Dust indication system for vacuum cleaner

A vacuum cleaner includes an optical dust sensor for detecting a quantity of dust which sensor is provided at a predetermined position of a suction path for sucking air by a suction force of the vacuum cleaner, whereby an output signal is supplied to a display device so that a display corresponding to the quantity of the sucked dust, which signal is output from the optical dust sensor and is varied in a stageless manner corresponding to the quantity of the dust.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to 
a vacuum cleaner which detects a quantity of dust and visually displays 
the detected quantity of dust. 
In the past, a vacuum cleaner has been strongly demanded for improving its 
functions similarly to other electrified products. It is proposed and is 
realized to respond to the demand for improving its functions, that a dust 
sensor be provided to a vacuum cleaner. Specifically, a dust sensor for 
detecting a quantity of suctioned dust is provided at a predetermined 
position of a suction path, and a detection output of the dust sensor, 
that is the quantity of dust, is displayed in two stages (refer to U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,601,082). 
When the vacuum cleaner having this arrangement is employed, a quantity of 
dust included within air suctioned through the suction path is detected 
during an operating period of the vacuum cleaner, and it is displayed 
whether the quantity of dust is great or small (including a case in which 
the quantity of dust is zero). 
But, dust includes dust of various shapes and sizes such as small sized 
particles, comparatively large sized particles, cotton dust and others. 
And, these various dust types vary their percentages depending upon the 
place to be cleaned. It is almost impossible to determine which kind of 
dust has the greatest percentage and how much is the greatest percentage. 
Therefore, a disadvantage may arise in that the display is made to show a 
great quantity of dust even when the quantity of dust is small in 
actuality, depending upon the shape and size of the dust, for example. 
That is, a detection output of a dust sensor is compared with a 
predetermined threshold value, and the result is displayed depending upon 
a relationship in size between the detection output and the threshold 
value whether the quantity of dust is great or small, for displaying a 
quantity of dust by two stages. Consequently, the above disadvantage may 
arise. 
Further, it may be thought to vary the threshold value in correspondence to 
a shape and size of dust, but another disadvantage arises in that an 
operation for varying the threshold value is needed. And, when an operator 
forgets the operation, the above disadvantage occurs. Furthermore, a 
further disadvantage arises in that an extra operation for determining 
plural threshold values is required, which values are to be selected by an 
operator. 
Further, an extra power supply is needed for performing detection of a 
quantity of dust by a dust sensor, comparison of a detection output and a 
predetermined threshold value, and display based upon the comparison 
result. And, a dry battery is generally employed as the power supply. A 
yet further disadvantage arises in that the dry battery must be exchanged 
for a new dry battery. Furthermore, when an operator forgets to exchange 
the dry battery, it is impossible to perform detection and display of a 
quantity of dust. 
The present invention was made in view of the above problems. 
It is an object of the present invention to display a quantity of dust in a 
stageless manner from a zero condition, that is, the display is varied 
continuously depending upon a continuous variation of a quantity of dust. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A vacuum cleaner according to the present invention is a vacuum cleaner 
which generates a suction force by driving a motor provided within a 
vacuum cleaner body, and suctions dust with air through an air suction 
path member connected to the vacuum cleaner body. And, the vacuum cleaner 
comprises an optical dust sensor for optically detecting a quantity of 
dust which sensor is provided at a predetermined position of the air 
suction path member, and a display device driven by an output from the 
optical dust sensor in a stageless manner. 
When the vacuum cleaner having the arrangement is employed, a quantity of 
dust is optically detected which is suctioned in with air, and a display 
is driven in a stageless manner based upon an output from the optical dust 
sensor. Therefore, a decrease in the quantity of dust is displayed in a 
stageless manner following a cleaning operation. And, no threshold values 
are needed, and the above disadvantages due to the necessity of threshold 
values are prevented from occurring, because the decrease in the quantity 
of dust is displayed in a stageless manner. 
It is preferable that a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention 
employs a fan driven by a suction force and an electric generator driven 
by the fan as a power source for driving the optical dust sensor, the 
display and the like. 
When the vacuum cleaner is employed, the above disadvantages are prevented 
from occurring which disadvantages arise when a dry battery is employed as 
a power source.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
1 is a diagram schematically showing an arrangement of a vacuum cleaner 
according to the present invention. 
The vacuum cleaner comprises a vacuum cleaner body 61, a hose 62 having a 
bellows shape, an extension pipe 63 connected to a leading edge section of 
the hose 62 in a removable manner, and a floor nozzle 64 provided at a 
leading edge section of the extension pipe 63. 
