Automatic pool cleaner

• US 20070094817A1
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, LLC (Fluidra, S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Pool Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Stoltz, Gerhard, Bloch, Kenneth, Piburn, John, Santos, Carlo, Harmon, Alan, Bergstrom, Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,690,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/1.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1636 Suction cleaners

Abstract

An automatic pool cleaner is provided of the type for random travel over submerged floor and side wall surfaces of a swimming pool or the like to dislodge and collect debris. The pool cleaner includes an electric-powered traction drive system for rotatably driving cleaner wheels, and an electric-powered water management system including a water supply pump and related manifold unit for venturi-vacuuming and collection of settled debris within a porous filter bag. A directional control system including an on-board compass monitors turning movements of the pool cleaner during normal random travel operation, and functions to regulate the traction drive system in a manner to prevent, e.g., excess twisting of a conduit such as a power cable tethered to the pool cleaner.

Claims

1. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

an internal frame;

a cleaner housing carried by said frame;

at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel rotatably mounted and positioned outside said housing for supporting the cleaner on a pool surface;

a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

a water management system including an electric powered water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast;

a pair of electric powered drive motors for respectively and independently rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel; and

a processor for controllably coupling electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction and speed of cleaner travel.

2. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an upper housing shell and a lower housing shell mounted on said internal frame.

3. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said suction mast upper end is exposed above said housing.

4. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said pair of drive motors comprise a pair of stepper motors.

5. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said at least one right-side wheel comprises a pair of right-side wheels in spaced apart fore-aft relation.

6. The pool cleaner of claim 5 further wherein one of said right-side wheels is rotatably driven by said associated one of said drive motors, and further including a traction tread reeved about said pair of right-side wheels.

7. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including a directional control system for monitoring cleaner directional orientation, said directional control system being coupled to said processor.

8. The pool cleaner of claim 7 wherein said directional control system comprises an on-board compass.

9. The pool cleaner of claim 8 wherein said compass is mounted in a sealed compass housing positioned above and behind a pool cleaner center of gravity.

10. The pool cleaner of claim 8 wherein said compass is mounted within a compass housing formed at least in part from an at least partially transparent material.

11. The pool cleaner of claim 10 further including at least one light within said compass housing.

12. The pool cleaner of claim 11 wherein said at least one light is coupled to said processor and comprises at least one status-indicating signal light operated by said processor.

13. The pool cleaner of claim 8 wherein said on-board compass comprises a gimbal mounted electronic compass.

14. The pool cleaner of claim 8 further including a strain relief flex circuit coupling said on-board compass to said processor.

15. The pool cleaner of claim 14 wherein said strain relief flex circuit includes a first branch coupled to said on-board compass, and a second branch carrying at least one externally visible signal light operated by said processor to indicate cleaner operational status.

16. The pool cleaner of claim 7 further including a power mast, and a power cable coupled to said power mast for connecting said processor to a power source disposed outside the swimming pool, said processor responding to said directional control system to operate said drive motors in a manner preventing excess twisting of said power cable.

17. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including a power mast having a cable fitting thereon, an external power source positioned outside the swimming pool, and a power cable having one end coupled to said power source and a second end including a coupling for releasible hermetically sealed assembly with said fitting.

18. The pool cleaner of claim 17 wherein said power mast fitting and said power cable coupling cooperatively define a quick-connect, quick-disconnect coupling assembly.

19. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including an external power source positioned outside the swimming pool, and a power cable coupled between said power source and said pool cleaner, said external power source being securely mounted onto a stationary wall structure.

20. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including a filter screen within said housing and defining a filtered water chamber within said housing, said water supply pump including an inflow port for drawing and pumping water from said filtered water chamber.

21. The pool cleaner of claim 20 wherein said housing further includes a removable access panel for permitting access to said filter screen.

22. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle comprises an annular jet nozzle extending generally circumferentially about said suction mast.

23. The pool cleaner of claim 22 wherein said annular jet nozzle further includes a plurality of anti-swirl vanes.

24. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle comprises a plurality of jet nozzles positioned in circumferentially spaced-apart relation about said suction mast.

25. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein water management system further includes at least one upwardly directed thrust tube for directing at least one water jet in a generally upward direction resulting in a generally oppositely directed reaction force for improving wheel traction.

26. The pool cleaner of claim 25 wherein said at least one upwardly directed thrust tube comprises a pair of thrust tubes disposed generally at opposite sides of said suction mast.

27. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said processor controllably couples electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction of cleaner travel in accordance with a predetermined pattern of movement.

28. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including wireless transmission means including a remote communication device for communicating with said processor.

29. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said drive motors respectively include a pair of drive shafts projecting outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, and substantially on a common axis.

30. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein each of said drive motors comprises a motor unit encased within an hermetically sealed motor housing.

31. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said water supply pump comprises a pump motor unit encased within an hermetically sealed pump housing, and including a pump drive shaft for rotatably driving a pump impeller.

32. The pool cleaner of claim 31 further including a double lip seal carried by said pump housing for sealing passage of said pump drive shaft therefrom.

33. The pool cleaner of claim 32 further wherein said double lip seal comprises a pair of seal lips engaging said pump drive shaft, and further including a sealant carried between said pair of seal lips.

34. The pool cleaner of claim 32 further including a potting compound for hermetically sealing said pump motor unit within said pump housing.

35. The pool cleaner of claim 31 further including an hermetically sealed magnetic coupling rotatably linking said pump drive shaft with said impeller.

36. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including at least one flotation ballast member within said housing, said ballast member increasing relative buoyancy of the pool cleaner and lowering the center of gravity of the pool clearer.

37. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including a sensor for detecting a failure mode condition and for signaling said processor.

38. The pool cleaner of claim 37 wherein said sensor comprises a conductivity sensor unit including a pair of spaced-apart probes for detecting the presence or absence of water between said probes.

39. The pool cleaner of claim 37 wherein said sensor comprises an electronic sensor device.

40. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a pair of electric powered stepper drive motors for respectively and independently rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel; and

a processor for controllably coupling electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction and speed of cleaner travel.

41. The pool cleaner of claim 40 further including a directional control system for monitoring cleaner directional orientation, said directional control system being coupled to said processor.

42. The pool cleaner of claim 41 wherein said directional control system comprises an on-board compass.

43. The pool cleaner of claim 41 further including a power mast, and a power cable coupled to said power mast for connecting said processor to a power source disposed outside the swimming pool, said processor responding to said directional control system to operate said drive motors in a manner preventing excess twisting of said power cable.

44. The pool cleaner of claim 40 wherein said processor controllably couples electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction of cleaner travel in accordance with a predetermined pattern of movement.

45. The pool cleaner of claim 40 wherein said drive motors respectively include a pair of drive shafts projecting outwardly therefrom in opposite directions, and substantially on a common axis.

46. The pool cleaner of claim 40 wherein each of said drive motors comprises a motor unit encased within an hermetically sealed motor housing.

47. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a processor for controllably operating said traction drive system for controlling the direction of cleaner travel; and

a directional control system including an on-board compass for monitoring cleaner directional orientation, said directional control system being coupled to said processor.

48. The pool cleaner of claim 47 wherein said compass is mounted in a sealed compass housing positioned above and behind a pool cleaner center of gravity.

49. The pool cleaner of claim 47 wherein said compass is mounted within a compass housing formed at least in part from an at least partially transparent material.

50. The pool cleaner of claim 49 further including at least one light within said compass housing.

51. The pool cleaner of claim 50 wherein said at least one light is coupled to said processor and comprises at least one status-indicating signal light operated by said processor.

52. The pool cleaner of claim 47 wherein said on-board compass comprises a gimbal mounted electronic compass.

53. The pool cleaner of claim 52 further including a strain relief flex circuit coupled to said on-board compass.

54. The pool cleaner of claim 53 wherein said strain relief flex circuit includes a first branch coupled to said on-board compass, and a second branch carrying at least one externally visible signal light operated by said processor to indicate cleaner operational status.

55. The pool cleaner of claim 47 further including a power mast, and a power cable coupled to said power mast for connecting said processor to a power source disposed outside the swimming pool, said processor responding to said directional control system to operate said drive motors in a manner preventing excess twisting of said power cable.

56. The pool cleaner of claim 47 wherein said processor responds to said directional control system during initial pool cleaner operation to map the geometry of the swimming pool, and thereafter controls the direction of cleaner travel in accordance with a predetermined pattern of movement related to the mapped pool geometry.

57. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag; and

a water management system including a manifold unit with at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for directing at least one water jet in a generally upwardly direction within said suction mast for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast;

said water management system further including at least one upwardly directed thrust tube for directing at least one water jet in a generally upward direction resulting in a generally oppositely directed reaction force for improving wheel traction.

58. The pool cleaner of claim 57 wherein said at least one upwardly directed thrust tube comprises a pair of thrust tubes disposed generally at opposite sides of said suction mast.

59. The pool cleaner of claim 57 wherein said manifold unit includes at least one upwardly thrust jet nozzle for directing said at least one water jet upwardly into a lower end of said at least one thrust tube.

60. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag; and

a water management system including an electric powered water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast;

said at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle comprising an annular jet nozzle extending generally circumferentially about said suction mast.

