Turbine-driven swimming pool cleaning apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A pool cleaner driven by a flow of water therethrough for operation along a submerged surface to be cleaned, the pool cleaner comprising:
- a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port for having water and debris pass therethrough;
at least two wheels rotatably carried by the housing for rolling along a submerged surface to be cleaned, wherein an outer diameter of at least one of the at least two wheels defines a perimeter thereof;
a first roller positioned on a bottom portion of the housing forward the inlet port, the first roller having a tubular shape defined by an outer surface and an inner surface;
a first axle carried between opposing side wall portions of the housing, wherein the inner surface of the first roller is slidably rotatable about the first axle, and wherein an outside dimension of the first axle is sufficiently smaller than a diameter of the inner surface for permitting the first roller to extend beyond the perimeter and operable for retracting the first roller within the perimeter responsive to movement along the submerged surface;
a second axle carried between opposing side wall portions of the housing; and
a second roller positioned at the bottom portion of the housing aft the inlet port and extending between the opposing side wall portions, and moveable about the second axle, the second roller moveable from outside the perimeter for contact with the surface to be cleaned to inside the perimeter for permitting the second roller to roll along uneven portions of the submerged surface to be cleaned, wherein the first and second rollers, in combination with the opposing side wall portions of the housing, form a plenum for water, the plenum enhancing adherence of the pool cleaner to the submerged surface to be cleaned.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A swimming pool cleaner is driven along a submerged surface by water and debris flowing past a turbine positioned between an inlet and outlet of the cleaner. Rollers are rotatably carried on the bottom of the cleaner and forward and aft the proximate an inlet port. The rollers in combination with lower side wall portions of the housing form a plenum for water and enhance adherence of the pool cleaner to the submerged pool surface being cleaner. A hose connector operable with an outlet port is angled toward the forward direction of movement of the pool cleaner such that a suction hose will be placed slightly ahead of the pool cleaner when climbing a side wall surface to provide a weight for keeping the cleaner below the water surface and thus prevent an undesirable sucking of air at the inlet.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A pool cleaner driven by a flow of water therethrough for operation along a submerged surface to be cleaned, the pool cleaner comprising:
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a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port for having water and debris pass therethrough; at least two wheels rotatably carried by the housing for rolling along a submerged surface to be cleaned, wherein an outer diameter of at least one of the at least two wheels defines a perimeter thereof; a first roller positioned on a bottom portion of the housing forward the inlet port, the first roller having a tubular shape defined by an outer surface and an inner surface; a first axle carried between opposing side wall portions of the housing, wherein the inner surface of the first roller is slidably rotatable about the first axle, and wherein an outside dimension of the first axle is sufficiently smaller than a diameter of the inner surface for permitting the first roller to extend beyond the perimeter and operable for retracting the first roller within the perimeter responsive to movement along the submerged surface; a second axle carried between opposing side wall portions of the housing; and a second roller positioned at the bottom portion of the housing aft the inlet port and extending between the opposing side wall portions, and moveable about the second axle, the second roller moveable from outside the perimeter for contact with the surface to be cleaned to inside the perimeter for permitting the second roller to roll along uneven portions of the submerged surface to be cleaned, wherein the first and second rollers, in combination with the opposing side wall portions of the housing, form a plenum for water, the plenum enhancing adherence of the pool cleaner to the submerged surface to be cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A pool cleaner for operation along a submerged surface to be cleaned, the pool cleaner comprising:
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a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port for having water and debris pass therethrough; at least two wheels rotatably carried by the housing for rolling along a surface to be cleaned, wherein an outer diameter of at least one of the at least two wheels defines a perimeter thereof; a roller positioned on a bottom portion of the housing forward the inlet port, the roller having a tubular shape defined by an outer surface and an inner surface; a first axle carried between opposing side wall portions of the housing, wherein the inner surface of the roller is slidably rotatable about the first axle, and wherein an outside dimension of the first axle is sufficiently smaller than a diameter of the inner surface of the roller for permitting the roller to extend beyond the perimeter and for retracting the roller within the perimeter responsive to movement along the submerged surface; and a retractable element positioned at the bottom portion of the housing aft the inlet port, the retractable element extending between the opposing side wall portions, the retractable element moveable from outside the perimeter for contact with the surface to be cleaned to inside the perimeter for permitting the retractable element to slide along uneven portions of the surface to be cleaned, wherein the retractable element and the roller in combination with the opposing side wall portions of the housing form a plenum for water and enhancing adherence of the pool cleaner to the surface to be cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification