KR20200035735A - Cleaner and and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a vacuum cleaner and a control method therefor. A vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a vacuum cleaner body having a suction motor that generates suction power therein and a handle on the outside; And an inhalation part which is connected to the handle through an extension pipe and inhales external dust by suction force. It is provided on the handle, the sensing unit for sensing the movement of the handle while the suction motor is driven; And a control unit controlling to stop driving of the suction motor in response to a state in which a condition that satisfies a condition in which the change amount of movement of the detected handle is within a reference range is maintained for a predetermined time.

Description

Vacuum cleaner and its control method {CLEANER AND AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner of a main body and a control method therefor.

The vacuum cleaner refers to a device that sucks dust and air using suction power generated by a suction motor mounted inside the cleaner body, separates dust from the air, and collects dust.

These vacuum cleaners are classified into canister cleaners, upright cleaners, stick cleaners, handy cleaners, and robot cleaners. In the case of a canister cleaner, a suction nozzle for sucking dust is provided separately from the cleaner body, and the cleaner body and the suction nozzle are connected to each other by a connecting device. In the case of an upright cleaner, the suction nozzle is rotatably connected to the cleaner body. In the case of a stick cleaner and a handy cleaner, it is used in a state where the user holds the cleaner body by hand. However, in the case of a stick cleaner, the suction motor is disposed close to the suction nozzle (lower center), and in the case of a handy cleaner, the suction motor is disposed close to the gripping portion (upper center). The robot cleaner cleans itself while driving itself through an autonomous driving system.

On the other hand, in the case of a stick cleaner or a handy cleaner, the product is lightly manufactured for ease of use, thereby limiting the capacity of the battery installed in the cleaner. In addition, limiting the capacity of the battery leads to a reduction in the use time of the cleaner.

Therefore, in order to increase the efficiency of the limited battery capacity, the cleaner needs to operate only while the user actually cleans.

To this end, the US Patent Publication US 20130205538 A1 and US Patent Publication US 20170209014 A1 are provided with a switch button on the handle portion of the cleaner, so that the power connection contact is turned on while the user pushes the switch button. The cleaner is operated because power is supplied and the power is cut off while the user does not push the switch button to stop the cleaner.

However, this caused inconvenience that the user has to keep pressing the switch button while cleaning. In addition, it is difficult to control the suction power at the same time while pressing the switch button, but rather, the convenience of use is deteriorated.

US Published Patent US 20130205538 A1 (2013.08.15 published) US Published Patent US 20170209014 A1 (released on July 27, 2017)

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner and a method for operating the vacuum cleaner implemented so that the cleaner can be operated only during cleaning by naturally grasping whether it is actually being cleaned without user input.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner and a method of operating the vacuum cleaner that can minimize the battery consumption and further increase the use time by stopping the motor driving that generates suction power while the user is not actually using the cleaner. have.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner and a method of operating the same to implement a cleaning operation naturally without additional input when the user intends to use the cleaner again after the motor is stopped.

To this end, the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention is provided with a suction motor for generating suction force on the inside, a cleaner body having a handle on the outside; And an intake unit connected to the handle through an extension pipe and inhaling external dust by the suction force. It is provided on the handle, the sensing unit for sensing the movement of the handle while the suction motor is driven; And a control unit controlling to stop driving of the suction motor in response to a state in which a condition in which the detected change amount of motion is within a reference range is maintained for a predetermined time.

In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit detects a speed change amount in the 3-axis direction of the handle based on a signal continuously received through the sensing unit and the detected speed change amount in the 3-axis direction corresponds to the reference range It is characterized by determining whether the above conditions are satisfied.

In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit is characterized in that when the movement change of the handle is detected within a predetermined time after the driving of the suction motor is stopped, the suction motor is restarted.

In addition, in one embodiment, after the suspension of driving of the suction motor, the activated state of the sensing unit is maintained for the predetermined time, and the sensing unit generates a signal for detecting a change in the movement of the handle in the activated state. Is done.

In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit is characterized in that it maintains the power-on state for the predetermined time after stopping the driving of the suction motor.

In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit is characterized in that if the change in the movement of the handle is not detected within a predetermined time after stopping the driving of the suction motor, the main body is turned off.

In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit is characterized in that the minimum change amount of the handle for restarting the suction motor is less than the minimum change amount of the state that satisfies the condition for stopping the driving of the suction motor. .

In addition, in one embodiment, the sensing unit is characterized in that it comprises at least one of a 3-axis acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, a 3-axis gyro sensor.

In addition, in one embodiment, the control unit stores the driving mode and driving speed of the suction motor when the driving of the suction motor is stopped, and when the driving motor is restarted, the suction is driven by the stored driving mode and driving speed. It is characterized by controlling the motor to drive.

In addition, in one embodiment, the vacuum cleaner further includes a battery detachably provided on the main body, and the controller detects a state of insufficient charge of the battery, and stops driving of the suction motor in the state of insufficient charge. Afterwards, if a change in the movement of the handle is detected within a certain time, the suction motor is re-driven to a saving mode in which the driving speed is reduced.

In addition, in one embodiment, it characterized in that it further comprises an output unit for outputting a notification indicating a state that satisfies the condition and the drive stop of the suction motor.

In addition, the operation method of the vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the power-on state of the cleaner, driving the suction motor to generate suction force; Sensing the movement of the handle while the suction motor is driving; Monitoring whether a state that satisfies a condition in which the detected change amount of motion is within a reference range is maintained for a predetermined time; And stopping the driving of the suction motor while maintaining the power-on state based on the monitoring result.

In addition, in one embodiment, the step of detecting the movement of the handle is based on a signal received through a sensor provided on the handle, and detects a speed change amount in the 3-axis direction of the handle to conditions within the reference range. It characterized in that it comprises a step of determining whether satisfactory.

In addition, in one embodiment, if a change in the movement of the handle is detected within a predetermined time after the drive motor is stopped, it is further characterized in that it further comprises the step of restarting the suction motor.

According to the cleaner and the control method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention, while the user is cleaning the cleaning space, it is possible to naturally grasp whether it is actually being cleaned based on the change amount of the space movement of the handle, and clean based on the change amount of the space movement If it is determined that it is not in the middle, it is possible to satisfy the simplicity of use and minimization of unnecessary battery consumption by stopping the operation of the motor. For this reason, the use time of the cleaner after charging the battery is further increased. In addition, when a change in the spatial movement of the handle is detected again within a predetermined time after the motor operation is stopped, it is naturally recognized that the cleaning has started again, so that the cleaning operation can be continuously performed without additional user input for resuming the operation. .

1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a view for explaining a three-axis movement of the handle of the vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 and 5 are flowcharts for explaining a method of operating a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6A is an exemplary screen for explaining an operation mode when the suction motor is restarted in a low battery situation according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6B and 6C are examples of different screens showing stopping of the driving of the suction motor according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the same reference numerals will be assigned to the same or similar elements regardless of reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. In addition, the accompanying drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and the technical spirit disclosed in the specification is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and all modifications included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention , It should be understood to include equivalents or substitutes.

Referring to FIG. 1, a vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cleaner body 10 having a suction motor therein for generating suction power, and a suction unit for sucking air containing dust ( 120) and an extension tube 17 connecting the cleaner body 10 and the suction part 120.

On the other hand, although not shown, the suction unit 120 may be directly connected to the cleaner body 10 without the extension tube 17.

The cleaner body 10 may include a dust container 12 in which dust separated from air is stored. Accordingly, dust introduced through the suction part 20 may be stored in the dust container 12 through the extension tube 17.

A handle 13 for a user to grip may be provided on the outside of the cleaner body 10. The user can perform cleaning while holding the handle 13.

The cleaner body 10 is provided with a rechargeable battery (not shown), and the cleaner body 10 may be provided with a battery accommodating portion 15 in which the battery is accommodated. For example, the battery accommodating portion 15 may be provided under the handle 13.

In addition, the battery may be connected to the suction unit 120 to supply power to the suction unit 100. In addition, the battery is built into the main body 10 to supply power to a suction motor (not shown) that generates suction power.

Meanwhile, the input unit 110 may receive a user input for turning on or off the cleaner body 10. In addition, the input unit 110 may receive a user input for adjusting the power level of the suction motor while the suction motor (not shown) is driven according to the cleaning. In addition, the input unit 110 may receive user input for setting and changing various preset cleaning operation modes.

Hereinafter, FIG. 2 is a block diagram for specifically describing a detailed configuration of the vacuum cleaner 100 related to an embodiment of the present invention.

In this specification, the vacuum cleaner 100 may be referred to as a cleaner or a handy cleaner, and these may be used in the same sense.

