Pool cleaner

• US 20030182742A1
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, LLC (Fluidra, S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Pool Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Stoltz, Gerhardus J., Lath, Arunabh, Wichmann, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,665,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/1.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1672 Connections to the pool water circulation system

Abstract

An improved pool cleaner is provided of the type for random travel over submerged floor and side wall surfaces of a swimming pool or the like to dislodge and collect debris. The pool cleaner includes a hydraulically contoured external housing having a stabilizer float integrated with a carrying handle at an elevated rearward location. The pool cleaner additionally incorporates modular components including a simplified mast unit and related water distribution manifold for delivery of water under pressure to a water turbine drive unit for rotatably driving cleaner wheels to travel over submerged pool surfaces, with a portion of the pressurized water inducing a vacuum action for collecting debris within a porous filter bag. The modular components are mounted on an internal frame which is quickly and easily accessible for service or maintenance by removal of the external housing.

Claims

1. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

an internal frame;

a hydraulically contoured cleaner housing including upper and lower housing shells mounted on said frame;

a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on said frame and positioned outside said housing for supporting the cleaner on a pool surface;

a mast unit mounted on said frame and including a supply mast having an upper end positioned outside said housing for connection to a supply of water under pressure, and a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said lower housing shell to an underside of said housing and an upper end positioned outside said housing for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

a water distribution manifold carried by said frame and coupled to said supply mast for receiving and distributing water under pressure from said supply mast, said water distribution manifold including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast; and

a water powered drive system carried by said frame and including a water driven turbine for rotatably driving at least one of said wheels, said water distribution manifold further including at least one drive jet for supplying a portion of the water under pressure for rotatably driving said turbine;

said housing substantially enclosing and encasing said frame and said water distribution manifold and said water powered drive system carried thereby, said upper and lower housing shells being separately removable from said frame for access to said frame and said water distribution manifold and said water powered drive system.

2. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said upper end of said supply mast is exposed through said upper housing shell.

3. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said upper end of said suction mast is exposed through said upper housing shell.

4. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said mast unit comprises a unitary module.

5. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said supply mast and said suction mast are interconnected by a plurality of integrally molded support ribs.

6. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including a stabilizer float carried by said upper housing shell.

7. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said upper housing shell further includes at least one strut extending upwardly and rearwardly to an upper end positioned substantially above and behind a center of gravity for the pool cleaner, and further including a stabilizer float at said strut upper end.

8. The pool cleaner of claim 7 further including a carrying handle at said strut upper end.

9. The pool cleaner of claim 8 wherein said carrying handle has a pocket formed therein, said stabilizer float being mounted within said pocket.

10. The pool cleaner of claim 9 further including a float cap mounted onto said handle to enclose said stabilizer float within said pocket, and a nameplate carried by said float cap.

11. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said upper housing shell further includes a pair of struts extending generally in parallel from opposite sides thereof generally upwardly and rearwardly to upper ends positioned substantially above and behind a center of gravity for the pool cleaner, and further including a stabilizer float at said strut upper ends.

12. The pool cleaner of claim 11 further including a carrying handle at said strut upper ends.

13. The pool cleaner of claim 12 wherein said carrying handle has a pocket formed therein, said stabilizer float being mounted within said pocket.

14. The pool cleaner of claim 13 wherein said pocket is rearwardly open, and further including a float cap mounted onto said handle to enclose said stabilizer float within said pocket, and a nameplate carried by said float cap.

15. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said water distribution manifold comprises a module removably mounted on said frame.

16. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including a sweep hose fitting mounted on said water distribution manifold and rearwardly exposed at the exterior of said housing for connection to a flexible sweep hose.

17. The pool cleaner of claim 16 wherein said water distribution manifold includes a seat with an off-axis orifice formed therein, said sweep hose fitting including a base end rotatably supported within said seat and having an off-axis orifice formed therein, said sweep hose fitting being rotatable relative to said seat for variably aligning said off-axis orifices to regulate water flow rate from said water distribution manifold through said sweep hose fitting.

18. The pool cleaner of claim 17 further including detent means cooperating between said sweep hose fitting and said water distribution manifold whereby rotation of said sweep hose fitting relative to said water distribution manifold is accompanied by a clicking action.

