Patent Grant
10422149
Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57.
The present disclosure generally relates to waterjet apparatus for cleaning artificial bodies of water, and in particular, waterjet apparatus for cleaning a pool, spa, or the like.
Artificial bodies of water, such as pools, spas, fountains, ornamental ponds, utility ponds and the like, typically have filter systems that allow the water in the body of water to be filtered and cleaned. Typically, the water is removed from the artificial body of water via a drain and is pumped through a filtration or cleaning system. It is preferable that the water flows through the system as efficiently as possible. Waterjet delivery devices such as cleaning heads are often used as part of an in-floor pool cleaning system to circulate jets of water near the floor and sidewalls of a pool.
These in-floor cleaning heads are usually made of plastic, mounted flush with the adjoining surface of the pool and intermittently supplied with pressurized water to activate them. When the cleaning heads are activated, they usually extend beyond the surface of the pool to direct a jet of water from a nozzle across the adjacent surface to dislodge debris from the pool surface and place it in suspension for subsequent removal by the pool filter.
This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented herein.
A waterjet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure for in-floor swimming pool and spa cleaning systems is provided. The apparatus comprises a cylindrical sleeve; a spring biased hollow stem positioned inside the cylindrical sleeve; a nozzle head member having an annular upper surface and circumferential sidewall extending upwardly from the annular upper surface, wherein the nozzle head member further comprising an annular step extending upwardly from the annular upper surface of the nozzle head member between the sidewall and the upper surface of the nozzle head member; a plurality of fastening points formed on the upper surface of the nozzle head; and a recessed plate having a top surface and a plurality of snap-on fastening members, wherein the snap-on fastening members engage with the fastening points formed on the upper surface of the nozzle head member in manner such that the top surface of the recessed plate is substantially flush with the annular step of the nozzle head member so as to form a substantially flat recessed support surface surrounded by the sidewall of the nozzle head member.
A waterjet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure for cleaning an artificial body of water is provided. The apparatus comprises a housing having a housing periphery about a central axis of the housing wherein the housing periphery defining an outermost boundary of the housing; a head movably connected to the housing, the head configured to reciprocate correspondingly with an intermittent delivery of pressurized water and configured to direct the pressurized water along a desired direction to clean the artificial body of water, wherein the head rotates about the central axis of the housing after delivery of pressurized water; and a plaster attachment device connected to the head, the plaster attachment device comprising a plaster device periphery about the central axis, the plaster device periphery substantially aligned with the housing periphery along the central axis, and the plaster attachment device comprising a plaster opening and a sidewall, the plaster opening configured to receive and support plaster mixtures substantially matching plaster mixtures of a wall configured to contain the artificial body of water, the plaster opening configured to support plaster at a desired depth, the sidewall configured to support plaster at a desired radius.
A waterjet apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure for cleaning an artificial body of water is provided. The apparatus comprises a body having a nozzle opening, the nozzle opening configured to direct pressurized water along a desired direction to clean the artificial body of water; and a plaster attachment device connected to the body, the plaster attachment device comprising a plaster cavity configured to retain plaster, the plaster attachment device comprising a central opening in fluid communication with the nozzle opening; and a recessed cover configured to be positioned on the central opening, the recessed cover configured to be engaged with the plaster device to inhibit movement of the recessed cover into the central opening and laterally relative to the central opening, the recessed cover configured to support plaster and inhibit fluid communication between the plaster cavity and the nozzle opening.
A waterjet apparatus for in-floor swimming pool cleaning systems according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. The waterjet apparatus comprises a plaster attachment device for securing and confining plaster, such as a plaster mixture, to a predetermined area on the waterjet apparatus. The apparatus can include a plaster opening having a plaster securing upper surface with sidewalls to contain a plaster mixture which may include material or structure formed from a loosely compacted mass of fragments or particles such as pebbles. The apparatus can have other structures such as flanges, protrusions, bosses, grooves, indentations, and/or the like to facilitate securing the plaster in the plaster opening. The plaster attachment device can include slots for mating with maintenance tools where, for example, surface finish area is maximized relative to the dimension (e.g., diameter) of the waterjet apparatus.
