Patent Application
20150128361
The present invention relates to pool cleaning devices and more specifically to electric-powered pool cleaning devices.
Owners of swimming pools must maintain their pool to keep the water clean to maintain sanitary conditions, help maximize their swimming enjoyment and also prevent deterioration of the pool equipment. Many types of pool cleaners are commercially available for residential and commercial use including automated robotic cleaners, self-propelled cleaners and manually operated pool cleaners. The manually operated cleaners are usually less expensive than the robotic or self-propelled cleaners because they are less complex and simpler to manufacture. The manually operated cleaners require that an individual guide the cleaner over the surface of the pool, typically with the assistance of an extension pole or handle assembly.
One type of hand-held, manually operated pool cleaner that is commercially available for residential use is based on expired U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,393 to Pansini. The '393 patent discloses a submersible leaf vacuum cleaner which includes a housing and a filter bag serving as a collector for pool debris. The housing is supported by wheels and includes an annular flange or skirt and an open-ended tubular member or conduit, the bottom of which serves as an inlet and the upper portion serving as a discharge outlet. The housing further includes a water discharge ring to which a water supply hose is attached for delivery of pressurized water from a remote service. The housing may also have a handle attached. The ring is provided with a plurality of equi-distantly spaced water discharge orifices that are adapted to direct jets of water along alike paths, which are projected above the open upper end of conduit. The projections of the jets are in a spiraled pattern.
More specifically, in order to draw water from the pool through the inlet, an external pressurized water source, such as from a conventional garden hose, is attached to the housing, and the water from the garden hose flows into the open-ended tubular member or conduit via a plurality of discharge orifices, thereby providing a plurality of high pressure water jets into the conduit. The water jets are directed upwardly towards the discharge opening of the conduit. Because of the restricted flow of the water through the narrow discharge orifice of the jets, a Venturi effect is created by the high velocity, low pressure water flow. The low pressure zone draws water and any associated debris situated below the cleaner upwardly through the opening (inlet) and into the discharge conduit and filter bag. Although the water in the pool can be filtered by the prior art cleaner, such filtering is inefficient and expensive in terms of maneuverability, cleaning time and operating costs.
In particular, the necessity of using a garden hose from an external source to thereby induce a Venturi effect to draw pool water into the cleaner is inefficient and unwieldy to provide water. Residential water pressure is subject to unpredictable pressure drops and spikes from the main water supply or by actions induced by home owner while utilizing water at the home for other purposes, e.g., doing laundry, in-ground sprinkler systems, dishwashers, and the like. Thus, variations in water pressure can effect the operation of the cleaner and result in poor cleaning results and longer times to complete the manual cleaning of the pool. Accordingly, these inefficiencies increase the costs to operate the leaf vacuum cleaner. Further, the conventional garden hose when filled with water can be difficult to maneuver and is subject to kinking during the manual cleaning operation. Additionally, the required use of the garden hose with the cleaner results in the continuous addition of cold water to the pool, which can undesirably raise the water level height and lower the temperature of the pool water. The system is also wasteful of water, which may be a local environmental issue.
From the end user's perspective, the hose may not always be long enough to enable complete cleaning coverage of the pool. Adding extension hoses can be impractical as the added length can cause undesirable pressure drops, which diminish suction and cleaning of the pool. Accordingly, the end user must incur the additional expense of having to provide another local water supply closer to the pool. Further, end users have experienced poor performance with the cleaner while trying to maintain the cleaner in a position substantially parallel to the pool surface while maneuvering it with an extension pole, and at the same time with the garden hose dragging behind and resisting movement. As well, the user must connect to and disconnect the cleaner from the garden hose, which can become an annoyance every time the pool is being cleaned. In particular, the user may often experience the tedious and time consuming maintenance steps of always having to retrieve, uncoil, and attach the hose to the cleaner, and when finished, the reverse process of detaching, recoiling and storing the hose must then be performed. These time consuming maintenance steps can lessen the home owner's enjoyment of the pool.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a manually operated pool cleaner for cleaning the bottom of a pool that is inexpensive to manufacture and operate, that is not affected by unpredictable water pressure changes, and that does not require the cumbersome and inconvenient use of any hose.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner for removing debris and filtering water in a pool comprises a base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being positioned over the surface of the pool to be cleaned, and at least one opening extending through the upper and lower surfaces to define an inlet port; a plurality of rotationally-mounted supports extending from the lower surface of the base and configured to facilitate movement of the vacuum cleaner over a surface of the pool; an impeller coaxially aligned with the inlet port for drawing water and debris from the bottom surface of the pool; an electric-powered drive train directly coupled above the base and configured to rotate the impeller; a discharge conduit in fluid communication with the inlet and extending substantially normal with respect to the upper surface of the base, said discharge conduit circumscribing the impeller to direct the flow of water and debris drawn through the inlet by the impeller; a filter mounted over the discharge conduit and configured to filter the debris from the water and discharge filtered water into the pool; and a handle configured to attach to and facilitate manual movement of the vacuum cleaner over the surface of the pool.
