METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ORIENTATION RELATED ELECTRICAL SIGNALS FROM A ROBOTIC POOL CLEANER HAVING AN ORIENTATION SENSOR TO A REMOTE POWER SUPPLY VIA A TWO-WIRE CABLE

• US 20180148947A1
• Filed: 04/21/2016
• Published: 05/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, LLC (Fluidra, S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Aqua Products Incorporated
• Inventors: DURVASULA, Kameshwar, SPHILMAN, Mark, HANAN, Ethan
• Granted Patent: US 10,745,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

A robotic pool cleaner for cleaning surfaces of a pool including a housing having an upper portion disposed over a base to define an interior chamber. The base includes a water inlet and the upper portion has at least one water discharge port for discharging filtered water. Rotatably-mounted supports support and guide the cleaner along a pool surface. A filter assembly filters water drawn through the water inlet. An electric motor mounted in the interior chamber is configured to move the cleaner on a pool surface. The electric motor receives power from a remote power source via a two-wire power cable. An electrical circuit having at least one orientation sensor is provided on-board the cleaner. The circuit is configured to provide an electrical signal to the remote power supply over the two-wire cable when the cleaner changes its orientation by a predetermined amount with respect to the pool surface.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a surface of a pool with a robotic pool cleaner having an electric motor for moving the cleaner, the cleaner being electrically connected to a remotely located power supply via a two-wire electrical power cable for providing power to the electric motor, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the electric motor, electrical power with a first polarity from the remote power supply via the two-wire electrical power cable;

performing a cleaning operation on a surface of the pool;

changing orientation of the cleaner with respect to a surface of the pool thereunder; and

providing an electrical signal from the cleaner to the remote power supply over the two-wire electrical power cable when the cleaner attains a predetermined change in orientation with respect to the surface of the pool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing a cleaning operation step comprises the steps of:

drawing water and debris into the cleaner via at least one inlet;

filtering and retaining the debris in a filter assembly; and

discharging filtered water back into the pool.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the electrical signal comprises providing a pulsed signal to the remote power supply over the two-wire electrical power cable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the electrical signal comprises providing a coded signal to the remote power supply over the two-wire electrical power cable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the electrical signal comprises providing a modulated signal to the remote power supply over the two-wire electrical power cable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the electrical signal comprises detecting, via an orientation sensor mounted in the cleaner, changes in orientation of the cleaner with respect to the surface of the pool.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the providing the electrical signal step further includes interrupting power to the electric motor for a predetermined time via a timer delay circuit coupled to an output of the orientation sensor.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of receiving electrical power with the first polarity over the two-wire electrical power cable after the electrical signal is provided back to the remote power supply.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of climbing a side wall of the pool.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of receiving electrical power with reversed polarity over the two-wire electrical power cable after a predetermined time period lapses, and reversing the direction of movement of the cleaner.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of detecting, at the remote power supply, the electrical signal over the two-wire electrical power cable.

12. A robotic pool cleaner for cleaning a swimming pool comprising:

a housing including an upper portion disposed over a base to define an interior chamber, the base including at least one water inlet and the upper portion having at least one water discharge port for discharging filtered water;

rotatably-mounted supports supporting and guiding the cleaner along a pool surface;

a filter assembly for filtering water drawn through the at least one water inlet;

an electric motor mounted in the interior chamber and configured to move the cleaner on the pool surface, the electric motor receiving power from a remotely located power supply via a two-wire electrical power cable; and

an electrical circuit on-board the cleaner and having at least one orientation sensor and configured to provide an electrical signal over the two-wire electrical power cable when the cleaner changes its orientation by a predetermined amount with respect to the pool surface.

13. The pool cleaner of claim 12, wherein the electrical circuit and the at least one orientation sensor are mounted in a housing of the electric motor.

14. The pool cleaner of claim 12, wherein the electrical signal provided by the on-board electrical circuit over the two-wire electrical power cable comprises a pulsed signal.

15. The pool cleaner of claim 12, wherein the electrical signal provided by the on-board electrical circuit over the two-wire electrical power cable comprises a coded signal.

16. The pool cleaner of claim 12, wherein the electrical signal provided by the on-board electrical circuit over the two-wire electrical power cable comprises a modulated signal.

17. A system for cleaning a swimming pool having a bottom and a sidewall comprising:

a robotic pool cleaner having;

a housing including an upper portion disposed over a base to define an interior chamber, the base including at least one water inlet and the upper portion having at least one water discharge port for discharging filtered water;

rotatably-mounted supports supporting and guiding the cleaner along a surface of the pool;

a filter assembly for filtering water drawn through the at least one water inlet;

an electric motor mounted in the interior chamber and configured to move the cleaner on the pool surface, the electric motor receiving power and control signals from a remote power supply via a two-wire electrical power cable; and

an electrical circuit having at least one orientation sensor and configured to provide an electrical signal over the two-wire electrical power cable when the cleaner attains a predetermined orientation with respect to the surface of the pool;

the remote power supply comprising;

an input adapter configured to receive AC power, and

detection circuitry for detecting the electrical signal over the two-wire electrical power cable.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote power supply further comprises an AC/DC converter.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the electrical signal detected by the detection circuitry comprises a pulsed signal.

20. The system of claim 17, Wherein the electrical signal detected by the detection circuitry comprises a coded signal.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the electrical signal detected by the detection circuitry comprises a modulated signal.