Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus is operable in a plurality of cleaning modes, including at least a wet cleaning mode and a dry vacuuming mode. The surface cleaning apparatus has a suction source, a suction inlet port in fluid communication with the suction source, a fluid dispenser, a pump in fluid communication with the fluid dispenser, a motor coupled with a brushroll to drive the brushroll, and a floor type sensor. Operating parameters of the apparatus may be automatically adjusted based on a detected floor type.

1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a suction source;   a base adapted for movement over a surface to be cleaned and comprising:
 a suction inlet port in fluid communication with the suction source; 
 a brushroll to agitate the surface to be cleaned; and 
 a fluid dispenser to deliver cleaning fluid to at least one of the brushroll and the surface to be cleaned; 
   an upright body pivotally mounted to the base;   a pump in fluid communication with the fluid dispenser, the pump disposed on one of the base and the upright body;   a motor coupled with the brushroll to drive the brushroll, the motor disposed on one of the base and the upright body;   a floor type sensor; and   a controller in communication with the floor type sensor and configured to execute:
 a dry vacuuming mode in which a dry mode operating parameter is set to a predetermined dry mode level, the dry mode operating parameter comprising at least one of a brushroll speed and a suction power level; and 
 a smart wet cleaning mode in which a wet mode operating parameter is set based on data from the floor type sensor, wherein the wet mode operating parameter is at least one of a fluid dispensing flow rate, a brushroll speed, and a suction power level. 
   
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, during the smart wet cleaning mode, the controller is configured to:
 set the wet mode operating parameter to a hard floor level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor; and   set the wet mode operating parameter to a soft floor level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor.   
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in the smart wet cleaning mode the controller is configured to operate the suction source at a first suction power level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the suction source at a second suction power level that is higher than the first suction power level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor. 
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in the smart wet cleaning mode the controller is configured to operate the motor at a first brushroll speed in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the motor at a second brushroll speed that is higher than the first brushroll speed in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor. 
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in the smart wet cleaning mode the controller is configured to operate the pump at a first fluid dispensing flow rate in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the pump at a second fluid dispensing flow rate that is higher than the first fluid dispensing flow rate in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor. 
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein in the smart wet cleaning mode the controller is configured to:
 operate the suction source at a first suction power level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the suction source at a second suction power level that is higher than the first suction power level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor; and/or   operate the motor at a first brushroll speed in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the motor at a second brushroll speed that is higher than the first brushroll speed in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor.   
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the floor type sensor comprises a brush sensor configured to sense at least one of: a revolutions per minute (RPM) value of the brushroll, an RPM value of the motor, a current of the motor, a voltage of the motor, and a torque parameter of the motor. 
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the floor type sensor comprises a current sensor configured to measure a current draw of the motor and a speed sensor configured to measure a speed of the motor. 
     
     
         9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate a torque value from the measured current draw and speed of the motor and to determine whether the floor type is a hard floor or a soft floor based on the torque value. 
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor motor torque as a function of one or more of motor current and motor speed based on data from the floor type sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to detect a change in floor type based on data from the floor type sensor, the change in floor type caused by the base crossing from a first type to a second floor type, and identify a change in floor type of the surface to be cleaned in response to detecting the change in floor type, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the wet mode operating parameter based on the identified change in floor type. 
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a direction sensor configured to determine a travel direction of the surface cleaning apparatus, the controller in communication with the direction sensor, wherein the controller is configured to activate the pump in the smart wet cleaning mode in response to data from the direction sensor indicative of a forward stroke of the surface cleaning apparatus and to deactivate the pump in the smart wet cleaning mode in response to data from the direction sensor indicative of a backward stroke of the surface cleaning apparatus. 
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, during the dry vacuuming mode, the controller is further configured to execute a turbo mode in which the dry mode operating parameter is increased above the predetermined dry mode level. 
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein, during the smart wet cleaning mode, the controller is further configured to execute a turbo mode in which the wet mode operating parameter is increased. 
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a user interface configured to accept user inputs to control the surface cleaning apparatus, the user interface comprising a plurality of input controls, the plurality of input controls comprising:
 a mode input control to select between the dry vacuuming mode and the smart wet cleaning mode; and   a turbo input control to activate a turbo mode in which the dry mode operating parameter and/or the wet mode operating parameter is increased.   
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface further comprises at least one of;
 a power button to control a supply of power to one or more electrical components of the surface cleaning apparatus; and   a self-clean button to activate a self-cleaning mode in which an automatic, unattended clean-out cycle is executed.   
     
     
         17 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
 a suction source;   a base adapted for movement over a surface to be cleaned and comprising:
 a suction inlet port in fluid communication with the suction source; 
 a brushroll to agitate the surface to be cleaned; and 
 a fluid dispenser to deliver cleaning fluid to at least one of the brushroll and the surface to be cleaned; and 
   an upright body pivotally mounted to the base;   a pump in fluid communication with the fluid dispenser, the pump disposed on one of the base and the upright body;   a motor coupled with the brushroll to drive the brushroll, the motor disposed on one of the base and the upright body;   a floor type sensor;   a direction sensor configured to determine a travel direction of the surface cleaning apparatus; and   a controller in communication with the floor type sensor and the direction sensor;   wherein the controller is configured to execute a smart wet cleaning mode in which a wet mode operating parameter is selected based on data from the floor type sensor, wherein the wet mode operating parameter at least one of a fluid dispensing flow rate, a brushroll speed, and a suction power level based on data from the floor type sensor; and   wherein the controller is configured to activate the pump in response to data from the direction sensor indicative of a forward stroke of the surface cleaning apparatus and to deactivate the pump in response to data from the direction sensor indicative of a backward stroke of the surface cleaning apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 set the wet mode operating parameter to a hard floor level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor; and   set the wet mode operating parameter to a soft floor level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor.   
     
     
         19 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the pump at a first fluid dispensing flow rate in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the pump at a second fluid dispensing flow rate that is higher than the first fluid dispensing flow rate in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor. 
     
     
         20 . The surface cleaning apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 operate the suction source at a first suction power level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the suction source at a second suction power level that is higher than the first suction power level in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor; and/or   operate the motor at a first brushroll speed in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a hard floor and to operate the motor at a second brushroll speed that is higher than the first brushroll speed in response to data from the floor type sensor indicative of a soft floor.