WO2005006935A1

WO2005006935A1 - Floor cleaning system

Info

Publication number: WO2005006935A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/005586
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harald Mayer; Markus Dünne; Hendrik Rust; Gottfried Benzler
Original assignee: Alfred Kärcher Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2003-07-16
Filing date: 2004-05-25
Publication date: 2005-01-27
Also published as: DE10333395A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a floor cleaning system provided with an automotive and automatic floor cleaning device (12) comprising an undercarriage (22) provided with drive wheels (32) which can be driven by an electric motor, a rechargeable energy supply unit (44), a dirt receiving unit (24) and a control electronics system (34) which is coupled to a collision recognition sensor (53). According to the invention, the floor cleaning system comprises at least one additional module (60, 70, 80,110, 120) which can be detachably connected to the floor cleaning device (12) and which co-operates with the control electronics system (34) in order to further develop said floor cleaning system such that it can be produced economically and simple as well as complex cleaning requests can be performed.

Description

Floor Cleaning System

The invention relates to a floor cleaning system with a self-propelled and self-controlling floor cleaning device comprising a chassis with drive wheels which can be driven by an electric motor, a rechargeable energy supply unit, a dirt-collecting unit and control electronics which are coupled to a collision detection sensor.

A floor surface can be cleaned by means of self-propelled and self-controlling floor cleaning devices without it being necessary for an operator to guide the mobile floor cleaning device along the floor area to be cleaned. Instead, the floor cleaning device is designed such that it automatically moves along the floor surface to be cleaned in accordance with a predefinable control program and cleans the floor surface by means of the dirt-collecting unit, for example a microfiber cloth, a wiping body or an electromotively rotatable brush. For the energy supply, the floor cleaning device has a rechargeable energy supply unit. If the floor cleaning device encounters an obstacle, this is detected by the collision detection sensor and the control electronics then control the floor cleaning device in a different direction of travel. Due to these changes in direction, the floor cleaning device will run over the entire floor area to be cleaned over time.

The floor cleaning device mentioned at the beginning forms a self-propelled cleaning unit which has proven itself in many cases for cleaning a floor surface. For the solution of complex cleaning tasks, for example the effective cleaning of differently designed floor areas or also cleaning

a floor surface within the shortest possible time, however, floor cleaning devices are required which are very complex and whose production is correspondingly expensive.

The object of the present invention is to design a floor cleaning device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it can be produced in a cost-effective manner and can be used to solve both simple and complex cleaning tasks.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a floor cleaning system of the generic type in that the floor cleaning system comprises at least one additional module which can be detachably connected to the floor cleaning device and interacts with its control electronics.

The idea flows into the invention that both simple and complex cleaning tasks can be solved through the use of additional modules that can be connected to the floor cleaning device if necessary and that interact electronically with the control electronics of the floor cleaning device. The floor cleaning device, with which the additional module can be detachably connected, can be inexpensively manufactured in relatively large numbers and represents a basic device with which simpler cleaning tasks can be reliably solved. To solve more complex cleaning tasks, an additional module adapted to this cleaning task can be used, which can be detachably connected to the floor cleaning device and whose functionality can be adapted to the cleaning task to be solved in each case. This makes it possible to provide a user with an inexpensive basic device and

If necessary, additional modules are used, which the customer can easily connect to the base unit and, if necessary, disconnect from it again.

It is advantageous if the floor cleaning system comprises a dirt collecting container, into which dirt can be transferred that has been taken up by the dirt holding unit.

The dirt collecting container can be arranged on an additional module. Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the floor cleaning device comprises a dirt collecting container. It is advantageous here if the dirt collecting container is integrated in the undercarriage of the floor cleaning device, in particular is connected in one piece to the undercarriage.

A fill level sensor, for example a light barrier, can be used to detect the fill level of the dirt collecting container, by means of which the fill level of the dirt collecting container can be monitored.

It is advantageous if the additional module forms a manageable assembly, since this can simplify the establishment of the connection between the additional module and the floor cleaning device.

