Pool cleaning robot

• US 9,133,639 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Original Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Inventors: Blank, Evgeny, Ben-Dov, Boaz
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENNINGS, MICHAEL DEANGILO
• Application Number:
  US13/584,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• Field of Search: 15/17, 210/167.15, 210/167.16, 210/167.17, 210/416.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1636 Suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1672 Connections to the pool water circulation system

Abstract

A pool cleaning robot comprising: a housing; an impeller and a motor; at least one filter compartment configured for accommodating a filter unit therein; an impeller outlet formed in a housing top surface; at least one additional outlet other than the impeller outlet configured for being fluidly connected to an external suction and filtering system; at least one bottom inlet formed in said housing bottom configured for a first fluid communication with the impeller outlet via said filter unit, thereby defining a first fluid path; and at least one bottom inlet formed in said housing bottom configured for a second fluid communication with said additional outlet via a second fluid path at least partially different from the first fluid path, said second fluid path constituting a part of an external suction and filtering fluid path created when said additional outlet is fluidly connected to an external suction and filtering system.

Claims

1. A pool cleaning robot comprising:

a housing having a housing bottom and a housing top surface;

an impeller and a motor configured to operate the impeller, both mounted within the housing;

a first filter compartment formed within said housing configured for accommodating a first filter unit therein;

an impeller outlet formed in said housing top surface;

a first additional outlet other than the impeller outlet formed in said housing top surface and configured for being fluidly connected to an external suction and filtering system;

a first bottom inlet formed in said housing bottom configured for a first fluid communication with the impeller outlet via said first filter unit, thereby defining a first fluid path;

a second bottom inlet formed in said housing bottom configured for a second fluid communication with said first additional outlet via a second fluid path at least partially different from the first fluid path, said second fluid path constituting a part of an external suction and filtering fluid path created when said additional outlet is fluidly connected to the external suction and filtering system;

a hose adapter configured for fluidly connecting said first additional outlet to a hose connectable to said external suction and filtering system;

wherein said pool cleaning robot is operated by an electric supply source via an electric cable, and comprises a holder configured for holding said electric cable and said hose in proximity to each other and preventing their swivel around each other;

wherein the holder comprises an aperture for allowing insertion of said electric cable therethrough and free rotation of said cable therein and a grasper configured for detachably attaching to said hose.

2. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the pool cleaning robot further comprising an arrangement for selecting or mixing between the first fluid communication and the second fluid communication.

3. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 2, wherein said second filter compartment is parallel to said first filter compartment.

4. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 3, wherein said interior portion of the adapter unit is disposed between a first and a second end of the adapter unit, the first end of the adapter unit being configured for fluidly communicating with said second bottom inlet, and the second end of the adapter unit being configured for fluidly communicating with said first additional outlet.

5. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 2, further comprising a main controller configured to control the operation of said motor during operation of the robot via the first fluid path, and during operation of the pool cleaning robot via a combination of the second and the third fluid paths.

6. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the hose adapter includes a swivel mechanism configured for preventing swivel of said hose around itself.

7. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, further comprising a second additional inlet formed in said housing top surface and configured for a third fluid communication with the impeller outlet, thereby defining a third fluid path.

8. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 7, wherein said third fluid communication is configured to generate a thrust force that biases said housing toward a pool surface which the housing bottom faces during operation of the robot.

9. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 7, wherein said pool cleaning robot is configured to be operated via at least one of the first, second and the third fluid communications.

10. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 9, wherein said second additional inlet is configured for being opened and closed for allowing and preventing said third fluid communication, respectively.

11. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 7, wherein said second additional inlet and second additional outlet are disposed at a common opening formed within the housing top surface.

12. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 11, wherein said common opening comprises a door configured for allowing and preventing said second and third fluid communication by being opened and closed, correspondingly.

13. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 11, wherein said second additional inlet is formed at said common opening around said second additional outlet.

14. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 7, wherein said pool cleaning robot is configured for climbing of a sidewall of the pool during operation of the pool cleaning robot via the first fluid path, and during operation of the pool cleaning robot via a combination of the second and the third fluid paths, when the biasing contributes to the pool cleaning robot to be in contact with the sidewall of the pool.

15. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein said first fluid communication is additionally configured to generate a thrust force that biases said housing toward a pool surface which the housing bottom faces during operation of the robot.

16. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, further comprising a driving unit having at least one electric motor configured for moving said pool cleaning robot within the pool.