Pool cleaner power supply

• US 10,214,933 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Peastrel, Mark, Osuna, Omar Enrique, Teuscher, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Willis, Tremesha S
• Application Number:
  US15/592,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20180328064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 174250, 174251, 174255-261
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10196 Variable component, e.g. variable resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0213 Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/023 Handles; Grips
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0243 for decorative purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/064 sealed by potting, e.g. waterproof resin poured in a rigid casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/065 sealed by encapsulation, e.g. waterproof resin forming an integral casing, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1432 specially adapted for power drive units or power converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1439 Back panel mother boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20172 Fan mounting or fan specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20209 Thermal management, e.g. fan control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20436 Inner thermal coupling elements in heat dissipating housings, e.g. protrusions or depressions integrally formed in the housing

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners that remove debris from water using a plurality of cyclonic flows, or that include a removable impeller subassembly, a check valve for a debris canister, a particle separator assembly having a handle that locks to the pool cleaner, a modular roller drive gear box, or a roller latch that secures a roller to the pool cleaner. Exemplary embodiments are also directed to the check valve and the roller latch themselves. Exemplary embodiments are directed to a filter medium for pool cleaners that includes embossments providing flow channels for water, and to roller assemblies for pool cleaners. Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners including alternative pump motor engagements. Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners power supplies that include a potted and contoured power board assembly, and to kickstands therefor. Exemplary embodiments are directed to a pool cleaner caddy, and removable wheels therefor.

Claims

1. A power supply for a pool cleaner, comprising:

a housing;

a user interface;

a low-power user interface printed circuit board, the low-power user interface printed circuit board in electrical communication with the user interface; and

a potted power converter board assembly, comprising;

a tray;

a high-power printed circuit board including a plurality of electrical components and low-power user interface wires, the high-power printed circuit board positioned within the tray;

an AC power input connector in electrical communication with the high-power printed circuit board and providing a power input to the high-power printed circuit board;

a female power and communication output port in electrical communication with the high-power printed circuit board and providing power output from the high-power printed circuit board; and

a potting compound positioned within the tray and surrounding the high-power circuit board and the electrical components, the potting compound isolating the high-power circuit board and the electrical components, the low-power user interface wires extending out from the potting compound and in electrical communication with the low-power user interface printed circuit board;

wherein the low-power user interface wires provide power to the low-power user interface printed circuit board.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a front housing and a rear housing, and the low-power user interface printed circuit board and the potted power converter board assembly are positioned between the front housing and the rear housing.

3. The power supply of claim 2, wherein the low-power user interface printed circuit board is mounted to the front housing.

4. The power supply of claim 3, wherein the potted power converter board assembly includes a plurality of stops extending between the tray and the front housing, the plurality of stops restricting flexion of the low-power user interface printed circuit board.

5. The power supply of claim 3, wherein the potted power converter board assembly includes a plurality of mounting brackets and the rear housing includes a plurality of mounting bosses, the potted power converter board assembly being retained by the rear housing with the plurality of mounting brackets engaged with the plurality of mounting bosses of the rear housing.

6. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the high-power printed circuit board includes a first side, a second side, and a heat sink, the plurality of electrical components mounted to the first side and the heat sink mounted to the second side.

7. The power supply of claim 6, wherein the heat sink is a folded sheet metal heat sink.

8. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the user interface is mounted to the housing and the connector extends through a connector opening in the housing to connect to the low-power user interface printed circuit board.

9. The power supply of claim 1, wherein a graphic overlay including a plurality of semi-transparent indicia is positioned over the user interface.

10. The power supply of claim 1, comprising low-power fan wires and a fan, wherein the low-power fan wires are connected to the high-power printed circuit board, extend out from the potting compound, and are connected to the fan to provide low-power to the fan, wherein the fan is positioned adjacent the potting compound and cools the potted power converter board assembly through forced convection.

11. The power supply of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a fan opening and the fan is positioned within the fan opening.

12. The power supply of claim 11, wherein the fan is secured in place by a fan cover that is removably connected to the housing and covers the fan opening.

13. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the tray includes a port opening and the female power and communication output port includes a barrier that is positioned within the port opening and prevents potting compound from leaking out from the tray.

14. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the user interface printed circuit board includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes and the housing includes a plurality of openings that allow the light-emitting diodes to be viewed from the exterior of the housing.

15. The power supply of claim 14, comprising a light baffle that includes a plurality of apertures, the light baffle being positioned over the user interface printed circuit board with the light-emitting diodes positioned within the apertures, wherein the light baffle prevents cross-talk between the light-emitting diodes.

