Patent Application
20210348413
Artificial bodies of water, such as swimming pools or spas, are prevalent across the globe and are particularly popular in industrialized nations. These bodies of water require regular cleaning and are particularly prone to accumulating debris when they are located outside. Current solutions for cleaning the artificial water bodies have many drawbacks. Some may kill some microbes, but are not effective for eliminating tangible debris, such as leaves, dirt or insects. Others have a disadvantage that dirt that is dislodged from surfaces is not removed from the water. Others require the user to use their hands during operation, cause great strain on the user to operate, can lead to discomfort and pain in the neck, back, shoulders, arms and hands following arduous or extended periods of cleaning, or may be very costly and require expensive maintenance. There is currently an unmet need for a cost efficient, manually powered, hands-free option for removing debris from water bodies.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the above-mentioned shortcomings and drawbacks associated with the current technology. The presently disclosed invention relates to an apparatus for vacuum cleaning artificial bodies of water that is liquid-submersible, designed to be worn on the foot during operation, and frees the hands for other functions and minimizing or eliminating the discomfort associated with current hands-on devices.
The presently disclosed invention relates to a hands-free, manually-propelled solution for vacuum cleaning shallow bodies of water.
The presently claimed invention relates to a vacuum heads and methods of use. The vacuum head also includes an outer shell having a lower ventral wall and an upper dorsal wall. The vacuum head also includes a harness attached to the dorsal wall. The vacuum head also includes a base brush extending downward from the ventral wall. The vacuum head also includes an inlet positioned at an anterior end of the outer shell. The vacuum head also includes an outlet positioned at a posterior end of the outer shell. The vacuum head also includes an inner channel fluidly connecting the inlet to the outlet. The vacuum head also includes an outer shell having a lower ventral wall and an upper dorsal wall. The vacuum head also includes a harness attached to the dorsal wall. The vacuum head also includes a base brush extending downward from the ventral wall. The vacuum head also includes an inlet positioned at an anterior end of the outer shell. The vacuum head also includes an outlet positioned at a posterior end of the outer shell. The vacuum head also includes an inner channel fluidly connecting the inlet to the outlet.
The presently claimed invention may include one or more of the following features. The vacuum head further including one or more fins extending outwardly from the outer shell. The vacuum head further including one or more of a left pectoral fin, a right pectoral fin, a tail fin, a left dorsal fin, a right dorsal fin, a left pelvic fin, and a right pelvic fin. The vacuum head where the base brush includes one or more bristle tracts. The vacuum head where the bristle tracts include between 5 and 15 bristle clusters. The vacuum head further including four bristle tracts, each one of parallel or coaxial with the other, and orthogonal to an anteroposterior axis. The vacuum head where a plurality of bristle tracts are positioned posterior to a mouth and anterior to the harness. The vacuum head where the one or more bristle tracts are releasably retained in tract grooves. The vacuum head where the harness includes a first and a second anchor attached to the dorsal wall and a strap attached to the anchors. The vacuum head where a heel support extends downward from the ventral wall, the heel support being positioned posterior to the harness and anterior to the outlet. The vacuum head where along a plane perpendicular to an anteroposterior axis the heel support has a linear cross section at a ground contact. The vacuum head where along a plane perpendicular to a lateral axis the heel support is continuously curved cross adjacent to a ground contact moving from an anterior to a posterior location with respect to the ground contact. The vacuum head where the heel support extends further downward from the ventral wall than bristles from the base brush. The vacuum head where a first portion of the outlet is vertically spaced above the inlet, and a second portion of the outlet is vertically in line with the inlet, with respect to an anteroposterior axis. The vacuum head where the inner channel tapers from the inlet, which is laterally wider, to the outlet, which is between one fourth and one half as wide as the inlet, and a height of the inner channel remain substantially same from the inlet to the outlet. The vacuum head further including a hose coupler adjacent to the posterior end and defining the outlet. The vacuum head where the hose coupler includes a tapered edge and a bump ridge. The vacuum head further including a pedi seat defined on the dorsal wall, and the outer shell being formed such that the vacuum head supports up to 250 pounds of force exerted downwardly across the pedi seat. Implementations of the described techniques may include apparatuses and methods.
