Directional control for dual brush robotic pool cleaners

• US 20080087299A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, LLC (Fluidra, S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Aqua Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Erlich, Giora, Horvath, Tibor
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/6
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/00 Brushes with driven brush bodies or carrierspower-driven toothbrushes A61C17/16
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0219 ensuring the processing of the whole working surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 2201/0203 Cleaning or polishing vehicle

Abstract

A method and apparatus for accurately controlling the directional and turning movement of a self-propelled robotic pool cleaner having at least one pair of rotational support members for propelling and cleaning along a surface of a pool or tank include accelerating at least one pair of the rotational support members from a stopped position to a first predetermined rotational rate for a first predetermined time period to propel the pool cleaner in a first direction along the pool surface, continuing the rotation at the first rotational rate for a second predetermined time period; and increasing to a second higher rotational rate, such that the cleaner is propelled at a maximum normalized rate during straight-line movement for cleaning the pool. The duration of straight-line movement is incrementally advanced by a signal that is manually generated by a user switch or a magnet that is brought into proximity of a reed switch mounted inside the cleaner'"'"'s housing.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the directional movement of a self-propelled robotic pool cleaner having at least one pair of rotational support members for propelling and cleaning a surface of a pool comprising the steps of:

(a) accelerating the at least one pair of rotational support members of said pool cleaner from a stopped position to a first predetermined rotational rate in a first predetermined time period;

(b) rotating the at least one pair of rotational support members at said first predetermined rotational rate for a second predetermined time period; and

(c) increasing the first rate of rotation to a second greater predetermined rotational rate, wherein said pool cleaner is propelled at a normalized rate for cleaning said pool.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) generating a signal to initiate a turn;

(e) halting movement of said pool cleaner;

(f) rotating at least one brush of said at least one pair of rotational support members for a third predetermined time period to provide a predetermined angular change in direction of said pool cleaner; and

(g) repeating steps (a) through (c).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at step (f), said at least one rotational support member of said at least one pair of rotational support members is rotated at said first predetermined rotational rate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first predetermined time period is in the range of from 0.5 to 1.0 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first predetermined rate is in the range of from 15 to 35 rotations per minute.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said second predetermined time period is in the range of from 3 to 10 seconds.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second predetermined rate is in a range of approximately 50 to 120 rotations per minute.

8. A method of controlling the directional movement of a self-propelled robotic pool cleaner comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a pool cleaner having a first and second pair of dual rotational support members co-axially mounted at opposite ends of the pool cleaner for rotation on axles that are transverse to the direction of movement, the first pair of rotational support members being mounted on one side and the second pair of rotational support members mounted on the opposite side of the cleaner, the pool cleaner being propelled by the rotation of the rotational support members, said pool cleaner having at least one drive motor operatively connected to the first pair of rotational support members for synchronous drive;

(b) activating the at least one drive motor to propel the pool cleaner in a first direction along a generally straight path by the synchronous rotation of the first and second pair of rotational support members;

(c) rotating the first pair of rotational support members at a greater angular rotational velocity than the second pair of rotational support members, thereby pivoting the pool cleaner through a predetermined angular change in direction;

(d) resuming the synchronous rotation of the second pair of dual rotational support members with the first pair of rotational support members, whereby the pool cleaner moves in a second direction along a generally straight path that is angularly displaced from the first direction; and

(e) rotating said first pair of rotational support members at steps (b) and (d), (i) from a stopped position to a first predetermined rotational rate in a first predetermined time period, (ii) maintaining said first predetermined rotational rate for a second predetermined time period, and (iii) rotating said first and second pair of rotational support members at a second predetermined rotational rate which is greater than said first predetermined rotational rate.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

operating the pool cleaner in accordance with a cleaning program stored in a computer-readable medium which, when executed, causes said pool cleaner to be propelled in the first direction for said second predetermined time period and in the angularly displaced second direction for a third predetermined time period, wherein the pool cleaner is propelled greater than one-half of the distance along the bottom surface in the first direction between the side walls of the pool; and

propelling said pool cleaner, in accordance with said cleaning program, in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction around said pool.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the cleaning program includes instructions for cleaning the side walls of the pool.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of adjusting the second predetermined time period to enable the pool cleaner to traverse greater than one-half of the distance along the bottom surface in the first direction between the side walls of the pool, wherein said pool is non-conventional in at least one of shape and size.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said adjusting of the second predetermined time period comprises receiving an electrical signal in response to a manually actuated a switch.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said adjusting of the second predetermined time period comprises magnetically actuating a reed switch.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said adjusting of the second predetermined time period comprises pressing a button on the switch.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of incrementally increasing the second predetermined time period by repeatedly actuating said switch until a maximum predetermined time period is set.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of resetting said second predetermined time period by activating said switch after said maximum predetermined period of time is set.

