KR102519103B1 - Floor cleaner with sterilization function - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a floor vacuum cleaner with a sterilization function. The floor vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment comprises: a main body; a cleaning brush including a plurality of cleaning brushes and having a cartridge structure which can be removed from the main body; a rotation motor attached to an upper part of the cleaning brush and rotating the cleaning brush when driven; an LED module mounted on the cleaning brush and including a plurality of LED lamps which emit C-type ultraviolet rays (UV-C) for sterilization on the floor; a detergent release unit emitting a cleaning detergent to the cleaning brush; a micro controller controlling operation of the vacuum cleaner and controlling generation of UV-C through the LED module; and a battery mounted on the main body and supplying power. Accordingly, the virus on the floor can be sterilized using UV-C which has a sterilization effect.

Description

Floor cleaner with sterilization function

The present invention relates to a cleaner, and more particularly, to a floor cleaner having a sterilization function.

Floor cleaners include one or more cleaning tools for removing debris from a floor surface. For example, a cleaning brush is used to push debris into a suction nozzle or trash inlet. The cleaning brush rotates around a substantially vertical axis and sweeps up debris under the floor cleaner, cleaning hard-to-reach spaces along corners and corners of rooms, including, for example, corners or corners created by walls, baseboards, cabinets, furniture, etc. can be cleaned

According to an embodiment, a floor cleaner having an ultraviolet sterilization effect function is proposed.

A floor cleaner according to an embodiment includes a main body, a plurality of cleaning brushes, a cleaning brush having a cartridge structure that is detachable from the main body, a rotary motor attached to an upper portion of the cleaning brush and rotating the cleaning brush when driven; An LED module mounted on the cleaning brush and including a plurality of LED lamps emitting C-type ultraviolet (UV-C) for sterilization on the floor, a detergent release unit discharging cleaning detergent to the cleaning brush, and operation of the cleaner However, it includes a microcontroller for controlling the generation of C-type ultraviolet rays through the LED module, and a battery mounted on the main body to supply power.

The detergent discharge unit may discharge cleaning detergent through a spray nozzle attached to a motor shaft of the rotary motor.

Intervals between the cleaning brushes may be adjusted so that each cleaning brush is disposed at a position where emission of C-type ultraviolet rays from each LED lamp is not obstructed.

The cleaning brush may be detached from the main body through a plurality of pogo pins.

The microcontroller may include an LED module control unit that controls whether the LED module is turned on/off and the light emitting time of the LED module according to whether the floor is detected or the level of contamination of the floor.

The floor cleaner may further include an electronic sensor that generates a detection signal by detecting at least one of floor availability, floor contamination, vacuum cleaner, battery and remaining amount of cleaning detergent, and fastening state of the main body and the cleaning brush.

The microcontroller displays status information or outputs a warning signal to the outside when at least one of the floor status, floor contamination status, vacuum cleaner status, battery status and remaining cleaning detergent status, and fastening status of the body and cleaning brush meet a preset standard. Alternatively, status information or warning signals can be transmitted to an external terminal.

The microcontroller includes a detergent control unit that controls the remaining amount of cleaning detergent, the spray amount, and the spray time, an output control unit that controls the output of information including the operating state of the cleaner, and a battery control unit that controls whether or not to replace the battery according to the remaining battery level. can do.

The floor cleaner further includes a user interface that receives user manipulation signals including manual mode and automatic mode selection and operation time selection for each mode and outputs information including the cleaner operating state, and the microcontroller controls the operation of the floor cleaner , and may include an operation control unit that operates in the mode selected by the user according to mode selection through the user interface and controls the operation for each mode.

The floor cleaner transmits information including at least one of floor contamination information, cleaning detergent replenishment information, vacuum cleaner operation status information, and battery replacement information to an external terminal, and the user monitoring the information determines whether the LED module is operating from the external terminal. , and may further include a communication unit receiving a user command for selecting whether or not to spray cleaning detergent or adjusting the spraying amount and spraying time of cleaning detergent.

According to the floor cleaner according to an embodiment, viruses on the floor can be sterilized using UV-C having a sterilizing effect.