61. The pool cleaner of claim 60 wherein said annular jet nozzle further includes a plurality of anti-swirl vanes.

62. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

an electric powered traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a processor for controllably coupling electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction of cleaner travel;

a power mast; and

a power cable releasibly coupled to said power mast for connecting said processor to a power source disposed outside the swimming pool, said processor responding to said directional control system to operate said traction drive system in a manner preventing excess twisting of said power cable.

63. The pool cleaner of claim 62 further including a quick connect, quick-disconnect disconnect hermetically sealed coupling assembly for releasibly coupling said power cable to said power mast.

64. The pool cleaner of claim 62 further including a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

and

a water management system including an electric powered water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast.

65. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

an electric powered traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a processor for controllably coupling electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction of cleaner travel;

a power mast; and

a power cable coupled to said power mast for connecting said processor to a power source disposed outside the swimming pool;

said power source being positioned outside the swimming pool and securely mounted onto a stationary wall structure.

66. The pool cleaner of claim 65 further including a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

and

a water management system including an electric powered water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast.

67. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

a water management system including an electric powered water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast; and

a filter screen within said housing and cooperating therewith to define a filtered chamber within said housing, said water supply pump including an inflow port for drawing and pumping water from said filtered chamber.

68. The pool cleaner of claim 67 wherein said housing further includes a removable access panel for permitting access to said filter screen.

69. The pool cleaner of claim 68 wherein said filter screen cooperates with said access panel to define said filtered chamber.

70. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

an electric powered traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a processor for controllably coupling electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction of cleaner travel; and

wireless transmission means including a remote communication device for communicating with said processor.

71. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag; and

a water management system including an electric powered water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast;

said water supply pump comprising a pump motor unit encased within an hermetically sealed pump housing, and including a pump drive shaft for rotatably driving a pump impeller.

72. The pool cleaner of claim 71 further including multiple seal members for safeguarding said pump motor unit against water intrusion damage.

73. The pool cleaner of claim 72 wherein said multiple seal members comprise a primary seal ring in sealing engagement between said pump housing and said pump drive shaft, a secondary seal pocket carrying a grease-type lubricant formed inboard of said seal ring and about said pump drive shaft, and a tertiary potting compound encasing motor elements of said pump motor unit.

74. The pool cleaner of claim 71 further including a double lip seal carried by said pump housing for sealing passage of said pump drive shaft therefrom.

75. The pool cleaner of claim 74 further wherein said double lip seal comprises a pair of seal lips engaging said pump drive shaft, and further including a sealant carried between said pair of seal lips.

76. The pool cleaner of claim 75 further including a potting compound for hermetically sealing said pump motor unit within said pump housing.

77. The pool cleaner of claim 71 further including an hermetically sealed magnetic coupling rotatably linking said pump drive shaft with said impeller.

78. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

an electric powered traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a processor for controllably coupling electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction of cleaner travel; and

further including a sensor for detecting a failure mode condition and for signaling said processor.

79. The pool cleaner of claim 78 wherein said sensor comprises a conductivity sensor unit including a pair of spaced-apart probes for detecting the presence or absence of water between said probes.

80. The pool cleaner of claim 78 wherein said sensor comprises an electronic sensor for monitoring a motor fault condition.

81. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

a water management system including a water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast; and

at least one of said traction drive system and said water management system including an electric powered drive motor including an electric motor unit encased within a substantially sealed motor housing, said motor housing having a pressure test port formed therein and a plug for selectively closing said test port.

82. The pool cleaner of claim 81 wherein said plug comprises a valve.

83. The pool cleaner of claim 81 wherein said motor housing contained a selected gas.

84. The pool cleaner of claim 81 wherein said motor housing contained a desiccant.

85. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said housing to an underside of said housing, and an upper end positioned for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

a water management system including a water supply pump for producing a discharge flow of water under pressure, and a manifold unit including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast; and

a processor for controllably coupling electric power to said drive motors for controlling the direction of cleaner travel; and

at least one of said traction drive system and said water management system including an electric powered drive motor including an electric motor unit encased within a substantially sealed motor housing, said motor housing having a pressure equalization membrane carried within a ported side chamber thereof.

86. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

a cleaner housing rotatably supported by a plurality of wheels including at least one right-side wheel and at least one left-side wheel at opposite sides of said housing;

a traction drive system for rotatably driving said at least one right-side wheel and said at least one left-side wheel;

a processor for controllably operating said traction drive system for controlling the direction of cleaner travel; and

at least one externally visible signal light carried by said housing, said at least one signal light being coupled to said processor for indicating status of cleaner operation.