Floor cleaner

Abstract

A method of operating a cleaning system is provided herein. The method includes receiving a first battery pack including a first battery controller, receiving a first signal from the first battery controller, outputting, in response to receiving the first signal, a first control signal, operating a motor at a first predetermined constant power based on the first control signal, receiving a second battery pack including a second battery controller, receiving a second signal from the second battery controller, outputting, in response to receiving the second signal, a second control signal, and operating the motor at a second predetermined constant power based on the second control signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaner comprising:
 a housing including a base portion that is movable along a surface to be cleaned;   a suction motor within the housing, the suction motor operable to create a suction airflow from a suction inlet to an exhaust outlet;   a sensor within the housing, the sensor operable to generate a sensor signal as a first signal corresponding to the cleaner moving in a forward direction along the surface and a second signal corresponding to the cleaner moving in a rearward direction along the surface; and   a control system configured to receive the sensor signal, wherein the control system controls operation of the suction motor based on the received sensor signal; and   a brush roll disposed adjacent the suction inlet, the brush roll driven by a brush roll motor,   wherein the sensor measures a brush roll motor current and determines movement in the forward direction and rearward direction based on a relative difference between the first signal and the second signal.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the control system operates the suction motor at a first power when the control system receives the first signal and a second power when the control system receives the second signal, wherein the first power is greater than the second power. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the control system operates the suction motor at a first average voltage when the control system receives the first signal and a second average voltage when the control system receives the second signal, wherein the first average voltage is greater than the second average voltage. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a lift sensor operable to generate a lift signal when the cleaner is lifted from the surface, 
 wherein the control system operates the suction motor at a reduced power when the control system receives the lift signal. 
 
     
     
         5 . The cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the control system operates a brush roll motor at a reduced power when the control system receives the lift signal. 
     
     
         6 . A method of operating a cleaning system, the method comprising:
 receiving a first battery pack including a first battery controller;   receiving a first signal from the first battery controller indicative of a first battery pack capacity;   outputting, in response to receiving the first signal, a first control signal;   operating a motor at a first predetermined constant power based on the first control signal;   receiving a second battery pack including a second battery controller;   receiving a second signal from the second battery controller indicative of a second battery pack capacity;   outputting, in response to receiving the second signal, a second control signal; and   operating the motor at a second predetermined constant power based on the second control signal.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the motor is a suction motor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 operating the motor at the first predetermined constant power based on a first PWM signal. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 continuously calculating the first PWM signal based on the first signal to provide an average voltage to maintain the motor at the first predetermined constant power. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 receiving a third signal from the second battery controller; 
 outputting, in response to receiving the third signal, a third control signal 
 operating the motor at 100% PWM duty cycle; 
 receiving a fourth signal from the second battery controller; and 
 outputting, in response to receiving the fourth signal, a fourth control signal ceasing operation of the motor. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the third signal is indicative of a constant power threshold. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the first battery pack capacity is greater than the second battery pack capacity, and wherein the first predetermined constant power is greater than the second predetermined constant power. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein receiving the first battery pack includes receiving the first battery pack in a battery receptacle, and wherein receiving the second battery pack includes receiving the second battery pack in the battery receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first control signal includes a signal indicative of a first battery voltage and the second control signal includes a signal indicative of a second battery voltage. 
     
     
         15 . A cleaner comprising:
 a suction motor operable to create a suction airflow from a suction inlet to an exhaust outlet;   a control system configured to control the suction motor operable at predetermined suction levels corresponding to a plurality of user selectable modes; and   a user interface operatively connected to the control system, the user interface having a first user-actuatable input and a second user-actuatable input;   wherein the first user-actuatable input is configured to select and operate the control system from among the plurality of user selectable modes;   wherein one of the plurality of user selectable modes is a favored mode; and   wherein the second user-actuatable input is configured to operate the control system in the favored mode.   
     
     
         16 . The cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the favored mode is user selected, and wherein the control system and the user interface are configured to receive input from the user interface identifying a predetermined setting activity assigning the favored mode to the second user-actuatable input. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the control system determines the favored mode by recording an amount of time the cleaner operates in each of the plurality of modes over a duration, and wherein the control system assigns the second user-actuatable input to activate the mode having a greatest value of accumulated time in which the cleaner operates over the duration. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the control system determines the favored mode by assigning the second user-actuatable input to activate the mode in which a user previously operated the cleaner. 
     
     
         19 . The cleaner of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a brush roll disposed adjacent the suction inlet, the brush roll driven by a brush roll motor, 
 wherein the control system is configured to control the brush roll motor operable at predetermined speeds corresponding to the plurality of user selectable modes. 
 
     
     
         20 . The cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of user selectable modes includes a mode having a combination of a suction motor power level and a brush speed. 
     
     
         21 . The cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the suction motor power level is one of high suction, medium suction, and low suction. 
     
     
         22 . The cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the brush speed is one of high rotational speed, medium rotational speed, low rotational speed, and no speed. 
     
     
         23 . The cleaner of  claim 19  further comprising:
 a fluid distribution system operable to deliver fluid to a surface to be cleaned, 
 wherein the control system is configured to control the fluid distribution system operable at a plurality of predetermined fluid flow rates corresponding to the plurality of user selectable modes. 
 
     
     
         24 . The cleaner of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of user selectable modes includes a mode having a combination of at least two of a suction motor power level, a brush speed, and a fluid flow rate. 
     
     
         25 . The cleaner of  claim 24 , wherein the suction motor power level is one of high suction, medium suction, and low suction. 
     
     
         26 . The cleaner of  claim 24 , wherein the brush speed is one of high rotational speed, medium rotational speed, low rotational speed, and no speed. 
     
     
         27 . The cleaner of  claim 24 , wherein the fluid flow rate is one of high flow rate, medium flow rate, low flow rate, and no fluid distribution. 
     
     
         28 . A cleaner comprising:
 a suction motor operable to create a suction airflow from a suction inlet to an exhaust outlet; and   a control system configured to control operations of the cleaner and the suction motor, the control system including:
 a motor control circuit operable to control at least one of an average voltage of the suction motor and a power of the suction motor; and 
 a cleaner control circuit operable to control operations of the cleaner; 
 wherein the motor control circuit and the cleaner control circuit are disposed on a first circuit board. 
   
     
     
         29 . The cleaner of  claim 28 , wherein the suction motor is one of a permanent magnet direct current motor and a brushless direct current suction motor. 
     
     
         30 . The cleaner of  claim 28  further comprising:
 a brush roll disposed adjacent the suction inlet, the brush roll driven by a brush roll motor, 
 wherein the control system further comprises a brush roll motor control circuit, and 
 wherein the brush roll motor control circuit is disposed on the first circuit board.