Furthermore, it is possible to clean the floor by determining whether or not the floor is dirty or not, and spraying a cleaning detergent when the floor is dirty or not. For example, if the level of contamination of the floor exceeds a predetermined standard by analyzing the state of contamination of the floor based on the detection signal of the electronic sensor, the degree of contamination of the floor may be reduced or removed by spraying a cleaning agent such as a disinfectant. As cleaning detergents such as air fresheners and deodorants are sprayed, the floor can be kept clean.

Based on the detection signal of the electronic sensor, it is possible to easily determine when to replace the cleaning detergent by controlling whether to replenish the cleaning detergent by analyzing the remaining amount of the cleaning detergent. The efficiency of the floor cleaner can be improved by controlling the spray amount and spray time of the cleaning agent, controlling the output of information including the operating state of the vacuum cleaner, and controlling whether or not to replace the battery according to the remaining battery level detected by the electronic sensor.

As at least one of floor status, floor contamination information, cleaning detergent replenishment information, vacuum cleaner operation status information, and battery replacement information is transmitted to the outside through the communication unit, the user monitors the information to determine whether the LED module is running or not and whether the cleaning agent is sprayed. , You can adjust the spraying amount and spraying time of cleaning detergent yourself.

1 is a view showing the external structure of a floor cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a view showing a detailed configuration of a cleaning brush having an LED module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a diagram showing a cartridge structure of a cleaning brush according to an embodiment of the present invention;
4 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of an LED module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an electronic circuit of a floor cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a microcontroller according to an embodiment of the present invention;
7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a floor cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them, will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only the present embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs It is provided to fully inform the holder of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

In describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted, and the terms described later will be used in the embodiments of the present invention. These terms are defined by reflecting the functions of, and may vary depending on the user's or operator's intention or custom. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout this specification.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention exemplified below may be modified in many different forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art.

1 is a view showing the external structure of a floor cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the floor cleaner 1 includes a body 10, a cleaning brush 11, an LED module 12, a rotary motor 13, a handle 14, a switch 15, and a user interface 16. , It includes a tightening device 17, a detergent storage box 18, a battery 19, a detergent discharge unit 20, and a spray nozzle 21.

The floor cleaner 1 uses a cleaning brush 11 to collect or wipe garbage on the floor surface. Garbage includes dust, dirt, dirt, hair, stains and other trash. The floor cleaner 1 may be a sweeper comprising a sweeping system which removes dry debris from the surface to be cleaned without the use of suction and collects the removed debris in a space provided in the device for further disposal.

The body 10 is an upright device with a base. A handle 14 for a user to grip may be provided on the outside of the main body 10 . The user may perform cleaning while holding the handle 14 . A tightening device 17 is provided inside the main body 10, and the length of the main body 10 can be adjusted through the tightening device 17.

The cleaning brush 11 includes a plurality of cleaning brushes and has a cartridge structure detachable from the main body 10 . The cleaning brush may include a soft, compressible material such as tufted bristles or microfibers. Cleaning brushes may include nylon fibers, foam, elastomeric blades and paddles. The cleaning brush may be a hybrid brush suitable for use on both hard and soft surfaces and suitable for wet or dry vacuuming. The cleaning brush 11 is detachable and replaceable.

The LED module 12 is mounted on the cleaning brush and includes a plurality of LED lamps emitting C-type ultraviolet rays (UV-C, hereinafter referred to as 'UV-C') for sterilization on the bottom surface. UV-C has a wavelength range of 200 to 280 nm. UV-C plays a role in disinfection and sterilization. For example, UV-C damages and destroys nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) of microorganisms, thereby inhibiting their reproduction. It mainly inhibits the metabolism or proliferation of viruses such as fungi and bacteria. UV-C can destroy harmful microorganisms by inactivating nucleic acids necessary for viruses to proliferate.

The rotary motor 13 is attached to the top of the cleaning brush 11 and rotates the cleaning brush 11 when driven. The cleaning brush 11 is operatively coupled to and driven by the rotary motor 13 . The rotary motor 13 drives the cleaning brush 11 about a rotation axis.

The user interface 16 receives user manipulation commands or outputs information. 1 shows a display unit.