The presently claimed invention further relates to a method of cleaning a submerged surface. The method of cleaning also includes attaching a vacuum head to a foot of a user, where the vacuum head includes an outer shell having a lower ventral wall and an upper dorsal wall; a harness attached to the dorsal wall; a base brush extending downward from the ventral wall; an inlet positioned at an anterior end of the outer shell; an outlet positioned at a posterior end of the outer shell; and an inner channel fluidly connecting the inlet to the outlet. The method of cleaning also includes attaching a vacuum hose to the outlet; and moving the vacuum head across the submerged surface.
According to further embodiments, the presently claimed invention relates to a vacuum head including an outer shell having a lower ventral wall and an upper dorsal wall. The vacuum head also includes a harness attached to the dorsal wall. The vacuum head also includes a base brush extending downward from the ventral wall. The vacuum head also includes an inlet positioned at an anterior end of the outer shell. The vacuum head also includes an outlet positioned at a posterior end of the outer shell. The vacuum head also includes an inner channel fluidly connecting the inlet to the outlet. a left pectoral fin, a right pectoral fin, a tail fin, a left dorsal fin, a right dorsal fin, a left pelvic fin, and a right pelvic fin, each extending outwardly from the outer shell; the base brush including four bristle tracts, each bristle track including nine bristle clusters. The vacuum head also includes each bristle tract being one of parallel or coaxial with the other, and orthogonal to an anteroposterior axis. The vacuum head also includes two of the bristle tracts being positioned parallel to one another, and posterior to a mouth and anterior to the harness. The vacuum head also includes the four bristle tracts being releasably retained in three tract grooves. The vacuum head also includes the harness including a first and a second anchor attached to the dorsal wall and a strap attached to the anchors. a heel support extending downward from the ventral wall, the heel support being positioned posterior to the strap and anterior to the outlet. The vacuum head also includes along a plane perpendicular to the anteroposterior axis the heel support has a linear cross section at a ground contact; along a plane perpendicular to a lateral axis the heel support is continuously curved cross adjacent to the ground contact, moving from an anterior to a posterior location with respect to the ground contact. The vacuum head also includes the heel support extending further downward from the ventral wall than bristles from the base brush. The vacuum head also includes a first portion of the outlet is vertically spaced above the inlet, and a second portion of the outlet is vertically in line with the inlet, with respect to the anteroposterior axis. The vacuum head also includes the inner channel tapers from the inlet, which is laterally wider, to the outlet, which is between one fourth and one half as wide as the inlet, and a height of the inner channel remain substantially same from the inlet to the outlet. The vacuum head also includes a hose coupler adjacent to the posterior end and defining the outlet, the hose coupler including a tapered edge and a bump ridge; a pedi seat defined on the dorsal wall, and the outer shell being formed such that the vacuum head supports up to 250 pounds of force exerted downwardly across the pedi seat.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the current technology discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore, the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is to be appreciated that while the accompanying drawings are to scale, such scale is not to be limiting on the disclosed invention as the emphasis is instead placed on illustrating the principles of the invention. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention will be understood by reference to the following detailed description, which should be read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It is to be appreciated that the following detailed description of various embodiments is by way of example only and is not meant to limit, in any way, the scope of the present invention. In the summary above, in the following detailed description, in the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the present invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features, not just those explicitly described. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also one or more other components. Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).
The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number),” this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm. The embodiments set forth the below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and illustrate the best mode of practicing the invention. In addition, the invention does not require that all the advantageous features and all the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the invention.
Turning now to
The outer shell 4 has a low profile, and broad and elongate dorsal and ventral walls 16, 18. The vacuum head 2 is generally wider towards an anterior end 20 of the vacuum head 2 and taper towards a posterior end 22 of the vacuum head 2. The arrangement of the outer shell 4 defines an anteroposterior axis 24, which runs from the anterior end 20 to the posterior end 22 and is substantially parallel to the ground 26, and a lateral axis 28, which is parallel to an extension of a left pectoral fin 30 and a right pectoral fin 32 and approximately a midway point in the height of the outer shell 4. The anteroposterior axis 34 is perpendicular to and intersects the lateral axis 28, and together the two axes define a coronal plane 48 that is approximately perpendicular to the ground 26 when the vacuum head 2 is in use, as shown in
As shown by the hatched region in
The outer shell 4 preferably has a plurality of fins that extend outward from the dorsal and ventral walls 16, 18, including a tail fin 38, a left and a right dorsal fin 40, 42, the left and the right pectoral fins 30, 32, and a left and a right pelvic fin 44, 46. The respective fins 30, 32, 38, 44, 46 both increase the shark like appearance of the vacuum head 2, and function to help the user maintain control of the vacuum head 2 as it is moved through the water. The fins 30, 32, 38, 44, 46 increase stability and aid in preventing unwanted pitch, roll, or yaw of the vacuum head 2, especially when the user is moving the vacuum head 2 through the water with respect to the ground 26.
