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US 2006/0076035 A1Published application
Surface cleaning apparatus
OwnerBrian McGee, Chad Reeseinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a body including a plurality of compartments. An elongate rotating brush arrangement is positioned within and extends across a first compartment. An electric motor is positioned in a second compartment for driving the brush. The motor for the brush can be operated at a plurality of speeds. A feedback loop maintains the selected speed during operation, and the motor will automatically shut off if the brush is unable to rotate.
Claims33
A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
- a) a body having a first compartment and a second compartment;
- b) an elongate brush that can be rotated extending across the first compartment;
- c) an electric motor in the second compartment, said motor being capable of rotating the brush at a plurality of discrete speeds;
- d) a belt connecting the motor and the brush;
- e) a sensor for sensing a rotational speed of the brush;
- and
- f) a feedback circuit operably connected to said rotational speed sensor for maintaining the rotational speed of the brush at a speed corresponding to one of the plurality of discrete speeds.
4 more elements
A method for sweeping a surface, comprising:
- providing a sweeper comprising:
- a body;
- one or more compartments in said body;
- a brush that can be rotated in one of the compartments;
- and
- a motor in a different compartment than the brush for rotating the brush,
- the method comprising:
- rotating said brush at one of a plurality of discrete speeds;
- sensing the rotational speed of the brush;
- and
- restoring the rotational speed of the brush to one of the plurality of discrete speeds.
8 more elements
A surface cleaning apparatus, comprising:
- a) a body having a first compartment and a second compartment;
- b) an elongate brush that can be rotated extending across the first compartment;
- c) an electric motor in the second compartment, said motor being capable of driving the brush at a plurality of discrete speeds;
- d) a belt connecting the motor and the brush;
- e) a sensor for measuring current drawn by said motor to drive said brush as a function of time;
- and
- f) an interlock circuit operably connected to said current sensor and said motor, wherein when the current drawn over a time period is measured to be greater than one of a plurality of composite threshold values, the interlock circuit prevents operation of the motor.
4 more elements
A method for sweeping a surface, comprising:
- providing a sweeper comprising
- a body;
- one or more compartments in said body;
- a brush that can be rotated in one of the compartments;
- and
- a motor in a different compartment than the brush for rotating said brush,
- the method comprising:
- sensing current provided to the motor for rotating said brush;
- comparing the sensed current with a plurality of stored composite current-time cutoff values;
- and
- stopping said motor when the sensed current exceeds a current cutoff value for a time greater than the corresponding cutoff time value.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.