Hydrocyclonic pool cleaner

• US 9,896,858 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Hayes, Graham M., Teuscher, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Karls, Shay
• Application Number:
  US15/592,364
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 2009/002 with external filters
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/28 for parallel flow
• 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 1/38 by centrifugal separation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/42 from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners that remove debris from water using a plurality of cyclonic flows, or that include a removable impeller subassembly, a check valve for a debris canister, a particle separator assembly having a handle that locks to the pool cleaner, a modular roller drive gear box, or a roller latch that secures a roller to the pool cleaner. Exemplary embodiments are also directed to the check valve and the roller latch themselves. Exemplary embodiments are directed to a filter medium for pool cleaners that includes embossments providing flow channels for water, and to roller assemblies for pool cleaners. Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners including alternative pump motor engagements. Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners power supplies that include a potted and contoured power board assembly, and to kickstands therefor. Exemplary embodiments are directed to a pool cleaner caddy, and removable wheels therefor.

Claims

1. A pool cleaner, comprising:

a canister body including an inlet, a top, and a bottom having a central opening, the canister body defining an inner chamber;

a filter medium disposed within the inner chamber of the canister body;

a cyclone block including a plurality of cyclone containers and a central opening, the cyclone block disposed within the inner chamber of the canister body and at least partially surrounded by the filter medium;

a sleeve having a first end and a second end, the sleeve extending through the central opening of the cyclone block and positioned at least partially within the cyclone block, the second end of the sleeve being adjacent the central opening of the canister body;

a shaft including a first end and a second end, the shaft extending through the sleeve with the first end of the shaft extending from the first end of the sleeve;

an impeller engaged with the first end of the shaft;

a top cap including an outlet, the top cap covering the cyclone block; and

a guard engaged with the top cap and covering the top cap outlet;

wherein a first cyclonic flow is generated between the canister body and the filtering medium assembly, and a second cyclonic flow is generated within each of the plurality of cyclone containers.

2. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the canister body defines a cylindrical configuration.

3. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the inlet is a tangential inlet.

4. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter medium includes a plurality of embossments that form a plurality of pockets in the filter medium.

5. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filtering medium assembly is configured to separate large debris particles from a fluid flow during the first cyclonic flow.

6. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein each of the cyclone containers comprises a cylindrical cyclone chamber with a first tangential inlet and a debris underflow nozzle.

7. The pool cleaner of claim 6, wherein each of the cyclone containers includes a second tangential inlet.

8. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cyclone containers are radially disposed around a central axis.

9. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein each of the cyclone containers comprises a cylindrical top portion, a frustoconical bottom portion, and a debris underflow nozzle at a distal end of the cyclone container.

10. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cyclone containers comprises a first set of radially disposed cyclone containers and a second set of radially disposed cyclone containers positioned around the first set of radially disposed cyclone containers.

11. The pool cleaner of claim 10, wherein the cyclone containers are radially disposed around a first central axis, the cyclone containers of the second set of radially disposed cyclone containers each have a second central axis, and the central axis of each cyclone container of the second set of radially disposed cyclone containers is at an angle with respect to the first central axis.

12. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of cyclone containers is configured to separate small debris particles from a fluid flow during the second cyclonic flow.

13. The pool cleaner of claim 1, comprising a large debris container hingedly connected to a bottom edge of the canister body.

14. The pool cleaner of claim 1, comprising a fine debris subassembly disposed within the inner chamber of the canister body.

15. The pool cleaner of claim 14, wherein the fine debris subassembly comprises a fine debris container having a dish and a central tubular extension.

16. The pool cleaner of claim 15, wherein the fine debris subassembly further comprises a fine debris container top having a top circular plate and a central tubular extension extending from the top circular plate and positioned within the central tubular extension of the fine debris container.

17. The pool cleaner of claim 16, comprising an inner chamber defined between the central tubular extension of the fine debris container top and the central tubular extension of the fine debris container, the inner chamber configured and dimensioned to maintain small debris particles separated from a fluid flow during the second cyclonic flow.

18. The pool cleaner of claim 17, comprising a gasket positioned within the inner chamber and engaged with the central tubular extension of the fine debris container top and the central tubular extension of the fine debris container, the gasket maintaining separation between the small debris particles within the inner chamber and the large debris particles collected in the large debris container.

19. The pool cleaner of claim 18, wherein positioning the large debris container in an open position simultaneously empties the large debris container and the inner chamber of the fine debris container.

20. The pool cleaner of claim 1, comprising a ring of vortex finders, each of the vortex finders positioned within respective cyclone containers of the plurality of cyclone containers.

21. The pool cleaner of claim 20, wherein the ring of vortex finders comprises a central portion and a plurality of curved protrusions, each of the curved protrusions including a vortex finder.

22. The pool cleaner of claim 21, wherein the central portion is recessed relative to surfaces of the plurality of curved protrusions.

23. The pool cleaner of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of curved protrusions are hingedly connected to a polygonal perimeter of the central portion.

24. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the top cap comprises a plurality of rounded lobes defining a chamber extending to the outlet.

25. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the top cap includes a plurality of channels extending into the chamber and providing a fluid path into the chamber.

26. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the guard is removably connected to the top cap.

27. The pool cleaner of claim 1, wherein the shaft is rotatably engaged with the sleeve, the sleeve is engaged with the guard, and the guard, sleeve, shaft, and impeller are removable as a single unit.

28. The pool cleaner of claim 1, comprising a beauty cap including a central opening, the beauty cap removably positioned over the top cap and the guard with the guard extending through the central opening.