Referring to Figure 2, the cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, the input unit 110, the suction unit 120, the suction motor 130, the sensing unit 140, the output unit 150, the memory 170, And a power supply unit 190. However, it is not necessarily limited to these components, and other components may be added or one may be replaced with another as necessary. Hereinafter, each component will be described.

The input unit 110 receives various control commands for the cleaner from the user. The input unit 110 may include one or more buttons. In addition, the input unit 110 may be made of a hard key, a soft key, a touch pad, or the like, and may be installed on the upper portion of the handle 13. In addition, the input unit 110 may have a form of a touch screen together with the output unit 150.

The suction unit 120 scatters surrounding dust through a brush (not shown) that scatters dust in the cleaning space, and then suctions dust through suction power generated according to the driving of the suction motor 130. The suction unit 120 may be referred to as a nozzle or a suction nozzle. The suction unit 120 is connected to the main body 10 through an extension pipe.

The suction motor 130 is built inside the main body 10 and is driven under the control of the control unit 180. The suction force generated according to the driving of the suction motor 130 is supplied to the suction unit 120 through an extension pipe to suck dust. The driving speed of the suction motor 130 may be varied by adjusting the power level according to the user's manipulation or dust concentration in the cleaning space.

The sensing unit 140 detects state information outside the cleaner, for example, obstacle information. In addition, the sensing unit 140 detects state information inside the cleaner, for example, each component included in the cleaner, for example, the remaining charge amount of the battery.

In addition, the sensing unit 140 may detect a change in spatial movement of the handle 13. Since the handle 13 naturally moves forward, backward, left, right, etc. during cleaning, displacement occurs in the x, y, and z-axis directions.

The sensing unit 140 may detect displacements in the x, y, and z-axis directions, and detect a change in spatial movement of the handle. To this end, the sensing unit 140 may include at least one of a 3-axis acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, and a 3-axis gyro sensor, and such a sensor may be provided inside the handle 13.

The output unit 150 may output various beeper sounds or predetermined voices using sound output means. Further, when at least a part of the input unit 110 is implemented as a touch screen, the touch screen may serve as the output unit 150. In this case, for example, information such as the operating state of the cleaner, the remaining amount of the battery, the power on / off, and the suction power state may be output through the touch screen.

The memory 170 stores a control program for controlling or driving the cleaner and data corresponding thereto. For example, the memory 170 may store information related to an operation mode and power level that were executed before the cleaner operation was stopped.

The power supply unit 190 is provided with a battery that can be charged by an external commercial power supply to supply power to the cleaner. The power supply unit 190 may supply driving power to each of the components included in the cleaner, and supply operating power required for the cleaner to perform a specific function. The battery may be located at the bottom of the center of the cleaner, or may be located on either the left or right side.

The controller 180 controls the overall operation of the cleaner. Specifically, the controller 180 generates a control signal that varies power on / off, power level, etc. of the cleaner based on the signal applied to the input unit 110. And, based on the control signal, it controls the operation of the cleaner and whether the power is off.

As described above, the vacuum cleaner 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a cord-free handy cleaner or a stick cleaner with a limited battery capacity for weight reduction of products, so as to be able to satisfy convenience and minimize battery consumption at the same time. Was implemented.

After starting the cleaning by operating the cleaner, in practice, there will be many cases where the user does not rest and does not perform cleaning. For example, during a cleaning operation, stretching may be briefly performed, an incoming call may be answered, or cleaning may be temporarily stopped to solve a sudden situation (eg, doorbell ringing, boiling water, etc.) during cleaning. At this time, if the user performs one of the tasks listed above without turning off the power of the cleaner, a situation occurs in which only the battery is wasted even though the cleaning is not actually performed. This leads to a reduction in the use time of the cleaner.

Accordingly, in the present invention, the cleaner performs an operation only during actual cleaning and implements the cleaner to stop the operation while not actually performing the cleaning. In addition, for this purpose, the user's additional input is intentionally excluded, thereby further enhancing the usability.

Specifically, in the present invention, the sensing unit 140 for sensing the spatial movement of the handle is provided on the handle 13 of the cleaner. The sensing unit 140 may be activated when the cleaner 100 is powered on. In addition, the sensing unit 140 may detect the acceleration displacement in the 3-axis direction of the handle 13 while the suction motor 130 built in the cleaner body 10 is driven.