In one aspect, the electric-powered drive train is electrically coupled to a battery that is configured for mounting in a battery housing or chamber that can be integrally formed with the based and/or other structural element of the vacuum cleaner. In one embodiment, a battery chamber is mounted on the base and configured to house at least one battery that is electrically coupled to the drive train via conventional contacts and connectors.
In one aspect, the drive train includes an electric motor axially aligned with the inlet and coupled to the impeller. In still another aspect, the electric motor is coupled to the impeller via a drive shaft. In yet another aspect, the electric motor is coupled to the impeller via a transmission assembly.
In one aspect, the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner further comprises a drive train mounting assembly having a plurality of spaced apart support members, each support member having a lower end coupled to, and extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base and an upper end configured to mount to and position the drive train and impeller in axial alignment normal to the surface of the base. In another aspect the transmission assembly includes a torque limiter assembly configured to regulate rotation of the impeller. The torque limiter assembly can include an adjustable locking mechanism and enable a user to manually set the slippage force, in order to prevent damage to the impeller or drive train in the event that debris temporarily occludes the inlet and jams the impeller.
In another aspect, each of the plurality of rotatably-mounted supports is adjustable to raise or lower the vacuum cleaner with respect to the surface of the pool. In still another aspect, the rotatably-mounted supports include wheels, which can be caster wheels.
In yet another aspect, the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner further comprises at least one brush mounted to the lower surface of the base and extending towards the surface of the pool.
In one aspect, the impeller is positioned at a predetermined height above the lower surface of the base. In another aspect, the impeller includes a generally conically shaped cap extending towards the surface of the pool to direct the flow of the incoming water and minimize resistance.
In one aspect, the discharge conduit includes a radially extending flange to secure the filter over the discharge conduit. In another aspect, the outwardly extending radial flange is curved, e.g., is concave and serves to support debris that is retained in the filter bag. In yet another aspect, the filter includes an opening configured to circumscribe the discharge conduit beneath the outwardly extending flange. In still another aspect, the discharge conduit includes at least one, but preferably a plurality of reinforcement or supporting members extending between the upper surface of the base and the outwardly extending flange.
In one aspect, the handle is rotatably attached to the base to facilitate manual movement of the cleaner along the surface of the pool.
To facilitate understanding of the invention, identical reference numerals have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same or similar elements that are common to the figures.
For purposes of illustration and clarity, the present invention is discussed in the context of a submersible vacuum cleaner for cleaning swimming pools. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the cleaning device could also be used in small ponds or commercial tanks, e.g., fish farms, that are exposed to leaves and other debris from the surrounding environment.
The present invention includes an electric powered, submersible vacuum cleaner for removing debris from a surface of a pool. The cleaner is submersible in a water-filled pool, pond or tank, and includes an electrically driven impeller for drawing the pool water into the cleaner for filtering of debris, such as leaves and small twigs. The impeller is preferably driven by a drive train assembly that includes an electric motor and a transmission assembly, which includes meshing gears and/or a driveshaft to form a transmission for rotating the impeller in a desired clockwise or counter-clockwise direction at a slower rate than that of the electric motor but with increased torque. The transmission assembly also includes a torque limiter, illustratively in the form of a slip clutch, to permit the impeller to be coupled (engaged) with and decoupled (disengaged) from the electric motor. The torque limiter prevents debris from breaking a propeller blade and/or damage by overloading the electric motor, as well as serving as a safety feature to prevent injury to an operator of the leaf cleaning apparatus. The implementation of the electric driven impeller alleviates the need to utilize an unwieldy garden hose to supply water to the leaf vacuum cleaner to generate the suctional forces as required by the prior art cleaners. Moreover, the electric power is preferably provided to an impeller drive train locally from an on-board battery to thereby eliminate the need for an external power source and power cable.
