FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to pool cleaning devices and more specifically to electric-powered pool cleaning devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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 affect 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.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages of the prior art are at least overcome by the present invention in which, in one embodiment, an electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner for filtering water in a pool comprises: a submersible housing having a base, a discharge conduit, and an outwardly extending flange, the base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being positionable over a 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 the surface of the pool; an impeller having at least one blade for drawing said water and debris from the surface of the pool; an electric-powered drive train configured to rotate the impeller; the discharge conduit having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being in fluid communication with the inlet port and extending substantially normal from the upper surface of the base, said discharge conduit circumscribing at least a portion of the impeller to direct the flow of water and debris drawn through the inlet by the impeller; a filter mounted to receive the water from over the discharge conduit and configured to filter the debris from the drawn water and pass filtered water into the pool; the outwardly extending flange extending from the upper portion of the discharge conduit and configured to secure the filter to the housing, wherein the impeller includes at least one blade having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the impeller being set at a height such that the leading edge of the at least one impeller blade is positioned to extend into the discharge conduit below a lower portion of the outwardly extending flange and the trailing edge of the at least one impeller blade extends above the lower portion of the outwardly extending flange; and a handle configured to facilitate manual movement of the vacuum cleaner housing over the surface of the pool.
In one aspect, the electric-powered drive train is electrically coupled to a battery mounted on-board the vacuum cleaner. In another aspect, the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner further comprises a battery chamber mounted to the base and configured to house at least one battery which is electrically coupled to the drive train. In yet another aspect, the battery is a rechargeable battery replaceably mounted to the housing. In still another aspect, the battery is a rechargeable battery replaceably mounted over the impeller.
In one aspect, the drive train includes an electric motor coupled to the impeller. In another aspect, the electric motor is coupled to the impeller via a rotatable drive shaft. In still another aspect, the electric motor is coupled to the impeller via a transmission assembly.
In yet another aspect, the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner further comprises a drive train mount 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 a direction normal to the surface of the base. In a further aspect, the transmission assembly includes a torque limiter assembly configured to regulate rotation of the impeller. In one aspect, the torque limiter assembly is a clutch assembly. In yet another aspect, the torque limiter assembly includes an adjustable locking mechanism to manually set slippage.
In one aspect, the plurality of rotatably-mounted supports are adjustable to raise or lower the vacuum cleaner with respect to the surface of the pool. In another aspect, each of the rotatably-mounted supports include a wheel. In a further 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 conically shaped cap extending towards the surface of the pool. In yet another aspect, the outwardly extending flange is further configured to decrease drag and direct flow of the water from the discharge conduit. In still another aspect, the outwardly extending flange is curved. In a further 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 reinforcement member extending between the upper surface of the base and the outwardly extending flange.
In one aspect, the handle is rotatably attached to the base. In another aspect, the handle is lockable in a fixed position relative to the base. In yet another aspect, the lockable handle is configured to remain in a locked state when the cleaner is inverted such that the inlet port is orientated upwards towards and draws debris proximate the surface of the water in the pool. In still another aspect, the handle includes a locking mechanism configured to remain in a locked state including when the cleaner is inverted such that the inlet port is orientated upwards towards and draws debris proximate the surface of the water in the pool.
In one aspect, at least a portion of the drive train is positioned coaxially above the discharge conduit. In another aspect, the impeller has a single blade. In a further aspect, the impeller has a blade with a substantially variable radius extending from its axis of rotation. In yet another aspect, the impeller includes a helix-shaped blade.
In another aspect, an impeller assembly comprises a plurality of vertically stacked impellers, each of the vertically stacked impellers having one or more blades. In yet another aspect, the plurality of vertically stacked impellers includes a pair of vertically stacked impellers that rotate in opposite rotational directions.
In one aspect, the impeller comprises a plurality of laterally positioned spaced-apart impellers. In another aspect, the impeller is configured as a ringed impeller. In still a further aspect, the ringed impeller comprises an open center to allow for debris to pass into the filter. In yet another aspect, the ringed impeller includes a ringed-shaped drive surface configured to be rotated by the drive train.
