Pool vacuum

• US 20080109972A1
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Technology, LLC (Water Tech Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hydrodynamic Industrial Company Limited
• Inventors: Mah, Pat Y., Kalogroulis, Alexander Joseph, White, Matthew Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/1.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1636 Suction cleaners

Abstract

An improved pool vacuum includes a filter cone and poppet valve combination which enables quick drainage of water which has passed through and been cleaned by the cleaner'"'"'s filter. A charging circuit is provided with isolation so that the pool vacuum can be used in an electrolytic environment without battery drainage. A combination charger and hang bracket enables the pool vacuum to be stored in a vertical position to both drain and charge simultaneously. An interstitial open exhaust gap between a rear body and nose-cone shaped front section provides a low pressure drop free exhaust area for an impeller. An optionally obstructed bottom gap portion helps to produce a net downward thrust to assist in using the vacuum in deep pools from a long pole structure.

Claims

1. A pool vacuum comprising:

a rear body housing;

a battery supported by said rear body housing;

a motor supported by said rear body housing and electrically connected to said battery;

an output shaft drivably connected to said motor and extending out of said rear body housing;

a front housing section affixed to said body and defining a gap between said rear body housing and said front section; and

an impeller attached to said output shaft and rotatable at least partially within said gap to pull water through an opening of said front housing section and expel water radially from the impeller through said gap.

5. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 and further comprising:

a pinion gear connected to a motor shaft of said motor; and

a reduction gear connected to said output shaft.

6. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 and wherein said rear body housing and further comprising:

a pinion gear connected to a motor shaft of said motor; and

a reduction gear connected to said output shaft.

10. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a obstruction in said gap which causes water discharge from said gap to be non-symmetrical.

11. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a flap valve adjacent said opening of said front housing section to prevent back flow of debris when said pool vacuum is not operating.

12. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 and further comprising pair of charging contacts protruding to an exterior of said rear body housing.

13. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a support slot on said rear body housing for enabling said pool vacuum to be hangably stored when not in use.

16. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 wherein said battery is carried in a battery compartment and further comprising a gas relief valve in fluid communication with said battery compartment to allow the escape of any hazardous gas or pressure created by said battery.

17. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 wherein said rear body housing includes a handle bore fitting and further comprising a handle having a locking means for fixed attachment and fittable within said handle bore fitting.

18. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 17 and further comprising a pole interfittable between said handle and said handle bore fitting of said rear body housing.

19. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a membrane switch carried on said rear body housing and electrically connected between said motor and said battery.

2. A pool vacuum comprising:

a rear body housing;

a battery supported by said rear body housing;

a motor supported by said rear body housing and electrically connected to said battery;

an output shaft drivably connected to said motor and extending out of said rear body housing;

a front housing section affixed to said body and defining a gap between said rear body housing and said front section; and

an impeller attached to said output shaft and rotatable at least partially within said gap to pull water through an opening of said front housing section and expel water through said gap and wherein said front housing section affixed to said rear body housing further comprises;

a cone plate attached to said rear body housing and having a flow aperture positioned adjacent said impeller; and

a filter cone housing member attached to said cone plate.

4. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 2 wherein said front housing section affixed to said cone plate further comprises:

a plurality of filter cone housing fittings having slots which open toward a centerline of said pool vacuum; and

a matching projection attached to said filter cone housing member and wherein said filter cone housing member is rotatable against said cone plate to cause said matching projections to become captured within said slots of said plurality of filter cone housing fittings to cause said filter cone housing to be supported by said cone plate; and

a latch springingly supported by said cone plate for interfitting in a complementary slot carried by said filter cone housing for preventing said filter cone housing from turning when matching projections to become captured within said slots of said plurality of fittings.

3. A pool vacuum comprising:

a rear body housing;

a battery supported by said rear body housing;

a motor supported by said rear body housing and electrically connected to said battery;

an output shaft drivably connected to said motor and extending out of said rear body housing;

a front housing section affixed to said body and defining a gap between said rear body housing and said front section; and

an impeller attached to said output shaft and rotatable at least partially within said gap to pull water through an opening of said front housing section and expel water through said gap and wherein said output shaft extends through said cone plate flow aperture and further comprising;

an output shaft bearing supported by and spaced apart from a main planar extent of said cone plate; and

a strut supporting said output shaft bearing while allowing water to flow through said cone plate flow aperture and said output shaft.

7. A pool vacuum comprising:

a rear body housing;

a battery supported by said rear body housing;

a motor supported by said rear body housing and electrically connected to said battery;

an output shaft drivably connected to said motor and extending out of said rear body housing;

a front housing section affixed to said body and defining a gap between said rear body housing and said front section; and

an impeller attached to said output shaft and rotatable at least partially within said gap to pull water through an opening of said front housing section and expel water through said gap;

an expanded skeletal structure attached to said cone plate and extending into said filter cone housing member and including structural support members having interstitial water passages; and

an area of filter material supported by said expanded skeletal structure and covering said interstitial water passages to filter water passing through said interstitial water passages.

8. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 7 and wherein said expanded skeletal structure has an opening not covered by said area of filter material and further comprising:

a drainage valve having an input in communication with said opening of said skeletal structure, and an output, for draining filtered water from within said expanded skeletal structure.

9. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 8 wherein said drainage valve is a poppet valve which pulls itself into a closed shut position whenever said pool vacuum is operated and which opens to drain under the influence of gravity when poppet valve is downwardly directed when said pool vacuum is removed from a body of water.

14. A pool vacuum comprising:

a rear body housings and wherein said rear body housing includes a pair of charging contacts spaced apart from a support slot, and further including a combination charger and hang bracket further comprising;

a main bracket body;

main hook extending from said main bracket body for engaging said support slot of said pool vacuum;

a pair of charger bracket contacts supported by said main bracket body, arranged for physical alignment with said charging contacts of said pool vacuum; and

a pair of power supply conductors electrically connected to respective ones of said charger bracket contacts, said pair of power supply conductors for connection to a source of electrical power;

a battery supported by said rear body housing;

a motor supported by said rear body housing and electrically connected to said battery;

an output shaft drivably connected to said motor and extending out of said rear body housing;

a front housing section affixed to said body and defining a gap between said rear body housing and said front section; and

an impeller attached to said output shaft and rotatable at least partially within said gap to pull water through an opening of said front housing section and expel water through said gap.

15. The pool vacuum as recited in claim 14 and further comprising at least one secondary hook extending from said main bracket body and spaced apart from said main hook, for engaging structures adjacent said gap to hold said combination charger and hang bracket in place on said pool vacuum without having to mount said combination charger and hang bracket on another support structure.