The additional module can preferably be inserted into a housing of the floor cleaning device or placed on the housing of the floor cleaning device. For example, it can be provided that the floor cleaning device has a recess into which at least one additional module can be inserted. It is particularly favorable if the recess is removed from a housing

Cover can be covered, on which an additional module can be placed while establishing an electrical connection with the control electronics of the floor cleaning device.

It is particularly advantageous if the additional module comprises a control unit which can be electrically connected to the control electronics of the floor cleaning device. The control unit can comprise a microprocessor, which can be programmed by the manufacturer or adapted by the customer to adapt to the functionality of the additional module required in each case. If such an additional module is connected to the floor cleaning device, an automatic data comparison between the control unit of the additional module and the control electronics of the floor cleaning device can take place. It is expedient if module-specific parameters can be stored in a memory of the control unit.

It is particularly advantageous if the control electronics of the floor cleaning device comprise a module detection unit, so that the control electronics can automatically recognize which type of additional module is connected to the floor cleaning device. A programming of the floor cleaning device with regard to the additional module to be used by the user can thus be omitted, so that overall the floor cleaning system is characterized by a particularly simple handling.

It is particularly expedient if the control electronics can be connected to the control unit via a BUS connection. For example, an I ² C, an SPI or a CAN connection can be used for this.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the floor cleaning system according to the invention it is provided that the additional module has at least one sensor. It is possible to easily and optimally adapt the additional module to the cleaning task to be solved by it. For example, a laser sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a sensor in the form of a light barrier or a current monitoring circuit and / or an electronic camera can be used, which are integrated in the respective additional module.

As already explained, a wide variety of cleaning tasks can be optimally solved by means of the floor cleaning system according to the invention, without it being necessary to provide a separate floor cleaning device specially developed for solving a specific cleaning task. If a wide variety of cleaning tasks are to be solved, it is advantageous if the floor cleaning system has a number of additional modules which can be connected to one another. This makes it possible, starting from a basic unit that can be inexpensively produced in large numbers, by using a plurality of additional modules that can be connected to one another and / or to the basic unit, to provide an extremely sophisticated floor cleaning system that can be used to reliably solve a large number of complex cleaning tasks.

It is particularly advantageous if a plurality of additional modules can be detachably connected to the floor cleaning device independently of one another, since this has the advantage that their assembly can be simplified. In particular, it is then not absolutely necessary that the use of a specific additional

modules can only be electrically and mechanically connected to the floor cleaning device if an additional module is used.

An additional module can include, for example, an obstacle detection sensor for the contactless detection of an obstacle. This enables a particularly advantageous navigation of the floor cleaning device connected to the additional module in such a way that it can avoid an obstacle without first having to touch it. A camera, an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor can be used as the contactless obstacle detection sensor, for example.

In a preferred embodiment, an additional module comprises a distance detection sensor for detecting a distance to an obstacle. This makes it possible to move the floor cleaning device equipped with the additional module, for example, along a wall by maintaining a predetermined distance from the wall.

An infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor can also be used as a distance detection sensor, for example. It is particularly favorable if the distance detection sensor provides an analog signal which is dependent on the distance to an obstacle and which can be fed to an electrical evaluation unit, preferably with the interposition of an analog-digital converter.

The dirt pick-up unit of the floor cleaning device can be configured, for example, as a sweeping brush which can be driven by an electric motor and can be used to sweep a floor surface to be cleaned. Here can

In addition, a device for moistening the floor area can be used. In particular with such a configuration of the dirt holding unit, it is advantageous if an additional module has a suction turbine, since this can provide a suction air flow that increases the cleaning effect of the dirt holding unit. The additional module can additionally comprise a dirt collecting container which is in flow connection with the suction turbine.

The suction turbine preferably forms an insert that can be inserted into a housing of the floor cleaning device. The latter can be cup-shaped, for example, and can be inserted into the housing of the floor cleaning device from above. Alternatively, it can be provided that the insert is designed like a drawer and can be inserted laterally into the housing of the floor cleaning device.