The main body 10 may include a detergent storage box 18 in which cleaning detergent is stored. The cleaning detergent in the detergent holder 18 flows into the cleaning brush 11 through the spray nozzle 21 . The cleaning detergent may be a disinfectant harmless to the human body, a deodorant, a detergent, a fragrance, and the like. The cleaning detergent may be in a gel form, but the form is not limited thereto. Sterilizers provide antibacterial properties, and deodorizers can keep the inside of the vacuum cleaner clean with a deodorizing function. Cleaners provide disinfection, and air fresheners smell good.

The battery 19 is mounted on the body 10 to supply power.

The detergent discharge unit 20 discharges the cleaning detergent in the detergent storage box 18 to the cleaning brush 11 through the spray nozzle 21 .

2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a cleaning brush having an LED module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the rotary motor 13 is attached to the top of the cleaning brush 11 and rotates the cleaning brush 11 when driven. The rotary motor 13 includes a rotary shaft 130 and a screw 131. The cleaning brush 11 is operatively coupled to and driven by the rotary motor 13 . The rotary motor 13 drives the cleaning brush 11 about the rotary shaft 130 . A spray nozzle 21 is provided next to the rotary motor 13, and the cleaning agent is ejected through the spray nozzle 21. The rotary motor 13 may control the speed of the cleaning brush 11 at low speed, medium speed, or high speed.

The cleaning brush 11 has a detachable structure and can be coupled to the upper part of the main body 10 through the PCB 32 having the pogo pin 31 . The LED module 12 is mounted on the cleaning brush 10 and includes a plurality of LED lamps emitting UV-C for sterilization on the bottom surface.

3 is a diagram showing a cartridge structure of a cleaning brush according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the cleaning brush 10 includes a metal part and a plastic part. The metal part has pogo pins. The pogo pin has a spring mounted inside, and is configured so that it does not fall when contacting A and B surfaces. Alternatively, the metal part may be manufactured in the form of a spring pad.

4 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of an LED module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the interval 40 between the cleaning brushes 10 is adjusted so that each cleaning brush is disposed at a position where UV-C emission of each LED lamp of the LED module 12 is not hindered. Accordingly, the light of the LED lamp can be smoothly emitted to the bottom surface.

5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an electronic circuit of a floor cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 5 , the floor cleaner 1 includes a microcontroller 50, an electronic sensor 52, a battery 19, a communication unit 54, and a user interface 55.

The microcontroller 50 controls the overall operating state of the floor cleaner 1. For example, the microcontroller 50 may control UV-C generation through the LED module 12 . The microcontroller 50 may drive the LED module 12 in response to a detection signal generated from the electronic sensor 52 . The microcontroller 50 may control the remaining amount of the cleaning detergent, the spray amount, and the spray time. The microcontroller 50 may control the output of information including the operating state of the floor cleaner 1. The microcontroller 50 may control whether to replace the battery according to the remaining battery capacity. The operating state of the floor cleaner 1 includes information on whether the floor is present, floor contamination state, vacuum cleaner state, battery state, remaining amount of cleaning agent, and connection state of the main body and the cleaning brush.

The electronic sensor 52 generates a detection signal by detecting at least one of whether the floor is on the floor, the floor contamination state, the battery state and the remaining amount of cleaning detergent, and the fastening state of the main body and the cleaning brush.

For example, in an embodiment for detecting the floor contamination state of the electronic sensor 52, heat is discharged through a heat source to generate a convective motion in the sensor to raise air introduced through the air inlet. In addition, the degree of fine dust is measured by measuring the degree of light scattering due to the reaction between the light emitted by the LED light source and the fine dust in the air through the lens.

The battery 19 is mounted on the floor cleaner 1 to supply power. The battery 19 can be charged in the form of a secondary battery.

The communication unit 54 provides information including data measured by the electronic sensor 52 to an external terminal or receives a specified command through the external terminal and provides it to the microcontroller 50 . For example, information about a user's operation may be received from an external terminal.