Referring now to
The base 12 includes an upper surface 13 and a lower surface 15, and a channel or opening 14 to define the inlet port 16. Thus, the base 12 is illustratively shown as being an annular ring. However, the shape of the base 12 is not considered limiting. For example, the shape of the base 12 can be rectangular, triangular, oval or any other shape having an inlet port 16 extending therethrough. The inlet port 16 is configured and positioned in alignment with the electrically driven impeller 16, as described below in greater detail.
The discharge conduit 42 extends upwardly from the upper surface 13 of the base and is in fluid communication with the inlet 16. Preferably, the interior surface 47 of the discharge conduit 42 is configured in size and shape to correspond to the opening 14 forming the inlet port 16, as shown in the drawings. Attached to or about the upper end of the discharge conduit 42 is an outwardly or radially extending flange 50. The flange 50 preferably includes upwardly curved interior and exterior surfaces 51 that are smooth to decrease drag and direct the flow of the water so that the debris does not get lodged in the discharge conduit 42. The flange 50 is also provided to retain the filter bag 44 in position around the discharge conduit 42.
Referring to
In an embodiment where the discharge conduit 42 is integrally formed with the base 12, a plurality of reinforcing members 43 can be provided to extend vertically between the upper surface 13 of the base 12 to the lower surface of the outwardly extending flange 50. The reinforcing members 43 are optionally formed along the exterior surface of the discharge conduit to provide additional structural support.
The filter 44 is preferably fabricated as a flexible mesh bag having an opening 45 with an elastic cinch or manual draw string 46 to facilitate adjustment of the size of the opening. The end of the filter forming the opening 45 of the bag is placed over the outwardly extending flange 50 such that the filter end and draw string 46 circumscribe the exterior surface of the discharge conduit 42. The cleaner operator tightens the draw string 46 so that the filter opening 45 wraps closely around the exterior surface of the discharge conduit 42 and is positioned beneath the outwardly extending flange 50. The outwardly extending flange 50 thereby acts as a block to prevent the filter bag 44 from sliding or slipping upwards and off the discharge conduit 42.
The flexible mesh filter bag 44 can also be supported by one or more flexible frame members that are placed inside the bag to serve as a structural frame, and can be optionally retained in channels formed by sewing the filter bag material in a manner similar to that used to support camping tents. Alternatively, a skeletal structure can be inserted into the interior of the filter bag to expand and support it in a predetermined defined shape. The frame members or skeletal structure can be fabricated from integrally molded plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, among other durable, non-corrosive, UV resistant materials.
Referring now to
As illustratively shown in the drawings, three support members 33 are equi-distantly spaced about the upper end of the discharge conduit. By minimizing the number of support members 33, obstruction to the discharge conduit 42 can be minimized to thereby allow the water and debris to flow substantially unimpeded into the filter bag 44. In one embodiment, the lower ends of the support members are coupled to the upper end of the discharge conduit 42 while the upper ends of the support members 33 are coupled to the drive train housing 37. Three support members 33 are preferably used for a circular-shaped cleaner 10 to minimize obstructing the flow of water and debris from the inlet 16 into the filter bag 44, although the number of support members 33 is not considered limiting. Preferably, each support member 33 also has a narrow width that is sized to minimize its obstruction of the flow of water and debris from the inlet 16 into the filter bag 44. Preferably, the width of each support member 33 is in a range of 1/16 to ⅛ inches, although such dimensions are not considered as being limiting. As shown in the drawings, the lower ends of the support members 33 are illustratively integrally attached to the upper surface of the discharge conduit 42. Alternatively, the lower ends of the support members 33 can be attached to the upper surface of the discharge conduit 42 by a fastener (e.g., bolt, screw, adhesive, etc). In either embodiment, the outwardly extending flange 50 circumscribes the discharge conduit 42 and the support members 33. In yet another embodiment, the lower ends of the support members 33 can be attached along the interior portion 52 (see
As shown in
In one embodiment, the electric motor 32 is a direct current (DC) motor that receives direct current from one or more batteries. The DC motor can illustratively be a RS-365 DC motor operating at 12 volts and can have a power rating in the range of 5 to 10 Watts with a rotational frequency of 8000 rpm to 10,000 rpm. Alternatively, where the power to the electric motor 30 is provided externally from an alternating current (AC) source, the electric motor can be a an AC motor having similar specifications.
