when the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor exceeds a first motor rotation speed threshold while being less than a second motor rotation speed threshold; 
 illuminating the first light source and the second light source when the rotation speed of at least one of the suction motor or the agitator motor exceeds the first and the second motor rotation speed thresholds. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the debris sensor is an infrared (IR) optical sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the IR optical sensor further comprises:
 an IR transmitter configured to transmit IR light; and   an IR receiver configured to output the signal based on a quantity of the IR light received by the IR receiver.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the rotation speed of the suction motor is controlled by adjusting a current supplied to the suction motor. 
     
     
         20 . The surface treatment apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the debris sensor is located within the dirty air path.