17. A method of controlling the directional movement of a self-propelled robotic pool cleaner while cleaning a pool comprising the steps of:

(a) propelling the pool cleaner in a first direction along a generally straight path, wherein said pool cleaner is propelled a distance greater than the midpoint between opposing side walls of the pool;

(b) stopping and pivoting the pool cleaner to a predetermined angular change in direction; and

(c) reversing direction and resuming propulsion of the pool cleaner, wherein the pool cleaner moves in a second direction along a generally straight path that is angularly displaced from the first direction.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of repeating steps (a) through (c) in one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction around the pool.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of propelling said cleaner along the sidewalls of said pool while traversing in at least one of the first and second directions.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of manually increasing the distance the pool cleaner moves past the midpoint between the opposing sidewalls.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of manually increasing the distance the pool cleaner comprises receiving a signal from a user-actuated switch.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of manually increasing the distance the pool cleaner is propelled comprises initiating a series of activation signals that incrementally increase the distance the pool cleaner is propelled past said midpoint between the opposing sidewalls.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said propelling the pool cleaner a distance greater than the midpoint between opposing sidewalls of the pool comprises the step of setting a first predetermined time that the pool cleaner is propelled in the first direction.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of manually setting a second predetermined time that the pool cleaner is propelled in the first direction.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second predetermined time is incrementally added to a value associated with the first predetermined time.

26. A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner comprising:

(a) a pool cleaner housing having a first and second pair of dual rotational support members co-axially mounted at opposite ends of the housing for rotation on axles that are transverse to the direction of movement, the first pair of rotational support members being mounted on one side and the second pair of rotational support members mounted on the opposite side of the cleaner, the pool cleaner being propelled by the rotation of the rotational support members;

(b) at least one reversible drive motor operatively connected for synchronously driving the first pair of rotational support members; and

(c) a controller for controlling the direction of rotation of the at least one drive motor and thereby the directional movement of the pool cleaner, said controller including memory and a processor for respectively storing and executing at least one executable cleaning pattern program to propel the pool cleaner in a generally straight path in a first direction, and a distance along said path that is greater than the midpoint between opposing walls of the pool.

27. The pool cleaner of claim 26, wherein upon reaching said distance greater than the midpoint between the opposing walls, said controller initiates a control signal to stop and pivot said pool cleaner through a predetermined angular change in direction;

and initiates a second control signal to resume movement of said pool cleaner in a second direction along a generally straight path that is angularly displaced from the first direction.

28. The pool cleaner of claim 26, wherein said controller initiates a control signal to increase the duration that power is applied to a drive-motor to propel said pool cleaner along the sidewalls of said pool while traversing in at least one of the first and second directions.

29. The pool cleaner of claim 28, further comprising a manually-actuated switch mounted to the housing for providing a user command signal to the controller, wherein said controller initiates said control signal to increase the distance that the pool cleaner is propelled past the midpoint between the opposing sidewalls.

30. The pool cleaner of claim 29, wherein said manually-actuated switch comprises a push button switch.

31. The pool cleaner of claim 29, wherein said manually-actuated switch comprises a reed switch that is actuated by a magnet positioned externally to said housing.

32. The pool cleaner of claim 29, wherein said manually-actuated switch is adapted to enable an end-user to provide a series of signals that incrementally increase the distance the pool cleaner is propelled past said midpoint between the opposing sidewalls.

33. The pool cleaner of claim 26, wherein said controller further comprises a counter for counting a first predetermined time period that the pool cleaner is propelled in the first direction a distance greater than the midpoint between opposing sidewalls of the pool.

34. The pool cleaner of claim 33 further comprising a user-actuated switch to incrementally increase said first predetermined time period by a second predetermined time period.