Wheel arrangement for swimming pool cleaner

• US 7,797,780 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2005
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smartpool Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smartpool Incorporated
• Inventors: Hui, Joseph, Holstein, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; David B
• Application Number:
  US11/269,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20060101596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 15/17, 280/89.11
• US Class Current: 15/1.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners

Abstract

A pool cleaner for cleaning a pool includes a housing with an upper surface and downwardly projecting sidewalls extending from the upper surface for defining a front, a rear, a first and a second side of the housing. A first pair of wheels includes a first wheel being pivotally mounted relative to the first side of the housing and a second wheel being pivotally mounted relative to the second side of the housing. A tie rod is operatively mounted relative to the first wheel and the second wheel. A second pair of wheels is mounted on the rear end of the housing. As the pool cleaner traverses a pool surface and the first or second wheel is moved to be at a predetermined angular relationship relative to the housing, the tie rod ensures that the first and second wheels are at substantially the same angular relationship relative to the housing.

Claims

1. A pool cleaner for cleaning a pool comprising:

a housing for the pool cleaner including an upper surface and downwardly projecting sidewalls extending downwardly from the upper surface for defining a front end, a rear end, a first side and a second side of said housing;

a first mounting mechanism including a first arm and a second arm mounted on the first side relative to the front end of said housing for the pool cleaner;

a first wheel being mounted on said second arm of said first mounting mechanism for independent pivotal movement relative to the first side of the housing;

a second mounting mechanism including a first arm and a second arm mounted on the second side relative to the front end of said housing for the pool cleaner;

a second wheel being mounted on said second arm of said second mounting mechanism for independent pivotal movement relative to the second side of said housing;

a tie rod operatively mounted relative to the second arm of the first mounting mechanism and the second arm of the second mounting mechanism for ensuring substantially the same angular relationship of the first wheel and the second wheel relative to said housing; and

a second pair of wheels mounted relative to the rear end of said housing;

wherein when the pool cleaner traverses a pool surface and either the first wheel or the second wheel is moved to be at a lateral angular relationship relative to the housing, the tie rod imparts movement to the second wheel for ensuring that the first and second wheels are at substantially the same angular relationship relative to said housing;

wherein the first and second wheels project outwardly relative to the front end of said housing for enabling either the first or second wheels to engage a wall surface of a pool for imparting a turning motion to the first wheel or the second wheel for changing an angular relationship of the wheels relative to said housing.

2. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 1, and further including a reversible drive mechanism for imparting rotation to said second pair of wheels for enabling the pool cleaner to traverse a pool surface and for changing the trajectory of the pool cleaner when the first and second pair of wheels are moved to a lateral angular relationship relative to said housing.

3. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 2, and further including a first random timing logic for varying the delay before the reversing of the drive mechanism after either the first wheel or the second wheel engages a wall surface of a pool.

4. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 2, and further including a second random timing logic for periodically reversing the drive mechanism randomly throughout a cleaning cycle of a pool.

5. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 1, and further including a motion sensor positioned within said first wheel for detecting if the first wheel engages a wall surface for actuating a control mechanism for reversing a drive mechanism for reversing the direction of the pool cleaner.

6. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 5, wherein the motion sensor is a reed switch.

7. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 1, and further including a motion sensor positioned within said second wheel for detecting if the second wheel engages a wall surface for actuating a control mechanism for reversing a drive mechanism for reversing the direction of the pool cleaner.

8. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 7, wherein the motion sensor is a reed switch.

9. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 1, wherein the first mounting mechanism includes:

a support secured relative to the first side of the housing;

the first arm on the first side including a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end of the first arm being secured relative to the support;

the second arm on the first side including a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end of the first side second arm being pivotally mounted relative to the distal end of the first arm;

said tie rod being operatively mounted relative to the distal end of the first side second arm of the first mounting mechanism;

the second mounting mechanism includes;

a support secured relative to the second side of the housing;

the first arm on the second side including a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end of the first arm being secured relative to the support;

the second arm on the second side including a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end of the second side second arm being pivotally mounted relative to the distal end of the first arm;

said tie rod being operatively mounted relative to the distal end of the second side second arm of the second mounting mechanism for ensuring substantially the same angular relationship of the first wheel and the second wheel relative to the housing.

10. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 1, wherein the first wheel is mounted along a length of the first side second arm and the second wheel is mounted along a length of the second side second arm.

11. A pool cleaner for cleaning a pool comprising:

a housing for the pool cleaner including an upper surface and sidewalls extending from the upper surface for defining a front end, a rear end, a first side and a second side of said housing;

a first mounting mechanism including a first arm and a second arm mounted on the first side relative to the front end of said housing for the pool cleaner;

a first wheel being mounted on the second arm of the first mounting mechanism for independent pivotal movement relative to the first side of the housing;

a second mounting mechanism including a first arm and a second arm mounted on the second side relative to the front end of said housing for the pool cleaner;

a second wheel being mounted on the second arm of the second mounting mechanism for independent pivotal movement relative to the second side of said housing;

a tie rod operatively positioned relative to the second arm of the first mounting mechanism and the second arm of the second mounting mechanism for ensuring substantially the same angular relationship of the first wheel and the second wheel relative to said housing; and

a second pair of wheels mounted relative to the rear end of said housing;

wherein when either the first wheel or the second wheel is moved to be at a lateral angular relationship relative to the housing, the tie rod imparts movement to the second wheel or the first wheel for ensuring that the first and second wheels are at substantially the same angular relationship relative to said housing;

wherein the first and second wheels project outwardly relative to the front end of said housing for enabling either the first or second wheels to engage a wall surface of a pool for imparting a turning motion to the first wheel or the second wheel for changing the angular relationship of the wheels relative to said housing.

12. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 11, and further including a reversible drive mechanism for imparting rotation to said second pair of wheels for enabling the pool cleaner to traverse a pool surface and for changing the trajectory of the pool cleaner when the first and second pair of wheels are moved to a lateral angular relationship relative to said housing.

13. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 12, and further including a first random timing logic for varying the delay before the reversing of the drive mechanism after either the first wheel or the second wheel engages a wall surface of a pool.

14. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 12, and further including a second random timing logic for periodically reversing the drive mechanism randomly throughout a cleaning cycle of a pool.

15. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 11, and further including a motion sensor positioned within said first wheel for detecting if the first wheel engages a wall surface for actuating a control mechanism for reversing a drive mechanism for reversing the direction of the pool cleaner.

16. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 15, wherein the motion sensor is a reed switch.

17. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 11, and further including a motion sensor positioned within said second wheel for detecting if the second wheel engages a wall surface for actuating a control mechanism for reversing a drive mechanism for reversing the direction of the pool cleaner.

18. The pool cleaner for cleaning a pool according to claim 17, wherein the motion sensor is a reed switch.