In another embodiment, a submersible electrically powered vacuum cleaner for filtering water in a pool comprises: a submersible housing having a base and a discharge conduit, the base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface being positionable over a surface of the pool, and an 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 for drawing said water and debris from the surface of the pool; an electric-powered drive train directly coupled to the housing and configured to rotate the impeller; the discharge conduit positioned above and in fluid communication with the inlet port and extending substantially normal with respect to the upper surface of the base, said discharge conduit having an inner wall and an outer wall which define a channel therebetween, the inner wall having a plurality of apertures, wherein the impeller is configured to draw a first stream of water from the pool into the channel of the discharge conduit; an outwardly extending flange extending from an upper portion of the discharge conduit; a filter mounted to the housing over an outlet of the discharge conduit, wherein the first water stream is discharged through the plurality of apertures in an upwardly direction to define a plurality of upwardly directed jet streams of water, said jet streams of water lifting said debris and water from beneath the cleaner into the filter, and the filter being configured to filter the debris from the drawn water and pass 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 impeller is positioned within a conduit that is lateral to the channel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top, front left side perspective view of a first embodiment of an electric powered submersible vacuum cleaner of the present invention having an impeller with a plurality of blades;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a handle assembly of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the handle assembly taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;
FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of the wheels taken along lines 8-8 of FIG. 2 collectively illustrating a first embodiment for adjusting the height of the vacuum cleaner with respect to a surface of the pool;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a drive train assembly taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the drive train assembly of FIG. 10;
FIGS. 12 and 13 are cross-sectional views of wheels collectively illustrating a second embodiment for adjusting the height of the vacuum cleaner with respect to a surface of the pool;
FIG. 14 is a top cross-sectional view of a spacer installed on a wheel caster shaft taken along lines 14-14 of FIG. 12 and which is suitable for adjusting and retaining the wheels of the cleaner at a predetermined height;
FIGS. 15 and 16 are cross-sectional views of the wheels collectively illustrating a third embodiment for adjusting the height of the vacuum cleaner with respect to a surface of the pool;
FIG. 17 is a top cross-sectional view of a spring fastener taken along lines 17-17 of FIG. 15 that is suitable for adjusting and retaining the wheels of the cleaner at a predetermined height;
FIG. 18 is a top, rear, right side perspective view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a first embodiment of an impeller with a single impeller blade;
FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 18;
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 19;
FIGS. 21A-21D respectively show a top, side perspective view, a top plan view, a front side elevational view, and a right side elevational view of the single impeller blade of FIG. 18;
FIG. 22 is a top, rear, right side perspective view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a second embodiment of an impeller with a single impeller blade;
FIG. 23 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 22;
FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 23;
FIGS. 25A-25D respectively show a top, side perspective view, a top plan view, a front side elevational view, and a right side elevational view of the single impeller blade of FIG. 22;
FIG. 26 is a top, rear, right side perspective view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a third embodiment of an impeller with a single impeller blade;
FIG. 27 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 26;
FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along line 28-28 of FIG. 27;
FIGS. 29A-29D respectively show a top, side perspective view, a top plan view, a front side elevational view, and a right side elevational view of the single impeller blade of FIG. 26;
FIG. 30 is a top, rear, right side perspective view of another embodiment of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a plurality of propellers positioned laterally within a discharge conduit;
FIG. 31 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 30;
FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along line 32-32 of FIG. 31;
FIG. 33 is a top, rear, right side perspective view of yet another embodiment of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a plurality of propellers stacked vertically within the discharge conduit;
FIG. 34 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 33;
FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along line 35-35 of FIG. 34;
FIG. 36 is a top perspective view of a pair of vertically stacked propellers of FIG. 27;
FIGS. 37A, 37B and 37C respectively show a top, side perspective view, a front side elevational view, and a right side elevation view of a drive train for the pair of vertically stacked propellers of FIG. 34;
FIGS. 38A and 38B depict top, rear, right side perspective views of another embodiment of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a replaceable, rechargeable battery pack;
FIG. 39 is a top, rear, right side perspective view of still another embodiment of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a ringed impeller having a plurality of propellers within the discharge conduit;
FIG. 40 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 39;
FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along line 41-41 of FIG. 40;
FIGS. 42A-42E respectively show a top, side perspective view, a top plan view, a side elevational view, a bottom view, and a bottom perspective view of the ringed impeller of FIG. 39;
FIG. 43 is a top, rear, right side perspective view of yet still another embodiment of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 illustrating a ring-shaped discharge conduit having a plurality of apertures for generating an upwardly directed jet stream within the opening of the discharge conduit;
FIG. 44 is a top plan view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner of FIG. 43;
FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of the electric-powered submersible vacuum cleaner taken along line 45-45 of FIG. 44.
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.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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 FIGS. 1-5, an exemplary submersible, electric powered vacuum cleaner 10 for cleaning a surface 3 of a pool 2 is illustratively shown. As shown in the drawings, the cleaner includes a base 12, a discharge conduit 42, a flexible mesh filter bag 44, an impeller 40, and an electric drive train assembly 30 for rotating the impeller 40, to thereby draw water and debris from below the cleaner 10 through the inlet 16, the discharge conduit 42 and into the filter bag 44, where the debris is retained and the filtered water is discharged back into the pool 2.
