Working method and cleaning device to clean a swimming pool

• US 7,682,461 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3S Systemtechnik AG
• Original Assignee: 3S Systemtechnik AG
• Inventors: Sommer, Hans Rudolf, Sommer, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kornakov; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLEMAN, RYAN L
• Application Number:
  US11/677,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners

Abstract

In a working method for a cleaning device (2) that moves back and forth in a swimming pool (1), control thereof is such that

• • the cleaning device (2) moves from a starting position at a low speed in a forward direction V in a first pass in a first cleaning path (4) until it runs up to a pool wall (3), wherein the distance D1 traversed along the first cleaning path is measured or determined,
  • the cleaning device (2) is then guided to a second cleaning path (5) deviating from or offset relative to the first cleaning path (4) in a second pass, initially at a low speed, whereupon the cleaning device then moves in a backward direction along the second cleaning path (5) at a high speed until the distance Dz traversed is smaller than the distance D1 traversed in the previous pass by an amount A,
  • upon reaching distance Dz the cleaning device (2) continues to move along the second cleaning path (5) at low speed until it runs up to a swimming pool wall (3), wherein the distance D2 traversed along the second cleaning path is measured or determined, and
  • the cleaning device (2) is controlled in the same manner in each subsequent pass as in the previous pass.

Claims

1. A working method for a cleaning device (2) that moves back and forth in a swimming pool (1), with a drive mechanism that can be switched to forward or backward travel and that is actively connected to drive wheels or drive tracks, with a motor being provided for each of a left-hand side and a right-hand side part of the drive mechanism, respectively, and with a control apparatus to control the drive mechanism, and contact means arranged at the front and rear to generate control signals in the event that the cleaning device (2) runs up to a swimming pool wall (3) or an obstacle, wherein the control apparatus comprises a speed control unit for each part of the drive mechanism and means to differentially control the speed of both of the motors, and wherein the cleaning device comprises means at both parts of the drive mechanism to measure the distances traversed during travel,

characterized in that

the control apparatus controls the cleaning device (2) in such a way that

the cleaning device (2) moves at a low speed in a forward direction V in a first pass in a first cleaning path (4) from a starting position until it runs up to a pool wall (3), wherein the distance D1 traversed along the first cleaning path is measured or determined,

the cleaning device (2) is then initially guided at a low speed to a second cleaning path (5) deviating from or offset relative to the first cleaning path (4) whereupon in a second pass the cleaning device moves in a backward direction along the second cleaning path (5) at a high speed until the distance Dz traversed is smaller by an amount A than the distance D1 traversed in the previous pass,

upon reaching distance Dz the cleaning device (2) continues to move along the second cleaning path (5) at low speed until it runs up to a swimming pool wall (3), wherein the distance D2 traversed along the second cleaning path is measured or determined, and

the cleaning device (2) is controlled in the same manner in each subsequent pass as in the previous pass.

2. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact means are deflecting mechanical switching elements with a deflection length E, and the braking distance of the cleaning device (2) at low speed is less than the deflection length B.

3. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact means are non-contact sensors with an actuation distance A, and the braking distance of the cleaning device (2) at low speed is less than the actuation distance A.

4. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that different types of contact means are used at the same time to raise the operational reliability.

5. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that the differential control of the speed of the two motors permits both differing speeds as well as differing directions of rotation, wherein the latter also enables rotation on the spot by means of equal but opposite speeds.

6. The working method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

7. The working method according to claim 6, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

8. The working method according to claim 6, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.

9. The working method according to claim 2, characterized in that the differential control of the speed of the two motors permits both differing speeds as well as differing directions of rotation, wherein the latter also enables rotation on the spot by means of equal but opposite speeds.

10. The working method according to claim 3, characterized in that the differential control of the speed of the two motors permits both differing speeds as well as differing directions of rotation, wherein the latter also enables rotation on the spot by means of equal but opposite speeds.

11. The working method according to claim 4, characterized in that the differential control of the speed of the two motors permits both differing speeds as well as differing directions of rotation, wherein the latter also enables rotation on the spot by means of equal but opposite speeds.

12. The working method according to claim 2, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

13. The working method according to claim 3, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

14. The working method according to claim 4, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

15. The working method according to claim 5, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

16. The working method according to claim 9, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

17. The working method according to claim 10, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

18. The working method according to claim 11, characterized in that the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path, that deviates from or is offset relative to a previous cleaning path, by means of the differential control of the speed of the two motors using at least one of a number of available partial methods.

19. The working method according to claim 12, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

20. The working method according to claim 13, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

21. The working method according to claim 14, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

22. The working method according to claim 15, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

23. The working method according to claim 16, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

24. The working method according to claim 17, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

25. The working method according to claim 18, characterized in that in a first partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is at a slant relative to the previous cleaning path.

26. The working method according to claim 12, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.

27. The working method according to claim 13, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.

28. The working method according to claim 14, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.

29. The working method according to claim 15, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.

30. The working method according to claim 16, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.

31. The working method according to claim 17, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.

32. The working method according to claim 18, characterized in that in a second partial method the cleaning device (2) is guided to a cleaning path that is essentially parallel to the previous cleaning path.