The plaster attached to the waterjet apparatus can vary to match the wall and floor of the pool. In some embodiments, the waterjet apparatus comprises a top having an upper surface and a side surface wherein the side surface includes at least one opening permitting fluid communication therethrough between internal mechanisms of the waterjet apparatus and artificial body of water. A section of the upper surface is recessed so as to define a cavity region wherein the cavity region is configured to retain plaster so as to provide the upper surface of the waterjet apparatus with a plaster finish.
In some embodiments, the cavity is approximately between ⅛ inches to 1 inch deep and extends from the center of the upper surface to the outer perimeter of the upper surface. The cavity region can be defined by a sidewall that extends outward from the plane of the upper surface. In some embodiments, the sidewall extends outward from the plane of the upper surface and simultaneously extends inward toward the center of the upper surface to facilitate retention of the plaster finish. In some embodiments, the waterjet apparatus is formed of a clear material so that it is camouflaged by the plaster. The waterjet apparatus can be circular in shape like most conventional cleaning heads; however, the waterjet apparatus can take on a variety of other shapes.
A waterjet apparatus for cleaning an artificial body of water according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes one or more of the following: a housing comprising a plurality of housing slots positioned along a periphery of the housing; a head movably connected to the housing, the head configured to reciprocate correspondingly with an intermittent delivery of pressurized water and configured to direct the pressurized water along a desired direction, wherein the head rotates about a central axis of the waterjet apparatus after delivery of pressurized water; and a plaster attachment device connected to the head, the plaster attachment device configured to receive plaster substantially matching plaster of a wall for pools and spas, and comprising a plaster device slot, the plaster attachment device slot aligning with a first housing slot of the plurality of housing slots when pressurized water is not being delivered.
In some embodiments, the waterjet apparatus can further include one or more of the following: after delivery of pressurized water and rotation of the head, the plaster attachment device rotates with the head such that the plaster attachment device slot aligns with a second housing slot of the plurality of housing slots; after a predetermined number of rotations of the head and the plaster attachment device, the plaster attachment device slot aligns with the first housing slot after aligning with each housing slot of the plurality of housing slots; the plurality of housing slots comprises 10 to 14 housing slots positioned about the periphery of the housing; the plaster attachment device comprises another plaster device slot aligning with a second housing slot of the plurality of housing slots when pressurized water is not being delivered; the other plaster device slot is positioned opposite the plaster attachment device slot relative to the central axis; the plaster attachment device slot is configured to allow a tool to pass through the plaster attachment device slot into the first housing slot to allow the tool to engage the first housing slot to rotate the housing about the central axis; a periphery of the plaster attachment device substantially corresponds to the periphery of the housing, the plaster attachment device slot positioned along the periphery of the plaster attachment device; the plaster attachment device comprises an opening configured to house the plaster; the opening has a depth along the central axis of about ⅛ inches to about 1 inch; and/or the plaster device comprises a flange extending into the opening, the flange configured to retain the plaster in the opening.
A waterjet head for cleaning an artificial body of water according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes one or more of the following: a body comprising a nozzle opening configured to direct pressurized water along a desired direction to clean the artificial body of water, wherein the body rotates about a central axis of the body after delivery of the pressurized water; and/or a plaster attachment device connected to the body, the plaster attachment device configured to receive plaster substantially similar to plaster of a surface configured to contain the artificial body of water, the plaster attachment device comprising a slit positioned proximate to a perimeter of the plaster attachment device.
In some embodiments, the waterjet head can further include one or more of the following: the plaster attachment device comprises another slit positioned proximate to the perimeter of the plaster attachment device and opposite the slit relative to the central axis; the slit comprises an indentation in a wall surface of the plaster attachment device, the wall surface extending along the perimeter of the plaster attachment device about the central axis to form an outer-most boundary of the plaster attachment device; the indentation is substantially rectangular; the slit is configured to engage a tool configured to rotate the plaster attachment device about the central axis; the plaster attachment device comprises a plaster opening configured to support the plaster of the plaster attachment device; the plaster opening has a depth along the axis of about ⅛ inches to about 1 inch; the plaster opening comprises a bottom and a sidewall configured to retain the plaster of the plaster attachment device in a desired portion relative to the plaster attachment device; the bottom extends radially outward relative to the central axis, and wherein the sidewall extends along the central axis and substantially perpendicular to the bottom; the plaster attachment device comprises a flange extending into the plaster opening toward the central axis, the flange configured to retain the plaster of the plaster attachment device in the plaster opening; and/or the plaster attachment device extends radially outward from the body relative to the central axis.