The suction air flow provided by the suction turbine is preferably passed through a dirt inlet opening in the housing of the floor cleaning device and advantageously also passes through the dirt collecting container. In order to be able to reliably detect a blockage of the suction air flow in a structurally simple manner, it is advantageous if the suction turbine is assigned an overload sensor for detecting an overload of the suction turbine. The overload sensor can be configured, for example, in the form of a current monitoring circuit with which the motor current of the suction turbine can be monitored. If the motor current exceeds a preferably predeterminable maximum value, the current monitoring circuit can provide a control signal, which is sent from an assigned evaluation unit, which, for example, into a control unit of the corresponding additional module or

alternatively integrated in the control electronics of the floor cleaning device, can be evaluated.

As already mentioned, the floor cleaning device comprises a rechargeable energy supply unit which the user can connect to a charging unit for recharging. It is particularly advantageous if the energy supply unit can be recharged automatically. For this purpose, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the floor cleaning system according to the invention, an additional module is provided which comprises a receiving unit for detecting direction-dependent target radiation and for aligning the floor cleaning device in the direction of the target radiation, the additional module being assigned a central charging station for recharging the energy supply unit of the floor cleaning device and the charging station has a transmitting device for emitting the target radiation. The state of charge of the energy supply unit of the floor cleaning device can be monitored by the control electronics of the floor cleaning device. If the state of charge reaches a lower limit, the floor cleaning device can automatically control the assigned central charging station, which has an energy source for recharging the energy supply unit, when using the aforementioned additional module. For this purpose, a target radiation, for example infrared radiation or radio radiation, is emitted by the transmitting device of the charging station. When traveling along the floor surface to be cleaned, the floor cleaning device comes into the area of the target radiation, which can be detected by the receiver unit of the additional module in a direction-dependent manner, so that the floor cleaning device can align itself on the basis of the received target radiation and can control the charging station.

It is particularly advantageous if the central charging station is assigned a suction unit for suctioning the dirt collecting container of the floor cleaning device. This makes it possible to suck off the dirt collecting container of the floor cleaning device by means of the suction unit during the loading process. Manual emptying of the dirt collecting container can thus be dispensed with.

The control electronics of the floor cleaning device is coupled to its collision detection sensor, so that the direction of travel of the floor cleaning device can be changed when hitting an obstacle in order to avoid the obstacle. In this case, a change in the direction of travel by a random angle can be provided or also a fixed change in direction. In order to improve the navigation of the floor cleaning device, in a preferred embodiment the floor cleaning device comprises an additional module with an electronic memory unit and with a microprocessor which can be connected to the control electronics of the floor cleaning device. As a result, the storage capacity and the computing power of the floor cleaning device can be increased considerably as required. This in turn enables more intelligent navigation, so that a floor area can be cleaned effectively within a shorter time. For example, it can be provided that the microprocessor of the additional module can be connected via the control electronics of the floor cleaning device to a fill level sensor which monitors the fill level of a dirt collecting container arranged on the floor cleaning device. This enables the signal provided by the level sensor to be used to navigate the floor cleaning device. A sensor signal provided by the fill level sensor can thus be evaluated with regard to the current amount of dirt,

in order to maintain the current direction of travel when there is a small amount of dirt and, in a particularly preferred embodiment, to increase the driving speed of the floor cleaning device. However, if an increased amount of dirt is detected on the basis of the sensor signal from the level sensor, the direction of travel can be controlled with the help of the additional module due to the increased computing power ensured by the microprocessor and the increased storage capacity due to the additional storage unit that is used, so that floor areas with increased dirt accumulation are often and preferably run over at a lower speed.

It is particularly advantageous if the additional module comprising the electronic storage unit and the microprocessor has sensors for contactless detection of the surroundings of the additional module, for example an electronic camera, since this can additionally improve the navigation of the floor cleaning device. In particular, floor areas with increased dirt accumulation can be combined with simultaneously occurring environmental data, which are provided by the sensors for contactless detection of the closer environment.

