Patent ID: 11857134
Assignee: HENKEL AG & CO. KGAA
Field: Other consumer goods (Other fields)
Classification: CPC A  D | IPC A  D

Claim 0:
1. A retrofittable sensor unit for controlling a dosing device of a cleaning machine, comprising:
an acquisition module having a viscosity sensor for determining a viscosity of a washing solution, a turbidity sensor to measure a turbidity of the washing solution, and a plurality of optical sensors positioned in a recess of the retrofittable sensor unit for capturing a plurality of images of articles for cleaning;
at least one monitoring unit configured to determine a material of the articles of cleaning and a current degree of the soiling of articles for cleaning in response to the plurality of images of the articles for cleaning and on the basis of the turbidity and the viscosity of the washing solution;
an autarchic energy conversion system mounted on a back of a washing drum of the cleaning machine such that the retrofittable sensor unit including the energy conversion system, rotates around an axis of rotation of the washing drum when the cleaning machine is in operation, for generation of an electrical energy in response to a rotational energy of the washing drum and wherein the electrical energy is coupled to the acquisition module; and
at least one communication unit configured to transmit a dosing command to at least one dosing device depending on the current degree of soiling of the articles for cleaning, wherein the retrofittable sensor unit is arranged inside of the washing drum of the cleaning machine separately from the dosing device disposed within a detergent compartment of the cleaning machine.