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 (FIG. 33), triangular (FIG. 39), oval (FIG. 31) 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 FIG. 4, the outwardly extending flange 50 is illustratively shown as being attached to the top portion or edge of the discharge conduit 42 by one or more fasteners (e.g., screws, adhesive, among other conventional fasteners). However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the flange 50 can be formed integrally with the discharge conduit 42. Moreover, the discharge conduit 42 is shown as being integrally formed with the upper surface 13 of the base 12. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the discharge conduit 42 can be a separate component and fastened to the upper surface 13 of the base 12 via one or more fasteners, such as with screws, bolts, or an adhesive, among other conventional fasteners.
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 FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the drive train assembly 30 is positioned above the inlet 16 (e.g., coaxially) and the upper end of the discharge conduit 42 by a plurality of evenly spaced support members 33. The drive train assembly 30 includes a drive train housing 31 for facilitating and securely positioning an electric motor 32, transmission 34, and the impeller 40 over the inlet 16. The electric motor 32 includes a drive shaft that rotates a driving gear or first gear box of the transmission 34, which drives one or more driven gears to rotate the impeller 40 at a predetermined rotational rate, as discussed below in further detail.
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 31. 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 (see e.g., FIG. 31). 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 FIG. 4) of the upper surface of the outwardly extending flange 50. In this manner, the outwardly extending flange 50 can also circumscribe the discharge conduit 42 and the support members 33.
As shown in FIG. 4, the electric motor 32 is positioned over and drives the transmission 34, which in turn rotates the impeller 40 at a predetermined rate. The electric motor 32 and transmission 34 are positioned longitudinally into an opening formed at the top of the drive train housing 37 and the housing opening can be closed to form a water-tight drive train compartment using an end cap 37 with a seal 39, such as an O-ring, gasket, and the like.
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 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. Further, although a single impeller 40 is illustratively shown in FIGS. 1-17, the number of impellers 40 is not considered limiting. For example, FIGS. 30-32 illustrate a pair of laterally positioned impellers 40, while FIGS. 33-36 illustrate a set of vertically stacked impellers 40.
Additionally, although the impeller 40 is illustratively depicted with three blades 90 in FIGS. 1-17, the number of blades of the impeller 40 is not considered limiting. For example, FIGS. 18-29 illustrate various embodiments of an impeller 40 having a single blade 90, while FIGS. 39-41 illustrate a ringed impeller 40 having greater than three blades 90 (e.g., 12 blades). These various impeller blade embodiments are discussed below in further detail. 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 FIGS. 10 and 11, preferably the drive train assembly 30 includes the electric motor 32 (e.g., DC motor) which is mounted upright in the drive train housing 31 by a motor mount 62. A lower downward extending gear of the electric motor 32 interfaces with a gear box of the transmission 34 to reduce the rotational speed of the electric motor 32 and increase the torque to the impeller 40. The gear box includes a series of serially meshed gears (e.g., four gears), the first which interfaces with the electric motor 32 and the last of which further includes a shaft 61, which extends vertically downward towards the impeller. The vertically extending shaft 61 rotates a spur gear 65. Preferably, the shaft 61 and spur gear 65 include a keying arrangement (e.g., pin and corresponding slot) that lock together to enable the spur gear 65 to rotate at the same rotational rate as the last gear of the gear box. The spur gear 65 engages with and rotates the torque limiter assembly, e.g., clutch mechanism 35, which circumscribes an impeller shaft 67. The clutch 35 is cylindrical and includes a plurality of teeth formed on an interior surface thereof. The impeller shaft 67 is fixedly mounted to an impeller shaft mount 66 which is also fixedly mounted in the drive train housing 31. The spur gear 65 is illustratively positioned off-center between the stuffing box cover 64 and the upper end of the impeller shaft mount 66 so that it engages and meshes with the teeth formed on an interior surface of the cylindrical clutch 35.
