Directionally-aware vacuum cleaner

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to controlling a rotation speed of a cleaning roller associated with a cleaning head of a vacuum system. Sensor circuitry is included that is configured to sense a directional movement of the cleaning head. Controllable motor circuitry is coupled to the cleaning roller, and the motor circuitry is controls the rotational speed of the cleaning roller based on the directional movement sensed by the sensor circuitry.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning head for a vacuum system, comprising:
 a main body including a vacuum orifice;   a controllable cleaning roller attached to the main body and disposed at least partially within the vacuum orifice;   controllable motor circuitry disposed within the main body for controlling a rotational speed of the controllable cleaning roller; and   sensor circuitry disposed within the main body to generate a first control signal indicative of, or proportional to, a first direction movement of the main body; the sensor circuitry to generate a second control signal indicative of, or proportional to, a second direction movement of the main body; wherein the controllable motor circuitry to control the rotational speed of the controllable cleaning roller to have a first rotation speed based on the first control signal; and wherein the controllable motor circuitry to control the rotational speed of the controllable cleaning roller to have a second rotation speed based on the second control signal.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , further comprising an articulating scraper assembly disposed adjacent to the controllable cleaning roller; wherein the articulating scraper assembly configured to pivot to a first position when the main body is moving in the first direction, and configured to pivot to a second position when the main body is moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning head of  claim 2 , wherein the first direction indicates a forward direction of the main body and wherein the first position of the articulating scraper assembly corresponds to a deployed position in which the scraper assembly is in contact, at least in part, with a surface beneath the main body; and wherein the second direction indicates a reverse direction of the main body and wherein the second position of the articulating scraper assembly corresponds to a retracted position in which the scraper assembly is spaced apart from the surface beneath the main body. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning head of  claim 2 , wherein the scraper assembly comprises an elongated strip portion coupled to a rotatable head portion; wherein the rotatable head portion is pivotally coupled within a groove of the main body; and wherein the elongated strip portion is formed of a material selected from a pliable elastomeric material, stiff bristles, rubber flaps, and plush material. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning head of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor circuitry comprises a Hall sensor circuitry, and wherein the scraper assembly further includes a magnetic element rotatable into a first magnet position corresponding to the first position of the articulating scraper assembly and a second position corresponding to the second position of the articulating scraper assembly; wherein the Hall sensor circuitry configured to generate the first control signal when the magnetic element is in the first magnet position; and the Hall sensor circuitry further configured to generate the second control signal when the magnetic element is in the second magnet position. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning head of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor circuitry comprises spring contact sensor circuitry coupled to the scraper assembly; wherein the spring contact sensor circuitry configured to generate the first control signal when the scraper assembly the first position; and the spring contact sensor circuitry further configured to generate the second control signal when the scraper assembly is in the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a forward directional movement of the main body and the second direction is a reverse directional movement of the main body; and wherein the first rotational speed is greater than the second rotational speed. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor circuitry comprises motion sensor circuitry configured to generate the first and second control signals based on motion of the main body. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning head of  claim 3 , further comprising a foot member pivotally coupled to the main body and adjacent to the articulating scraper assembly, the foot member configured to contact the articulating scraper assembly and urge the articulating scraper assembly to move from the first position of the articulating scraper assembly to the second position of the articulating scraper assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning head of  claim 1 , wherein the main body further comprising rollers to enable the main body to roll across a surface. 
     
     
         11 . A vacuum system, comprising:
 a handle/base portion comprising cleaning roller revolutions-per-minute (RPM) control circuitry and controllable vacuum motor circuitry; and   a cleaning head fluidly coupled to the controllable vacuum motor circuitry and electrically coupled to the cleaning roller RPM control circuitry; the cleaning head comprising:
 a main body including a vacuum orifice fluidly coupled to the controllable vacuum motor circuitry; 
 a controllable cleaning roller attached to the main body and disposed at least partially within the vacuum orifice; 
 controllable motor circuitry disposed within the main body for controlling a rotational speed of the controllable cleaning roller; and 
 sensor circuitry disposed within the main body to generate a first control signal indicative of, or proportional to, a first direction movement of the main body; the sensor circuitry to generate a second control signal indicative of, or proportional to, a second direction movement of the main body; wherein the cleaning roller RPM control circuitry to receive the first and second control signals and generate commands to the controllable motor circuitry to control the rotational speed of the controllable cleaning roller to have a first rotation speed based on the first control signal; and wherein the controllable motor circuitry to control the rotational speed of the controllable cleaning roller to have a second rotation speed based on the second control signal. 
   
     
     
         12 . The vacuum system of  claim 11 , further comprising an articulating scraper assembly disposed adjacent to the controllable cleaning roller; wherein the articulating scraper assembly configured to pivot to a first position when the main body is moving in the first direction, and configured to pivot to a second position when the main body is moving in the second direction. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum system of  claim 12 , wherein the first direction indicates a forward direction of the main body and wherein the first position of the articulating scraper assembly corresponds to a deployed position in which the scraper assembly is in contact, at least in part, with a surface beneath the main body; and wherein the second direction indicates a reverse direction of the main body and wherein the second position of the articulating scraper assembly corresponds to a retracted position in which the scraper assembly is spaced apart from the surface beneath the main body. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum system of  claim 12 , wherein the scraper assembly comprises an elongated strip portion coupled to a rotatable head portion; wherein the rotatable head portion is pivotally coupled within a groove of the main body; and wherein the elongated strip portion is formed of a material selected from a pliable elastomeric material, stiff bristles, rubber flaps, and plush material. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum system of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor circuitry comprises a Hall sensor circuitry, and wherein the scraper assembly further includes a magnetic element rotatable into a first magnet position corresponding to the first position of the articulating scraper assembly and a second position corresponding to the second position of the articulating scraper assembly; wherein the Hall sensor circuitry configured to generate the first control signal when the magnetic element is in the first magnet position; and the Hall sensor circuitry further configured to generate the second control signal when the magnetic element is in the second magnet position. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum system of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor circuitry comprises spring contact sensor circuitry coupled to the scraper assembly; wherein the spring contact sensor circuitry configured to generate the first control signal when the scraper assembly the first position; and the spring contact sensor circuitry further configured to generate the second control signal when the scraper assembly is in the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum system of  claim 11 , wherein the first direction is a forward directional movement of the main body and the second direction is a reverse directional movement of the main body; and wherein the first rotational speed is greater than the second rotational speed. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum system of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor circuitry comprises motion sensor circuitry configured to generate the first and second control signals based on motion of the main body. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum system of  claim 13 , further comprising a foot member pivotally coupled to the main body and adjacent to the articulating scraper assembly, the foot member configured to contact the articulating scraper assembly and urge the articulating scraper assembly to move from the first position of the articulating scraper assembly to the second position of the articulating scraper assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum system of  claim 11 , wherein the main body further comprising rollers to enable the main body to roll across a surface. 
     
     
         21 . The vacuum system of  claim 11 , further comprising vacuum suction force control circuitry configured to control a vacuum force generated by the controllable vacuum motor circuitry based on the first and second control signals.