According an embodiment of this disclosure, a waterjet head for cleaning an artificial body of water includes one or more of the following: a body comprising a nozzle opening and a central opening, the nozzle opening configured to direct pressurized water along a desired direction to clean the artificial body of water; a plaster attachment device connected to the body, the plaster attachment device configured to support a plaster opening configured to support plaster substantially resembling plaster of a surface configured to contain the artificial body of water; and/or a recessed base over the central opening, the recessed base engaged with the body to inhibit movement of the recessed base into the central opening and laterally relative to the central opening, the recessed base configured to support the plaster.
In some embodiments, the waterjet head can further include one or more of the following: the body comprises a slot, and the recessed base comprises a projection mating with the slot to engage the recessed base to the body; upon disengagement of the projection from the slot, the recessed base is movable away from the plaster device along a central axis of the body; the body further comprises a lip, the recessed base configured to rest on the lip to help inhibit lateral movement of the recessed base relative to the central opening; the cover comprises a periphery corresponding to a perimeter of the lip, wherein the perimeter of the lip engages the periphery of the lip to inhibit lateral movement of the recessed base perpendicular to a central axis of the body; at least part of the recessed base rests on top of the lip to inhibit movement of the recessed base into the central opening along a central axis of the body and the recessed base; the plaster attachment device comprises a plaster opening configured to house the plaster; the plaster attachment device opening has a depth of about ⅛ inches to about 1 inch; the plaster opening comprises a bottom and a sidewall configured to retain the plaster relative to the plaster attachment device; the bottom extends radially outward, and wherein the sidewall extends substantially perpendicular to the bottom; the plaster attachment device comprises a flange extending into the plaster opening, the flange configured to retain the plaster of the plaster attachment device in the plaster opening; and/or the plaster attachment device extends radially outward from the body.
The foregoing is a summary and contains simplifications, generalization, and omissions of detail. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the devices and/or processes and/or other subject matter described herein will become apparent in the teachings set forth herein. The summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of any subject matter described herein.
The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only some embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description and drawings are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, may be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and made a part of this disclosure
As shown in
In one implementation, the plaster attachment device 108 has a bottom surface 132 and annular sidewall 134 extending upwardly from the perimeter of the bottom surface 132 to define a plaster opening 130 sized to receive sufficient plaster so that the upper surface of the water jet apparatus appears to have a finish comprised of plaster or plaster mixed in with loosely compacted mass of fragments or particles such as pebbles. The bottom surface 132 can define a depth of the plaster opening 130 along the central axis 110. The sidewalls 134 can define a radius of the plaster opening 130 about the central axis 110. In one implementation, the depth of the plaster opening 130 is 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm and the diameter of the plaster opening 130 is 3.5 mm to 9 mm. The sidewalls 134 can be angled relative to a central axis 110 to improve the mechanical bond of the plaster within the plaster attachment device 108. The plaster attachment device 108 can have flanges or other protrusions, bosses, grooves, indentations, and/or the like to facilitate securing the plaster in the plaster opening 130. The plaster attachment device 108 can also include slots for mating with maintenance tools where, for example, surface finish area is maximized relative to the dimension (e.g., diameter) of the waterjet apparatus 102.
As further shown in
The housing 104 of the waterjet apparatus 102 can be secured to a housing, such as a sleeve or other similar structure, mounted in the floor or walls of a pool or spa. As pressurized water is delivered or supplied to the head 106, the head 106 can move up along the central axis 110 to deliver pressurized water in a desired direction. The head 106 can deliver pressurized water through an opening or orifice 112 (e.g., a nozzle opening) in a manner known in the art. The orifice 112 can house or engage, mate, or connect with a nozzle to control the desired water flow or jet formed from the head 106.
