Microcomputer control system for a canister vacuum cleaner

In a vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a canister unit having a first electric motor driving a suction fan;
• a floor contacting motor brush unit having a second electric motor driving a rotating brush;
• a suction hose unit connecting said suction unit and motor brush unit having a handle portion when in use in easy access position for propelling said motor brush unit over a floor;
• a control comprising:
• a first microcomputer in said handle portion;
• a second microcomputer in said canister unit;
• a third microcomputer in said floor contacting motor brush unit;
• switch means on said handle providing user selection of energization of said first and second motors simultaneously;
• switch means on said handle providing user selection of speed changes for said first motor;
• switch means on said handle providing user selection of energization of said second motor independent of said first motor;
• means for transmitting from said first microcomputer to said second microcomputer information regarding user selection of energization and speed for said first motor;
• means for detecting pressure levels in said canister and in said suction hose and inputting said detected levels into said second microcomputer;
• means for transmitting from said second microcomputer to said first microcomputer information regarding detected pressure levels in said canister and said suction hose;
• means for transmitting from said first microcomputer to said third microcomputer information regarding said user selection of energization for said second motor;
• means for measuring the rotational speed of said rotating brush and inputting said speed into said third microcomputer;
• and
• means for transmitting from said third microcomputer to said first microcomputer information regarding measured speed level of said rotating brush.

In a vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a canister having an electrical suction fan motor;
• a floor cleaner having an electrical motor driven beater bar, and
• a suction hose with a handle portion connecting said floor cleaner with said canister;
• a control system comprising:
• a first circuit containing a microcomputer in said handle portion;
• a second circuit containing a microcomputer in said canister;
• a third circuit containing a microcomputer in said floor cleaner;
• said second circuit controlling the energization and speed of said suction fan motor, measuring the pressure levels within said canister and said suction hose and communicating with said first circuit;
• said third circuit controlling the energization of said beater bar motor, measuring the rotational speed of said beater bar and communicating with said first circuit;
• said first circuit having a plurality of user accessible switches for selectively energizing said suction fan motor and said beater bar motor and for changing the speed of said suction fan motor, and having a plurality of indicators to advise the user of improper pressure levels in said canister and said hose and improper rotational speed of said beater bar;
• and
• said first cicuit controlling and communicating with said second and third circuits;
• whereby, the user can activate and deactivate various functions and be apprised of various occurences all through said handle portion of said hose.

In a vacuum cleaner structure having a suction head, means for drawing air and entrained material through said head, a beater brush rotatably mounted to said head for loosening material on a surface being cleaned to cause entrainment thereof in the drawn air, and a drive for rotating said brush including an electric motor and power transmission means rotatively coupling said brush to said motor:

• means for providing magnetic pulses at a rate directly corresponding to the speed of rotation of the beater brush;
• and
• control means for sensing said pulses and discontinuing energization of said motor whenever the rate of said pulses drops below a preselected value, the improvement comprising:
• said control means including a microcomputer with a plurality of input ports being selectively groundable to effect a variation of said preselected value to permit compensation for varying motor speeds in different motor models without requiring a remask of said microcomputer.

A canister-type vacuum cleaner, comprising:

• a canister having a vacuum motor for generating a vacuum air flow and a filter bag through which said air flow is filtered;
• a power nozzle having a rotatable beater bar driven by a beater bar motor;
• a handle portion having a control and display panel and a hollow wand section connectable to said power nozzle;
• a suction hose being connectable between said canister in communication with said filter bag and said handle portion in communication with said hollow wand section;
• a canister control circuit mounted in said canister and having a first microcomputer;
• a power nozzle control circuit mounted in said power nozzle and having a second microcomputer;
• a handle portion control circuit mounted in said handle portion and having a third microcomputer;
• first and second A.C. power leads being connectable to an A.C. power source, said first and second A.C. power leads along said suction hose and said wand section between said canister control circuit and said handle portion control circuit and said power nozzle control circuit;
• a first data lead being connected between said canister control circuit and said handle portion control circuit along said suction hose;
• a second data lead being connected between said handle portion control circuit and said power nozzle control circuit along said hollow wand;
• a first means for transmitting and receiving data connected to said first data lead and said first microcomputer to communicate serial data therebetween;
• and
• means at each of said canister control circuit and said handle portion control circuit and said power nozzle control circuit for generating a clock signal in synchronization with a signal from said A.C. power source, said first and third microcomputers transmitting serial data packets therebetween in synchronization with said clock signal, said second and third microcomputers transmitting serial data packets therebetween in synchronization with said clock signal.