Water jet reversing propulsion and directional controls for automated swimming pool cleaners

• US 6,742,613 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, LLC (Fluidra, S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Aqua Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Erlich, Giora, Horvath, Tibor
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNN, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US10/109,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20020129839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 15/17, 180/21, 180/24.01, 280/5.52, 301/127, 301/131
• US Class Current: 180/21
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1663 the propulsion resulting from an intermittent interruption of the waterflow through the cleaner

Abstract

A robotic pool or tank cleaner is supported by wheels that are mounted on fixed or movable axles that form an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the pool cleaner'"'"'s body when the cleaner moves in either or both of two opposing directions to thereby provide a variable path as the device moves back and forth across the bottom surface of the pool or tank that is being cleaned.

Claims

1. A self-propelled apparatus for cleaning the submerged sidewall and bottom surfaces of a pool in a predetermined scanning pattern, the apparatus comprising;

(a) a housing formed by a top wall and depending side walls;

(b) reversible drive means for propelling the apparatus in opposite directions, which directions correspond generally to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus; and

(c) a pair of wheels assembled to each of the opposite longitudinal ends of the apparatus, where the improvement comprises mounting each pair of wheels to transverse axles, the axes of the respective axles defining an angle that is acute to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the apparatus is moving in at least one direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one pair of wheels is mounted on a first transverse axle, and the first transverse axle forms an angle of between about 75°

and 89°

with the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 where the angle of one of the transverse axles is fixed.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one end of the transverse axles is free to move longitudinally within a predetermined range.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the angular range of movement of at least one of the axles is adjustable.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the range of movement is defined by the ends of a slot through which the axle passes.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the angular position of at least one of the axles is adjustable.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, which further comprises manually adjustable lock pins for controlling the range of movement of at least one end of the axle.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 which further comprises manually adjustable lock pins for controlling the range of movement of both ends of the axle.

10. A self-propelled robotic apparatus for cleaning the submerged sidewall and bottom surfaces of a pool in a predetermined scanning pattern, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing formed by a top wall and depending side walls;

(b) reversible drive means for propelling the apparatus in opposite directions, which directions correspond generally to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus; and

(c) a pair of wheels assembled to each of the opposite longitudinal ends of the apparatus, where the improvement comprises mounting at least one of said pair of wheels at a fixed predetermined angle that is acute to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the apparatus is moving in at least one direction, whereby the adjacent trajectories defined by the apparatus moving across the bottom surface between opposing sidewalls cover substantially the entire bottom surface between said trajectories.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the angled pair of wheels are mounted on a transverse axle.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 where the angle of the axle upon which the wheels are mounted is manually adjustable to accommodate the dimensional characteristics of the pool to be cleaned.

13. A self-propelled robotic apparatus for cleaning the submerged sidewall and bottom surfaces of a pool in a predetermined scanning pattern, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing formed by a top wall and depending sidewalls;

(b) reversible drive means for propelling the apparatus in opposite directions, which directions correspond generally to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus; and

(c) a pair of wheels assembled to each of the opposite longitudinal ends of the apparatus, where the improvement comprises mounting at least one of said pair of wheels on an axle that is moveable from the first position to a second position defining an angle that is acute to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the apparatus is moving in at least one direction, whereby the adjacent trajectories defined by the apparatus moving across the bottom surface between opposing sidewalls cover substantially the entire bottom surface between said trajectories.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein both pairs of wheels are mounted on transverse axles that are moveable to positions that respectively define an angle that is acute to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the apparatus is moving in at least one direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one pair of wheels are mounted on the same axle.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the angle defined by the axle in the second position is manually adjustable.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first position of the axle is normal to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

18. A self-propelled apparatus for cleaning the submerged sidewall and bottom surfaces of a pool in a predetermined scanning pattern, the apparatus comprising;

(a) a housing formed by a top wall and depending side walls;

(b) reversible drive means for propelling the apparatus in opposite directions, which directions correspond generally to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus; and

(c) a pair of wheels assembled to each of the opposite longitudinal ends of the apparatus, where the improvement comprises mounting to at least one end of the apparatus a pair of caster wheels, each of the caster wheels comprising an independently mounted axle mounted proximate the outboard side of the housing, each of the axles having a range of angular movement in a plane parallel to the surface being cleaned, the axes of the respective caster wheel axles defining an angle that is acute to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the apparatus is moving in at least one direction.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the axles of at least one pair of the wheeks move through an arc that is intersected by a line that is normal to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the independently mounted caster wheels on one end of the apparatus move through an angle of between about 75°

and 89°

with the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

21. A self-propelled robotic apparatus for cleaning the submerged sidewall and bottom surfaces of a pool in a predetermined scanning pattern, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing formed by a top wall and depending sidewalls;

(b) reversible drive means for propelling the apparatus in opposite directions, which directions correspond generally to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus; and

(c) a pair of wheels assembled to each of the opposite longitudinal ends of the apparatus, where the improvement comprises independently mounting each of a pair of caster wheels on one end of the apparatus, each of the caster wheels comprising an axle mounted proximate the outboard side of the housing, each of said axles being moveable from a first position to a second position through an arc that defines an angle acute to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus when the apparatus is moving in at least one direction,

whereby the adjacent trajectories defined by the apparatus moving across the bottom surface between opposing sidewalls cover substantially the entire bottom surface between said trajectories.