In order to simplify the operation of the floor cleaning system, it is advantageous if an additional module comprises a display unit, a speech recognition circuit and / or an interface for establishing a wireless connection, for example via the Internet, to a command input device, for example a cell phone. A personal computer which can be connected to the additional module via a wired or wireless connection can also be used as the central command input device.

The floor cleaning system according to the invention is not limited to the additional modules explained in detail above. Further additional modules can be used which, for example, have crash sensors and / or position sensors. The use of crash sensors ensures that the floor cleaning device changes its direction of travel when a maximum distance between the floor surface to be cleaned and the undercarriage is exceeded and thus does not drive over a floor edge or step. If the floor cleaning device is equipped with an additional module that includes a position sensor, it can determine its current position and thus carry out a navigation that is optimally adapted to the respective geometry of the floor area to be cleaned, in order to clean the floor area in the shortest possible time. Such crash and position sensors are known to the person skilled in the art.

The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves in conjunction with the drawing for a more detailed explanation. Show it:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a floor cleaning system according to the invention with a floor cleaning device and several additional modules and

Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of the floor cleaning device with the housing removed.

FIG. 1 shows a highly schematic floor cleaning system, which is denoted overall by reference number 10, which comprises a floor cleaning device 12 and a plurality of additional modules 60, 70, 80, 110 and 120, which are explained in detail below, which can be detachably connected to the floor cleaning device 12.

The floor cleaning device 12 has a housing 14 with two half-shell housing parts 15, 16 and a three-part cover 17, which comprises a central cover part 18, a central cover part 19 and an outer cover part 20. The central cover part 18 is circular and is surrounded by the ring-shaped middle cover part 19, which in turn is surrounded by the ring-shaped outer cover part 20.

The floor cleaning device 12 is designed as a self-propelled and self-steering sweeper. As can be seen from Figure 2, the floor cleaning device 12 comprises a carriage 22, in which a dirt collecting container 24 is integrated. For this purpose, the undercarriage 22 has a top wall 26 and a bottom wall 27, which define between them a channel 28 which connects a dirt inlet opening 30 formed in the bottom wall 27 to the dirt collecting container 24. The housing 14, which is not shown in FIG. 2 for better clarity, can be placed on the undercarriage 22. Two drive wheels are rotatably mounted on the chassis 22, only one drive wheel 32 being shown in FIG. Each drive wheel 32 is assigned an electric drive motor in a manner known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing. The drive motors are controlled by means of one positioned on the ceiling wall 26

Control electronics 34, which includes a module detection unit 35 explained in more detail below.

The dirt inlet opening 30 is penetrated by sweeping brushes 37 of a brush roller 38 which is rotatably mounted on the undercarriage 22 and which forms a dirt pick-up unit for picking up and transferring dirt from a floor surface 40 to be cleaned into the dirt collecting container 24. The brush roller 38 can be rotated by means of an electric motor 42 which sits above the brush roller 38 on the ceiling wall 26 and is coupled to the brush roller 38 via known transmission means and therefore not shown in the drawing.

The electrical consumers of the brush cleaning device 12 are supplied with energy by means of a rechargeable energy supply unit in the form of a rechargeable battery 44 which is arranged in a rear region of the top wall 26 facing away from the brush roller 38.

The top wall 26 has a plurality of openings 46, the underside, i. H. within the dirt collecting container 24, are covered by a dirt filter 47 which is detachably held within the dirt collecting container 24.

In order to provide the user of the floor cleaning device 12 with access to the dirt collecting container 24, the bottom wall 27 comprises a bottom flap 49 which is detachably connected to the undercarriage 22 and which can be removed from the undercarriage 22 in order to close the dirt collecting container 24

empty and allow the user access to the replaceable dirt filter 47.

A fill level sensor 51 in the form of a light barrier is arranged within the channel 28 between the brush roller 38 and the dirt collecting container 24. The fill level sensor 51 is connected to the control electronics 34 via a signal line known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing, and provides the fill electronics with a fill level signal.