While the suction motor 130 is driven, the controller 180 of the cleaner 100 receives a signal corresponding to the spatial movement of the handle 13 through the sensing unit 140.

In addition, the controller 180 determines whether a state that satisfies a condition in which the amount of change in spatial motion of the handle 13 is within a reference range is maintained for a predetermined time based on the received signal.

Here, the amount of change in the spatial motion means the sum of the respective displacement values when the handle 13 moves in at least one of the x, y, and z-axis directions and displacement occurs with respect to at least one of the three axes.

In addition, the reference range refers to the maximum value of the amount of change in spatial motion to be determined that the actual cleaning operation is not being performed. Accordingly, the condition within the reference range is a case where the handle 13 hardly moves or moves very little in at least one of the x, y, and z-axis directions, and in reality, the spatial movement determined to be the cleaning operation is stopped. It means the amount of change. This is a first condition for deciding whether to stop the operation of the cleaner, and can be said to be an operation stop start requirement or an operation maintenance requirement.

In addition, the predetermined time means a critical time required to stop the operation without error because a state that satisfies the operation stop start requirement continues. This is a second condition necessary to actually stop the operation of the vacuum cleaner without a malfunction, and can be said to be a condition for satisfying the operation interruption, assuming that the first condition is satisfied.

The controller 180 generates a control signal that stops the driving of the suction motor when the condition satisfying the condition is maintained for a predetermined time, that is, when both the first condition and the second condition are satisfied. Then, the driving of the suction motor 130 is stopped according to the control signal generated by the control unit 180.

3 is an exemplary view showing that the movement of the handle 13 in the 3-axis direction is sensed through the sensing unit 140 provided in the handle 13 of the cleaner. The sensing unit 140 embedded inside the handle 13 may be configured as at least one of a 3-axis acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, and a 3-axis gyro sensor.

An acceleration sensor is a sensor that measures how much force an object is receiving based on the Earth's gravitational acceleration. The three-axis acceleration sensor means a sensor capable of measuring the magnitude of acceleration in the X, Y, and Z axis directions. Such an acceleration sensor may be used as only one 3-axis acceleration sensor, or may be used as a 6-axis acceleration sensor to which two are applied, or a 9-axis acceleration sensor to which three are applied.

Using the sensing values of the three-axis acceleration sensor, roll (roll, rotation about the X axis) and pitch (pitch, rotation about the Y axis) can be calculated. The unit is [g]. On the other hand, the rotation about the Z-axis, that is, the yaw (rotation about the Z-axis) value coinciding with the direction of gravitational acceleration can be calculated by additionally applying a 3-axis gyro sensor or a magnetometer. In addition, the tilt value cannot be detected by the 3-axis acceleration sensor only when the object is not in motion.

The 3-axis gyro sensor is a sensor for controlling the posture of an object, and is a sensor capable of measuring the angular velocity in the X, Y, and Z axis directions, where the angular velocity means an angle rotating per hour. The unit is [degree / sec].

The IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor is a combination of a 3-axis acceleration sensor and a 3-axis gyro sensor. Alternatively, the IMU sensor is a 9-axis sensor that incorporates an axis acceleration sensor, a 3-axis gyro sensor, and a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor. If such an IMU sensor is used, it is possible to calculate the values of the roll, pitch, and yaw described above.

In the present invention, a 3-axis gyro sensor and a 3-axis acceleration sensor may be built in, or a sensing unit 140 composed of an IMU sensor may be embedded in the handle 13 so that all speed changes in the 3-axis direction of the handle can be detected. will be.

The controller 180 may detect the amount of speed change in the 3-axis direction of the handle 13 based on the signal continuously received through the sensing unit 140. In addition, the controller 180 may determine whether the detected amount of speed change in the 3-axis direction satisfies the above-mentioned condition within a reference range.

Referring to Figure 3, the handle 13 is moved in various directions according to the cleaning operation, the front, back, left, right direction, or a combination of these. The sensing unit 140 embedded in the handle 13 detects displacement values corresponding to spatial movements in the x, y, and z-axis directions in the form of signals, and transmits them to the controller 180.

