Pool cleaner with integral chlorine generator
First Claim
1. A method of controlling the release of a bactericidal amount of chlorine in the water of a swimming pool that contains a dissolved chlorine-containing chemical compound, the method including:
- a. placing into the swimming pool an automated, self-propelled pool cleaner having a housing, drive means for moving the pool cleaner over the submerged bottom wall and, optionally, the side wall surfaces of the pool to be cleaned, a pump for moving water through the housing, an outlet in the housing through which the water is discharged, an integral electrochemical chlorine generator secured to the housing, a source of electrical power operatively connected to the electrochemical generator and a processor/controller that is preprogrammed for operating the pool cleaner in a programmed cleaning mode to clean at least the bottom surface of the pool, and for initiating and terminating the drive means and the functioning of the integral electrochemical chlorine generator, the electrochemical chlorine generator comprising a plurality of negative and positive conductive plates arranged in a parallel spaced-apart array to form a plurality of passageways, the array being positioned in the flowpath of water moving through the housing while the pool cleaner is submerged;
b. placing an electronic probe in the body of water of the swimming pool in which the pool cleaner is located for determining the concentration of chlorine by contact with the water contained in the pool, the electronic probe including a signal generator and transmitter in electronic communication with the processor/controller;
c. activating the pool cleaner drive means to thereby move the pool cleaner across a submerged surface of a wall of the pool;
d. initiating operation of the programmed cleaning mode and initiating the operation of the pump to move water through the housing and discharging the water through the outlet in the housing as a pressurized stream to thereby create a zone of turbulent mixing with the pool water in the vicinity of the outlet;
e. initiating the operation of the chlorine generator to thereby produce chlorine from the chlorine-containing compound dissolved in the water;
f. passing flowing water moving through the housing over the plates of the electrochemical chlorine generator;
g. discharging chlorine ion-containing water from the generator inside the submerged moving pool cleaner through the housing outlet and into the mixing zone to thereby distribute a bactericidal amount of chlorine ions into the pool water;
h. periodically measuring and transmitting from the electronic probe in the body of pool water, a signal corresponding to the chlorine concentration in the pool water and comparing the measured value to a predetermined desired concentration of chlorine;
i. transmitting a signal to the processor/controller when the measured value reaches or exceeds the predetermined desired concentration;
j. terminating the operation of the chlorine generator; and
k. continuing the operation of the pool cleaner in to the programmed cleaning mode until cleaning is completed.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated self-propelled robotic pool cleaner having a housing and drive means for moving the pool cleaner over at least the bottom wall of a pool, is provided with an integral on-board electrochemical chlorine generator for producing chlorine from a chlorine compound, e.g., sodium chloride, that is dissolved in the pool water, a source of electrical power operatively connected to the electrochemical chlorine generator, control means for initiating and terminating the operation of the chlorine generator, and an outlet for discharging water containing chlorine ions produced by the electrochemical generator to thereby distribute the chlorine into the water proximate the exterior of the pool cleaner housing as the pool cleaner follows a programmed operational mode across the bottom and/or side walls of the pool. The operation of the chlorine generator is in response to a manually operated switch and/or signals generated by an automated testing probe, which signals are transmitted directly or indirectly to the control means.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of controlling the release of a bactericidal amount of chlorine in the water of a swimming pool that contains a dissolved chlorine-containing chemical compound, the method including:
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a. placing into the swimming pool an automated, self-propelled pool cleaner having a housing, drive means for moving the pool cleaner over the submerged bottom wall and, optionally, the side wall surfaces of the pool to be cleaned, a pump for moving water through the housing, an outlet in the housing through which the water is discharged, an integral electrochemical chlorine generator secured to the housing, a source of electrical power operatively connected to the electrochemical generator and a processor/controller that is preprogrammed for operating the pool cleaner in a programmed cleaning mode to clean at least the bottom surface of the pool, and for initiating and terminating the drive means and the functioning of the integral electrochemical chlorine generator, the electrochemical chlorine generator comprising a plurality of negative and positive conductive plates arranged in a parallel spaced-apart array to form a plurality of passageways, the array being positioned in the flowpath of water