Floor cleaner with a low power mode
The present disclosure relates to a battery powered floor cleaner ( 10 ). The floor cleaner ( 10 ) is operable in various modes based on the capacity of a battery pack ( 22 ), such as a normal power mode ( 40 ) and a low power mode ( 42 ).
1 . A floor cleaner comprising:
a base having a suction inlet;
a handle coupled to the base, the base movable along a surface to be cleaned by a user manipulating the handle;
a suction source configured to generate an airflow through the suction inlet;
a liquid distribution system including a supply tank connected to a fluid distributor configured to deliver solution to the surface;
a recovery tank in fluid communication with the suction source configured to store the solution drawn through the suction inlet from the surface to be cleaned by the suction source;
a battery pack configured to supply power to the suction source and the liquid distribution system;
a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the battery pack indicative of a remaining capacity of the battery pack, the characteristic selected from a group consisting of-current, voltage, and power;
a controller operatively connected to the battery pack, the suction source, and the fluid distributor, the controller including an electronic processor and a memory, the controller configured to:
receive from the sensor the characteristic of the battery pack indicative of the remaining capacity of the battery pack,
operate the floor cleaner in a first mode when the remaining capacity of the battery pack is greater than a first threshold, wherein in the first mode of operation the controller operates a component of the floor cleaner based on a user input, wherein the component includes a first component and a second component,
operate the floor cleaner in a second mode when the remaining capacity of the battery pack is greater than a second threshold and the remaining capacity of the battery pack is less than the first threshold, wherein in the second mode the controller operates the floor cleaner based on a prioritized function of the first component, wherein in the second mode the controller continues providing power to the first component and reduces the power provided to the second component or continues providing power to the first component and inhibits a function of the second component, and
interrupt operation of the floor cleaner when the remaining capacity of the battery pack is less than the second threshold.
2 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distributor further comprises a pump or a valve to control fluid delivery to the surface to be cleaned.
3 . The floor cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the fluid distributor further comprises a valve assembly, wherein the valve assembly is closed in the second mode, inhibiting distribution of solution to the surface to be cleaned in the second mode.
4 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller limits operation of the second component when the floor cleaner is in the second mode, wherein the second component includes at least one of the suction source and the fluid distributor.
5 . The floor cleaner of claim 4 , wherein the controller limits the flow rate of fluid delivered from the fluid distributor to between 0 and 50% of a maximum flow rate when the floor cleaner is in the second mode.
6 . The floor cleaner of claim 4 , wherein the controller limits the power supplied from the battery pack to the suction source to between 60 and 98% of full power in the second mode.
7 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising an agitator in the base, the agitator powered by the battery pack and configured to agitate the surface to be cleaned during operation, wherein the controller limits the power supplied from the battery pack to the agitator.
8 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising a user override module configured to change the floor cleaner from the second mode to the first mode in response to actuation by the user.
9 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
compare the characteristic of the battery pack to the first threshold and the second threshold, and
in response to comparing the characteristic of the battery pack to the first threshold and the second threshold, operate the floor cleaner in the second mode when the remaining capacity of the battery pack is greater than the second threshold and less than the first threshold.
10 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein operating in the second mode, the controller is configured to:
reduce an output of the second component by controlling operation of the second component, wherein the second component is at least one selected from the group consisting of: an agitator, the suction source, and the fluid distributor.
11 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein operating in the second mode, the controller configured to:
modify an output of the component by controlling the component, wherein the component includes at least two component selected from the group consisting of: an agitator, the suction source, and the fluid distributor, wherein the output of the component operated in the second mode is different from the output of the component operated in the first mode.
12 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the first mode includes a first mode of operation for the floor cleaner and the second mode includes a second mode of operation, and wherein the first mode of operation is different from the second mode of operation.
13 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the fluid distributor to deliver solution at a first flow rate in the first mode and a second flow rate in the second mode, wherein the second flow rate is less than the first flow rate.
14 . The floor cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to supply a first power to the suction source in the first mode and a second power to the suction source in the second mode, the first power different from the second power.
15 . The floor cleaner of claim 14 , wherein the second power is greater than the first power.
16 . The floor cleaner of claim 14 , wherein the second power is less than the first power.