Pool cleaning robot having a filtering unit and a sensor

• US 10,435,904 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2017
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Original Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Inventors: Regev, Ofer, Phillpot, Nicholas, Hadari, Yair, Witelson, Shay
• Primary Examiner(s): Prince, Fred
• Application Number:
  US15/801,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20180100321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 210143, 21016716, 21016717, 2104162, 210739, 15 17
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/065 Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/0655 Articulated endless track vehicles steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00; articulated buses B62D47/025; tractor-trailer combinations or road trains comprising a uni-axle unit and a uni-axle trailer B62D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/075 Tracked vehicles for ascending or descending stairs, steep slopes or vertical surfacesmagnetic or pneumatic ground-engaging parts B62D55/265; chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/265 having magnetic or pneumatic adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 9/00 Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures characterised by control systems B66B1/00; apparatus for raising or lowering persons on stages of theatres A63J5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/46 Mobile jib-cranes with non-slewable jibs
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

A pool cleaning robot that may include a filtering unit for filtering fluid that passes through the filtering unit; a calorimetric sensor for sensing a cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit while the pool cleaning robot is submerged in the fluid; and a controller that is configured to at least assist in determining, based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, a cleanliness of the filtering unit.

Claims

1. A pool cleaning robot, comprising:

a filtering unit for filtering fluid that passes through the filtering unit;

a calorimetric sensor for sensing a cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit while the pool cleaning robot is submerged in the fluid;

wherein the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit is a flow of fluid that is forced to flow through the filtering unit; and

a controller that is configured to at least assist in determining, based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, a cleanliness of the filtering unit.

2. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, the cleanliness of the filtering unit.

3. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1 comprising multiple calorimetric sensors for sensing the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit while the pool cleaning robot is submerged in the fluid.

4. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the calorimetric sensor is positioned within the filtering unit.

5. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the calorimetric sensor is positioned within the pool cleaning robot but outside the filtering unit.

6. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the calorimetric sensor extends outside a housing of the pool cleaning robot.

7. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein a sensing end of the calorimetric sensor is located at substantially a same level as a bottom of the housing of the pool cleaning robot.

8. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1 comprising a cleaning element that precedes a sensing end of the calorimetric sensor.

9. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the calorimetric sensor is incorporated into the pool cleaning robot motor unit.

10. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to predict, based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, when the filtering unit will be clogged.

11. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to predict when the filtering unit will be clogged, based on successive updating of filtering unit filling rate parameters.

12. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to predict when the filtering unit will be clogged, based on a rate of initiation of new cleaning cycles.

13. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to predict when the filtering unit will be clogged, based on successive updating of filtering unit filling rate parameters and on a rate of initiation of new cleaning cycles.

14. A pool cleaning robot, comprising:

a filtering unit for filtering fluid that passes through the filtering unit;

a calorimetric sensor for sensing a cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit while the pool cleaning robot is submerged in the fluid;

a controller that is configured to at least assist in determining, based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, a cleanliness of the filtering unit; and

a communication unit that is configured to transmit information about the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit to a computerized system that is external to the pool cleaning robot.

15. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 14, wherein the communication unit is configured to receive information about the cleanliness of the filtering unit and to send the information about the cleanliness of the filtering unit to the controller.

16. The pool cleaning robot according to claim 15, wherein the communication unit is configured to receive information and to send the information predicting the cleanliness of the filtering unit to the controller.

17. A method for monitoring a pool cleaning robot, the method comprises:

filtering, by a filtering unit of the pool cleaning robot, fluid that passes through the filtering unit;

sensing, by a calorimetric sensor, a cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit while the pool cleaning robot is submerged in the fluid;

assisting in determining, by a controller of the pool cleaning robot and based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, a cleanliness of the filtering unit; and

determining, based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, the cleanliness of the filtering unit.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit is a flow of fluid that is forced to flow through the filtering unit.

19. The method according to claim 17, comprising predicting, based on the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit, when the filtering unit will be clogged.

20. The method according to claim 17, comprising transmitting by a communication unit information about the cleanliness related parameter of the filtering unit to a computerized system that is external to the pool cleaning robot.