Dry docking station

• US 10,703,589 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Original Assignee: Maytronics Ltd (Kibbutz Yizreel)
• Inventors: Witelson, Shay
• Primary Examiner(s): Hageman, Mark C
• Application Number:
  US15/238,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/06 with rotary cylindrical filtering surfaces, e.g. hollow drums B01D33/044 takes precedence ; rotating drums for paper-making D21B
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 33/37 in parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/04 Loading land vehicles loading or unloading boats to or from land vehicles B60P3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/24 Unloading land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1672 Connections to the pool water circulation system
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• 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: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A dry docking station that may include an interface that comprises an interface portion for contacting a self-propelled debris collecting robot when the self-propelled debris collecting robot is positioned at a container replacement position; a container manipulator that is arranged to assist, while the self-propelled solid debris collecting robot is contacted by the interface, in positioning a new debris collecting container into a debris collection position within the self-propelled debris collecting robot and to extract from the self-propelled debris collecting robot a used debris collecting container; a used container storage module for storing the used debris collecting container after the used debris collecting contains is extracted from the self-propelled debris collecting robot; and a new container storage module for storing the new debris collecting container before the new debris collecting container is positioned in the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

Claims

1. A dry docking station, comprising:

an interface that comprises a sloped surface that has a lower edge and an upper edge, and an interface portion for contacting a self-propelled debris collecting robot when the self-propelled debris collecting robot is positioned at a container replacement position;

wherein an upper surface of the interface portion has a front edge and a rear edge;

wherein the front edge of the upper surface contacts the upper edge of the sloped surface;

a container manipulator that is arranged to assist, while the self-propelled solid debris collecting robot is contacted by the interface, in positioning a new debris collecting container into a debris collection position within the self-propelled debris collecting robot and to extract from the self-propelled debris collecting robot a used debris collecting container;

wherein the container manipulator comprises a used container manipulator unit and a new container manipulation unit that are positioned at opposite sides of the interface portion; and

wherein the new container manipulation unit comprises a first piston that is configured to push the new debris collecting container into the debris collection position and towards the used debris collecting container;

a used container storage module for storing the used debris collecting container after the used debris collecting container is extracted from the self-propelled debris collecting robot; and

a new container storage module for storing the new debris collecting container before the new debris collecting container is positioned in the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

2. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein a center of the interface portion is positioned between the new container manipulator unit and the used container manipulator unit.

3. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the used container manipulator unit is configured to evacuate a space within the used container storage module by elevating one or more used debris collecting containers already stored at the used container storage unit.

4. The dry docking station according to claim 3 wherein the used container manipulator unit comprises a lifting element that is configured to move between (a) a first position in which a top of the lifting element is below the upper surface of the interface portion and (b) a second position in which a top of the lifting element is above the upper surface of the interface portion and to elevate the one or more used debris collecting containers already stored at the used container storage unit.

5. The dry docking station according to claim 4 wherein the lifting element is positioned within the used container storage module.

6. The dry docking station according to claim 4 wherein the lifting element is positioned at a center of the used container storage module.

7. The dry docking station according to claim 4 wherein the lifting element at least partially extends outside sidewalls of the used container storage module.

8. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the new container manipulator unit comprises a first piston that is configured to move beneath the upper surface of the interface portion, and a container interfacing part that is mechanically coupled to the first piston and extends above the upper surface of the interface portion.

9. The dry docking station according to claim 8, wherein the container interfacing part is configured to contact the new debris collecting container while forcing the new debris collecting container to move towards the self-propelled debris collecting robot when the self-propelled debris collecting robot is positioned at the container replacement position.

10. The dry docking station according to claim 8 wherein the container interfacing part is a plate.

11. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the used container manipulator unit comprises a second piston that is configured to move outside a sidewall of the used container storage module;

and a lifting element that is mechanically coupled to the second piston and extends within an opening formed in the sidewall of the of the used container storage module.

12. The dry docking station according to claim 11, wherein the lifting element is configured to elevate one or more used debris collecting containers already stored at the used container storage unit.

13. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the used container storage module comprises a first opening for outputting the new debris collecting container into the self-propelled debris collecting robot;

wherein the new container storage module comprises a second opening for receiving the used debris collecting container from the self-propelled debris collecting robot.

14. The dry docking station according to claim 13 wherein the first opening faces the second opening.

15. The dry docking station according to claim 1 further comprising a stopper for preventing the self-propelled debris collecting robot from exiting the container replacement position;

wherein a length of the stopper is smaller than a distance between the used container storage module and the new container storage module.

16. The dry docking station according to claim 1 comprising at least one radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation.

17. The dry docking station according to claim 1 wherein the container manipulator is further configured to assist, while the self-propelled solid debris collecting robot is contacted by the interface, in positioning at least one other new debris collecting container into the self-propelled debris collecting robot and to extract from the self-propelled debris collecting robot at least one other used debris collecting container.

18. The dry docking station according to claim 1, wherein the interface portion comprises a contactless charging unit.

19. The dry docking station according to claim 1 further comprising a stopper for preventing the self-propelled debris collecting robot from exiting the container replacement position;

wherein the stopper comprises a contact charging unit for charging the self-propelled debris collecting robot.