The communication unit 54 may transmit information including at least one of whether the floor is present, floor contamination information, cleaning detergent replenishment information, operating state information of the cleaner, and battery replacement information to an external terminal. The external terminal may be a terminal possessed by the user. At this time, the communication unit 54 may receive a user command for selecting whether to operate the LED module 12, whether to spray cleaning detergent, or adjusting the spray amount and spray time of the cleaning detergent from the external terminal by the user who has monitored the information. As another example, the user interface 55 receives a user manipulation signal for selecting whether the LED module 12 operates, whether to spray cleaning detergent, or adjusting the amount and time of cleaning detergent sprayed from a user monitoring information through an external terminal. can

The user interface 55 receives a user manipulation command or outputs information. For example, a user manipulation signal for selecting a manual mode and an automatic mode and selecting an operating time for each mode may be input, and information including an operating state of the cleaner may be output. The notification of the operating state of the vacuum cleaner may be displayed on a screen through a display, and a voice signal may be output through a speaker.

The user interface 55 may output display of remaining battery power, usage time, strength, and whether to replenish detergent. The user interface 55 may output in the form of voice, text, or text.

6 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a microcontroller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1, 5 and 6, the microcontroller 50 includes an LED module controller 61, a detergent controller 62, a battery controller 63, an operation controller 64, and an output controller 65. do.

The LED module controller 61 turns on the LED module 12 when the floor is sensed through the electronic sensor 52, and turns off the LED module 12 when the floor is not sensed. Alternatively, the contamination level of the floor is checked through the electronic sensor 52, and the LED module 12 is turned on when the contamination level of the floor exceeds the preset maximum value, and the LED module 12 is turned on when the contamination degree of the floor is below the preset maximum value. turn it off.

Furthermore, the LED module control unit 61 may control the light emission time of the LED module 12 according to whether the floor is detected or the level of contamination of the floor. For example, the higher the degree of contamination of the floor, the longer the light emission time of the LED module 12 can be.

The detergent control unit 62 analyzes the remaining amount of cleaning detergent detected by the electronic sensor 52 and controls whether to replenish the cleaning detergent. For example, if the contamination level of the floor detected by the electronic sensor 52 exceeds a preset maximum value, cleaning detergent replenishment request information is generated to display graphically processed contamination information through the user interface 55 or to generate a warning signal. Can be output externally. Alternatively, contamination information or a warning signal may be transmitted to an external terminal through the communication unit 54 .

The detergent control unit 62 controls the remaining amount of the cleaning detergent in the detergent storage box 18, the spray amount, and the spray time. For example, cleaning detergent injection time may be set in units of 60 seconds, 180 seconds, and 360 seconds, and the amount of cleaning detergent injection may be controlled within a unit time. For example, if the degree of contamination of the floor is serious, at least one of the injection time and amount of cleaning detergent is increased, and if the degree of contamination of the floor is higher than the standard value but not serious, at least one of the injection time and amount of cleaning detergent is reduced. It is possible to adaptively control the spray amount and spray time of cleaning detergent.

The battery control unit 63 controls whether or not to replace the battery according to the remaining battery amount detected by the electronic sensor 52 . For example, if the remaining battery level is less than a preset value, it is determined that the battery needs to be replaced, and information on the remaining battery level is displayed through the user interface 55 or a warning signal may be output to the outside.

The operation controller 64 controls the operation of the floor cleaner 1 . For example, it operates in the mode selected by the user according to mode selection through the user interface 55 and controls the operation for each mode. The mode may include an auto mode and a manual mode. The manual mode may include a user mode that can be controlled by a user. In the user mode, it is possible to control whether or not to discharge cleaning detergent, the discharge time, and the amount of discharge according to the user's selection.

The output control unit 65 controls the output of information including the operating state of the floor cleaner 1. Information output includes a method of displaying information on a screen using a display or outputting a voice signal to the outside using a speaker.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating a floor cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7 , when the switch of the floor cleaner 1 is turned on (701), the state of the floor cleaner 1 is checked (702). For example, the degree of contamination of the vacuum cleaner, the remaining amount of cleaning detergent, the remaining battery level, and the mode state are checked. At this time, the inspection result may be output through the user interface.

Subsequently, the floor cleaner 1 selects an operation mode (703). The operation mode may be set in advance and may be set by the user. For example, an automatic mode or a manual mode may be selected by a user.

In the case of the automatic mode (704), the floor cleaner 1 may select an operating time (705), determine whether the floor is present or whether the floor is contaminated (706), and detect the floor or detect the floor according to the determination result (706). If it is determined that this is contaminated, the LED module 12 is driven and the cleaning detergent in the detergent storage box 18 is discharged (707). For example, if the floor is detected based on the detection signal of the electronic sensor or it is determined that the floor is contaminated, the LED module 12 is driven and cleaning detergent is discharged.

