Self-propelling cleaner

Abstract

In a dust transporting pipe 6, a microphone 20 is installed in a predetermined position. An output signal of the microphone 20, that is, a voltage signal of amplitude according to sound volume of the inside of the dust transporting pipe 6 picked is inputted to a controller 10. Initial amplitude according to sound volume of the inside of the dust transporting pipe 6 in the case of sucking dust in a state in which there is no dust inside a dust chamber 5 at all and the amount of change in amplitude indicating what amount amplitude changes from the initial amplitude in the case that the dust chamber 5 becomes full of dust are previously stored in the controller 10.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] This invention relates to a self-propelling cleaner for cleaning while automatically moving within a preset region. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] A self-propelling cleaner includes a propelling unit for propelling a main body and a cleaning unit for doing cleaning, and does cleaning while automatically moving within a preset region. When dust accommodated in a dust chamber is in a full state, dust cannot be sucked surely and the primary purpose of the cleaner for doing cleaning cannot be achieved. As a result of this, a method for detecting the full of dust of the dust chamber has been devised conventionally. [0005] For example, a method for detecting the full of dust of a dust chamber of a self-propelling cleaner includes a method in which a frequency of sound of the inside of a pipe for leading dust to a dust chamber is measured and when this frequency reaches a predetermined value, it is detecte...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] In the self-propelling cleaner disclosed in JP-A-2002-360480, connection between the dust chamber 5 and the nozzle 4 with predetermined shape is made by the dust transporting pipe 6 with a cross-sectional area smaller than that of these nozzle 4 and dust chamber 5, and dust taken in the nozzle 4 by the brush 40 is led into the dust chamber 5 through the dust transporting pipe 6 by a drawing pressure of the discharge fan 13. As a result of this, the dust transporting pipe 6 may be clogged with dust such as a piece of paper with a predetermined size or larger. In this case, in the conventional self-propelling cleaner, dust clogging is detected by dust clogging detection mea...

Problems solved by technology

In the self-propelling cleaner described in JP-A-7-039498 thus, the frequency of the sound picked by the microphone must be detected once and a configuration of dust full detection unit becomes complicated.

As a result of this, the dust transporting pipe 6 may be clogged with dust such as a piece of paper with a predetermined size or larger.

Then, the conventional self-propelling cleaner detects that it is clogged with dust even when the carpet or the mat is drawn partially.

As a result of this, a user could not easily recognize whether the dust transporting pipe was actually clogged with the dust or the carpet or the mat was merely drawn.

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