As discussed herein, upon delivery of pressurized water, the head 106 reciprocates or moves up relative to the housing 104 along the central axis 110 in a direction of the directional arrow 111 to an operating position as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As the plaster attachment device 108 rotates with the head 106 during operation, the head 106 and the plaster attachment device 108 come to rest such that the slots 116 of the plaster device 108 align with the slots 114 of the housing 104. During operation, the slots 116 of the plaster attachment device 108 can correspondingly sequentially align with each of the slots 114 of the housing 104 as the head 106 intermittently rotates about the central axis 110 during operation.
In some embodiments, the plaster attachment device 108 can have one to five slots 116 that are spaced apart, including three slots 116. In some embodiments, the radius, length, or diameter of the periphery 117 of the plaster attachment device 108 may be smaller, shorter, or less than the radius, length, or diameter of the periphery 115 of the housing 104 such that the plaster attachment device 108 may not include any slots 116 to allow access to the slots 114 via a maintenance tool as discussed herein. The periphery 117 may not substantially coincide, align, or overlap with the periphery 115 along the central axis 110 via the periphery 115 being longer or greater than in radius, length, or diameter relative to the periphery 117.
In some embodiments, the indentations 118 and the projections 122 can be mirrored, when for example, the head 106 is designed to slide over the sleeve 120. For example,
Upon a full single reciprocal movement of the head 106 and the plaster attachment device 108, the slots 116 of the plaster attachment device 108 can substantially align with the slots 114 of the housing 104 along the central axis 110. Referring to
Accordingly, after any number of rotations of the plaster attachment device 108 relative to the housing 104, the maintenance tool can be engaged with the slots 114 of the housing 104 such that the maintenance tool can be rotated about the central axis 110 to rotate the housing 104 about the central axis 110 relative to the wall or surface containing the artificial body of water in order to, for example, remove the waterjet apparatus 102 for maintenance. The lower ridges 126 and the upper ridges 128, as well as the projections 124 of the tube 120, can be sized and shaped to correspond to the slots 114 of the housing 104. For example, as discussed herein, after any number of rotations of the head 106, the slots 114 and the slots 116 can substantially align along the central axis 110 as discussed herein.
As illustrated in
The plaster attachment device 108 has a bottom surface 132 that is coupled to the head and extends substantially radially outward from the central axis 110. The device 108 also has a sidewall 134, which together with the bottom surface 132 define a plaster opening 130 of predetermined size for containing plaster mixtures or the like. The sidewall 134 can be substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface 132. The sidewall 134 can circumscribe or enclose the bottom surface 132. The sidewall 134 can extend circularly about the central axis 110. Sidewall 134 can have a length of about ⅛ inches to 1 inch depending on the plaster used. Accordingly, length of the sidewall 134 along the central axis 110 provides a predetermined or desired depth to the plaster opening 130.
To further facilitate attaching the plaster to the waterjet apparatus, the plaster attachment device 108 can have one or more flanges 136. The flanges 136 can extend radially inward toward the central axis 110 so that they press against plaster. The flanges 136 can help keep the plaster within the plaster opening 130 by substantially inhibiting movement of the plaster out of the plaster opening 130 along the central axis 110. Along with the sidewalls 134 inhibiting movement of the plaster perpendicularly to the central axis 110 and the bottom surface 132 inhibiting movement of the plaster downwardly along the central axis 110, the flanges 136 can help securely fix the plaster within the plaster opening 130 as the plaster attachment device 108 reciprocates with the head 106 as discussed herein. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Accordingly, the plaster opening 130 can extend substantially a majority of the radial extent of the housing 104 from the central axis 110 such that the plaster opening 130 substantially coincides with the extent of the housing 104 from the central axis 110. With the outer perimeter or peripheries of the housing 104 and the plaster attachment device 108 (e.g., perimeters 115, 117) substantially corresponding or aligning along the central axis 110, the plaster attachment device 108 may have slots 114 of the housing 104 as discussed herein to provide a relatively larger plaster opening 130 radially away from the central axis 110. The slots 116 of the plaster attachment device 108 are therefore provided to allow access toward the housing 104 with a maintenance tool, and in particular, toward the slots 114 of the housing 104 such that the housing 104 can be rotated and disengaged from the opening of the surface containing the artificial body of water while maximizing a length (e.g., diameter) of the plaster openings 130.