As already explained, the housing 14 is held on the undercarriage 22 of the floor cleaning device 12. Here, the housing part 15 is rigidly connected to the undercarriage 22, for example by means of a snap-in connection, while the housing part 16 is movably held on the undercarriage 22 and, in combination with Hall sensors, which are not shown in the drawing and are known per se, forms a collision detection sensor 53 by displacing the housing part 16 is detected relative to the chassis 22 by the Hall sensors, which then provide the control electronics 34 with a collision signal.

To clean the floor surface 40, the mobile floor cleaning device 12 can be moved along the floor surface 40, the floor surface being swept by means of the brush roller 38 and dirt being transferred into the dirt collecting container 24. The floor cleaning device 12 automatically moves along the floor surface 40 to be cleaned in accordance with a control program specified for the control electronics 34 until the charge state of the battery 44 monitored by the control electronics 34 falls below a predetermined lower limit value or is detected by the fill level sensor 51 that the dirt collecting container 24 is full is. Is at least one of these conditions

fulfilled, the floor cleaning device 12 gives the user an optical and / or acoustic signal which indicates to the user that either the battery 44 has to be recharged or the dirt collecting container 24 has to be emptied.

As already explained, the floor cleaning system 10 comprises a plurality of additional modules to supplement the floor cleaning device 12, which additional modules can be detachably connected to the floor cleaning device 12. A first additional module 60 can be connected to the chassis 22 instead of the housing part 16. For this purpose, it is necessary to first separate the housing part 16 which is detachably connected to the chassis 22 from the chassis 22, and then the first additional module 60 can be connected to the chassis 22. The first additional module 60 comprises an obstacle detection sensor, with the aid of which an obstacle can be detected without contact. The first additional module 60 has a housing shell 61 corresponding to the shape of the housing part 16, on which a plurality of infrared sensors 62 are held and which carries a control unit 63 electrically connected to the infrared sensors 62 on the inside, ie facing the chassis 22. In addition, a radially outward drive shaft 64 is rotatably held on the housing shell 61 and carries a disk brush 65 at its free end projecting beyond the housing shell 61. If the first additional module 60 is connected to the undercarriage 22, an operative connection is established between the brush roller 38 and the drive shaft 64 via the mechanical coupling means known to the person skilled in the art and therefore not shown in the drawing, so that not only the brush roller 38 is used with the aid of the electric motor 42 , but the plate brush 65 can also be rotated via the drive shaft 64. The result of this is that an edge region of the housing 14 projecting laterally from the housing 14

Bottom surface 40 can be cleaned by means of the plate brush 65. Alternatively, it can be provided that the first additional module 60 comprises an electric motor, with the aid of which the plate brush 65 can be driven in rotation.

When the first additional module 60 is mounted on the chassis 22, an electrical connection is established between the control unit 63 and the control electronics 34 and the module detection unit 35 via a plug connection, which is not shown in the drawing and is known per se, and recognizes that this is the control unit of the first additional module 60 acts. If the floor cleaning device 12 equipped with the first additional module 60 approaches an obstacle, the infrared sensors 62 provide an electrical signal which is dependent on the distance between the floor cleaning device 12 and the obstacle. This makes it possible to move the floor cleaning device 12 at a constant distance from the obstacle, for example from a wall, by means of the control unit 63 and the control electronics 34, the area between the floor cleaning device 12 and the obstacle being able to be cleaned by means of the plate brush 65. If the temperature falls below a lower limit value, the floor cleaning device 12 changes its direction of travel so that an obstacle can be avoided without being touched by the floor cleaning device 12.