The transmission 34 drives and regulates the rotational speed of the impeller 40. In particular, the transmission 34 reduces the higher motor speed to the slower impeller speed, increasing the torque in the process. Preferably, the transmission 34 produces a torque output in the range of 600 to 1,000 mN-m, and the impeller 40 rotates at a rate in a range of 200 to 250 rpm, which enables the cleaner to draw the water and heavier debris, such as leaves and twigs from beneath the lower surface 15 of the cleaner 10, with enough torque power to mulch leaves and other such debris. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the operational specifications provided herein for the electric motor 32 and transmission 34 are for illustrative purposes and are not considered limiting. Additionally, although the impeller 40 is illustratively depicted with three blades, the number of blades of the impeller is not considered limiting.
The drive train assembly 30 includes a torque limiter assembly 35 which can limit the speed and/or disengage the impeller 40 from the electric motor 32 and/or driving portion of the transmission 34. The torque limiter assembly 35 can be provided by implementing a friction plate slip clutch, a thrust bearing with a spring (e.g., silicone spring), synchronized magnets, a pawl and spring arrangement, among other conventionally known torque limiters. In any embodiment, the torque limiter 35 will disengage the motor drive shaft from the impeller 40 in the unlikely event the impeller 40 becomes overloaded or jammed by the debris.
Referring now to
The impeller 40 circumscribes the clutch assembly 35. The cylindrical clutch has a lower edge with a plurality of angled teeth which interface with a corresponding interior surface of the impeller 40. During unimpeded operation, the clutch assembly 35 and impeller 40 contemporaneously rotate about the fixed impeller shaft 67.
In one embodiment, the torque limiter assembly 35 includes an adjustable locking mechanism 38 to enable the manufacture and/or cleaner operator to manually set slippage. The adjustable locking mechanism 38 is preferably a lock nut which can be manually rotated to increase or decrease the slippage. Preferably, the lock nut can only be tightened to a predetermined limit to thereby prevent the operator from over-tightening the clutch mechanism and potentially causing damage to the transmission.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Preferably, the impeller 40 includes a conically shaped cap 41 to prevent debris from getting caught in a dead zone beneath the impeller and further produce a more streamlined flow of water and debris into the inlet 16. The cap 41 can be integral with the impeller 40 or be attached by a threaded connection or other fastener.
Power to the electric motor 32 is preferably provided by an on-board battery 58. In one embodiment the battery 58 is a 12 v supply that can be provided from a pack of batteries, such as eight 1.5 v, AA size batteries, although such battery voltage and pack configuration is not considered limiting. The battery 58 can be one or more rechargeable batteries, such as NiMH rechargeable batteries, although such types of batteries are not considered limiting. The battery 58 is retained in a battery housing 56 which is illustratively attached to the upper surface 13 of the base 12 of the cleaner 10, as shown in the drawings. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the battery housing 56 can be integral to the base 12 or attached to the base or other exterior location of the cleaner by one or more fasteners. As shown in
A switch 60 is provided to enable an operator to activate the electric motor 32 and operate the cleaner 10. As shown in
In an alternative embodiment, the battery 58 can be positioned remotely from the vacuum cleaner 10 and power is provided from the remote battery via a power cable (not shown) that is coupled between the remote battery source and the electric motor 32. In yet another embodiment, the electrical power can be provided from a remote AC power source, such as a 120 Vac, 60 Hz power source, which provides AC power to the electric motor of the cleaner via a power cable. In this latter embodiment, the electric motor 32 is an AC motor.