Based on the received signal, the controller 180 can detect the amount of movement change of the handle 13 and recognize whether the actual cleaning operation is being performed or the cleaning operation is stopped. Specifically, when the amount of change in the movement of the handle 13 is such that the cleaning operation is considered to be stopped, that is, below the reference range, and this state is maintained for a predetermined time, the suction motor 130 is minimized to minimize battery waste. Stop driving. However, when the amount of change in the movement of the handle 13 is temporarily below the reference range and then again, the amount of change exceeding the reference range is detected, the driving of the suction motor 130 may not be stopped.

Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 4, the entire operation process of the method of operating the cleaner 100 according to the present invention will be described.

The operation method of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to the present invention is started as a process of sensing the driving of the suction motor (S10). The driving of the suction motor is started when the user turns on the power by operating a key provided on the input unit 110 of the handle 13. In the power-on state, a driving mode or power level (ie, driving speed) of the suction motor may be adjusted by operating a key provided in the input unit 110.

While the suction motor is being driven, the spatial movement of the handle is sensed through the sensing unit 140 of the handle 13 (S20). The controller 180 monitors whether or not a state that satisfies a condition in which the detected change in spatial motion is within a reference range is maintained for a predetermined time (S30). Here, the condition in which the amount of change of the detected spatial motion is within the reference range is the first condition described above, and the condition that satisfies the first condition is maintained for a certain period of time is the second condition described above. The second condition is determined on the premise that the first condition is satisfied.

Next, the controller 180 maintains the power-on state of the cleaner body on the basis of monitoring, and stops only driving of the suction motor (S40). Specifically, when both the first condition and the second condition are satisfied, only the suction motor is turned off. At this time, since the vacuum cleaner maintains a power-on state, the vacuum cleaner is not turned off and can be viewed as a “¡° pause” ¡± state. Since the battery charge amount of the cleaner 100 is consumed the most while the suction motor is being driven, it is possible to minimize unnecessary battery waste by simply turning off the suction motor.

On the other hand, after the driving of the suction motor is stopped because the cleaner is not actually used, two possible scenarios of the user's operation may be considered. One is to continue cleaning again after a while, and the other is to not perform cleaning for a long time or to complete the cleaning as it is. In the former case, user convenience should be considered, and in the latter case, stability and battery waste minimization should be considered.

Hereinafter, FIG. 5 shows specific processes of the operation method of the cleaner according to the present invention including both of the above situations.

Referring to FIG. 5, in a state in which the cleaner is powered on (S501), a 3-axis acceleration signal corresponding to the movement of the handle is received (S502). The cleaner power-on state can be activated by operating the power key provided on the handle 13. When the power key is first pushed, the driving of the suction motor is also activated on.

When the driving of the suction motor is on (S503), it is determined whether the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is within a predetermined range (S504).

Here, the three-axis acceleration displacement means a value corresponding to the amount of motion change in the x, y, and z-axis directions sensed through the sensing unit 140. That is, it is similar to the meaning of the amount of movement change in the 3-axis direction described above. However, since the 3-axis acceleration sensor alone cannot detect the acceleration displacement of the z-axis, the 3-axis gyro sensor or the 3-axis geomagnetic sensor may be used together, or the 3-axis acceleration displacement may be detected using the IMU sensor.

In addition, here, it means the amount of movement change to the extent that it is determined that the cleaning operation is not performed within the predetermined range. Specifically, it means that the handle 13 does not move at all in any of the x, y, and z-axis directions, or even if displacement occurs in the 3-axis direction, there is a small amount of movement change that is difficult to see during cleaning. That is, within the predetermined range is used in the same sense as within the reference range described above.

The movement change values of the handle corresponding to the predetermined range or the maximum movement change value corresponding to the predetermined range may be stored in advance in the memory 170 of the cleaner. In this case, the amount of motion change detected through the sensing unit 140 and the value of motion change detected from the memory 170 are compared.

If the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle falls within a certain range, it is continuously monitored whether this state is maintained for a predetermined time or more (S505).

To this end, the controller 180 of the vacuum cleaner 100 may detect a state in which the 3-axis acceleration displacement is within a predetermined range, and perform a timer operation from the time when the state is detected.

The timer operation counts from a time when the state is detected to a predetermined time. When a signal corresponding to a 3-axis acceleration displacement exceeding a predetermined range is received during the count from the time when the state is detected, the count is initialized to '0'. Thereafter, the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is monitored again. On the other hand, if the predetermined time is reached after performing the count from the time when the state is detected, it is determined that the state is maintained for a certain time, and the following operation is performed.