An upper surface or plane defining an upper most surface of the housing 104 perpendicular to the central axis 110 can be substantially flush with the surface containing the artificial body of water. Accordingly, the plaster attachment device 108 can protrude or extend along the central axis 110 a predetermined dimension or length above the surface containing the artificial body of water (e.g., along the central axis 110). Such a waterjet apparatus 102, and in particular the head 106 and the plaster device 108, may be desirable as a retrofit upgrade to existing cleaning heads that do not correspond or have a surface that does not match plaster of the surface or wall containing the artificial body of water. For example, the housing 104 and other internal components (e.g., the tube 120) can be retained from the existing cleaning heads that may be previously installed in surface containing the artificial body of water. A body (e.g., head) of an existing cleaning head can be removed (via a maintenance tool) and replaced by the head 106 and the plaster attachment device 108 as discussed herein having plaster to provide a waterjet apparatus 102 that substantially matches or is camouflaged relative to the surface containing the artificial body of water. For example,
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
With the housing 104 as well as the plaster attachment device 108 and plaster 107 being substantially flush with the surface containing the artificial body of water, the waterjet apparatus 102 can be further camouflaged to match the surface containing the artificial body of water. For example, while the waterjet apparatus 102 may have some plastic portions that are not covered by the plaster 107, in particular, uppermost surfaces of the housing 104 as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the plaster attachment device 108 may not radially extend over onto the slots 114 from the central axis 110. Accordingly, the plaster attachment device 108 may not include slots 116 at a periphery of the plaster attachment device 108 (e.g., periphery 117) as illustrated in
The head 106 and/or plaster attachment device 108 can have a central opening 142 along the central axis 110. The central opening 142 can direct pressurized water through the head 106. Further, because of some manufacturing and/or molding processes, the central opening 142 may extend through the bottom surface 132 of the plaster opening 130 as illustrated in
In order to secure the plaster 107 as discussed herein in a desired or predetermined position, the plaster attachment device 108 can include a recessed base 144 having an outer perimeter or periphery 146 that is relatively larger or greater in radius/diameter than the radius/diameter of the central opening 142. Accordingly, the recessed base 144 can be positioned downwardly (e.g., oppositely of directional arrow 111 along the central axis 110) onto the head 106 and/or the bottom surface 132. With the head 106 and/or the bottom surface 132 supporting the recessed base 144 along the central axis 110, the plaster 107 can be placed in the plaster opening 130 as discussed herein with the recessed base 144 providing support for the plaster 107 such that the plaster 107 substantially does not pass through to the central openings 142.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The recessed base 144 can connect to the head 106 via, for example, the projections 152 securely connecting to the cutouts 154 to allow the recessed base 144 to direct pressurized water to the orifice 112 as discussed herein. For example, as the pressurized water comes up the central opening 142 along the central axis 110, the pressurized water will come against or be impeded by the recessed base 144 and directed radially outward toward the orifice 112. Accordingly, there may be upward pressure or forces on the recessed base 144 from the pressurized water coming through the central opening 142 along the central axis 110. The projections 152 can facilitate securely fastening the recessed base 144 along central axis 110 relative to head 106 such that the recessed base 144 does not or substantially does not push against the plaster 107 to mitigate cracks in or breakup of the plaster 107.
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the uppermost surfaces of the bottom surface 132 and the recessed base 144 do not have to be flush. For example, the head 106 may not have a lip 148 forming an indentation in the bottom surface 132 to allow the recessed base 144 to lower along the central axis 110 to be flush with the bottom surface 132. The recessed base 144 may be lowered directly onto the bottom surface 132 to engage the head 106 via any suitable mating mechanism as discussed herein. Accordingly, the plaster 107 can be placed in plaster opening 130 with the plaster 107 adopted to or conforming to various contour surfaces of the plaster opening 130 and/or the recessed base 144. For example, such a nonplanar surface of the plaster opening 130 is illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The varying depth of the plaster opening 130 can provide a greater volume for plaster 107. But having a greater volume for the plaster 107 may provide a greater variety of plaster that can be used with the plaster device 108. Further, having a second portion 130b of greater depth may provide greater structural integrity of the plaster 107 as well as facilitate retention of the plaster 107 in the plaster opening 130.