16. The power supply of claim 1, comprising a recessed handle provided in the housing.

17. The power supply of claim 16, comprising a plurality of vents on sides of the housing, the vents positioned to vent hot air away from the handle.

18. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the electrical components of the high-power printed circuit board form a contoured landscape, and the tray includes a plurality of contours defining a plurality of interior recesses, the contours matching the contoured landscape formed by the electrical components of the high-power printed circuit board,

wherein when the high-power printed circuit board is positioned within the tray the electrical components are positioned within the interior recesses of the tray.

19. The power supply of claim 18, wherein a substantially uniform space is formed between the plurality of electrical components and the plurality of contours of the contoured tray, the substantially uniform space being filled with potting compound.

20. The power supply of claim 19, wherein the substantially uniform space provides substantially unified strain during thermal expansion of the potting compound.

21. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the high-power printed circuit board limits the power provided to the low-power printed circuit board.

22. The power supply of claim 21, wherein the high-power printed circuit board includes a positive temperature coefficient thermistor that limits the power provided to the low-power printed circuit board to less than or equal to 15 watts.

23. The power supply of claim 1, comprising a control cable extending from a pool cleaner and connected to the female power and communication output port, the control cable providing power and control commands to the pool cleaner.

24. The power supply of claim 23, wherein the high-power printed circuit board includes a thermistor that provides a measurement of the temperature of the high-power printed circuit board, and the pool cleaner adjusts its operation based on the temperature of the high-power printed circuit board.

25. The power supply of claim 24, wherein the pool cleaner reduces the power drawn from the power supply if the temperature monitored by the thermistor is greater than a threshold.

26. The power supply of claim 24, wherein the pool cleaner disables modes of operation if the temperature monitored by the thermistor is greater than a threshold.

27. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a first button, a second button, and a third button.

28. The power supply of claim 27, wherein the first button is a power button, the second button is a schedule select button, and a third button is a mode select button.

29. The power supply of claim 27, wherein when the first button, the second button, and the third button are pressed and held simultaneously for a predetermined period of time a factory reset is performed.

30. The power supply of claim 27, wherein when at least two of the first, second, and third buttons are pressed and held simultaneously for a predetermined period of time a WiFi connection of the power supply is reset.

31. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a power button that when pressed toggles the power supply between a power state and a standby state.

32. The power supply of claim 31, wherein the power button when pressed and held for a predetermined period of time starts a pool cleaner connected to the power supply or shuts-down a pool cleaner connected to the power supply.

33. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a schedule select button that when pressed scrolls through schedule settings.

34. The power supply of claim 33, wherein when the schedule select button is pressed and held for a predetermined period of time the user interface is dimmed.

35. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a mode select button that when pressed scrolls through a plurality of pool cleaner modes.

36. The power supply of claim 35, wherein when the mode select button is pressed and held for a predetermined period of time the user interface is brightened.

37. The power supply of claim 1 in combination with the pool cleaner.

38. A power supply for a pool cleaner, comprising:

a housing;

a user interface including a connector;

a low-power user interface printed circuit board having a microprocessor, a power converter board connector, and a user interface port, the user interface connector connected to the user interface port to communicate with the user interface printed circuit board; and

a potted power converter board assembly, comprising;

a high-power printed circuit board including a plurality of electrical components and low-power user interface wires, the electrical components forming a contoured landscape;

a contoured tray having a plurality of contours defining a plurality of interior recesses, the contours matching the contoured landscape formed by the electrical components of the high-power printed circuit board, the high-power printed circuit board being positioned within the tray with the electrical components positioned within the interior recesses of the contoured tray;

an AC power input connector in electrical communication with the high-power printed circuit board and providing a power input to the high-power printed circuit board;

a female power and communication output port in electrical communication with the high-power printed circuit board and providing power output from the high-power printed circuit board; and

a potting compound positioned within the tray and surrounding the high-power circuit board and the electrical components, the potting compound isolating the electrical components, the low-power user interface wires extending out from the potting compound and connectable to the power converter board connector,

wherein the low-power user interface printed circuit board and the potted power converter board assembly are positioned within the housing.

39. The power supply for a pool cleaner of claim 38, wherein a substantially uniform space is formed between the plurality of electrical components and the plurality of contours of the contoured tray, the substantially uniform space being filled with potting compound.

40. The power supply of claim 39, wherein the substantially uniform space provides substantially unified strain during thermal expansion of the potting compound.

41. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the housing includes a front housing and a rear housing, and the low-power user interface printed circuit board and the potted power converter board assembly are positioned between the front housing and the rear housing.