19. The pool cleaner of claim 18 further including stop means defining opposite end limits of rotational adjustment of said sweep hose fitting relative to said water distribution manifold.

20. The pool cleaner of claim 1 further including a generally rearwardly directed thrustjet mounted on said water distribution manifold and rearwardly exposed at the exterior of said housing.

21. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said at least one upwardly directly jet nozzle comprises a plurality of upwardly directed jet nozzles for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast.

22. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said water distribution manifold further includes a pair of spaced-apart ribs formed generally at an upstream end of said at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle, said spaced-apart ribs defining an inter-rib spacing that is equal to or less than the diametric size of said jet nozzle to prevent passage of water-entrained debris to said jet nozzle.

23. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said water powered drive system comprises a turbine module removably mounted on said frame and having said turbine rotatably supported therein, said turbine module defining an open port aligned generally with said at least one drive jet.

24. The pool cleaner of claim 23 wherein said turbine comprises a generally circular backplate having a plurality of radially outwardly extending turbine vanes formed thereon on one side thereof.

25. The pool cleaner of claim 24 further including a generally cylindrical hub carried on one side of said backplate, said turbine vanes extending generally radially outwardly from said hub and having a generally cup-shaped curvature defining recessed vane pockets for receiving water under pressure jetted through said at least one drive jet.

30. The pool cleaner of claim 23 further including a speed reduction gear train driven by said turbine for rotatably driving a driven shaft, first and second drive sprockets carried by said driven shaft generally at opposite ends thereof, first and second driven sprockets carried respectively by a pair of said wheels positioned respectively at opposite sides of said housing, and a pair of sprocket chains reeved respectively about first drive and driven sprockets and said second drive and driven sprockets for rotatably driving said pair of wheels.

31. The pool cleaner of claim 23 wherein said plurality of wheels comprises first and second wheels disposed in spaced front-to-rear orientation at one side of said housing and a third wheel disposed at an opposite side of said housing in a position with its rotational axis offset between the rotational axes of said first and second wheels;

and further including a speed reduction gear train driven by said turbine for rotatably driving a driven shaft, first and second drive sprockets carried by said driven shaft generally at opposite ends thereof;

first, second and third driven sprockets carried respectively by said first, second and third wheels;

a first sprocket chain reeved about said first drive sprocket and said first and second driven sprockets for rotatably driving said first and second wheels; and

a second sprocket chain reeved about said second drive sprocket and said third driven sprocket for rotatably driving said third wheel.

32. The pool cleaner of claim 31 further including a plurality of axle blocks removably mounted on said frame and each including a laterally outwardly projecting stub axle;

and bushing means associated with each of said stub axles for rotatably supporting said first, second and third driven sprockets and said first, second and third wheels respectively on said stub axles;

said first, second and third driven sprockets and said first, second and third wheels respectively including interengaging splines whereby said first, second and third driven sprockets respectively rotatably drive said first, second and third wheels.

33. The pool cleaner of claim 32 wherein each of said axle blocks is adjustably mounted on said frame for adjustably tensioning said sprocket chains.

34. The pool cleaner of claim 31 wherein said first and second sprocket chains comprise metal sprocket chains.

35. The pool cleaner of claim 31 further including an idler sprocket mounted on said frame at a position generally between said first and second wheels, said first sprocket chain being additionally reeved over said idler sprocket.

36. The pool cleaner of claim 1 wherein said upper and lower housing shells define wheel cowlings for protectively shielding inboard sides of said plurality of wheels.

26. The pool cleaner of 23 further including a speed reduction gear train driven by said turbine for rotatably driving a driven shaft, at least one drive sprocket carried by said driven shaft, at least one of said wheels carrying a driven sprocket, and a sprocket chain reeved onto said drive and driven sprockets for rotatably driving said at least one of said wheels.

27. The pool cleaner of claim 26 further including an axle block removably mounted on said frame and including a laterally outwardly projecting stub axle, bushing means for rotatably supporting said driven sprocket and said at least one of said wheels on said stub axle, said driven sprocket and said at least one of said wheels including interengaging splines whereby said driven sprocket rotatably drives said at least one of said wheels.

28. The pool cleaner of claim 27 wherein said axle block is adjustably mounted on said frame for adjustably tensioning said sprocket chain.

