Vacuum apparatus having a plug-in module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11337574-B2
Application number	US-201816498105-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2018
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a system, comprising a vacuum apparatus having a vacuum apparatus housing and having at least one vacuum apparatus mains socket, the at least one vacuum apparatus mains socket being attached to the vacuum apparatus housing. According to the disclosure, the system additionally comprises a plug-in module, having a plug-in module communication unit, an electrical plug-in module mains plug unit, and a current control unit, which is designed to control an electrical current between the plug-in module and the vacuum apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a vacuum device having a housing, a vacuum drive device mounted on the housing, and a network socket attached to the housing, the vacuum device operably connected to an external network socket; and
a plug-in module including a communication device, a network plug unit connected to the network socket of the vacuum device, and a current control device, the current control device configured to control an electric current supplied to the vacuum drive device from the external network socket based on a first signal received by the communication device,
wherein the first signal is a wireless signal transmitted from a power tool, and
wherein the first signal corresponds to an operating state of the power tool.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to receive the first signal from at least one external communication device of the power tool, and
the first signal is a communication signal.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to convert the first signal into a second signal, and
the second signal is an electric signal.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to relay the second signal in a wired manner to the current control device.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:
the current control device comprises a signal control device and an electric load, and
the signal control device is configured to receive the second signal.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5 , wherein:
the plug-in module further includes at least one network socket,
the network plug unit of the plug-in module is detachably connectable to the external network socket, and
a power supply cable of the vacuum device is detachably connectable to the at least one network socket of the plug-in module.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
the current control device includes a switching device, and
the signal control device is configured to switch the second signal to the switching device in response to the power supply cable being connected to the network socket of the plug-in module and the network plug unit of the plug-in module being connected to the external network socket.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the switching device is configured to receive the second signal and to switch a wired connection between the network socket of the plug-in module and the network plug unit of the plug-in module.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plug-in module is detachably connectable to (i) the network socket of the vacuum device, and (ii) the external network socket.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a power tool having a communication device, the power tool being one of a handheld power tool and a stationary power tool,
wherein the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to establish a communication connection with the communication device of the power tool to receive the first signal.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to establish a direct communication connection with the communication device of the power tool.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to establish an indirect communication connection with the communication device of the power tool via an external communication device that is spaced apart from the vacuum device, the power tool, and the plug-in module.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10 further comprising:
a sensor module having a communication device and a sensor.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the sensor module is detachably connected to a vacuum hose of the vacuum device.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein:
the sensor is configured to detect operating states of the power tool;
the vacuum hose is connected to the power tool;
the sensor is configured to transmit the detected operating states in a wired manner to the communication device of the sensor module; and
the communication device of the sensor module is configured to transmit the first signal to the plug-in module.

16. A system, comprising:
a vacuum device having a housing, a vacuum drive device mounted on the housing, and at least one network socket mounted on the housing, the vacuum device operably connected to an external network socket; and
a plug-in module having a communication device, an electrical network plug unit connected to the at least one network socket, and a current control device configured to control an electric current supplied to the vacuum drive device from the external network socket,
wherein the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to receive a first signal from at least one external communication device of the power tool,
wherein the communication device of the plug-in module is configured to convert the first signal into a second signal that is an electric signal,
wherein the current control device comprises a signal control device and an electric load, the signal control device unit configured to receive the second signal,
wherein the signal control device is configured to switch the second signal to the electric load, and
wherein the electric load is configured to receive the second signal, convert the second signal into a third signal, and relay the third signal to the electrical network plug unit for supplying the electric current to the vacuum drive device.

17. A system comprising:
a vacuum device having a housing, a vacuum drive device mounted on the housing, a power supply cable operably connected to the vacuum drive device and including a first network plug unit, and a first network socket attached to the housing; and
a plug-in module including a communication device, a second network plug unit, a second network socket, and a current control device,
wherein when (i) the first network plug unit is received by an external network socket, and (ii) the second network plug is received by the first network socket, the current control device is configured to control an electric current supplied to the vacuum drive device from the external network socket based on a first signal received by the communication device from a power tool, and
wherein when (i) the first network plug unit is received by the second network socket, and (ii) the second network plug is received by the external network socket, the current control device is configured to control the electric current supplied to the vacuum drive device from the external network socket based on the first signal received by the communication device from the power tool.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Tauber Matthias
• Hartmann Tim
• Schadow Joachim
• Vogt Hans-Joachim
• Pogorzelski Kamil
• Stock Joern
• Van Den Bogaert Philippe
• Klingler Micha
• Wismer Michael
• Dengler Klaus
• Hain Frederic

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47L7/0095

  Suction cleaners or attachments adapted to collect dust or waste from power tools · CPC title

• A47L5/365

  of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type · CPC title

• A47L9/2894 Primary

  Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners · CPC title

• A47L9/2842

  Suction motors or blowers · CPC title