The vacuum cleaner body 61 includes a suction fan 65, a motor 66 for 
driving the suction fan 65, a dust bag 67 for collecting suctioned dust, a 
filter 68 for collecting fine dust which is not collected by the dust bag 
67, a motor control section 69 for controlling the motor 66 to cause 
varying of the suction force, an exhaust opening 70, a caster 71, and 
wheels 72. 
The vacuum cleaner also includes a floor nozzle pipe 73 for connecting the 
hose 62 to the extension pipe 63. The floor nozzle pipe 73 includes a 
non-inclined section 74 and an inclined section 75, as is illustrated in 
FIGS. 2 through 4. Thus, the floor nozzle pipe 73 enables the floor nozzle 
64 to lie easily on a floor without a forced posture of an operator when 
the operator performs cleaning by grasping the extension pipe 63, for 
example. Further, the floor nozzle pipe 73 includes a cover member 76 
which bridges across the non-inclined section 74 and the inclined section 
75. The cover member 76 includes the rein an electrical circuitry for 
detecting and visually displaying a quantity of suctioned dust, and 
includes a suction opening 77 and a display section 78. 
FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view showing an interior arrangement 
of the floor nozzle pipe 73 and the cover member 76. 
The floor nozzle pipe 73 includes a light emitting device 79 such as a 
light emitting diode or the like and a light receiving device 80 such as a 
phototransistor or the like (the light emitting device 79 and the light 
receiving device 80 form a dust sensor 3). The light emitting device 79 
and the light receiving device 80 are opposite to one another in a 
direction which crosses an air flowing direction within the floor nozzle 
pipe 73 by a right angle. A light radiation face of the light emitting 
device 79 and a light receiving face of the light receiving device 80 are 
determined to be almost the same height with an inner face of the floor 
nozzle pipe 73. Therefore, a quantity of light which reaches the light 
receiving device 80 among radiated light from the light emitting device 
79, is decreased by dust included within an air flow so that the quantity 
of dust is detected based upon an output signal from the light receiving 
device 80. 
The cover member 76 includes therein a dust sensor circuitry section 81 for 
performing processing based upon an output signal from the dust sensor 3, 
a rotatable turbine wheel 82 provided at a position which is close to a 
suction opening 77, a d.c. electric generator 1 driven by the rotatable 
turbine wheel 82, and a display device 2 such as a light emitting diode or 
the like which is driven based upon an output signal from the dust sensor 
circuitry section 81. 
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical arrangement of a main 
portion of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. 
As is illustrated in FIG. 6, a dust detection and display apparatus of a 
vacuum cleaner according to the present invention amplifies an output 
signal from the dust sensor 3 using an amplifier 4, then obtains a d.c. 
voltage using rectification circuitry 5, converts the d.c. voltage into a 
d.c. current using voltage-current converter circuitry (driving circuitry) 
6, and thereafter supplies the converted d.c. current to the display 
device 2. Then, the dust detection and display apparatus feeds back an 
output signal from correction circuitry 7 to the dust sensor 3, the 
correction circuitry 7 being input the output signal from the dust sensor 
3, so that a quantity of radiating light of the light emitting device 79 
of the dust sensor 3 is stabilized. Therefore, a misoperation due to 
varying of a quantity of radiating light is prevented from occurring. 
Further, a d.c. electric generator 1 is provided for supplying an 
operation voltage to the dust sensor 3, amplifier 4, voltage-current 
converter circuitry 6, and display device 2, the d.c. electric generator 1 
not being illustrated in FIG. 6. 
FIG. 7 is an electrical circuit diagram showing the arrangement in FIG. 6 
in more detail. 
A Zener diode ZD1 and a capacitor C1 are connected in parallel between both 
terminals of the d.c. electric generator 1. A Zener diode ZD2 and a 
capacitor C2 are connected in parallel between both terminals of the d.c. 
electric generator 1 through a resistor R1. A resistor R2, a 
phototransistor Q1 as the light receiving device 80, and a resistor R3 are 
connected serially between both terminals of the capacitor C2. A capacitor 
C3 is connected in parallel to the resistor R2. The correction circuitry 7 
is connected between both terminals of the capacitor C2. The correction 
circuitry 7 is supplied a voltage which is a voltage at a connecting point 
of the phototransistor Q1 and the resistor R3. A light emitting diode LED1 
is connected between output terminals of the correction circuitry 7. 