In order to intensify the cleaning action of the brush roller 38, a second additional module 70 can be inserted into the housing 14 of the floor cleaning device 12 after the cover 17 has been removed, the second additional module 70 comprising a suction turbine 71 which, when the second additional module 70 is inserted into the housing 14 can be positioned in the area of the openings 46 on the ceiling wall 26 of the undercarriage 22, so that by means of the suction turbine

71, a suction flow can be generated, with the aid of which dirt can be transferred from the floor surface 40 through the dirt inlet opening 30 via the channel 28 into the dirt collecting container 24, the suction flow then passing through the dirt filter 47 and reaching the suction turbine via the openings 46. The cleaning effect of the floor cleaning device 12 can be increased considerably by means of the second additional module 70.

In order to be able to reliably detect an overload of the suction turbine 71, the second additional module 70 has an overload sensor in the form of a current monitoring circuit 72 and an electrically connected control unit 73 which, when the second additional module 70 is inserted into the housing 14, via electrical connecting means, for example one Plug connection with which the control electronics 34 of the floor cleaning device 12 can be electrically connected and is recognized by the module recognition unit 35 as a control unit of the second additional module 70. An overload of the suction turbine 71 can occur, for example, if the dirt filter 47 is clogged. If this is the case, the current monitoring circuit 72 and the control unit 73 connected to it can be used to provide the control electronics 34 with an electrical signal, on the basis of which the floor cleaning device 12 can indicate the presence of an overload to the user via an acoustic and / or visual display. The current monitoring circuit 72 also gives the possibility of monitoring the nature of the floor surface 40 to be cleaned, since different engine powers are required depending on its nature in order to achieve a suction flow. If the floor surface 40 to be cleaned is a carpeted floor, this requires higher motor outputs and thus higher motor currents

than when cleaning a hard surface. In addition to the occurrence of an overload, the current monitoring circuit 72 of the control unit 73 and the control electronics 34 can therefore provide a signal which is dependent on the nature of the ground.

The second additional module 70 has on the top side a module cover 74 configured in three parts in accordance with the cover 17 of the housing 14, with a central module cover part 75, a central module cover part 76 and an outer module cover part 77. The second additional module 70 forms in the area between the module cover 74 and the suction turbine 71 a receptacle 78 in which a further additional module can optionally be inserted.

As already explained, the state of charge of the battery 44 is monitored electronically. To recharge the battery 44, the user can connect it to a voltage source. Alternatively, after removing the central cover part 18 or, if the second additional module 70 is also used, after removing the central module cover part 75, the user can insert a third additional module 80 into the housing 14 of the floor cleaning device 12 or into the receptacle 78 of the second additional module 70, and provide a central charging station 81 assigned to the third additional module 80. The third additional module 80 has a substantially cylindrical module housing 82 which is surrounded by a contact ring 83 which, when the third additional module 80 is inserted into the housing 14 or the second additional module 70, sits on the middle cover part 19 or the middle module cover part 76 and Is electrically connectable to the control electronics 34 via electrical connecting elements, for example a plug connection. The module housing 82 accommodates a control unit 84 and carries infrared light

sensitive sensors 85, 86, which are connected to the control unit 84 via signal lines (not shown in the drawing) and can use these to provide the control electronics 34 with a sensor signal. Target radiation 87 can be detected in a direction-dependent manner by means of infrared sensors 85, 86 and is emitted by transmitter units in the form of infrared light-emitting diodes 88, 89 of central charging station 81. If the floor cleaning device 12 equipped with the third additional module 80 is moved along the floor surface 40, then the infrared sensors 85, 86 detect the target radiation 87. As a result, the central charging station 81 can be controlled by the floor cleaning device 12 if the state of charge of the battery 44 falls below a lower limit value. The central charging station 81 carries two electrical contact elements 91, 92 in the area between the two infrared light-emitting diodes 88, 89, and corresponding contact elements 93, 94 are held on the outside of the module housing 82 of the third additional module 80, said contact elements being held via the contact ring 83 with the battery 44 are electrically connectable. The central charging station 81 comprises a charger known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing, which can be connected to a mains voltage and is connected to the electrical contact elements 91, 92. When the third additional module 80 is used, electrical energy can thus be transmitted from the central charging station 81 to the floor cleaning device 12 via the electrical contact elements 91, 92 and 93, 94 for recharging the battery 44.

