Patent Application
20090031508
This invention relates to discs and associated components intended principally, although not necessarily exclusively, for cleaners of liquid-containing vessels and more particularly to automatic pool cleaners having discs with rigidized fins or other protrusions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,054 to Dawson, et al., commonly-owned with this application, illustrates examples of discs having flexible fins. The fins extend upward beyond the peripheries of the (generally planar portions of the) discs. As noted in the Dawson patent, these fins “assist [the disc] in maneuvering over many objects (such as drains, lights, valves, and nozzles) projecting from internal surfaces of pools.” See Dawson, col. 2, 11. 59-61. Because located at the peripheries of discs, the fins also “contact most protrusions before the remainder[s] of” the discs. See id., 1. 63.
Commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,443 to Rice, et al. discloses additional examples of discs having flexible fins. Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/708,925 of Moore, et al. describes yet additional sample discs with flexible fins. The finned portions of these discs typically form the forwardmost structure of their associated pool cleaners, so that they usually contact protrusions and other obstacles in advance of the remainders of the cleaners. Stated in the Moore application is that the fins “provid[e] sufficient rigidity to [the] disc to enable it to ride over various objects, including many drains, lights, valves, and other nozzles, projecting from internal surfaces of pools.” See Moore, p. 8, 11. 20-22.
In these and other discs having fins (or similar outwardly-extending protrusions), the fins and generally planar portions of the discs are usually integrally formed. The fins of the Dawson and Rice patents, for example, may be molded together with generally planar portions of the corresponding discs. Fins of the Moore application, likewise, may be molded together with the forward section of the disc.
Lacking, therefore, from these patents and application is any discussion of outwardly-extending protrusions that comprise multiple pieces. Similarly lacking is any discussion of adaptors for the fins to accommodate circumstances in which the coefficient of friction of, e.g., the leading edge of the disc needs to be decreased or when lateral bending of the fins needs to be discouraged. Also not specifically addressed is any mechanism for enhancing integrated movement of the fins and planar disc sections when desired.
The present invention includes components configured to resolve the foregoing issues. Among these components are separate members, or covers, for the fins or other protrusions. Facially resembling false fingernails in some embodiments, the covers may be placed onto fins and removed therefrom as needed. Presently-preferred versions of the covers are made from material (a) more rigid and (b) having lower coefficient of friction than the fins, hence both discouraging lateral bending of the fins and decreasing frictional contact with surfaces when certain obstacles or walls are encountered by a corresponding disc operating within a pool. Versions of the covers also may contact planar portions of the disc adjacent the fins, resulting in more coordinated upward movement of the fins and planar portions in selected circumstances.
A cover of the invention may, if desired, be molded or otherwise formed in a single piece, with a generally horizontal portion and an upwardly-curved, generally vertically-oriented portion. The interior of the cover is hollow, allowing it to slide onto (over) and receive a fin. Frictional contact between the fin and interior of the cover may retain the cover in place, especially (although not exclusively) when the fin has non-uniform width.
Included as part of the generally horizontal portion of the cover may be a lower cut-out into which the generally planar portion of a disc is fitted. So fitting the planar portion permits the cover to contact both a fin and the planar portion, allowing the cover to influence motion of both portions of the disc jointly. The lower cut-out also arguably helps guide the fin for receipt by the hollow receiving portion of the cover.
It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide covers for protruding portions of discs.
It also is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide covers that are separable from the discs, which covers may be added or removed as necessary or desired.
It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide covers made from material of greater rigidity than the protruding portions of discs with which they are associated.
It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide covers made from material having lower coefficient of friction than the protruding portions of discs with which they are associated.
It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide covers which, when in use, retain associated protruding portions of a disc via frictional fit.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide automatic swimming pool cleaners including discs with which the covers may be used.
Other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be apparent to those of requisite skill in appropriate fields with reference to the remaining text and drawings of this application.
Depicted in
Whether a one- or multi-piece structure, cover 10 may include generally vertically-oriented portion 18 and generally horizontal portion 22. As shown in
Generally vertically-oriented portion 18 may comprise wall 38 and, at upper end 42, cap 46. Wall 38 has generally U-shaped cross-section, thus forming hollow area 50 into which fin 30 may be frictionally fitted. Cap 46 functions as a stop, contacting uppermost part 54 of fin 30 when cover 10 is properly positioned.
Generally horizontal portion 22 may include spaced walls 58 and 62, with walls 58 and 62 being connected at end 66 by bridge 70. Walls 58 and 62 also are integrally formed with (or connected to) wall 38. Additionally incorporated into portion 22 may be cut-outs 74 and 78, in which parts of walls 58 and 62, respectively, are not present. Cut-outs 74 and 78, hence, may serve to receive generally planar portion 82 of disc 14. In such event respective edges 86 and 90 of cut-outs 74 and 78 may act as stops by contacting periphery 34 when cover 10 is properly seated on fin 30.
Although bridge 70 is among various optional features of cover 10, if present it may be useful in guiding fin 30 into hollow area 50. In particular, bridge 70 may contact and slide along trailing edge 94 of fin 30 as cover 10 is being positioned onto the fin 30. Thereafter, bridge 70 may at times function too as a stop, preventing unwanted downward movement of cover 10 relative to generally planar portion 82 of disc 14.
Enhancing rigidity of fins 30 utilizing covers 10 also may inhibit undesired lateral bending of the fins 30. Such lateral bending otherwise may occur when fins 30 contact obstacles or walls within pools. When fins 30 bend laterally upon contacting a vertical pool wall, the bending sometimes inhibits the associated cleaner from climbing the wall. Thus, preventing lateral bending of fins 30 may, at times, improve at least climbing performance of the cleaner.
The configuration and rigid nature of cover 10 also tend to integrate upward movement of fins 30 and disc 14. As a fin 30 commences upward flexing, end 66 of cover 10 begins depressing planar portion 82. This action in turn causes the portion of disc 14 between end 66 and periphery 34 to flex upward too. The overall effect of this activity is to decrease suction force applied to disc 14 near periphery 34, facilitating continued lifting of disc 14 when prompted to do so by the upward motion of fins 30.
The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. The disclosures of the Dawson and Rice patents and of the Moore application are hereby incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.