The vacuum head 2 is preferably between 6 and 18 inches long, more preferably 9 to 16 inches long, most preferably 12 to 14 inches long along the anteroposterior axis 24. Not including the fins 30, 32, 38, 44, 46, the vacuum head 2 is preferably 4 to 14 inches wide, more preferably 6 to 12 inches wide, most preferably 8 to 10 inches wide along the lateral axis 28. Not including the base brush 8, fins, 30, 32, 38, 44, b, or heel support 50, discussed below, the vacuum head 2 is preferably 1 to 5 inches high, more preferably 2 to 4 inches high, most preferably 2.5 to 3.5 inches high, as measured in a vertical direction that is perpendicular to both the anteroposterior and lateral axes 24, 28.
Toward the posterior end 22 of the vacuum head 2, the heel support 50 extends downward from the ventral wall 18. The heel support 50 slopes downward gently from a midportion of the vacuum head 2 to a ground contact 52, and then preferably slopes upward steeply toward the posterior end 22 of the vacuum head. The ground contact 52 is designed to come into regular contact with the ground 26 when using the vacuum head 2 to clean a water body. The heel support 50 preferably has a linear cross section at the ground contact 52, parallel to the lateral axis 28, and is preferably continuously curved adjacent to the ground contact 52 moving from an anterior to a posterior location with respect to the ground contact 52. This increases stability of the vacuum head 2 during use and aids in preventing tipping or rolling in the left or right direction, while allowing the user to easily slide the vacuum head 2 forward along the ground 26, and further allowing the user to lean forward or backward along the curve at the ground contact 52, allowing more or less pressure to be put on the base brush 8, as is desired by the user.
The harness 6 extends over the pedi seat 36 and retains a foot onto the pedi seat 36 when the vacuum head 2 is in use. The harness 6 is preferably sized to releasably retain a variety of foot sizes, from a child to an adult male. Preferably the harness comprises a strap 54 and a first and a second anchor 56, 58, which attach the strap 54 to the outer shell 4. The strap 54 has a length of between 3 inches to 15 inches, more preferably between 5 inches and 12 inches, most preferably between 7 inches and 9 inches. The strap 54 may be elastic or non-elastic and may be in one continuous section or, as show in
In some embodiments, the harness 6 may be used to secure a left or right hand of the user, if the user chooses to use the apparatus with the user's hands. In some embodiments, the strap 54 may be removed and replaced. In some embodiments, the anchors 56, 58 are held in place using an engineering fit, particularly a transition fit. In other embodiments, the anchors 56, 58 are permanently attached to the outer shell 4, and the strap 54 is releasably attached thereto.
The base brush 8 comprises one or more plurality of bristles 66 that extend from the exterior surface of the ventral wall 18 of the outer shell 4. In some embodiments, as shown in
In the embodiment show, the bristles 66 are arranged in bristle clusters 68, with each bristle cluster 68 having a plurality of bristles 66. The bristles 66 can be made from a variety of materials, including but not limited to nylon, polyester, fiber, wire, or steel. The bristle clusters 68 are arranged in bristle tracts 70, preferably with a plurality of bristle clusters 68 aligned in row. In the embodiment shown, there are four bristle tracts 70, each aligned parallel to the lateral axis 28, and each with nine bristle clusters 68. A first bristle tract 72 and a second bristle tract 74 are co-axially aligned with one another parallel to the lateral axis 28, and directly below the harness 6. A third bristle tract 76 and a fourth bristle tract 78 are parallel to one another and the lateral axes 28, are spaced from one another along the anteroposterior axis 24, and are positioned adjacent to the inlet 10 and substantially below a location where the ball of the user's foot would be during operation of the vacuum head 2. The third and fourth bristle tracts 76, 78 extend in the lateral direction substantially as far as a width of the inlet 17. The first and second bristle tracts 72, 74 together are substantially twice as wide as the third and fourth bristle tracts 76, 78 are individually. This arrangement allows for intensive cleaning over a path of contact with the ground 26 traversed, substantially parallel with the anteroposterior axis 24, by the third and fourth bristle tracts 76, 78 and the central portion of bristle clusters in the first and second bristle tracts 72, 74 that overlap in the path of contact. Additionally, the outer half of the bristle clusters in the first and second bristle tracts 72, 74 allow for additional, though less intensive, debris removal over a larger path. Further, the increased width of the combined first and second bristle tracts 72, 74 provides increased stability for the vacuum head 2 from rolling in the left or right direction. The lateral direction is aligned with or parallel to the lateral axis 28.