With continued reference to
A maintenance tool as discussed herein can be directed downward toward the waterjet apparatus 102 along the central axis 110. Upon reaching the plaster attachment device 108, the maintenance tool can be brought down around the sidewall 134 along the central axis 110 such that the maintenance tool is aligned along the central axis 110. The prongs of the maintenance tool can rest on top of the flange 160 aligned along the central axis 110. The maintenance tool can be rotated to align the prongs of the maintenance tool with the slots 116 of the plaster attachment device 108. Upon alignment of the prongs with the slots 116, the maintenance tool can be further brought down along the central axis 110 such that the prongs of the maintenance tool engaged the slots 116 as discussed herein.
As illustrated in
The cutouts 166 can be indentations in a top surface of the housing 104 (e.g., uppermost surface of the housing 104 along the central axis 110 in the direction 111). The cutouts 166 can be sized and/or shaped to engage and/or mate with the protrusions 164 as discussed herein and reference to
The sleeve 168 can engage, made, and/or connect with the wall of the pool and/or spa. For example, the wall of the pool and/or spark may be a cementitious or otherwise curable material, such as gunnite, that is poured around the sleeve 168. Upon the cementitious material curing, the sleeve 168 can be securely fixed within the wall of the pool and/or spa. Accordingly, the other components of the waterjet apparatus 102 can be securely engaged and/or physically fixed when engaged to the wall of the pool and/or spa via the sleeve 168 as long as, for example, the housing 104 and the sleeve 168 are engaged as discussed herein. The sleeve 168 can have a water retainer 170. The water retainer can be a gutter like structure that pulls water at a certain point along the central axis 110 such that water from the pool and/or spa does not proceed into the wall of the pool and/or spa beyond the waterjet apparatus 102.
As illustrated in
The flush design of the waterjet apparatus 102 can be accommodated in existing sleeves 168 that may already be permanently fixed in existing walls of pools and/or spas. Rather than demolishing a part of the wall of the pool and/or spa to extract the existing sleeve 168, the internal mechanisms of the waterjet apparatus 102 can be shortened to accommodate a depth of the plaster opening 130. In some embodiments, the internal mechanisms may not be shortened enough to accommodate an entire depth of the plaster opening 132 (e.g., along the central axis 110) such that a top surface of the plaster attachment device 108 may be above a top surface of the sleeve 168 (e.g., uppermost surface of the sleeve 168 along the central axis 110). In addition or in lieu of shortening the internal mechanisms of the waterjet apparatus 102, a riser ring 172 can be provided to engage, mate, and/or engage the housing 104 and/or sleeve 168 such that a top surface of the plaster attachment device 108 is substantially flush with a top surface of the riser ring 172 as illustrated in
As illustrated in
With continued reference to
As illustrated in
When installing sleeve 168 in the wall having the surface finish 103, the sleeve 168 can be positioned such that a top surface of the sleeve 168 is substantially flush with the surface finish 103. Accordingly, upon addition of the plaster to the plaster opening 130 of the plaster device 108, the surface finish 103 and plaster 107 can be substantially flush.