Further, a resistor R4, a resistor R5, and a diode D1 are connected in 
series between both terminals of the capacitor C2. A connecting point of 
the resistors R4 and R5 is connected to a non-reversed input terminal of 
an operational amplifier IC1-1, and a connecting point of the 
phototransistor Q1 and the resistor R3 is connected to a reversed input 
terminal of the operational amplifier IC1-1 through a capacitor C4. A 
resistor R7 is connected between the non-reversed input terminal and an 
output terminal of the operational amplifier IC1-1. 
A diode D2 and a resistor R8 are connected in series to the output terminal 
of the operational amplifier IC1-1, and a capacitor C5 and a resistor R9 
are connected in parallel between the resistor R8 and a negative output 
terminal of the d.c. electric generator 1. 
Furthermore, a connecting point of the resistor R8 and the capacitor C5 is 
connected to a non-reversed input terminal of an operational amplifier IC 
1-2, while the negative output terminal of the d.c. electric generator 1 
is connected to a reversed input terminal of the operational amplifier IC 
1-2 through a resistor R10. An output terminal of the operational 
amplifier IC1-2 is connected to a base terminal of a transistor Q2. And, a 
light emitting diode LED2 is connected between a positive output terminal 
of the d.c. electric generator 1 and a collector terminal of the 
transistor Q2. A resistor R12 is connected between the negative output 
terminal of the d.c. electric generator 1 and an emitter terminal of the 
transistor Q2. A resistor R11 is connected between the reversed input 
terminal of the operational amplifier IC1-2 and the emitter terminal of 
the transistor Q2. 
When the dust detection and display apparatus having the above arrangement 
is employed, a light radiated from the light emitting device 79 is 
received by the light receiving device 80. An output signal from the light 
receiving device 80 (i.e., the voltage at the connecting point of the 
phototransistor Q1 and the resistor R3) is amplified by the operational 
amplifier IC1-1, then rectified by the diode D2. Thereafter, the d.c. 
voltage is converted into a d.c. current by the voltage-current converter 
circuitry 6. The converted d.c. current is supplied to the display device 
2 (i.e., light emitting diode LED1). And, a quantity of light which is 
received by the light receiving device 80 varies depending upon a quantity 
of dust included within air which passes through the floor nozzle pipe 73. 
That is, when the quantity of dust is small, the quantity of received 
light is great, and when the quantity of dust is great, the quantity of 
received light is small. Therefore, the output signal corresponds to the 
quantity of suctioned dust. And, the output signal is supplied to the 
display device 2 after being processed by the amplifier 4 and the 
voltage-current converter circuitry 6. 
The d.c. current supplied to the display device 2 is not processed based 
upon a threshold value at all, and therefore the d.c. current corresponds 
to the quantity of dust and the d.c. current varies in correspondence to 
variation of the quantity of dust within the air which passes through the 
floor nozzle pipe 73. That is, the d.c. current supplied to the display 
device 2 varies in a stageless manner depending upon the variation in 
quantity of dust. Consequently, threshold values are not necessarily 
determined at all, determination of optimum threshold values being 
difficult and an operation for determining optimum threshold values being 
extremely complicated. The d.c. current supplied to the display device 2 
varies in a stageless manner corresponding to variation in the quantity of 
dust so that the quantity of dust within air which passes through the 
floor nozzle pipe 73 is securely displayed whereby, in its turn, it can be 
displayed that cleaning has finished, despite no threshold values being 
employed. 
Further, when the suction fan 65 of the vacuum cleaner is driven, air is 
also suctioned through the suction opening 77. The rotatable turbine wheel 
82 is rotated by the air suctioned through the suction opening 77. The 
rotatable turbine wheel 82 then drives the d.c. electric generator 1 so 
that an operation voltage for the dust detection and display apparatus is 
generated. Therefore, an operation for exchanging a dry battery with a new 
one is not necessary at all, which operation is necessary when a dry 
battery is employed as a power source. Of course, disadvantages due to 
forgetting of exchanging of a dry battery are prevented from occurring. 
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing another electrical arrangement of a main 
portion of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. 
A dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8 differs from 
the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6 in that 
pulse width modulation circuitry 8, which receives the output signal from 
the rectification circuitry 5, and driver circuitry 9, which receives a 
pulse width modulation signal output from the pulse width modulation 
circuitry 8, are employed instead of the voltage-current converter 
circuitry 6. 
When the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8 is 
employed, the pulse width modulation circuitry 8 performs pulse width 
modulation in correspondence to an output signal from the rectification 
circuitry 5 so as to output a pulse width modulation signal. And, the 
driver circuitry 9 receives the pulse width modulation signal and outputs 
a driving signal for driving the display device 2 therefrom. 