29. The pool cleaner of claim 26 wherein said sprocket chain comprises a metal sprocket chain.

37. A pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, comprising:

an internal frame;

a hydraulically contoured cleaner housing including upper and lower housing shells mounted on said frame;

a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on said frame and positioned outside said housing for supporting the cleaner on a pool surface;

a mast unit module removably mounted on said frame and including a supply mast having an upper end positioned outside said housing for connection to a supply of water under pressure, and a suction mast having an open lower end exposed through said lower housing shell to an underside of said housing and an upper end positioned outside said housing for removable mounting of a debris collection bag;

a water distribution manifold module removably mounted on said frame and coupled to said supply mast for receiving and distributing water under pressure from said supply mast, said water distribution manifold module including at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle for inducing an upward hydraulic vacuum flow through said suction mast for drawing water and entrained debris upwardly through said suction mast; and

a water powered drive system module removably mounted on said frame and including a water driven turbine for rotatably driving at least one of said wheels, said water distribution manifold module further including at least one drive jet for supplying a portion of the water under pressure for rotatably driving said turbine;

said housing substantially enclosing and encasing said frame and mast unit and water distribution manifold and water powered drive system modules carried thereby, said upper and lower housing shells being separately removable from said frame for access to said frame and said modules.

38. The pool cleaner of claim 37 wherein said upper end of said supply mast and said upper end of said suction mast are exposed through said upper housing shell.

39. The pool cleaner of claim 37 wherein said upper housing shell further includes at least one strut extending upwardly and rearwardly to an upper end positioned substantially above and behind a center of gravity for the pool cleaner, and further including a stabilizer float at said strut upper end.

40. The pool cleaner of claim 39 further including a carrying handle at said strut upper end.

41. The pool cleaner of claim 40 wherein said carrying handle has a rearwardly open pocket formed therein, said stabilizer float being mounted within said pocket.

42. The pool cleaner of claim 41 further including a float cap mounted onto said handle to enclose said stabilizer float within said pocket, and a nameplate carried by said float cap.

43. The pool cleaner of claim 37 further including a sweep hose fitting mounted on said water distribution manifold module and rearwardly exposed at the exterior of said housing for connection to a flexible sweep hose.

44. The pool cleaner of claim 43 wherein said water distribution manifold module includes a seat with an off-axis orifice formed therein, said sweep hose fitting including a base end rotatably supported within said seat and having an off-axis orifice formed therein, said sweep hose fitting being rotatable relative to said seat for variably aligning said off-axis orifices to regulate water flow rate from said water distribution manifold module through said sweep hose fitting.

45. The pool cleaner of claim 44 further including detent means cooperating between said sweep hose fitting and said water distribution manifold module whereby rotation of said sweep hose fitting relative to said water distribution manifold module is accompanied by a clicking action.

46. The pool cleaner of claim 45 further including stop means defining opposite end limits of rotational adjustment of said sweep hose fitting relative to said water distribution manifold module.

47. The pool cleaner of claim 37 wherein said water distribution manifold module further includes a pair of spaced-apart ribs formed generally at an upstream end of said at least one upwardly directed jet nozzle, said spaced-apart ribs defining an inter-rib spacing that is equal to or less than the diametric size of said jet nozzle to prevent passage of water-entrained debris to said jet nozzle.

48. The pool cleaner of claim 37 wherein said water powered drive system module includes a turbine, said water powered drive system module further defining an open port aligned generally with said at least one drive jet for rotatably driving said turbine.

49. The pool cleaner of claim 48 wherein said turbine comprises a generally circular backplate having a plurality of radially outwardly extending turbine vanes formed thereon on one side thereof.

50. The pool cleaner of claim 49 further including a generally cylindrical hub carried on one side of said backplate, said turbine vanes extending generally radially outwardly from said hub and having a generally cup-shaped curvature defining recessed vane pockets for receiving water under pressure jetted through said at least one drive jet.

51. The pool cleaner of claim 48 wherein said plurality of wheels comprises first and second wheels disposed in spaced front-to-rear orientation at one side of said housing and a third wheel disposed at an opposite side of said housing in a position with its rotational axis offset between the rotational axes of said first and second wheels;

and said water powered drive system module further including a speed reduction gear train driven by said turbine for rotatably driving a driven shaft, first and second drive sprockets carried by said driven shaft generally at opposite ends thereof;

first, second and third driven sprockets carried respectively by said first, second and third wheels;

a first sprocket chain reeved about said first drive sprocket and said first and second driven sprockets for rotatably driving said first and second wheels; and

a second sprocket chain reeved about said second drive sprocket and said third driven sprocket for rotatably driving said third wheel.

