Low voltage central vacuum control handle with an air flow sensor

A low voltage central vacuum control handle for a central vacuum cleaning system comprising:

• a) a remote handle for grasping having an air flow passage through said remote handle, said remote handle attached to an end of a vacuum cleaner hose of said vacuum system, said remote handle also having a manually operable switch having means for controlling the energization of said vacuum system;
• b) means for connecting an electrical transmission line extending along said vacuum cleaner hose to said remote handle for operation of said remote handle and said vacuum system;
• c) said remote handle having:
• i) an air flow sensor mounted in said remote handle and including means for sensing an air flow characteristic in said air flow passage, said air flow characteristic being the magnitude of the dynamic pressure of the air flow;
• ii) means for converting the magnitude of said sensed air flow pressure to a voltage signal in response to said switch energizing said vacuum system;
• iii) means for transmitting said voltage signal along said electrical transmission line;
• iv) means for amplifying said voltage signal;
• v) means for comparing said amplified voltage signal to preselected control signals;
• and
• vi) means for indicating to a user using the comparison of said amplified voltage signal to said preselected control signal to provide an indication of the state of the operation of said vacuum system.

In a central vacuum cleaning system, including a central vacuum cleaning pump motor and one or more remote operating locations and having a transportable vacuum cleaning hose with a low voltage power supply line attached to said hose, the improvement comprising a remote handle attached to an end of said hose, said handle comprising:

• a) an air flow passage through said remote handle;
• b) an air flow sensor having means for sensing an air flow characteristic in said air flow passage and said hose, said air flow characteristic being the magnitude of the dynamic pressure of the air flow;
• c) means for connecting said low voltage power supply line to said remote handle;
• d) a manually operable switch having means for controlling the energization of said vacuum system;
• e) means for converting the magnitude of said sensed air flow pressure to a voltage signal in response to said switch energizing said vacuum system;
• f) means for transmitting said voltage signal and operation of said switch along said low voltage power supply line;
• g) means for amplifying said voltage signal;
• h) means for comparing said amplified voltage signal to preselected vacuum air flow voltage signal values;
• and
• i) means using the comparison of said amplified voltage signal to said preselected control to provide an indication of the state of the operation of said vacuum system.

A low voltage central vacuum control handle for a central vacuum cleaning system comprising:

• a) a remote handle for grasping having an air flow passage through said remote handle, said remote handle attached to an end of a vacuum cleaner hose of said vacuum system;
• b) means for connecting a low voltage power supply line of said vacuum cleaner hose to said remote handle;
• c) an air flow sensor mounted in said remote handle having means for sensing an air flow characteristic in said air flow passage and converting said sensed air flow characteristic to a voltage signal, and means for amplifying said voltage signal through a voltage amplifier, said air flow characteristic being the magnitude of the dynamic pressure of the air flow;
• d) said amplifier having electrical connection means with an LED bar graph display and a voltage comparator circuit;
• e) said voltage comparator mounted in said remote handle having electrical connection means with light emitting diodes and having means for comparing said amplified voltage signal to preselected control signals;
• f) said LED bar graph display and said light emitting diodes mounted in said remote handle and having means using the comparison of said amplified voltage signal to said preselected control signal to provide an indication of the state of the operation of said vacuum system;
• and
• g) said remote handle having means for actuating said vacuum cleaning system.

A remote control arrangement for actuating a central vacuum cleaning system comprising:

• a) a vacuum cleaner hose associated with a low voltage power supply line attached to said hose;
• b) a wand handle located at a distal end of said hose, said handle having a manually operable switch having means for controlling the energization of said vacuum system, and an air flow passage through said handle;
• c) an air flow sensor mounted in said handle having means for sensing an air flow characteristic in said air flow passage and said hose, said air flow characteristic being the magnitude of the dynamic pressure of the air flow;
• and
• d) said handle having:
• i) means for converting the magnitude of said sensed air flow pressure to a voltage signal in response to said switch energizing said vacuum system;
• ii) means for transmitting said voltage signal and operation of said switch along said low voltage power supply line;
• iii) means for amplifying said voltage signal;
• iv) means for indicating to a user whether sufficient vacuum air flow pressure is present for proper operation of said vacuum system;
• and
• v) means for comparing said amplified voltage signal to preselected control signals and transmitting a compared signal to said indicating means for indicating said operation of said vacuum system.

A low voltage central vacuum control handle for a central vacuum cleaning system comprising:

• a) a remote handle for grasping having an air flow passage through said remote handle, said remote handle attached to an end of a vacuum cleaner hose of said vacuum system, said remote handle also having a manually operable switch having means for controlling the energization of said vacuum system;
• b) means for connecting an electrical transmission line extending along said vacuum cleaner hose for operation of said handle and said vacuum system, said electrical transmission line having a low voltage power supply line;
• c) an air flow sensor mounted in said remote handle and including means for sensing an air flow characteristic in said air flow passage and said vacuum cleaner hose, said air flow characteristic being the magnitude of the dynamic pressure of the air flow;
• d) said remote handle having:
• i) means for converting the magnitude of said sensed air flow pressure to a voltage signal in response to said switch energizing said vacuum system and means for transmitting said voltage signal along said electrical transmission line;
• ii) means for amplifying said voltage signal;
• iii) means using the comparison of said amplified voltage signal to said preselected control signal to provide an indication of the state of the operation of said vacuum system;
• and
• iv) means for comparing said amplified voltage signal to preselected control signals and transmitting a compared signals to said indicating means for indicating said operation of said vacuum system;
• and
• e) a converter electrically connected to said remote handle through said electrical transmission line, said converter having means for providing a boost in said low voltage power from said electrical transmission line when said lower voltage power is below desired signal to electrically power said remote handle and said vacuum system.