Movement of the cleaner 10 over the surface 3 of the pool 2 is enabled by providing a plurality of rotationally-mounted supports 20 and a handle assembly 70 for enabling manual control of the cleaner 10. Referring to
Referring now to
Although the cleaner is discussed as having caster wheels with threaded shafts 23, such configuration is not to be considered limiting, as a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the rotationally-mounted supports can be rollers, and the like. Moreover, other fasteners can be implemented to set the height of the cleaner. For example, each shaft 23 can be unthreaded and include one or more bores to receive a corresponding pin to adjust the height H of the cleaner 10 with respect to the surface 3 of the pool 2.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In an embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 10 can include one or more brushes 28 affixed to the bottom surface 15 of the base 12. The brushes 28 are preferably removably attached to the bottom surface 15 of the base 12, although the attachment to base is not considered limiting. The brushes 28 are provided stir up and sweep the debris from the surface 3 of the pool 2 and preferably direct the debris towards the inlet 16. Raising the height of the cleaner 10 with respect to the surface 3 of the pool 2 will reduce the amount of sweeping/stirring action by the brushes 28, as well as reduce the suction created by the impeller 40. Conversely, lowering the cleaner 10 with respect to the surface 3 of the pool 2 will increase the amount of sweeping/stirring action by the brushes 28, as well as increase the suction created by the impeller 40.
Referring now to
Referring to
The U-shaped bracket 72 further includes an elongated shaft 74 that extends in an opposite direction with respect to the opposing ends of the U-shaped bracket 72. The elongated shaft 74 is configured to receive and secure an extension pole 76, which has a length sufficient to enable the operator to stand along the side of the pool and maneuver the cleaner over the surface 3 of the pool 2. In one embodiment, the elongated shaft is equipped with a spring mechanism or fastener for removably attaching and detaching the extension pole 76.
Referring to
Referring to
Accordingly, the present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing an electric powered, submersible vacuum cleaner for cleaning debris from a surface of a pool. The electric powered submersible vacuum cleaner preferably includes an on-board battery that provides power to rotate an impeller via a drive train. Advantageously, the electric driven impeller draws water into the cleaner for filtering without having to utilize an external water source through a garden hose, as seen in the prior art. Therefore, the unwieldy use of the garden hose, as well as unpredictable and undesirable changes water pressure is completely avoided.
Moreover, the drive train includes an electric motor and a transmission assembly which controls the rotational speed of the impeller and advantageously provides sufficient torque to draw water into the cleaner and mulch debris, such as leaves and twigs into smaller particles for filtering. The ability to draw water into the leaf vacuum by using an impeller along with the ability to mulch the debris is a significant improvement over the prior art leaf vacuum cleaners. A further advantage of the present invention is the implementation of a torque limiter for user safety and which can prevent damage to the electric motor in the event the impeller becomes overloaded or jammed by the debris.
The electric drive train is preferably driven by one or more batteries, and the transmission of the drive train provides significant gear reduction to produce a low rpm and high torque cleaning operation. The low rpm and high torque operation helps assure low power draw from the batteries to lengthen their battery life.
The foregoing specific embodiments represent just some of the ways of practicing the present invention. For example, the battery pack can be remotely coupled to the cleaner with a wire cable to enable a user to separately carry the battery pack illustratively in a pouch (e.g., fanny pack) or other well known manner. In yet another embodiment, the handle assembly can be locked so that it extends substantially straight and does not rotate vertically up and down 90 degrees from the base. By locking the handle assembly in a fixed position, the leaf vacuum cleaner can be flipped upside down by rotating the extension pole laterally one hundred and eighty degrees, such that the inlet port faces upwards towards and clean debris from the surface of the water. Moreover, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the leaf vacuum cleaner of the present invention can be mounted on a floatation device, such as an inner tube so that the inlet port is configured to skim and remove any floating debris from the waterline surface of the pool. In this embodiment, the floating leaf vacuum cleaner does not need to be pushed around and can simply circulate illustratively from the currents created by the pools main filtering system.
Many other embodiments are possible and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited to the foregoing specification, but instead is to be determined by the appended claims along with their full range of equivalents.