After discharging the cleaning detergent in the detergent storage box 18, the floor cleaner 1 may check the vacuum cleaner state again (708), and output the inspection result through the user interface.

Subsequently, when the user-selected operating mode is switched to the standby state (709), the above-described operation time selection (705), cleaner contamination state determination (706), cleaning detergent discharge (708), and floor cleaner condition check (708) are repeated n times. do. In contrast, if it is not in the user-selected operating mode standby state (709), the vacuum cleaner operation is stopped (710).

On the other hand, in the case of the manual mode, cleaning detergent is discharged in the detergent storage box 18 by user selection (713). User selection may include selection of an injection time, an injection amount, and the like of the cleaning detergent. When the manual mode is the user mode 711 , a cleaner function session may be established 712 . When the discharge of the cleaning detergent (713) ends, the operation of the cleaner is stopped (710).

So far, the present invention has been looked at mainly by its embodiments. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to understand that the present invention may be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered from a descriptive point of view rather than a limiting point of view. The scope of the present invention is shown in the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the equivalent scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.

Claims (10)

main body;
a cartridge-structured cleaning brush that includes a plurality of cleaning brushes and is detachable from the main body;
a rotary motor attached to an upper portion of the cleaning brush to rotate the cleaning brush when driven;
An LED module mounted on a cleaning brush and including a plurality of LED lamps emitting C-type ultraviolet (UV-C) for sterilization on a bottom surface;
a detergent discharge unit for discharging cleaning detergent to the cleaning brush;
A microcontroller controlling the operation of the vacuum cleaner and controlling the generation of C-type ultraviolet rays through the LED module; and
A battery mounted on the main body to supply power; includes,
the microcontroller
LED module controller for controlling the light emission time of the LED module according to the degree of contamination of the floor; and
Detergent control unit for controlling the injection time of the cleaning detergent according to the degree of contamination of the floor; Including,
The plurality of cleaning brushes are floor cleaners with a sterilization function, characterized in that the spacing between the cleaning brushes is adjusted so that the emission of ultraviolet rays of the LED module is not hindered at the lower position of the LED module. The method of claim 1, wherein the detergent release unit
A floor cleaner with a sterilization function, characterized in that it discharges cleaning detergent through a spray nozzle attached to a motor shaft of a rotating motor. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning brush
A floor cleaner with a sterilization function, characterized in that it is detached from the main body through a plurality of pogo pins. delete The method of claim 1, wherein the floor cleaner
An electronic sensor for generating a detection signal by detecting at least one of floor presence, floor contamination, vacuum cleaner, battery status, residual amount of cleaning detergent, and connection status between the main body and the cleaning brush;
A floor cleaner with a sterilization function, characterized in that it further comprises. The method of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller
If at least one of the floor status, floor contamination status, vacuum cleaner status, battery status, remaining amount of cleaning agent, and fastening status of the body and cleaning brush meets a preset standard, status information is displayed, a warning signal is output to the outside, or an external terminal is used. A floor cleaner with a sterilization function characterized in that it transmits status information or a warning signal. The method of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller
an output controller for controlling output of information including an operating state of the vacuum cleaner; and
a battery control unit controlling whether or not to replace the battery according to the remaining battery capacity;
Floor cleaner with a sterilization function comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the floor cleaner
a user interface that receives user manipulation signals including selection of manual mode and automatic mode and selection of operation time for each mode and outputs information including an operating state of the cleaner; Including more,
the microcontroller
An operation control unit controlling the operation of the floor cleaner, operating it in a mode selected by a user according to mode selection through a user interface and controlling operations for each mode;
Floor cleaner with a sterilization function comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the floor cleaner
Information including at least one of floor contamination information, cleaning detergent replenishment information, vacuum cleaner operation status information, and battery replacement information is transmitted to an external terminal, and LED module operation status and cleaning detergent injection are transmitted from the external terminal by the user who monitors the information. a communication unit that receives a user command for selecting whether or not to select or adjusting the spray amount and spray time of cleaning detergent;
A floor cleaner with a sterilization function, characterized in that it further comprises.

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