In other words, when it is determined that the state in which the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is within a predetermined range is maintained for a predetermined time or more, the driving of the suction motor is stopped (S506).

However, here, stopping the driving of the suction motor does not mean a power-off state of the cleaner body. That is, only the driving of the suction motor is temporarily suspended. Accordingly, for example, current application is blocked only in the suction motor that was driven at a driving speed of 90000 rmp, and current application is continuously maintained in the remaining components of the cleaner.

In step S504, while the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is moved to exceed a predetermined range, the user sees that the cleaning operation is continuously maintained, and repeats step S502 of receiving the 3-axis acceleration signal of the handle.

In addition, in step S505, even if it is detected that the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle moves within a predetermined time within a predetermined time, the user is regarded as maintaining the cleaning operation and receiving the 3-axis acceleration signal of the handle. S502 is repeated.

After the driving of the intake motor is stopped, taking into account both expected scenarios described above, operation 'A' is performed to return to step S502 of receiving the 3-axis acceleration signal of the handle again. That is, the operation 'A' includes all of the operation flow of the cleaner 100 after the driving of the suction motor is stopped while the power is on.

That is, FIG. 5 shows that once the driving of the suction motor of the cleaner is stopped, if a certain condition is satisfied, the suction motor may be restarted without additional user input. Here, the operation 'A' returns to step S502 and then branches to step S507.

Specifically, in step S503 above the step, if it is determined that the suction motor is driven off while the cleaner is powered on, it is monitored whether the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is within a certain range (S507). Then, it is determined whether a state in which the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is within a predetermined range is maintained for a predetermined time or more (S508).

If the state in which the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is within a certain range is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, it is recognized that the user does not perform cleaning for a long time or intends to complete the cleaning. Thus, in order to save stability and standby power consumption, the power is switched off (S509). Thereafter, an operation 'B' is performed to return to the state before the initial operation. That is, in order to resume the operation of the cleaner in step 'B', the user must intentionally switch to the power-on state (S501) by manipulating the power key of the handle 13.

On the other hand, although the state in which the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle is within a certain range is satisfied, if the predetermined time has not yet elapsed, the driving state of the suction motor is stopped (S506). Thereafter, the above-described operation 'A' repeats the process of returning to step S502 and then branching back to step S507.

On the other hand, in step S507, the suction motor is turned off, but if it is determined that the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle exceeds a certain range, it is recognized that the user intends to perform the cleaning operation again. Accordingly, an operation (S510) for driving the suction motor is performed. Thereafter, after returning to step S502, an operation 'A' that branches to step S504 is performed.

As described above, when the movement change of the handle is sensed within a predetermined time after stopping the driving of the suction motor, the controller 180 of the cleaner according to the present invention restarts the suction motor without intentional input by the user.

To this end, the sensing unit 140 provided on the handle maintains an active state for at least a predetermined time even after the suction motor is stopped. Thus, the controller 180 continuously monitors the movement change corresponding to the 3-axis acceleration displacement of the handle, based on the detection signal received from the sensing unit 140.

In this way, while the suction motor is off, the sensing unit 140 and the control unit 180 operate, so that the power is turned on for a predetermined time after the suction motor is stopped.

In addition, if the change in the movement of the handle is not detected within a predetermined time after the driving of the suction motor is stopped, the controller 180 switches the cleaner body to a power off state. As a result, it is possible to improve the stability and minimize the standby power consumption.

On the other hand, in one embodiment, the amount of motion change corresponding to a certain range or a reference range for stopping the driving of the suction motor (hereinafter, may be referred to as 'movement stopping condition motion change amount') and the driving motor that has stopped driving again. The amount of motion change (hereinafter referred to as 'the amount of motion change in the condition for resuming driving'), which is a condition for doing so, may be set differently.

In order to stop driving of the suction motor during the cleaning operation, error-free operation should be considered while minimizing battery consumption. Therefore, the amount of motion change in the stoppage condition should focus on error-free judgment rather than sensitively reacting to the motion change. However, since the amount of motion change in the driving resume condition is for user convenience, it is necessary to react more sensitively to the motion change. Therefore, in the present invention, it is not a condition that the amount of movement change in the driving resume condition is maintained for a certain period of time.

Therefore, in one embodiment, the minimum change amount of the handle for restarting the suction motor may be set to a value less than the minimum change amount in a state that satisfies the above-described condition (first condition) for stopping driving the suction motor. . Accordingly, the suction motor is re-driven even with a smaller movement, thereby improving user convenience.

