Suctioning device for travelling a tank bottom

• US 9,080,342 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crystal Image Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Crystal Lagoons (Curacao) B.V. (Crystal Lagoons Corp.)
• Inventors: Fischmann T., Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOSSAINI, NADER F
• Application Number:
  US13/886,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20130240432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 210/738, 210/712, 210/167.1, 210/167.13, 210/167.15, 210/167.16, 210/257.1, 15/17, 153/19, 153/27, 134/56.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3633 Blood component filters, e.g. leukocyte filters
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/36 ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/52 by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/56 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/007 Contaminated open waterways, rivers, lakes or ponds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/42 from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/12 Devices or arrangements for circulating water , i.e. devices for removal of polluted water, cleaning baths or for water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1209 Treatment of water for swimming pools filters B01D
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1645 Connections to the pool water circulation system
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy

Abstract

The present invention comprises an efficient filtration process of water from a tank, where the filtration is performed over a small volume of water and not on the totality of the water from the tank; the process comprises the following steps: (a) emitting ultrasonic waves in the tank; (b) adding a flocculant agent to the water; (c) covering the tank bottom with a suctioning device which suctions a water flow with flocculated particles, discharging to a collecting effluent line; (d) filtering the effluent flow of the suctioning device from said collecting effluent line; and (e) returning the filtered flow to the tank. The present invention additionally comprises a suctioning device used in said efficient filtration process.

Claims

1. A suctioning device for travelling a bottom of a tank containing water, which suctions a water flow with flocculated particles in order to accomplish filtration of the water of said tank, comprising:

a structural frame having a means of coupling to a pump system, wherein the structural frame comprises at least one cord connected to the structural frame;

a means of wheeling with a horizontal axle for moving around the bottom of the tank, wherein the means of wheeling are pivotably connected through pivotable connectors to the structural frame so that the means of wheeling are configured to move vertically independent of the structural frame, such that the means of wheeling adapts to prominences in the bottom of the tank;

a means of rotative sliding with a vertical axle for adjacent displacement to walls of the tank;

a means of suctioning including a plurality of suction lines; and

a means of cleaning;

wherein the at least one cord fastens the means of suctioning and the means of cleaning to the structural frame.

2. The suctioning device according to claim 1, wherein the structural frame comprises:

a means of pivotable subjection for attachment to a means of propulsion.

3. The suctioning device according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal axles of the means of wheeling are made of stainless steel and support semi-rigid polyurethane protective rollers, and where supporting wheels made of high density polyethylene for supporting and displacement of the structural frame are located.

4. The suctioning device according to claim 3, wherein the means of wheeling and the means of suctioning are pivotably connected to the structural frame around the horizontal axles.

5. The suctioning device according to claim 4, wherein said means of wheeling further comprises secondary axles made of stainless steel in epoxy resin bearings located on sides of the means of suctioning and means of cleaning, wherein secondary wheels made of high density polyethylene for support and displacement of the means of suctioning and the means of cleaning are located in said secondary axles.

6. The suctioning device according to claim 1, wherein the means of rotative sliding with the vertical axle and further comprising lateral protective wheels made of high density polyethylene.

7. The suctioning device according to claim 1, wherein the means of coupling comprises a hose nozzle for a flexible hose connected to the pump system, PVC connectors and flexible corrugated pipes connected to the means of suctioning.

8. The suctioning device according to claim 1, wherein the means of suctioning comprises:

a suction channel made of folded stainless steel which connects suctioning inlets made of stainless steel tubes and argon welded to said suctioning channel;

PVC connectors; and

flexible corrugated pipes connected to the means of coupling.

9. The suctioning device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one cord hangs the means of suctioning and the means of cleaning on the structural frame no more than 2 cm from the bottom of the tank.