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, although the lock nut arrangement is not considered limiting, as other locking mechanisms are also envisioned. 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 FIG. 10, an illustrative clutch spring 48, washer 49 and locking nut 38 are arranged to collectively exert an upward force against the bottom of the impeller to apply and selectively adjust the interactive forces as between the angled teeth of the clutch assembly 35 and the corresponding angled interior surface of the impeller 40. More specifically, the locking nut 38 is used to adjust the tension of the spring 48, which in turn regulates the slippage of the clutch 35. Accordingly, the clutch 35 will disengage from the impeller 40 upon an external force stopping or otherwise impeding the rotation of the impeller 40. For example, if an external force from the debris (e.g., a branch from a tree) is applied to the blades 90 that impedes or stops the rotation of the impeller 40, once the external force exceeds the predetermined tension of the spring 48 (as selectively set by the locking nut 38), the clutch 35 will disengage from the impeller 40 and the motor 32 will spin freely and out of harm's way from the undesirable loading (blockage) of the impeller 40.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the pool water beneath the lower surface 15 of the base 12 is drawn into the inlet 16 as illustrated by arrows 4, and flows through the discharge conduit 42 and into the filter bag 44 as illustrated by arrows 5, and the filtered water exits the filter bag 44 back into the pool as illustrated by arrows 6. Preferably, the impeller 40 is positioned at a predetermined height D1 above the lower surface 15 of the base 12. The impeller blades 90 are raised above the inlet opening to better channel the water and debris through the inlet 16. In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, the impeller 40 is positioned at a height D1 such that the leading edges of the impeller blades 90 extend into the discharge conduit 42 below the lower portion of the radially extending flange 50 and the trailing edges of the impeller blades 90 extend above the lower portion of the radially extending flange 50. The height D1 of the blades 90 with respect to the lower surface 15 of the base 12 is preferably in a range of approximately 3.25 to 3.75 inches (approx. 8 to 9.5 cm), although such height is not considered limiting.
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 12v supply that can be provided from a pack of batteries, such as eight 1.5v, 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 FIG. 4, the battery pack 58 is inserted into a compartment of the battery housing 56 and is covered by a cover 57 and seal 55 (e.g., gasket, O-ring, and the like) to form a watertight battery compartment. The battery housing 56 includes electrical contacts and one or more conductors 36 that provide electric power to the electric motor 32.
A switch 60 is provided to enable an operator to activate the electric motor 32 and operate the cleaner 10. As shown in FIG. 4, a push button 71 of the power switch is installed in a switch receptacle 59 formed in the battery housing 59. The power switch 60 can be depressed by the operator to enable electric power to flow from the battery 58 to the motor 32, which in turn rotates the impeller 40 (e.g., via the transmission 34). Depressing the power switch 60 again will disable power to the electric motor 32. Alternatively, a toggle switch or other conventionally known switch can be implemented to activate/deactivate power flow from the battery 58 to the electric motor 32.
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 FIGS. 3, 4, 8 and 9, the rotationally-mounted supports 20 are preferably wheels 22 which are illustratively mounted on casters 24. In particular, each caster wheel includes a shaft 23 which extends upright through a bore formed through the upper and lower surfaces of the base 12. Preferably, the height of the wheels can be adjusted with respect to the lower surface 15 of the base 12. In one aspect, the shaft 23 is threaded and a corresponding threaded height adjustment wheel 26 can be turned to adjust the height. This enables the user to set the height to avoid contact with obstructions projecting above the bottom surface, such as water inlet covers, light housings and the like which are commonly found in pools and tanks.
Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, each caster wheel 22 is separately adjusted to a height H1 or H2 by turning the threaded height adjustment wheel 26 in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. For example, in FIG. 8, the caster wheel 22 is illustratively adjusted to a lowest position by rotating the threaded height adjustment wheel 26 in a counter-clockwise direction. The height H1 illustrates the lowest distance that the bottom of the cleaner is positioned over the surface 3 of the pool 2. Referring to FIG. 9, the caster wheel 22 is set at an intermediate position by rotating the threaded height adjustment wheel 26 in a clockwise direction such that the cleaner is raised higher above the surface 3 of the pool 2 at a height H2, where H2 is greater than H1. Preferably, the height H of the cleaner with respect to the surface 3 of the pool 2 can be lowered and raised in a range of approximately 0.5 to 1.0 inches (approximately 1.2 to 2.5 cm) from the surface 3 of the pool 2, although such heights are not considered limiting.
