Motor control for a vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle, an air-filtering dirt receptacle, and a motor. A fan is configured to be driven by the motor to drive a flow of air that carries dirt from a surface through the nozzle and into the receptacle to clean the surface. A controller is configured to provide a notification to a user when the speed of the motor exceeds a threshold value.
1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
a nozzle;
an air-filtering dirt receptacle;
a motor;
a fan configured to be driven by the motor to drive a flow of air that carries dirt from a surface through the nozzle and into the receptacle to clean the surface; and
a controller configured to provide a notification to a user when the speed of the motor exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the notification is indicative of an excessive amount of dirt in the receptacle.
2. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
a nozzle;
an air-filtering dirt receptacle;
a motor;
a fan configured to be driven by the motor to drive a flow of air that carries dirt from a surface through the nozzle and into the receptacle to clean the surface; and
a controller configured to provide a notification to a user when the speed of the motor exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the notification directs the user to empty the receptacle.
3. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
a nozzle;
an air-filtering dirt receptacle;
a motor;
a fan configured to be driven by the motor to drive a flow of air that carries dirt from a surface through the nozzle and into the receptacle to clean the surface; and
a controller configured to provide a notification to a user when the speed of the motor exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the notification directs the user to replace the receptacle.
4. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein the controller powers the motor with a constant voltage.
5. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control the motor to draw a constant current.
6. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
a nozzle;
an air-filtering dirt receptacle;
a motor;
a fan configured to be driven by the motor to drive a flow of air that carries dirt from a surface through the nozzle and into the receptacle to clean the surface; and
a controller configured to provide a notification to a user when the speed of the motor exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the controller is configured to control the motor to maintain a constant motor temperature.
7. The cleaner of claim 1 wherein the controller powers the motor to rotate at different user selectable speed settings, and the threshold value is different for each speed setting.
8. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
a nozzle;
an air-filtering dirt receptacle;
a motor;
a fan configured to be driven by the motor to drive a flow of air that carries dirt from a surface through the nozzle and into the receptacle to clean the surface; and
a controller configured to control the motor to maintain a constant motor temperature.
9. The cleaner of claim 8 wherein the controller varies a pulse width modulation ratio to maintain the constant motor temperature.
10. The cleaner of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured provide a notification to a user when the voltage powering the motor exceeds a threshold value.