The central charging station 81 can be inserted into a receptacle 96 of a central suction unit 97, which comprises a suction unit 98 and a dirt holding container 99, which is in flow connection with a suction opening 101 via a suction channel 100. Becomes the central charging station

81 inserted into the receptacle 96, while the battery 44 is being recharged, the dirt collecting container 24 of the floor cleaning device 12 can simultaneously be suctioned off by means of the central suction unit 97, by the floor cleaning device 12 automatically aligning itself with the central suction unit 97 due to the target radiation 87 such that the discharge - Suction opening 101 is aligned with the dirt inlet opening 30. As soon as a charging current flows via the electrical contact elements 91, 92 and 93, 94, the suction unit 98 can be set in motion, so that it can pass through the channel 28 and the dirt inlet opening 30 of the undercarriage 22 and then through the suction opening 101 and the suction channel 100 forms a suction flow therethrough and consequently the dirt collecting container 24 can be emptied simultaneously with the recharging of the battery 44.

In order to control the floor cleaning device 12 more efficiently so that the time for cleaning a floor area can be reduced, a fourth additional module 110 can be connected to the middle cover part 19 of the cover 17 or, if the second is used, by establishing an electrical connection, for example by means of a plug connection Additional modules 70 and / or the third additional module 80 are placed on the middle module cover part 76 or the contact ring 83. The fourth additional module 110 has a hollow cylindrical module housing 111 which carries a large number of infrared sensors 112 distributed uniformly over its circumference, with the aid of which the surroundings of the fourth additional module 110 can be detected. The module housing 111 accommodates a control unit 113, which comprises an electronic storage unit 114 and a microprocessor 115. If the fourth additional module 110 is connected to the floor cleaning device 12, the control unit 113 of the

Module recognition unit is recognized and an electrical connection is established between the control unit 113 and the control electronics 34, which in turn is connected to the fill level sensor 51. By means of the control unit 113, due to the additional storage capacity provided by the storage unit 114 and due to the additional computing power of the microprocessor 115, an analog signal provided by the fill level sensor 51 can be evaluated in such a way that the amount of dirt recorded per unit of time is recorded, stored and used to control the Driving direction and the driving speed of the floor cleaning device 12 can be used. If the floor surface 40 to be cleaned is only slightly soiled, relatively little dirt is transferred into the dirt collecting container 24. The consequence of this is that the light radiation provided by the fill level sensor 51 is only slightly interrupted. However, if there is severe contamination, the light radiation from the fill level sensor 51 is interrupted more frequently. The interruption of the light radiation is detected by the level sensor 51, which consequently provides different signals depending on the amount of dirt. The respective dirt pickup can be recorded by the storage unit 113 and combined with data that are provided by the infrared sensors 112. This makes it possible to drive over floor areas with heavier soiling more frequently, the floor cleaning device 12 having a lower driving speed in order to effectively clean these floor areas. The navigation of the floor cleaning device can thus be considerably improved by means of the fourth additional module 110.

In order to simplify the communication of the floor cleaning device 12 with a user, the outer cover part 20 of the cover 17 or, if the

Set of the second additional module 70, a fifth additional module 120 are placed on the outer module cover part 77. This has a very flat, hollow-cylindrical module housing 121 which surrounds a control unit 122 and a speech recognition circuit 123 and an interface 124 for establishing a wireless connection, for example via the Internet, to a central command input device (not shown in the drawing), for example a cell phone or a personal computer , On the top, the module housing 121 carries a display unit known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing, for example an LCD display, and an input keyboard 125, with the aid of which the control unit 122 can be programmed by the user. The use of the fifth additional module 120 enables remote control of the floor cleaning device 12 and programming by a user. As a result, the floor cleaning device 12 can be optimized to solve special cleaning programs, in particular the navigation of the floor cleaning device 12 can be additionally improved. In addition, the fifth additional module 120 enables the operating states of the floor cleaning device 12 to be queried remotely.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the floor cleaning device 12, without using the additional modules 60, 70, 80, 110, 120, forms a basic device which can be inexpensively produced in large numbers and with which a floor surface 40 can be cleaned. If the functionality of the floor cleaning device 12 is to be increased, the user can releasably connect an additional module or a number of additional modules to the floor cleaning device 12, in order to thereby upgrade the floor cleaning device 12 as required.