The bristle tracts 70 preferably are inserted, slid, and/or snapped into tract grooves 80, and releasably snapped in place. This allows for variations of bristles 66 to be used in a same vacuum head 2, depending on the cleaning function desired at the time of a given use, for example. This also allows for replacing bristle tracts 70 when the bristles 66 get worn down from normal use. This both makes the vacuum head 2 more versatile and extends the useful life of the vacuum head 2.
The bristle tracts 70 may stay in place during operation due to designed engineering fits, particularly transition fits. The bristle tracts 70 can be made from a wide variety of materials, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyimide (nylon), polycarbonate, aluminum, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acetal, acrylic, epoxy, fluorocarbons, ionomer, polybutylene, polyester, polystyrene, polyurethane, silicone, high impact polystyrene, and phenol formaldehyde, for example.
In further embodiments, the bristles 66 may extend downward the same distance as the heel support 50, or may extend a further distance than the heel support 50. While longer bristles 66 may decrease the stability of the user, it would cause the user to place a greater portion of the user's weight on the base brush 8 while operating the vacuum head 2, allowing for debris to be more easily dislodged from the ground 26.
In further embodiments, the bristle tracts 70 may be located in other areas on the base of the outer shell 4, on the lateral sides of the outer shell 4, on the top of the outer shell 4, on the front of the outer shell 4, on the back of the outer shell 4, or in positions in between such locations. This could aid in cleaning corners, sides, and crevices of a pool base with the vacuum head 2, for example.
In other embodiments, the bristle tracts 70 may be parallel to the anteroposterior axis 24, or at various non-right angles with respect to the anteroposterior and/or lateral axes 24, 28. In further embodiments, there may be between 3 and 15 bristle clusters 68 on a bristle tract 70, such as 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, or 15, for example.
The inlet 10 is defined by a mouth 82 in the anterior end 20 of the vacuum head 2. The mouth 82 is sufficiently wide to take in a large area of water and debris as the user cleans with the vacuum head 2. The inlet 10 intakes water, leaves, dirt, insects and other kinds of debris that can be found in a pool or other artificial body of water. The inlet 10 is immediately followed by the inner channel 12 inside the vacuum head 2. In further embodiments, the vacuum head 2 may have multiple inlets 10, and/or the inlet(s) 10 may be on various locations on the outer shell 4, including the top, bottom, left side, right side, front, back, middle, or locations in between.
The inner channel 12 is a defined by a continuous wall 84 stretching from the inlet 10 to the outlet 14, and continues the fluid flow path 86 from the inlet 10, through the interior of the vacuum head 2, and out to the outlet 14. The inner channel 12 as shown has three sections, an anterior section 88, a middle section 90, and a posterior section 92. The anterior section 88 connects to the mouth 82, and extends in the posterior direction. The width of the inner channel 12 in a vertical direction is substantially constant in the embodiment shown, but could, for example, decrease in other embodiments. The anterior section 88 has a substantially constant width in the lateral direction, and the anterior section 88 is substantially parallel to the anteroposterior axis 24. In the middle section 90, the width in the lateral direction narrows substantially constantly moving from the anterior section 88 toward the posterior section 92, and the inner channel 12 slopes upward with respect to the anteroposterior axis 24. The posterior section 92 has a substantially constant width in the lateral direction, but is preferably between ¼ and ½ the width in the lateral direction compared to the anterior section 88, and preferably substantially ⅓ the width in the lateral direction compared to the anterior section 88. The posterior section 92 is substantially parallel with the anteroposterior axis 24, but, in the embodiment shown, at least a portion of the posterior section 92 is spaced further from the ground 26 than the anterior section 88. As seen in
A cavity space between walls of the outer shell 4 and the inner channel 12 defines a hull 94. The hull 94 may be fluid tight, preventing debris and fluid from entering and being lodged inside the hull 94 during operation of the vacuum head 2. In embodiments where the hull 94 is fluid tight, the vacuum head 2 preferably is constructed out of sufficiently massive/heavy materials, and/or including weights (metal, sand, rocks, for example), such that the buoyance of the vacuum head 2 is decreased sufficiently to allow for easy operation under water.