moving through the housing while the pool cleaner is submerged; b. placing an electronic probe in the body of water of the swimming pool in which the pool cleaner is located for determining the concentration of chlorine by contact with the water contained in the pool, the electronic probe including a signal generator and transmitter in electronic communication with the processor/controller; c. activating the pool cleaner drive means to thereby move the pool cleaner across a submerged surface of a wall of the pool; d. initiating operation of the programmed cleaning mode and initiating the operation of the pump to move water through the housing and discharging the water through the outlet in the housing as a pressurized stream to thereby create a zone of turbulent mixing with the pool water in the vicinity of the outlet; e. initiating the operation of the chlorine generator to thereby produce chlorine from the chlorine-containing compound dissolved in the water; f. passing flowing water moving through the housing over the plates of the electrochemical chlorine generator; g. discharging chlorine ion-containing water from the generator inside the submerged moving pool cleaner through the housing outlet and into the mixing zone to thereby distribute a bactericidal amount of chlorine ions into the pool water; h. periodically measuring and transmitting from the electronic probe in the body of pool water, a signal corresponding to the chlorine concentration in the pool water and comparing the measured value to a predetermined desired concentration of chlorine; i. transmitting a signal to the processor/controller when the measured value reaches or exceeds the predetermined desired concentration; j. terminating the operation of the chlorine generator; and k. continuing the operation of the pool cleaner in to the programmed cleaning mode until cleaning is completed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In the method of releasing bactericidal chlorine-containing ions in the water of a swimming pool that contains a dissolved chlorine-containing chemical compound by an electrochemical reaction, the improvement comprising:
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a. securing to the housing of an automated, self-propelled pool cleaner that is submerged for operation in the swimming pool an electrochemical chlorine generator comprising a plurality of negative and positive conductive plates arranged in a parallel spaced-apart array to form a plurality of passageways, the array being positioned in the flowpath of water moving through the housing, the pool cleaner being operatively connected to a pump for moving water through the housing, an outlet in the housing through which the water is discharged, drive means for moving the pool cleaner over the surface of the pool to be cleaned, a source of electrical power operatively connected to the electrochemical generator, and a programmed processor/controller that is preprogrammed for operating the pool cleaner in a programmed cleaning mode to clean at least the bottom surface of the pool, and for controlling the movement of the drive means and for initiating and terminating the functioning of the electrochemical chlorine generator and the pump; b. placing an electronic probe in the body of water of the swimming pool in which the pool cleaner is located for determining the concentration of chlorine by contact with the water located in the pool, the electronic probe including a signal generator and transmitter in electronic communication with the processor/controller; c. activating the pool cleaner pump to thereby move water through the pool cleaner housing and across the plates of the generator; d. initiating the operation of the electrochemical chlorine generator while the pool cleaner is submerged to thereby produce chlorine ions from the chlorine-containing chemical compound dissolved in the water; e. discharging bactericidal chlorine-containing ions into water flowing through the passageways of the generator inside the moving pool cleaner and through the housing outlet in a turbulent flow discharged from the housing to turbulently mix with the water in the pool to distribute a bactericidal amount of chlorine-containing ions into the pool water; f. activating the drive means and initiating operation of the programmed cleaning mode to thereby move the pool cleaner over a surface of the pool for a period of time to complete the cleaning mode; g. stopping the drive means for a predetermined period of time to thereby halt the movement of the pool cleaner, while continuing the operation of the electrochemical chlorine generator and the pump; h. reactivating the drive means for a predetermined period of time to thereby move the pool cleaner to a new location in the pool, while continuing the operation of the electrochemical chlorine generator and the pump; i. repeating steps (f) and (g); j. periodically measuring and transmitting from the electronic probe in the body of pool water, a signal corresponding to the chlorine concentration in the pool water and comparing the measured value to a predetermined desired concentration of chlorine; k. terminating the operation of the chlorine generator when the measured value reaches or exceeds the predetermined desired concentration; l. repeating step (j); and m. repeating steps (c) through (j) when the chlorine concentration in the pool water is below a predetermined desired concentration.
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Specification