In some embodiments, waterjet apparatus 102 can be provided as a kit. The waterjet apparatus 102 can be provided with a recessed base 144 as discussed herein. The waterjet apparatus 102 can be provided alternatively or in addition with a cap 180. The cap 180 can have projections 152 and extending portions 156. The projections 152 and/or extending portions 156 of the cap 180 can engage cutouts 154 of the plaster device 108 similarly as discussed herein for the recessed base 144. For example,
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The cap 180 may be made of a plastic material that matches the plastic material of the housing 104 and/or sleeve 168. Accordingly, the cap 180 may be used with the plaster attachment device 108 where aesthetics of a conventional cleaning head are desired. For example, when using the waterjet apparatus 102 with the cap 180, plaster 107 is not added to the plaster device 108. The cap 180 can be used permanently or temporarily as desired (e.g., until the finalized surface finish 103 of the pool and/or spa is determined). A kit containing the waterjet apparatus 102 can be provided with a recessed base 144 and a cap 180. Depending on desired application, the plaster attachment device 108 can be engaged with either the recessed base 144 or the cap 180. If initially the plaster attachment device 108 is engaged with the cap 180, the cap 180 can be later removed and the recessed base 144 engaged to apply plaster 107 as discussed herein.
As illustrated in
Because the cap 180 is covering and is over the plaster opening 130 when not filled with plaster 107, a support structure 184 may be provided to help maintain the structural integrity of the cap 180 when positioned in the plaster opening 130. For example, the support structure 184 may inhibit or substantially prevent the cap 180 from breaking or bending into the plaster opening 130 via, for example, the support structure 184 abutting the lip 148.
As illustrated in
It is contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments disclosed above may be made and still fall within one or more of the inventions. Further, the disclosure herein of any particular feature, aspect, method, property, characteristic, quality, attribute, element, or the like in connection with an embodiment can be used in all other embodiments set forth herein. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above. Moreover, while the inventions are susceptible to various modifications, and alternative forms, specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the inventions are not to be limited to the particular forms or methods disclosed, but to the contrary, the inventions are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the various embodiments described and the appended claims. Any methods disclosed herein need not be performed in the order recited. The methods disclosed herein include certain actions taken by a practitioner; however, they can also include any third-party instruction of those actions, either expressly or by implication. For example, actions such as “passing a suspension line through the base of the tongue” include “instructing the passing of a suspension line through the base of the tongue.” It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely examples, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. The ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all overlap, sub-ranges, and combinations thereof. Language such as “up to,” “at least,” “greater than,” “less than,” “between,” and the like includes the number recited. Numbers preceded by a term such as “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” as used herein include the recited numbers, and also represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of the stated amount. Features of embodiments disclosed herein preceded by a term such as “approximately”, “about”, and “substantially” as used herein represent the feature with some variability that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result for that feature.
With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced embodiment recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the embodiment, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the disclosure may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce embodiment recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of an embodiment recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular embodiment containing such introduced embodiment recitation to embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same embodiment includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce embodiment recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced embodiment recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, embodiments, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
Although the present subject matter has been described herein in terms of certain embodiments, and certain exemplary methods, it is to be understood that the scope of the subject matter is not to be limited thereby. Instead, the Applicant intends that variations on the methods and materials disclosed herein which are apparent to those of skill in the art will fall within the scope of the disclosed subject matter.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6340035 | Wright | Jan 2002 | B2 |
| 6643857 | Kenna et al. | Nov 2003 | B1 |
| 6971588 | Tarr et al. | Dec 2005 | B1 |
| 8308081 | Goettl | Nov 2012 | B1 |
| 20020117225 | Wright | Aug 2002 | A1 |
| Entry |
|---|
| In-Floor Cleaning & Circulation, PCC 2000, Paramount, Chandler, Arizona, USA, http://1paramount.com/products/aapdf/PCC2000Brochure.pdf, document available on or before Mar. 9, 2009 (per Internet Archive Wayback Machine, http://web.archive.org/web/20090309014554/http://1paramount.com/products/pcc/ linking to http://web.archive.org/web/20160128003601/http://www.1paramount.com/products/aapdf/PCC2000Brochure.pdf), Accessed on Nov. 7, 2016, 12 pages. |
| Total Circulation—efficiency in energy and hydraulics, Product Catalog by A&A Manufacturing, Sep. 16, 2015, 60 pages, A&A Manufacturing, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. |
| Photographs of a Polaris Caretaker Pop-Up Cleaning Head, in 5 pages, sold prior to Apr. 20, 2015. |
| U.S. Appl. No. 15/890,145, filed Feb. 6, 2018, Krombein. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62046829 | Sep 2014 | US |