In other embodiments, the hull 94 may contain at least one opening through the outer shell 4 or the inner channel 12 to allow water to enter the hull 94 to reduce buoyancy of the vacuum head 2 during underwater use. The same openings could then be used to drain water from the vacuum head 2 after use. The openings could be located most anywhere on the outer shell 4 or inner channel 12. In some embodiments, there are openings with the eyes and gills and/or an opening located on the top of the tail fin 38. The openings may also be provided with plugs, so that relatively clean water may be used to fill the hull 94 before the start of cleaning, and then the openings are closed and plugged. Then, when the vacuum head 2 is used to remove and vacuum debris from the ground 26, the debris does not also enter the hull 94 through one of the openings.
The outlet 14 is defined at a terminal part of a hose coupler 96, preferably positioned at a posterior most location on the vacuum head 2. The hose coupler 96 allows for fluid tight connection of a vacuum hose to the vacuum head 2, such that water and debris may be pulled from the inner channel 12 out of the vacuum head, preferably through the vacuum hose and to a pool vacuum or other vacuum device to cleaned. The hose coupler 96 has a tapered edge 97 to allow for the hose coupler 96 to more easily be inserted into the vacuum hose, and a bump ridge 98, to ensure that the vacuum hose is mounted sufficiently far on the hose coupler 96 for a fluid tight connection, but not too far such that the vacuum hose impedes maneuverability of the vacuum head 2 in a cleaning process. The hose coupler 96 may be located anywhere on the outer shell 4, but by locating the hose coupler 96 substantially coaxially with the mouth 82, turbulence and flow resistance is decreased, and vacuum power and effectiveness is maximized. Further, by locating the hose coupler 95 at the rear of the vacuum head 2, the vacuum hose is out of the way of the user when the user walks forward through the water body with the vacuum head 2 attached to the user's foot, allowing for safer cleaning.
In some embodiments, the hose coupler 96 may be at least 1 inch long and have a circumference between 1.0 and 2.0 inches in diameter, and more preferably have a circumference between 1.25 and 1.5 inches in diameter. Other attachment designs may be used for the hose coupler 96, including a latch, spring, and a coupler that the hose could be inserted into, but the hose coupler 96 depicted in the Figs. is a preferred embodiment.
The outer shell 4 and the inner channel 12 can be made of a wide variety of materials, including but not limited to polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyimide (nylon), polycarbonate, aluminum, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acetal, acrylic, epoxy, fluorocarbons, ionomer, polybutylene, polyester, polystyrene, polyurethane, silicone, high impact polystyrene, phenol formaldehyde, and/or metal, for example. Preferably, the material would contain an ultraviolet radiation protectant, since the vacuum head 2 is likely to be exposed to the sun for extended periods of time.
Operation. The vacuum head 2 is designed to be worn on the foot, with the foot being inserted inside 100 the harness 6 and on the pedi seat 36, and the harness 6 being secured, thus allowing the user to clean a water body hands free, while merely walking around in it. However, a user could also wear the vacuum head on the user's hand if desired. Ideally, the vacuum head 2 is used in swimming pools, wading pools, spas and other artificial shallow bodies of water, such that the head of the user is not submerged underwater during the cleaning process.
The vacuum head 2 embodiment shown exhibits features that cause the vacuum head 2 to resemble a shark. These features include fins 30, 32, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, gills, eyes, a mouth 82 and an outer shell 4 body that is shaped similar to the body of a shark. As stated above, some of these features also have functional benefits. These features can be modified to serve additional or alternative functional purposes if desired. The shape is also aerodynamic, such that it moves easily through the water during cleaning, especially in the forward direction.
The vacuum head 2 is preferably manually propelled and preferably does not contain any machinery or electrical parts, which may require maintenance. The vacuum head 2 can be made by any number of methods, including injection molding, but is preferably made via rotational molding.
The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may explicitly be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that various modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to and be readily apparent those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the appended claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various other related ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items while only the terms “consisting of” and “consisting only of” are to be construed in the limitative sense.
