Autonomous pool cleaning robot with an external docking station

• US 10,676,951 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2018
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Original Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Inventors: Witelson, Shay
• Primary Examiner(s): Norris, Claire A
• Application Number:
  US15/883,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20190040641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 210232, 2104162, 901 1, 4490
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1672 Connections to the pool water circulation system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment

Abstract

An external docking station may be provided and may a filter manipulator that is arranged to (i) input without human intervention, a filter into a pool cleaning robot that exited a pool and is located in a filter replacement position and to (ii) assist without human intervention, in positioning the filter at a position in which the filter is at least partially disposed within a path formed between a first fluid opening and a second fluid opening of a housing of the pool cleaning robot thereby allowing the filter to apply a filtering operation when fluid passes through the fluid path.

Claims

1. An external docking station, comprising a filter manipulator that is arranged to input, without human intervention, a filter into a pool cleaning robot that exited a pool and is located in a filter replacement position.

2. The external docking station according to claim 1 wherein the filter manipulator comprises a filter storage module that comprises a first portion that is arranged to store the filter before the filter is inputted to the pool cleaning robot and a second portion that is arranged to store a used filter after the used filter was outputted from the pool cleaning robot;

wherein when the pool cleaning robot is positioned at the filter replacement position, the pool cleaning robot is positioned between the first portion and the second portion.

3. The external docking station according to claim 1 wherein the filter manipulator comprises a filter storage module that comprises a first portion that is arranged to store the filter before the filter is inputted to the pool cleaning robot and a second portion that is arranged to store a used filter after the used filter was outputted from the pool cleaning robot;

wherein there is a gap between the first portion and the second portion, wherein when the pool cleaning robot is positioned at the filter replacement position, the pool cleaning robot is positioned in the gap between the first portion and the second portion.

4. The external docking station according to claim 3 wherein the first portion is positioned within a first enclosure;

wherein the second portion is positioned with a second enclosure.

5. The external docking station according to claim 4 wherein the first enclosure comprises a first opening for outputting the filter into the pool cleaning robot;

wherein the second enclosure comprises a second opening for receiving the used filter from the pool cleaning robot.

6. The external docking station according to claim 1 further comprising at least one power supply element for contacting at least one element of the pool cleaning robot and providing power to the at least one element of the pool cleaning robot.

7. The external docking station according to claim 6 wherein the at least one power supply element is positioned in a second housing;

wherein the filter manipulator comprises a filter storage module that comprises a first portion that is arranged to store the filter before the filter is inputted to the pool cleaning robot and a second portion that is arranged to store a used filter after the used filter was outputted from the pool cleaning robot.

8. The external docking station according to claim 7 wherein the first portion, the second portion and the second housing are positioned at three sides of the pool cleaning robot when the pool cleaning robot is positioned at the filter replacement position.

9. The external docking station according to claim 1 wherein the filter manipulator comprises (a) filter storage modules that are arranged to store multiple filters, and (b) a movement mechanism wherein a filter moves between the first and second enclosures.

10. The external docking station according to claim 9 wherein the filter opening is formed at the sides of the pool cleaning robot and wherein the insertion and ejection module is arranged to slide the filter and insert the filter into the pool cleaning robot through the filter opening.

11. The external docking station according to claim 9 wherein the movement mechanism is arranged to input the filter in the pool cleaning robot by moving the filter without moving a filter storage module of the filter manipulator.

12. The external docking station according to claim 1 wherein the filter manipulator is arranged to position, without human intervention, the filter to a non-filtering position within the pool cleaning robot.

13. An external docking station, comprising:

a base;

a filter manipulator that is arranged to input, without human intervention, a filter into a pool cleaning robot that exited a pool and is located in a filter replacement position; and

a first contactless charging element that is included in the base and is arranged to (a) be fed by an electrical supply module and (b) generate an electromagnetic field during at least one period during which a second contactless charging element of a pool cleaning robot is within a charging range from the first contactless charging element, and wherein the electromagnetic field charges the second contactless charging element.

14. The external docking system according to claim 13 wherein the first contactless charging element is parallel to a bottom of the base of the first contactless charging element.

15. The external docking system according to claim 13 wherein the first contactless charging element is higher than a bottom of the external docking system.

16. The external docking system according to claim 13 wherein the first contactless charging element is preceded by an inclined plane.