Surface cleaning apparatus and communication method

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus can include a user control portion and a surface cleaning portion, with the surface cleaning portion positioned remotely or spaced from the user control portion. The user control portion can include a power source. The surface cleaning portion can include a processor. The power source and the processor can be operably coupled by a power line.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A powerline communication system for controlling a function or operation of at least one component within a surface cleaning device, the powerline communication system comprising:
 a power source;   at least one user control adapted to receive an input from a user;   a controller located remotely from the at least one user control and configured to control operation of the at least one component; and   a power line electrically coupling the power source, the controller, and the at least one component and wherein the power line is further adapted to provide a communication signal between the at least one user control and the controller.   
     
     
         2 . The powerline communication system of  claim 1  wherein the power source includes a DC battery-powered power source. 
     
     
         3 . The powerline communication system of  claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured to introduce the communication signal over the power line as a pulse width modulation signal based on the input received by the at least one user control. 
     
     
         4 . The powerline communication system of  claim 3  wherein the controller is configured to determine one of a duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal or a frequency of the pulse width modulation signal and the controller is configured to operate the at least one component based thereon. 
     
     
         5 . The powerline communication system of  claim 4  wherein the controller is in a base of the surface cleaning device and the user control is in a handle. 
     
     
         6 . The powerline communication system of  claim 5  wherein the communication signal is intermittently transmitted and electrical power at the base is substantially uninterrupted. 
     
     
         7 . The powerline communication system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one user control is a mode selector configured to select one of a predefined set of modes. 
     
     
         8 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a base assembly including a base housing having a suction nozzle and adapted for movement along a surface to be cleaned;   an upper unit pivotally coupled to the base housing and having a handle;   at least one user control located on the upper unit, the at least one user control adapted to receive an input from a user;   a suction source in fluid communication with the suction nozzle for generating a working airstream through the vacuum cleaner;   a power source;   at least one electrical component provided with the base housing;   a controller located remotely from the at least one user control and configured to control operation of the at least one electrical component; and   a power line electrically coupling the power source, the controller, and the at least one electrical component and wherein the power line is further adapted to transmit a communication signal between the at least one user control and the controller.   
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8  wherein the power source includes a DC battery-powered power source. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , further comprising a switch configured to introduce the communication signal over the power line in the form of a pulse width modulation signal based on the input received by the at least one user control. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the controller is configured to determine one of a duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal or a frequency of the pulse width modulation signal and the controller is configured to operate the at least one electrical component based thereon. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11  wherein the controller is provided with the base housing and the at least one user control is on the handle. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the communication signal is intermittently transmitted and electrical power at the base assembly is substantially uninterrupted. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the at least one user control is a mode selector configured to select one of a plurality of predefined set of modes. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the switch is configured to introduce a different duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal for each of the plurality of predefined set of modes. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the base assembly further comprises an agitator chamber at the suction nozzle and the at least one electrical component is a motor operably coupled to an agitator therein. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the handle is defined on a hand-held portion, the hand-held portion having a hand grip and the suction source. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein the at least one electrical component is a headlight array located along a forward oriented portion of the base housing, providing a beam that is substantially parallel to the surface to be cleaned and spaced above the surface to be cleaned at not more than 30 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein a working air path is at least partially defined by a wand operably coupled between the base assembly and the hand-held portion and wherein the hand-held portion further comprises a debris removal assembly including a recovery container provided in fluid communication with the suction source and the suction source includes a motor/fan assembly operably coupled to the debris removal assembly to form a single, hand-carriable unit. 
     
     
         20 . A method of communication for a surface cleaning apparatus, the method comprising:
 outputting power via a DC battery-powered source through a power line;   receiving a user input at a user control;   generating an input to a toggle switch based on the receiving the user input;   outputting a pulse width modulation signal along the power line to a controller during the outputting power; and   operating, via the controller, a component of the surface cleaning apparatus based on the pulse width modulation signal.