In addition, in one embodiment, the processing priority of the control signal generated by the satisfaction of the movement change amount of the drive resumption condition may be set high so that the re-drive of the suction motor can be performed more quickly.

In addition, the control unit 180 may store the driving mode and the driving speed of the suction motor, which were performed when the suction motor is stopped, in the memory 170, and then stop the suction motor. In this case, when the re-drive condition of the suction motor is satisfied, the suction motor is restarted at the previous driving mode and driving speed stored in the memory 170.

For example, if the user performs the cleaning operation in the noise-minimizing driving mode before stopping the driving of the suction motor, if the user holds the handle again and swings back and forth after stopping the driving of the suction motor, the suction motor restarts in the noise-minimizing driving mode again. Will be driven.

6A to 6C show examples of feedback output related to stopping or resuming driving of the suction motor in various situations.

6A is an exemplary screen showing a power level (ie, driving speed) of the suction motor when the stopped suction motor is restarted in a low battery situation. During the cleaning operation, an image 601 indicating the power level (eg, Level 3) of the intake motor in operation may be displayed on the touch screen of the input unit 110.

Here, the touch screen or the like is a concept including a touch screen and sound output means. Accordingly, information output on the touch screen may be output through sound output means instead of the touch screen. In addition, when a part of the input unit 110 is implemented as a touch screen, the touch screen may mean the output unit 150.

Next, when there is no movement of the handle and the suction motor is stopped, the battery status information 602 may be displayed on the touch screen of the input unit 110. If it is determined that the battery charge is insufficient, when the suction motor is restarted according to the movement of the handle, it may be restarted to a reduced power level than before to save the battery.

That is, when the suction motor is restarted in a state where the charge amount of the battery is insufficient, the controller 180 may restart the suction motor in a saving mode in which the driving speed of the suction motor is reduced as before. Accordingly, an image 603 indicating a reduced power level (eg, Level 2) than before may be displayed on the touch screen of the input unit 110.

6B and 6C show different screen images showing the stoppage of driving of the suction motor.

The touch screen includes notification information indicating a state in which the amount of motion change in the 3-axis direction of the handle satisfies within a reference range, that is, a state that satisfies a first condition, and a condition that satisfies a second condition for stopping the driving of the suction motor. Can be output.

FIG. 6B shows that an image satisfying the first condition is omitted, and an image indicating that the suction motor is temporarily suspended when the second condition is satisfied is output on the touch screen of the input unit 110. During the cleaning operation and in a state (a) that satisfies the first condition, an image 600 indicating a power-on state is displayed. In addition, when the second condition is satisfied (b), a pause image 604 indicating the stoppage of the driving of the suction motor may be displayed.

FIG. 6C shows an example in which a state satisfying the first condition is provided to a user through a touch screen or the like, but information is output in the form of a count in order to predict in advance when the driving of the suction motor is stopped.

During the cleaning operation (a), an image 600 indicating a power-on state is displayed. Then, when a state in which the amount of motion change in the 3-axis direction of the handle satisfies the reference range is detected (b), count information 605 is displayed on the touch screen. When the condition that satisfies the first condition is maintained, the displayed count information may be varied 606 in a form that decreases over time. For example, by displaying the time remaining until the stop of the suction motor in the form of '5, 4, 3, 2,? 1', the user can predict the stop time of the drive of the suction motor in advance. The driving of the suction motor is stopped after the count information becomes '1' or at the same time as the count information becomes '0'.

If the movement change in the 3-axis direction of the handle is detected while the count information 605 and 606 are displayed, the count is initialized and the image 600 indicating the power-on state is displayed again (a).

On the other hand, as another example, in order to prevent an error in stopping the suction motor driving, additional conditions may be weighted. Specifically, even if the amount of movement change in the 3-axis direction of the handle is within a reference range, if the dust concentration sucked through the suction unit 120 exceeds the reference value, it is determined whether the second condition (maintaining a certain time) is satisfied The starting time point may be set a little further back, or a predetermined time corresponding to the second condition may be increased.

This is to consider a case where a user does not move so that a dusty spot is found during the cleaning operation, so that the user can sufficiently suck dust from the corresponding spot.