Claims

GODFATHER CLAIMS

1. Floor cleaning system with a self-propelled and self-controlling floor cleaning device comprising a chassis with drive wheels which can be driven by an electric motor, a rechargeable energy supply unit, a dirt collecting unit and control electronics which are coupled to a collision detection sensor, characterized in that the floor cleaning system (10) has at least one additional module (60; 70 ; 80; 110; 120), which is releasably connectable to the floor cleaning device (12) and interacts with its control electronics (34).

2. Floor cleaning system according to claim 1, characterized in that the floor cleaning system (10) has a dirt collecting container (24).

3. Floor cleaning system according to claim 2, characterized in that the dirt collecting container (24) in the chassis (22) of the floor cleaning device (12) is integrated.

4. Floor cleaning system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the fill level of the dirt collecting container (24) can be monitored by means of a fill level sensor (51).

5. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional module (60; 70; 80; 110; 120) forms a manageable assembly.

6. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional module (60; 70; 80; 110; 120) in a housing (14) of the floor cleaning device (12) can be used or can be placed on the housing (14).

7. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional module (60; 70; 80; 110; 120) comprises a control unit (63; 73; 84; 113; 122) with the control electronics (34) of the floor cleaning device (12) is electrically connectable.

8. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control electronics (34) of the floor cleaning device (12) comprises a module detection unit (35).

9. Floor cleaning system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the control electronics (34) can be connected via a BUS connection to a control unit (63; 73; 84; 113; 122).

10. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional module (60; 70; 80; 110) has at least one sensor (62; 72; 85, 86; 112).

11. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floor cleaning system (10) has a plurality of interconnectable additional modules (60; 70; 80; 110; 120).

12. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the floor cleaning system (10) has a plurality of additional modules (60; 70; 80; 110; 120) which can be releasably connected to the floor cleaning device (12) independently of one another.

13. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additional module (60) comprises an obstacle detection sensor (62) for contactless detection of an obstacle.

14. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additional module (60) comprises a distance detection sensor (62) for detecting a distance to an obstacle.

15. Floor cleaning system according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the obstacle detection sensor and / or the distance detection sensor forms an infrared sensor (62).

16. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additional module (70) has a suction turbine (71).

17. Floor cleaning system according to claim 16, characterized in that the suction turbine (71) forms an insert insertable into a housing (14) of the floor cleaning device (12).

18. Floor cleaning system according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the suction turbine (71) is associated with an overload sensor (72) for detecting an overload of the suction turbine (71).

19. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additional module (80) comprises a receiving unit (85, 86) for direction-dependent detection of target radiation (87) and for aligning the floor cleaning device (12) in the direction of the target radiation (87), The additional module (80) is assigned a central charging station (81) for recharging the energy supply unit (44) of the floor cleaning device (12) and the central charging station (81) has a transmitting device (88, 89) for emitting the target radiation (87).

20. Floor cleaning device according to claim 19, characterized in that the central charging station (81) is assigned a suction unit (97) for suction of the dirt collecting container (24) of the floor cleaning device (12).

21. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additional module (110) comprises an electronic storage unit (114) and a microprocessor (115) with

the control electronics (34) of the floor cleaning device (12) can be connected.

22. Floor cleaning system according to claim 21, characterized in that the additional module (110) has sensors (112) for contactless detection of the surroundings of the additional module (110).

23. Floor cleaning system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an additional module (120) comprises a display unit, a speech recognition circuit (123) and / or an interface (124) for establishing a wireless connection to a command input device.