Consequently, similarly to the dust detection and display apparatus 
illustrated in FIG. 6, threshold values are not necessarily determined at 
all, and the driving signal supplied to the display device 2 varies in a 
stageless manner corresponding to variation in the quantity of dust so 
that a quantity of dust within air which passes through the floor nozzle 
pipe 73 is securely displayed, in its turn it can be displayed that 
cleaning has finished, despite no threshold values being employed. 
Further, under a condition that the suction fan 65 of the vacuum cleaner is 
driven, air is also suctioned through the suction opening 77. The 
rotatable turbine wheel 82 is rotated by air suctioned through the suction 
opening 77. The rotatable turbine wheel 82 drives the d.c. electric 
generator 1 so that an operation voltage for the dust detection and 
display apparatus is generated. Therefore, an operation for exchanging a 
dry battery with a new one is not necessary at all which operation is 
necessary when a dry battery is employed as a power source. Of course, 
disadvantages due to forgetting of exchanging of a dry battery are 
prevented from occurring. 
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a further electrical arrangement of a 
main portion of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. 
The dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 9 differs from 
the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6 in that a 
voltage controlled oscillator 10, which receives an output signal from the 
rectification circuitry 5, and driver circuitry 9, which receives an 
oscillation signal output from the voltage controlled oscillator 10, are 
employed instead of the voltage-current converter circuitry 6. 
When the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 9 is 
employed, the voltage controlled oscillator 10 performs oscillation in 
correspondence to an output signal (output voltage) from the rectification 
circuitry 5 so as to output an oscillation signal, and the driver 
circuitry 9 receives the oscillation signal and outputs a driving signal 
for driving the display device 2. 
Consequently, similarly to the dust detection and display apparatus 
illustrated in FIG. 6, threshold values are not necessarily determined at 
all, and the driving signal supplied to the display device 2 varies in a 
stageless manner corresponding to variation in the quantity of dust so 
that the quantity of dust within air which passes through the floor nozzle 
pipe 73 is securely displayed, and in its turn it can be displayed that 
cleaning has finished, despite no threshold values being employed. 
Further, under a condition that the suction fan 65 of the vacuum cleaner is 
driven, air is also suctioned through the suction opening 77. The 
rotatable turbine wheel 82 is rotated by air suctioned through the suction 
opening 77. The rotatable turbine wheel 82 drives the d.c. electric 
generator 1 so that an operation voltage for the dust detection and 
display apparatus is generated. Therefore, an operation for exchanging a 
dry battery with a new one is not necessary at all which operation is 
necessary when a dry battery is employed as a power source. Of course, 
disadvantages due to forgetting of exchanging of a dry battery are 
prevented from occurring. 
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing yet another electrical arrangement of a 
main portion of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. 
The dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 9 differs from 
the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6 in that 
driver circuitry 11 and reversed driver circuitry 12, which both receive 
an output signal from the rectification circuitry 5, are employed instead 
of the voltage-current converter circuitry 6, and in that a display device 
2a driven by the driver circuitry 11 and a display device 2b driven by the 
reversed driver circuitry 12 are employed instead of the display device 2. 
When the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10 is 
employed, an output signal from the rectification circuitry 5 is 
simultaneously supplied to the driver circuitry 11 and the reversed driver 
circuitry 12. The driver circuitry 11 outputs a signal so as to drive the 
display device 2a which signal is in proportion to the output signal from 
the rectification circuitry 5, and the reversed driver circuitry 12 
outputs a signal so as to drive the display device 2b which signal is in 
reversed proportion to the output signal from the rectification circuitry 
5. In this case, the display device 2a and the display device 2b are 
driven by signals which represent reversed variation to one another. 
Therefore, when a quantity of dust is increased, for example, the display 
device 2a lights brighter, while the display device 2b becomes darker. 
Further, the quantity of dust can be displayed as a variation in color by 
determining the display color of the display device 2a and the display 
color of the display device 2b, both colors being different from one 
another, and by providing both display devices 2a and 2b within a single 
mold 2e as is illustrated in FIG. 15. 
Consequently, similarly to the dust detection and display apparatus 
illustrated in FIG. 6, threshold values are not necessarily determined at 
all, and the driving signals supplied to the display devices 2a and 2b 
vary in a stageless manner corresponding to the variation in the quantity 
of dust so that the quantity of dust within the air which passes through 
the floor nozzle pipe 73 is securely displayed, and in its turn it can be 
displayed that cleaning has finished, despite no threshold values being 
employed. 
