IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,642,410
Granted Patent B2
US 12,642,410 · App. 18/058,786 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Floor cleaning system

Inventors: Jürgen Walz (Winnenden, DE); Lukas Sobotta (Winnenden, DE); Alexander Brändle (Winnenden, DE); Denis Dammköhler (Winnenden, DE); Marten Jahn (Winnenden, DE); Miriam Ungerer (Winnenden, DE)
Assignee: ALFRED KÄRCHER SE & CO. KG
A47L11/4011A47L11/24A47L11/283A47L11/4008A47L11/4066A47L11/4069G05D1/0016G05D1/0044H04N7/183
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,642,410
App. No.
18/058,786
Granted
Jun 2, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a floor cleaning system, comprising a user-guided floor cleaning machine for cleaning a floor surface, a sensor device, a control device, and an actuatable display device, wherein the floor cleaning machine comprises an operating device for a user, a chassis for moving the cleaning machine over the floor surface, and at least one cleaning device having a cleaning tool and preferably a drive device for the cleaning tool, wherein, during operation of the floor cleaning machine, a cleaning path along which, proceeding from a starting point, the cleaning machine travels over the floor surface can be determined by the control device on the basis of signals from the sensor device, and wherein the control device actuates the display device in order to display cleaning-related information, depending upon the cleaning path along which the cleaning machine is determined to have traveled.

Claims (60)

1 . Floor cleaning system, comprising a user-guided floor cleaning machine for cleaning a floor surface, a sensor device, a control device, an actuatable display device, and a camera for providing images of a surrounding area located ahead of the floor cleaning machine in a direction of movement,

wherein the floor cleaning machine comprises an operating device for a user, a chassis for moving the cleaning machine over the floor surface, at least one cleaning device having a cleaning tool and a drive for the cleaning tool,

wherein, during operation of the floor cleaning machine in which the floor cleaning machine is guided by the user using the operating device at the floor cleaning machine itself, a cleaning path along which, proceeding from a starting point, the cleaning machine travels over the floor surface is determined by the control device on the basis of signals from the sensor device,

wherein the control device actuates the display device in order to display cleaning-related information, depending upon the cleaning path along which the cleaning machine is determined to have traveled,

wherein the traveled cleaning path is determined only when the drive of the cleaning tool is activated,

wherein the images provided by the camera are displayed on the display device together with the cleaning-related information,

the cleaning-related information being displayed in a manner graphically superimposed using augmented reality on the images of the surrounding area on the display device depending upon the traveled cleaning path, and the cleaning-related information comprising information for the user for guiding the floor cleaning machine on the operating device.

2 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the traveled cleaning path is determined free of mapping.

3 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein no map of a room comprising the floor surface, within which map at least one of the starting point and the cleaning path is localized, is provided.

4 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the starting point and the traveled cleaning path is determined without position information with respect to at least one of the floor surface and a room comprising the floor surface.

5 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the sensor device comprises or forms, as at least one sensor, at least one of the following:

wheel encoder for the chassis;

an acceleration sensor;

a rotation rate sensor;

a camera.

6 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the camera is arranged in a defined relative position on the floor cleaning machine.

7 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning machine or a portable accessory device comprises the camera.

8 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cleaning-related information further comprises at least one of the following:

a display of thus far cleaned sections of the floor surface;

a display of sections of the floor surface that have not yet been cleaned;

a display of sections of the floor surface that are still to be cleaned;

instructions on the direction of travel of the floor cleaning machine;

information concerning the use that has taken place of at least one cleaning tool for cleaned sections of the floor surface;

information concerning the recommended use of at least one cleaning tool for uncleaned sections of the floor surface;

information concerning the value of at least one operating parameter for cleaned sections of the floor surface;

information concerning the recommended value of at least one operating parameter for uncleaned sections of the floor surface.

9 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning machine at least partially comprises or forms at least one of the following:

the sensor device;

the control device;

the display device.

10 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning system comprises at least one portable accessory device, which is operatively connected to the floor cleaning machine via cooperating communications interfaces.

11 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the accessory device at least partially comprises or forms at least one of the following:

the sensor device;

the control device;

the display device.

12 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein a tablet computer, a smartphone, or a head-mounted display, for example, configured as data goggles, is provided as a portable accessory device.

13 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the floor cleaning machine comprises a receptacle for detachably arranging the at least one portable accessory device.

14 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the receptacle is arranged on the operating device.

15 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning system comprises a storage device for storing at least one of at least one traveled cleaning path and at least one predetermined cleaning path.

16 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein at least one of the floor cleaning machine and the accessory device at least partially comprises the storage device.

17 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein at least one of the traveled cleaning path and the predetermined cleaning path is storable so as to be linked to cleaning-related information concerning at least one of the use of at least one cleaning tool and the value of at least one operating parameter.

18 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein a plurality of traveled cleaning paths is storable and, with regard to an optimized cleaning path, evaluated.

19 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the plurality of traveled cleaning paths is storable and evaluated so as to be linked to information concerning the use that has taken place of at least one cleaning tool and/or the value of at least one operating parameter.

20 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the at least one predetermined cleaning path is activatable when cleaning is initiated, and cleaning-related information is displayable on the display device.

21 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 20 , wherein at least one of the following items of information is displayable:

information for the user for guiding the floor cleaning machine;

instructions on the direction of travel of the floor cleaning machine;

a display of sections of the floor surface to be cleaned;

information concerning the recommended use of at least one cleaning tool for uncleaned sections of the floor surface;

information concerning the recommended value of at least one operating parameter for uncleaned sections of the floor surface.

22 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 20 , wherein the floor cleaning system comprises a camera for providing images of a surrounding area ahead of the floor cleaning machine in a direction of movement, and wherein the images are displayable on the display device together with the cleaning-related information.

23 . Floor cleaning system in accordance claim 15 , wherein the predetermined cleaning path comprises information concerning the starting point for the cleaning process, which information is displayable on the display device.

24 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the floor cleaning system comprises at least one localization element that is assigned to a room to be cleaned, wherein a link between the room and the predetermined cleaning path is stored in the storage device, and wherein the localization element is detectable by means of the sensor device, and the predetermined cleaning path is providable depending upon the detected localization element.

25 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the traveled cleaning path and the predetermined cleaning path are checkable for a match by the control device.

26 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 25 , wherein, if there is no match, an indication to this effect is outputtable to the user, in particular, on the display device and/or in that, if there is no match, the predetermined cleaning path stored in the storage device is replaced by the determined cleaning path after completion of the cleaning.

27 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning system comprises a projector and wherein cleaning-related information is projectable onto the floor surface by the projector.

28 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning machine comprises a drive for driving drive wheels of the chassis.

29 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning machine is a walk-behind machine, a ride-on machine, or a stand-upon machine.

30 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning machine is a scrubbing machine or a sweeper.

31 . Floor cleaning system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floor cleaning system comprises a plurality of floor cleaning machines.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 8, 2023
From: WALZ, JÜRGEN; SOBOTTA, LUKAS; BRÄNDLE, ALEXANDER; DAMMKÖHLER, DENIS; JAHN, MARTEN; UNGERER, MIRIAM
To: ALFRED KÄRCHER SE & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 062919/0083 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 114 179.3 · May 27, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2021064012 · May 26, 2021
Related Publication 20230200614A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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