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 FIGS. 12-14, in an alternative embodiment a relocatable spacer 21 is provided to adjust the height H of the cleaner 10 with respect to the surface 3 of the pool 2. In particular, the base 12 includes a plurality of substantially upright channels 11, each of which is configured to receive and secure the shaft 23 of the caster wheel assembly 24. The shaft 23 is unthreaded and has a height that is greater than the height of the channel 11 and a relocatable spacer 21 can be positioned at the top or bottom of the channel to respectively lower or raise the height of the base 12 of the cleaner from the surface 3 of the pool 2. In FIG. 12, the spacer 21 is positioned above the channel 11 and is held in position by a locking washer or flange 25, which is secured about the top portion of the shaft 23 in a well-known manner. The spacer 21 is illustratively a flexible C-shaped spacer which can be readily snapped on and off about the diameter of the shaft 23 to adjust the height. In FIG. 12, the height H1 of the base 12 is lowered by placing the spacer 21 at the top of the shaft 23. Alternatively, as illustratively shown in FIG. 13, the height H2 of the base 12 is raised by positioning the spacer 21 proximate the bottom of the shaft 23, e.g., between the bottom of the channel 11 and the top of the caster bracket 24. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the shape of the spacer 21 is not considered limiting and the locking washer 25 can be permanently or removably attached to the top of the shaft 23 to retain the spacer 21 at its intended position.
Referring now to FIGS. 15-17, in yet another embodiment, each shaft 23 is unthreaded and includes a plurality of grooves 27, wherein each groove 27 is sized to receive a spring fastener 29, such as an E-ring fastener. A coil spring 19 circumscribes the shaft 23 of the caster wheel assembly, and both the shaft 23 and coil spring 19 extend through the channel 11. In FIG. 15, the spring fastener 29 is removably attached about a first lower groove 27 formed on the shaft 23. In this first illustrative position, the coil spring 19 is compressed between the top of the channel 11 and the caster bracket 24, and the base 12 of the cleaner is lowered to a height H1. In FIG. 16, the removable spring fastener 29 is snap-fit about a groove 27 that is positioned higher than the first lower groove. In this second illustrative position, the coil spring 19 is expanded between the top of the channel 11 and the caster bracket 24, and the base 12 of the cleaner is now raised to a new height (e.g., height H2 or H3) above the surface 3 of the pool 2. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the number of grooves 27 and the shape of the spring fastener 29 are not limiting.
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 to 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/stiring 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 FIGS. 3 and 4, a handle assembly 70 is provided to enable a user to push and pull the cleaner 10 along the bottom surface 3 of the pool 2. The handle assembly 70 is preferably pivotally attached to the base 12 to facilitate greater maneuverability of the cleaner by the operator.
Referring to FIG. 4, the handle assembly 70 includes a U-shaped or C-shaped bracket 72 having opposing ends that are pivotally attached to corresponding handle mounts 68 formed on the base 12 of the cleaner 10. As shown in the drawings, a handle mount 68 is provided along each side of the battery housing 56, and each handle mount includes a bore sized to receive a corresponding fastener, such as a pin 69. Each opposing end of the U-shaped bracket 72 also includes a bore 73 sized to receive the pin 69. Each opposing end of the U-shaped bracket 72 is aligned and pivotally mounted to a corresponding handle mount. In particular, the bore in each end of the U-shaped bracket 72 is aligned with a corresponding bore formed in the handle mounts 72, and the pin 69 extends through both adjacent bores and secures the bracket 72 to base 12 via the handle mounts 72. The dimensions (e.g., width) of the U-shaped bracket 72 corresponds to the dimensions (e.g., width) of the battery housing 56 to permit the handle assembly 70 to clear the battery housing 56 while being rotated. Preferably, the handle assembly 70 can be pivotally rotated about the handle mounts approximately ninety degrees, although the degrees of rotational movement are not considered limiting. In one embodiment, recesses 53 can be provided in the outwardly extending flange 50 to increase the degrees of rotational movement of the handle assembly 70.
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 FIGS. 1-5, the extension pole 76 is tubular and includes a lower end having pair of opposing bores 77. The tubular extension pole 76 is sized to receive the elongated shaft 74 in a close fitting relation and is retained thereto by the spring mechanism 78 which serves as a fastener. The elongated shaft 74 includes an upper end having a channel 75 for receiving the spring mechanism, such as a snap clip 80, and opposing bores 79 that align with the opposing bores 77 of the extension pole 76.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the snap clip 80 is pivotally seated within the channel 75 of the elongated shaft 74. The snap clip 80 is a V-shaped spring 82 having a vertex 81 forming a proximal end and a pair of distal ends, each distal end having a retention pin 83 extending outwardly in an opposite direction from the other. Each retention pin 83 movably engages with a corresponding one of the bores 77. In particular, the channel 75 includes a lateral V-shaped ridge or member that is positioned proximately between the vertex 81 and distal ends of the V-shaped spring 82. The retention pins 83 of the V-shaped spring 82 extend through the aligned bores 79 and 77 of the elongated shaft 75 and extension pole 76. When the V-shaped spring 82 is depressed so that it slidably engages the lateral V-shaped ridge 84 formed in the channel 75, the distal ends of the spring 82 and the opposing pins 83 retract inwardly to disengage the pins 83 from the outer bore 77 formed in the extension pole 76. The pins 83 are sized to continue to engage and pivot within the inner bores 79 of the extension shaft 74 when the spring clip is depressed and retracted from the outer bores 77. In this manner, by depressing the vertex of the snap clip 80, the operator can easily attach or release the extension pole 76 from the U-shaped bracket 72. Although the handle assembly 70 is illustratively shown with an extension pole that is attached by a snap clip 80, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other fasteners 78 can be implemented to removably secure the extension pole 76.