52. The pool cleaner of claim 51 further including a plurality of axle blocks removably mounted on said frame and each including a laterally outwardly projecting stub axle;

and bushing means associated with each of said stub axles for rotatably supporting said first, second and third driven sprockets and said first, second and third wheels respectively on said stub axles;

said first, second and third driven sprockets and said first, second and third wheels respectively including interengaging splines whereby said first, second and third driven sprockets respectively rotatably drive said first, second and third wheels.

53. The pool cleaner of claim 52 wherein each of said axle blocks is adjustably mounted on said frame for adjustably tensioning said sprocket chains.

54. The pool cleaner of claim 51 wherein said first and second sprocket chains comprise metal sprocket chains.

55. The pool cleaner of claim 51 further including an idler sprocket mounted on said frame at a position generally between said first and second wheels, said first sprocket chain being additionally reeved over said idler sprocket.

56. The pool cleaner of claim 37 wherein said upper and lower housing shells define wheel cowlings for protectively shielding inboard sides of said plurality of wheels.

57. In a pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, said pool cleaner including a housing supported for rolling movement on a plurality of wheels, the improvement comprising:

a nameplate on said housing, said nameplate bearing selected indicia and presenting the appearance of a vehicle license plate.

58. The improvement of claim 57 wherein said nameplate is visible from a rear side of the pool cleaner.

59. The improvement of claim 57 wherein said selected indicia comprises alphabetic and numeric characters.

60. The improvement of claim 57 further including at least one strut extending upwardly and rearwardly from said housing to an upper end positioned substantially above and behind a center of gravity for the pool cleaner, and further including a stabilizer float at said strut upper end, said nameplate being disposed at a rear side of said stabilizer float.

61. The improvement of claim 60 further including means forming a rearwardly open pocket disposed generally at said strut upper end, said stabilizer float being mounted within said pocket, and further including a float cap removably closing said pocket, said nameplate being disposed at a rear side of said float cap.

62. The improvement of claim 60 further including a carrying handle at said strut upper end, said pocket being formed in said carrying handle.

63. The improvement of claim 57 further including a pair of struts extending generally in parallel from opposite sides of said housing generally upwardly and rearwardly to upper ends positioned substantially above and behind a center of gravity for the pool cleaner, and further including a stabilizer float at said strut upper ends, said nameplate being disposed at a rear side of said stabilizer float.

64. The improvement of claim 63 further including means forming a rearwardly open pocket disposed generally at said strut upper ends, said stabilizer float being mounted within said pocket, and further including a float cap removably closing said pocket, said nameplate being disposed at a rear side of said float cap.

65. The improvement of claim 63 further including a carrying handle at said strut upper ends, said pocket being formed in said carrying handle.

66. In a pool cleaner for travel along submerged surfaces of a swimming pool to collect and dislodge debris, said pool cleaner including a housing supported for rolling movement on a plurality of wheels, the improvement comprising:

at least one strut extending upwardly and rearwardly from said housing to an upper end positioned substantially above and behind a center of gravity for the pool cleaner, and further including a carrying handle and a stabilizer float at said strut upper end.

67. The improvement of claim 66 wherein said carrying handle has a pocket formed therein, said stabilizer float being mounted within said pocket.

68. The improvement of claim 67 further including a float cap mounted onto said handle to enclose said stabilizer float within said pocket.

69. The improvement of claim 68 further including a rearwardly visible nameplate disposed on said float cap.

70. The improvement of claim 66 wherein said at least one strut comprises a pair of struts extending generally in parallel from opposite sides of said housing generally upwardly and rearwardly to upper ends positioned substantially above and behind a center of gravity for the pool cleaner, said carrying handle interconnecting said upper strut ends and supporting said stabilizer float.

71. The improvement of claim 70 wherein said carrying handle has a pocket formed therein, said stabilizer float being mounted within said pocket.

72. The improvement of claim 71 wherein said pocket is rearwardly open, and further including a float cap mounted onto said handle to enclose said stabilizer float within said pocket.