Further, under the condition that the suction fan 65 of the vacuum cleaner 
is driven, air is also suctioned through the suction opening 77. The 
rotatable turbine wheel 82 is rotated by the air suctioned through the 
suction opening 77. The rotatable turbine wheel 82 drives the d.c. 
electric generator 1 so that an operation voltage for the dust detection 
and display apparatus is generated. Therefore, an operation for exchanging 
a dry battery with a new one is not necessary at all which operation is 
necessary when a dry battery is employed as a power source. Of course, 
disadvantages due to forgetting of exchanging of a dry battery are 
prevented from occurring. 
FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a main portion of a dust detection and 
display apparatus of a modified example. 
In the dust detection and display apparatus, the display devices 2a and 2b 
are connected in series to one another, and an output signal from a driver 
circuitry 10 which receives an output signal from the rectification 
circuitry 5 is supplied to a connecting point of the display device 2a and 
the display device 2b. 
When the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 11 is 
employed, simplification in arrangement following omission of reversed 
driver circuitry 12 is performed in comparison to the dust detection and 
display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10. And, the dust detection and 
display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 11 performs similarly to that of the 
dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10. 
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing yet another electrical arrangement of a 
main portion of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. 
The dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 12 differs 
from the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10 in 
that a lens 13 is further provided for mixing a display of the display 
device 2a and a display of the display device 2b. 
When the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 12 is 
employed, simple display devices can be employed as the display device 2a 
and the display device 2b, respectively. Therefore, freedom in selecting a 
display device is improved. And, the dust detection and display apparatus 
illustrated in FIG. 12 performs a similar operation to that of the dust 
detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10. 
FIG. 13 is an electrical circuit diagram showing in more detail a dust 
detection and display apparatus of the type illustrated in FIG. 6. 
The electrical circuit diagram illustrated in FIG. 13 differs from the 
electrical circuit diagram illustrated in FIG. 7 in that a variable 
resistor R13 is employed instead of the resistor R12 which is connected to 
the transistor Q2 in series. 
The variable resistor R13 may be any type of resistor which can be varied 
in its resistance value, such as a variable resistor which can be manually 
varied in its resistance value in a stageless manner, resistance circuitry 
in which one of a plurality of resistance values previously determined can 
be manually selected, a resistance device or resistance circuitry which 
receives a resistance value changing command and varies its resistance 
value in a stageless manner, a resistance device or resistance circuitry 
which receives a resistance value changing command and selects one of a 
plurality of resistance values previously determined, or the like. 
When the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 13 is 
employed, even when a predetermined quantity of dust is detected, a 
display by the display device 2 is varied brighter or darker in comparison 
to a display by the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in 
FIG. 7 by varying the resistance value of the variable resistor R13. 
Therefore, a dust detection sensitivity can be adjusted. Consequently, an 
optimum dust detection sensitivity can be obtained which matches the 
species of the cleaning location (species such as a board floor, a tatami 
mat, a carpet and the like), a suction force of the vacuum cleaner and the 
like. Of course, the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in 
FIG. 13 performs a similar operation to that of the dust detection and 
display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 7. 
Further, a modification similar to the modification illustrated in FIG. 13 
(employing of the variable resistor) is applicable to one of the dust 
detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8 through FIG. 12. 
Furthermore, the dust detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6 
through FIG. 13 are provided to the floor nozzle pipe 73. But, the dust 
detection and display apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6 through FIG. 13 can 
be provided at an arbitrary position of a path which suctions air 
following cleaning, such as a predetermined position of the hose 62 having 
a bellows shape, a predetermined position of the extension pipe 63 and the 
like. 
FIGS. 14(A) and 14(b) are vertical cross sectional views showing 
arrangements of a display device. 
In FIG. 14(A), a light emitting diode 2 is employed as the display device 2 
and a transparent flat membrane 2c is provided at a position which is 
close to a light emitting face of the light emitting diode 2. 
When this arrangement is employed, a display is easily recognized from just 
above the position of the transparent flat membrane 2c. 
In FIG. 14(B), a light emitting diode 2 is employed as the display device 2 
and a transparent curved (projected) membrane 2d is provided at a position 
which is close to a light emitting face of the light emitting diode 2. 
When this arrangement is employed, a display is easily recognized not only 
just above the position of the transparent curved membrane 2d but also at 
a side-ward position of the transparent curved membrane 2d. 
The present invention is not limited to the attached drawings and the 
embodiments. Many modifications and variations are possible within the 
scope of the present invention.