42. The power supply of claim 41, wherein the low-power user interface printed circuit board is mounted to the front housing.

43. The power supply of claim 42, wherein the potted power converter board assembly includes a plurality of stops extending between the tray and the front housing, the plurality of stops restricting flexion of the low-power user interface printed circuit board.

44. The power supply of claim 42, wherein the potted power converter board assembly includes a plurality of mounting brackets and the rear housing includes a plurality of mounting bosses, the potted power converter board assembly being retained by the rear housing with the plurality of mounting brackets engaged with the plurality of mounting bosses of the rear housing.

45. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the high-power printed circuit board includes a first side, a second side, and a heat sink, the plurality of electrical components mounted to the first side and the heat sink mounted to the second side.

46. The power supply of claim 45, wherein the heat sink is a folded sheet metal heat sink.

47. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the user interface is mounted to the front housing and the connector extends through a connector opening in the front housing to connect to the user interface port of the low-power user interface printed circuit board.

48. The power supply of claim 38, wherein a graphic overlay including a plurality of semi-transparent indicia is positioned over the user interface.

49. The power supply of claim 38, comprising low-power fan wires and a fan, wherein the low-power fan wires are connected to the high-power printed circuit board, extend out from the potting compound, and are connected to the fan to provide low-power to the fan, wherein the fan is positioned adjacent the potting compound and cools the potted power converter board assembly through forced convection.

50. The power supply of claim 49, wherein the housing includes a fan opening and the fan is positioned within the fan opening.

51. The power supply of claim 50, wherein the fan is secured in place by a fan cover that is removably connected to the housing and covers the fan opening.

52. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the contoured tray includes a port opening and the female power and communication output port includes a barrier that is positioned within the port opening and prevents potting compound from leaking out from the tray.

53. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the user interface printed circuit board includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes and the housing includes a plurality of openings that allow the light-emitting diodes to be viewed from the exterior of the housing.

54. The power supply of claim 53, comprising a light baffle that includes a plurality of apertures, the light baffle being positioned over the user interface printed circuit board with the light-emitting diodes positioned within the apertures, wherein the light baffle prevents cross-talk between the light-emitting diodes.

55. The power supply of claim 38, comprising a recessed handle provided in the housing.

56. The power supply of claim 55, comprising a plurality of vents on the sides of the housing, the vents positioned to vent hot air away from the handle.

57. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the high-power printed circuit board limits the power provided to the low-power printed circuit board.

58. The power supply of claim 57, wherein the high-power printed circuit board includes a positive temperature coefficient thermistor that limits the power provided to the low-power printed circuit board to less than or equal to 15 watts.

59. The power supply of claim 38, comprising a control cable extending from a pool cleaner and connected to the female power and communication output port, the control cable providing power and control commands to the pool cleaner.

60. The power supply of claim 59, wherein the high-power printed circuit board includes a thermistor that provides a measurement of the temperature of the high-power printed circuit board, and the pool cleaner adjusts its operation based on the temperature of the high-power printed circuit board.

61. The power supply of claim 60, wherein the pool cleaner draws less power if the temperature monitored by the thermistor is greater than a threshold.

62. The power supply of claim 60, wherein the pool cleaner disables modes of operation if the temperature monitored by the thermistor is greater than a threshold.

63. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a first button, a second button, and a third button.

64. The power supply of claim 63, wherein the first button is a power button, the second button is a schedule select button, and a third button is a mode select button.

65. The power supply of claim 63, wherein when the first button, the second button, and the third button are pressed and held simultaneously for a predetermined period of time a factory reset is performed.

66. The power supply of claim 63, wherein when at least two of the first, second, and third buttons are pressed and held simultaneously for a predetermined period of time a WiFi connection of the power supply is reset.

67. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a power button that when pressed toggles the power supply between a power state and a standby state.

68. The power supply of claim 67, wherein the power button when pressed and held for a predetermined period of time starts a pool cleaner connected to the power supply or shuts-down a pool cleaner connected to the power supply.

69. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a schedule select button that when pressed scrolls through schedule settings.

70. The power supply of claim 69, wherein when the schedule select button is pressed and held for a predetermined period of time the user interface is dimmed.

71. The power supply of claim 38, wherein the user interface includes a mode select button that when pressed scrolls through a plurality of pool cleaner modes.

72. The power supply of claim 71, wherein when the mode select button is pressed and held for a predetermined period of time the user interface is brightened.

73. The power supply of claim 38 in combination with the pool cleaner.