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 pool's main filtering system.
Referring to FIGS. 18-29D, various embodiments of an impeller 40 having a single blade 90 are illustratively shown. Reducing the number of blades 90 reduces the likelihood that the leaf vacuum cleaner 10 will get clogged with debris during use. Moreover, larger debris will be able to pass through the discharge conduit 42 and be captured by the filter 44. In FIGS. 18-29D, the submersible electric-powered leaf vacuum cleaner 10 is the same as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-17, except for the various single-blade embodiments of the impeller 40. Referring now to a first impeller embodiment shown in FIGS. 18-21D, and in particular FIGS. 21A-21D, the impeller 40 includes a central, cylindrical hub 94 which is hollow and has an opening 95 configured to receive or be placed over the lower portion of the drive train assembly 30. A single blade 90 extends radially from the hub 94 and is positioned within the central opening discharge conduit 42 such that a leading edge 91 of the impeller blade 90 is positioned to extend into the discharge conduit below a lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50 and its trailing edge 93 of the blade extends above the lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50, as described above with respect to FIGS. 1-17. The blade 90 shown in FIGS. 18-21D illustratively circumscribes approximately one-third (120 degrees) around the hub 94, but such configuration is not considered limiting.
For example, referring now to FIGS. 22-25D, an illustrative impeller 40 having a single blade 90 which circumscribes all or substantially the entire hub 94 is illustratively shown. In FIG. 25B, the single blade 90 has a substantially variable radius along its profile, i.e., extending outwardly from the central axis of rotation, illustratively with a smaller upper first lobe 96 formed proximate the upper portion of the hub 94 which spirals downwardly (and outwardly) to form a larger lower (second) lobe 97 proximate the lower portion of the hub 94, as shown in FIGS. 25C and 25D. Referring to FIGS. 22 and 24, the leading edge 91 of the impeller blade 90, i.e., the lower lobe 97, is positioned to extend into the discharge conduit 50 below a lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50 and its trailing edge 93 of the blade, i.e., the upper lobe 96, extends above the lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50.
In yet another embodiment, an impeller 40 having a helix-shaped blade 90 is illustratively shown in FIGS. 26-29D. The helix-shaped blade illustratively includes an upper first turn 98 at the upper portion of the hub 94 and a lower second turn 99 at the lower portion of the hub 94, as shown in FIGS. 29C and 29D. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the number of turns in the helix-shaped blade is not considered limiting. Referring to FIGS. 26 and 28, the leading edge 91 of the impeller blade 90, i.e., the lower second helix turn 99, is positioned to extend into the discharge conduit 50 below a lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50 and its trailing edge 93 of the blade, i.e., the upper first helix turn 98, extends above the lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50.
In any of the single blade embodiments, the blade 90 can include a counterweight 92 that balances the impeller 90 as it rotates to help minimize strain on the drive shaft of the drive train 30. Further, the radial length of the blade 90 is sized and dimensioned so as not to contact the inner wall of the discharge conduit 42 and outwardly extending flange 50, and the radius of the blade measured from its axis of rotation may be variable along its profile, increasing or decreasing from its start to its end.
Referring to FIGS. 30-32, a pair of impellers 40A, 40B each having one or more blades 90 and corresponding drive train assemblies 30A, 30B are positioned laterally within the discharge conduit 42 and flange 50 of the leaf vacuum cleaner 10. The operation and positioning of each impeller is the same as a single impeller embodiment as described above. Although two laterally positioned impellers 40 are shown, such quantity of impellers is not considered limiting. For example, three or more laterally positioned impellers 40 can be positioned within the discharge conduit 42. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the shape of the discharge conduit 42 is not considered limiting. An additional cross-member 33A can be provided between adjacent drive assembly housings to provide further structural support of the impellers 40 over the inlet port 16. One or more additional power cables 85 is provided to carry the required current from the battery 58 to the drive trains 30. In one aspect, the impellers rotate in the same rotational direction (e.g., counter-clockwise). Alternatively, the impellers can be configured to rotate in opposite rotational directions (clockwise and counter-clockwise) to minimize torque that is created by the rotating impellers 40. Although three blades 90 are illustratively shown on each impeller 40A, 40B, the number of blades is not considered limiting. The blades on each impeller can extend outwardly a maximum distance that avoids interference from another impeller or a side wall of the discharge conduit 42 and flange 50. Moreover, the blades can extend outwardly less than the maximum unimpeded distance so that a gap is formed between the blades and the inner side wall of the discharge conduit 42 to permit larger sized debris to pass through into the filter 44.