As described above, the cleaner according to the present invention and a control method therefor, according to the cleaner and its control method according to an embodiment of the present invention, based on the amount of change in the spatial movement of the handle while the user is cleaning the cleaning space As a result, it is possible to grasp whether it is actually being cleaned, and if it is determined that it is not being cleaned based on the amount of change in space movement, it is possible to satisfy the convenience of use and minimization of unnecessary battery consumption by stopping the operation of the motor. For this reason, the use time of the cleaner after charging the battery is further increased. In addition, when a change in the spatial movement of the handle is detected again within a predetermined time after the motor operation is stopped, it is naturally recognized that the cleaning has started again, so that the cleaning operation can be continuously performed without additional user input for resuming the operation. .

The above-described present invention can be embodied as computer readable codes on a medium on which a program is recorded. The computer-readable medium includes any kind of recording device in which data readable by a computer system is stored. Examples of computer-readable media include a hard disk drive (HDD), solid state disk (SSD), silicon disk drive (SDD), ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device. This includes, and is also implemented in the form of a carrier wave (eg, transmission over the Internet). In addition, the computer may include a controller 180 of the cleaner. Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be construed as limiting in all respects, but should be considered illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by rational interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the equivalent scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (14)

A cleaner main body having a suction motor for generating suction force on the inside and a handle on the outside; And
A suction unit connected to the handle through an extension pipe and suctioning external dust by the suction force;
It is provided on the handle, the sensing unit for sensing the movement of the handle while the suction motor is driven; And
And a control unit controlling to stop driving of the suction motor in response to a state that satisfies a condition that a change amount of the detected motion is within a reference range is maintained for a predetermined period of time.
According to claim 1,
The control unit,
On the basis of the signal continuously received through the sensing unit, it is characterized in that it detects a speed change amount in the 3-axis direction of the handle and determines whether the detected speed change amount in the 3-axis direction satisfies the condition corresponding to the reference range. Vacuum cleaner.
According to claim 1,
The control unit,
A vacuum cleaner characterized in that when the movement change of the handle is sensed within a predetermined time after the suction motor is stopped, the suction motor is restarted.
According to claim 3,
The activation state of the sensing unit is maintained for the predetermined time after stopping the driving of the suction motor,
The sensing unit,
A vacuum cleaner characterized in that it generates a signal for detecting a change in the movement of the handle in the activated state.
According to claim 3,
The control unit,
A vacuum cleaner characterized in that it maintains a power-on state for the predetermined period of time after stopping the driving of the suction motor.
According to claim 1,
The control unit,
If the change in the movement of the handle is not detected within a certain time after stopping the driving of the suction motor, the vacuum cleaner characterized in that the main body is switched off.
According to claim 3,
The control unit,
A vacuum cleaner characterized in that the minimum change amount of the handle for re-driving the suction motor is less than the minimum change amount in a state that satisfies the condition for stopping the suction motor.
According to claim 1,
The sensing unit,
A vacuum cleaner comprising at least one of a 3-axis acceleration sensor, an IMU sensor, and a 3-axis gyro sensor.
According to claim 1,
The control unit,
When the driving of the suction motor is stopped, the driving mode and driving speed of the suction motor are stored in a memory, and when the driving of the suction motor is restarted, it is controlled to restart the suction motor with the stored driving mode and driving speed. Vacuum cleaner.

According to claim 1,
Further comprising a battery detachably provided on the main body,
The control unit,
Detecting a state of insufficient charge of the battery,
If the change in the movement of the handle is detected within a certain period of time after stopping the driving of the suction motor in the state of insufficient charge, a vacuum cleaner characterized in that the suction motor is restarted to a saving mode in which the driving speed is reduced.
According to claim 1,
And an output unit configured to output a notification that satisfies the above condition and stops the driving of the suction motor.
Driving the suction motor to generate suction power in a power-on state of the cleaner;
Sensing the movement of the handle while the suction motor is driving;
Monitoring whether a state that satisfies a condition in which the detected change amount of motion is within a reference range is maintained for a predetermined time; And
And stopping the driving of the suction motor while maintaining the power-on state based on the monitoring result.
The method of claim 12,
The step of detecting the movement of the handle,
And determining whether a condition within the reference range is satisfied by sensing a speed change amount in the 3-axis direction of the handle based on a signal received through the sensor provided in the handle. Way.
The method of claim 12,
If the change in the movement of the handle is detected within a predetermined time after stopping the driving of the suction motor, the method of operating the vacuum cleaner further comprising the step of restarting the suction motor.

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