Pool cleaner caddy with retention mechanism

• US 10,227,081 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Ferrell, Garrett Jacob, Hayes, Graham M., Osuna, Omar Enrique
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johns, Hilary L
• Application Number:
  US15/592,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20180327013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners

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 pool cleaner caddy for supporting a pool cleaner and a power supply, comprising:

a base having a front cleaner support, a center cleaner support, a stem locking bracket, and a channel including first and second angled locking tabs, the front cleaner support and the center cleaner support configured to engage and support a pool cleaner with wheels of the pool cleaner not in engagement with the base;

a first wheel assembly connected to the base;

a second wheel assembly connected to the base;

a stem removably mounted to the base with (i) a first portion secured within the channel by the first and second locking tabs, and (ii) a second portion secured to the stem locking bracket by a first releasable mounting means; and

a handle assembly having a mount, the handle assembly removably secured to the stem with the mount engaged with the stem by a second releasable mounting means.

2. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the stem can be snapped into the channel and the stem locking bracket.

3. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the first and second releasable mounting means are depressible.

4. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the stem comprises:

a lower stem portion; and

an upper stem portion, the upper stem portion removably secured to the lower stem portion by a third releasable mounting means,

wherein the lower stem portion is secured to the stem locking bracket and the handle assembly mount is secured to the upper stem portion.

5. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 4, wherein the first, second, and third releasable mounting means can be depressed to disengage the lower stem portion from the stem locking bracket, to disengage the upper stem portion from the lower stem portion, and to disengage the mount from the upper stem portion.

6. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the first and second releasable mounting means are a button-snap connector.

7. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, comprising a fastener, wherein the stem includes a through-hole and the base includes a transverse opening, the fastener extending through the through-hole and the transverse opening to secure the stem to the base.

8. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 7, wherein the fastener is ribbed.

9. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the first and second wheel assemblies are removable from the base.

10. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the base includes a first outer wall, a first inner wall, a first wheel chamber between the first outer wall and the first inner wall, a second outer wall, a second inner wall, and a second wheel chamber between the second outer wall and the second inner wall,

wherein the first wheel assembly is secured to the first inner wall and the first outer wall, and the second wheel assembly is secured to the second inner wall and the second outer wall.

11. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 10, wherein the first wheel assembly includes a first wheel, a first axle, a first axle receiver and a first screw, and the second wheel assembly includes a second wheel, a second axle, a second axle receiver, and a second screw.

12. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 11, wherein the first wheel is positioned within the first wheel chamber, the first axle is secured to the first outer wall and engages the first wheel, the first axle receiver is secured to the first inner wall, and the first screw secures the first axle receiver to the first axle, and

wherein the second wheel is positioned within the second wheel chamber, the second axle is secured to the second outer wall and engages the second wheel, the second axle receiver is secured to the second inner wall, and the second screw secures the second axle receiver to the second axle.

13. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 11, wherein the first outer wall includes a first outer mounting boss having at least one angled channel and the first axle includes at least one angled thread, the first axle extending through the first outer mounting boss with the at least one angled thread engaged with the at least one angled channel,

wherein the second outer wall includes a second outer mounting boss having at least one angled channel and the second axle includes at least one angled thread, the second axle extending through the second outer mounting boss with the at least one angled thread engaged with the at least one angled channel.

14. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 11, wherein the first inner wall includes a first keyed opening having at least one inward extension and the first axle receiver includes at least one radial extension, the first axle receiver being positioned within the first keyed opening with at least one radial extension overlapping the at least one inward extension to secure the first axle receiver to the first inner wall, and

wherein the second inner wall includes a second keyed opening having at least one inward extension and the second axle receiver includes at least one radial extension, the second axle receiver being positioned within the second keyed opening with at least one radial extension overlapping the at least one inward extension to secure the second axle receiver to the second inner wall.

15. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the base includes at least one catch configured to engage a pool cleaner wheel and prevent the pool cleaner from falling off of the caddy.

16. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly defines a power supply housing configured to house a power supply.

17. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly includes a front shell and a rear shell configured to be mated to form the handle assembly.

18. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 17, wherein the front shell includes a front tray and the rear shell includes a recess that receives the front tray.

19. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly includes a front tray and a rear support wall, the front tray and the rear support wall configured to secure a power supply to the handle assembly.

20. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 19, wherein the rear support wall includes at least one flexible locking tab configured to engage a power supply and retain the power supply with the handle assembly.

21. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly includes a cable housing configured to receive and support a power supply cable.

22. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1, wherein the mount includes an internal key and the stem includes a key-slot, the internal key configured to engage the key-slot and position the handle assembly on the stem.

23. The pool cleaner caddy of claim 1 in combination with the pool cleaner.

24. A kit for a pool cleaner caddy used to support a pool cleaner, comprising:

a base having a front cleaner support, a center cleaner support, a stem locking bracket, and a channel including first and second angled locking tabs, the front cleaner support and the center cleaner support configured to engage and support a pool cleaner with wheels of the pool cleaner not in engagement with the base;

a first wheel assembly being removably securable to the base;

a second wheel assembly being removably securable to the base;

a stem being removably mountable to the base with (i) a first portion being removably securable within the channel by the first and second locking tabs, and (ii) a second portion being removably securable to the stem locking bracket by a first releasable mounting means; and

a handle assembly having a mount, the handle assembly being removably securable to the stem by a second releasable mounting means.

25. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the stem can be snapped into the channel and the stem locking bracket.

26. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the first and second releasable mounting means are depressible.

27. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the first and second releasable mounting means are a button-snap connector.

28. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, comprising a fastener, wherein the stem includes a through-hole, the base includes a transverse opening, and the fastener is positionable in the through-hole and the transverse opening to secure the stem to the base.

29. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 28, wherein the fastener is ribbed.

30. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the stem comprises:

a lower stem portion; and

an upper stem portion, the upper stem portion removably securable to the lower stem portion by a third releasable mounting means,

wherein the lower stem portion is securable to the stem locking bracket and the handle assembly mount is securable to the upper stem portion.

31. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the base includes a first outer wall, a first inner wall, a first wheel chamber between the first outer wall and the first inner wall, a second outer wall, a second inner wall, and a second wheel chamber between the second outer wall and the second inner wall,

wherein the first wheel assembly is securable to the first inner wall and the first outer wall, and the second wheel assembly is securable to the second inner wall and the second outer wall.

32. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 31, wherein the first wheel assembly includes a first wheel, a first axle, a first axle receiver and a first screw, and the second wheel assembly includes a second wheel, a second axle, a second axle receiver, and a second screw.

33. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 32, wherein the first wheel is positionable within the first wheel chamber, the first axle is securable to the first outer wall and engageable with the first wheel, the first axle receiver is securable to the first inner wall, and the first screw is configured to secure the first axle receiver to the first axle, and

wherein for the second wheel assembly the second wheel is positionable within the second wheel chamber, the second axle is securable to the second outer wall and engageable with the second wheel, the second axle receiver is securable to the second inner wall, and the second screw is configured to secure the second axle receiver to the second axle.

34. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 33, wherein the first outer wall includes a first outer mounting boss having at least one angled channel and the first axle includes at least one angled thread, the at least one angled thread of the first axle being engageable with the at least one angled channel of the first outer mounting boss,

wherein the second outer wall includes a second outer mounting boss having at least one angled channel and the second axle includes at least one angled thread, the at least one angled thread of the second axle being engageable with the at least one angled channel of the second outer mounting boss.

35. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 34, wherein the first inner wall includes a first keyed opening having at least one inward extension and the first axle receiver includes at least one radial extension, the first axle receiver being positionable within the first keyed opening with at least one radial extension overlapping the at least one inward extension to secure the first axle receiver to the first inner wall, and

wherein the second inner wall includes a second keyed opening having at least one inward extension and the second axle receiver includes at least one radial extension, the second axle receiver being positionable within the second keyed opening with at least one radial extension overlapping the at least one inward extension to secure the second axle receiver to the second inner wall.

36. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the base includes at least one catch configured to engage a pool cleaner wheel and prevent the pool cleaner from falling off of the caddy.

37. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the handle assembly defines a power supply housing configured to house a power supply.

38. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the handle assembly includes a front shell and a rear shell configured to be mated to form the handle assembly.

39. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 38, wherein the front shell includes a front tray and the rear shell includes a recess that is configured to receive the front tray.

40. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 39, wherein the handle assembly includes a front tray and a rear support wall, the front tray and the rear support wall configured to secure a power supply to the handle assembly.

41. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 40, wherein the rear support wall includes at least one flexible locking tab configured to engage a power supply and secure the power supply to the handle assembly.

42. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the handle assembly includes a cable housing configured to receive and support a power supply cable.

43. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24, wherein the mount includes an internal key and the stem includes a key-slot, the internal key configured to engage the key-slot and position the handle assembly on the stem.

44. The kit for a pool cleaner caddy of claim 24 in combination with the pool cleaner.