Referring now to FIGS. 33-37C, a hand-held submersible leaf vacuum cleaner 10 having a vertically stacked impeller arrangement 100 is illustratively shown. The stacked impeller arrangement 40 includes an upper impeller 102 and a lower impeller 104, each having one or more blades 90 with a hub 94, leading edge 91 and trailing edge 93, as described above and best seen in FIGS. 35 and 36. As illustratively shown in FIG. 36, the upper impeller 102 has its leading and trailing edges of the blades 90 arranged to rotate in a clockwise rotational direction, while the lower impeller 104 has its leading edge 91 and trailing edge 93 of the blades 90 arranged to rotate in a counter-clockwise rotational direction. The impeller cover 41 is mounted over the lower impeller 104 and can include one or more weep holes 88 for drainage of water from the impeller hubs 94. Referring to FIGS. 33 and 35, the leading edges 91 of the blades 90 of the upper impeller 102 are positioned to extend into the discharge conduit 50 below a lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50 and the trailing edges 93 of blades of the upper impeller 102 extend above the lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50, although such configuration is not considered limiting. Moreover, although three blades 90 are illustratively shown on each impeller 102104, the number of blades is not considered limiting.
Referring now to FIGS. 37A-37C, the drive train 30 includes an electric motor 32 and a gear reduction assembly 106 (transmission) to reduce the speed (rpm) of the electric motor to the desired rotational speeds for the stacked impellers 100. In the embodiment illustratively shown, the gear reduction assembly 106 rotates the upper and lower impellers at the same rotational speeds. Alternatively, the upper and lower impellers can be rotated at different rotational speeds. The gear reduction assembly 106 rotates an upper gear plate 108 having an upper ring gear 114 on a lower surface and a lower gear plate 110 having a lower ring gear 116 on an upper surface so that the ring gears 114 and 116 faces towards and are aligned with each other, as shown in FIGS. 37B and 37C. A first set of pinion gears 118 are disposed normally between the upper and lower ring gears 114, 116 to thereby rotate the ring gears 114, 116 in opposite rotational directions. The upper and lower gear plates 108, 110 include a keying arrangement 112 which facilitates aligning, securing, and retaining (e.g., snap-fit) the respective upper and lower impellers 102, 104 thereabout. Accordingly, electric power provided to the electric motor 32 causes the gear reduction assembly 106 to reduce the rotational speed of the upper gear plate 108, which rotates in the same direction as the motor shaft (e.g., clockwise). The upper ring gear 114 rotates the pinion gears 118, which in turn rotates the lower gear plate 110 in the opposite direction (counter-clockwise) so that the upper impeller 102 and the lower impeller 104 contemporaneously rotate in opposite rotational directions.
A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a second set of pinion gears (not shown) can be provided to interface with the first set of pinion gears 108 and one of the ring gears 114, 116 to cause the upper and lower plates 108, 110 (and therefore the impellers 102, 104) to rotate in the same rotational direction and, in one aspect, at different rotational speeds. In this embodiment, the direction and pitch of the upper and lower impeller blades can be the same.
Referring to FIG. 33, the cleaner 10 includes a replaceable, rechargeable battery pack 54 which can be removed, recharged, and replaced when the battery pack 54 voltage drops below a predetermined level. In the embodiment shown, the battery housing 56 is attached to the handle assembly 70, although such positioning of the replaceable battery pack and housing are not considered limiting. A handle or knob 89 can be provided on the battery pack 54 to conveniently remove the battery pack from the battery housing 56. A keying arrangement (not shown) and a releasable locking mechanism (not shown) are provided to ensure proper alignment of the electrical contacts and to secure the battery pack 54 in the housing 31 during operation.
Referring to FIGS. 38A and 38B, the replaceable, rechargeable battery pack 54 can also be formed as part of the drive train 30. In this embodiment, the battery pack 54 includes positive and negative contacts, which are aligned to contact the electric motor 32 that remains in the drive train assembly 30. The battery pack 54 and drive train housing 31 include a keying arrangement 87 to ensure proper alignment of the battery and electric motor contacts. FIG. 38A illustrates the battery pack 54 removed from the drive train housing 31, while FIG. 38B illustrates the battery pack 54 installed in the drive train housing 31.
Referring to FIGS. 39-42E, a leaf vacuum cleaner 10 having a ring-shaped impeller 40 with at least one blade 90 is illustratively shown. The ringed impeller cleaner has a base 12, rotatable support members 20, handle assembly 70, discharge conduit 42, outwardly extending flange 50, filter 44, and battery housing 56 and batteries/pack 58, as discussed above with respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-33. The ring impeller 40 illustratively includes a plurality of blades 90 extending inwardly towards the center of the inlet port 16.
Referring to FIGS. 42A-42E, the ring-shaped impeller includes a sidewall 122 and a flange 124 extending outwardly normal or substantially normal to the upper end of the sidewall 122. The one or more blades 90 extend inwardly from the interior surface of the sidewall 122. The blade(s) 90 are pitched such that the leading edge 91 is proximate the lower portion and the trailing edge 93 is proximate the upper portion of the sidewall 122. The blades 90 extend inwardly a predetermined length to form a central gap therebetween for passing larger sized debris into the filter 44. The blades 90 are illustratively shown as being pitched in a direction for counter-clockwise rotation of the impeller, although such rotational direction is not considered limiting. Referring to FIGS. 39 and 41, the leading edges 91 of the ring impeller blades 90 are positioned to extend into the discharge conduit 50 below a lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50 and the trailing edges 93 of the blades extend above the lower portion of the outwardly extending flange 50.
A lower surface of the outwardly extending flange 122 includes a ring gear (e.g., beveled gear) 126 that engages with a pinion gear 128 of the drive train 30, as illustratively shown in FIG. 41. In particular, the drive train 30 includes a switch 60 which selectively passes current from the battery 58 to the electric motor 32 and gear reduction assembly (although such gear reduction assembly may not be necessary) to rotate the pinion gear 128, which in turn meshes with and rotates the ring gear 126 to rotate the blades 90 at a predetermined speed. In an alternative embodiment, the lower surface of the impeller flange 124 can include a flat surface having a high coefficient of friction in which a roller or bearing (not shown) is driven by the gear reduction assembly to rotate the ring-shaped impeller at a predetermined speed and direction. In one aspect, the switch can include current limiting circuitry (e.g., potentiometer) to enable a user to selectively control the rotational speed of the ring-shaped impeller 40 via the electric motor 32.
Referring to FIGS. 43-45, in yet another embodiment, a leaf vacuum cleaner 10 having a ring-shaped discharge conduit 42 with a plurality of water jet nozzles 135 is illustratively shown. The cleaner 10 includes a base 12, rotatably mounted supports 20, a handle assembly 70, battery assembly 56, discharge conduit 42 and the outwardly extending flange 50 extending therefrom, as discussed above with respect to the other embodiments herein. However, the drive train assembly 30 and impeller 40 are instead mounted laterally to the discharge conduit 42, as shown and described below in further detail.
The discharge conduit 42 is formed by opposing sidewalls, i.e., an interior sidewall 132, and exterior sidewall 134 which are positioned substantially parallel and define a channel 133 therebetween. The interior sidewall 132 has a plurality of upwardly directed orifices (apertures) 135 which form water jet nozzles. The orifices 135 are preferably evenly spaced about the interior sidewall 132, although such configuration is not considered limiting. The exterior sidewall 134 is solid, without any perforations or openings. Referring to FIG. 45, a secondary inlet 140 extends laterally along the base 12 or drive assembly housing 31 to permit pool water to enter into the channel 133 in the discharge conduit 42.
In particular, an impeller 40, e.g., a corkscrew shaped impeller, is positioned in the secondary inlet (conduit) 140 and is rotated in a predetermined rotational direction by the electric motor 32 and drive train assembly 30. Rotation of the impeller 40 causes water to be drawn into the secondary inlet 140 and flow through the channel 133 of the discharge conduit 42. The pressure of the water flow from the impeller 42 causes the water in the channel 133 to be forced through the orifices 135 in an upwardly direction to form a plurality of water jets. A grate 141 can be provided over the secondary inlet 140 to prevent debris from entering therein. During operation, the plurality of upwardly directed water jets cause the water and debris beneath the inlet port 16 to be drawn upwardly through the discharge conduit 42 by means of the Venturi effect. Accordingly, the water and debris from beneath the cleaner 10 is drawn up through the inlet port 16, flows through the discharge conduit 42, the debris is subsequently captured by the filter 44 and the clean water passes back into the pool.
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.
Patent Application
20190032354
