DEVICE FOR THE REMOTE CONTROL OF A MOTORIZED UNDERWATER SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS AND APPARATUS THUS CONTROLLED

• US 20130110319A1
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Care Europe
• Original Assignee: Zodiac Pool Care Europe
• Inventors: MICHELON, THIERRY
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/093 by the force of jets or sprays B08B9/0813 , B08B9/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement

Abstract

The invention concerns a device and a method of remotely controlling a motorized submerged surface cleaning apparatus (1) comprising a body and a drive device, said remote control device comprising a control terminal (15) having a housing, a device (16) for transmitting control signals for the drive device, characterized in that the housing comprises an orientation detector furnishing at least one orientation parameter of the housing, and in that said device comprises a unit for processing orientation parameters, producing a first command for the drive device for an orientation parameter that is within a first interval of values, and a second command for the drive device for an orientation parameter that is within a second predetermined interval of values.

Claims

1. Device for the remote control of a motorized underwater surface cleaning apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

a body,

a drive device comprising guide and drive systems capable of driving and guiding the body on the submerged surface in at least one direction, called lengthwise direction, and in at least two distinct modes of movement,

said remote control device;

comprising a control terminal comprising at least a housing,

being capable of producing and transmitting to the drive device, via a communication link, control signals for the drive device,

characterized in that;

at least one housing comprises an orientation detector integral with said housing, and capable of furnishing signals representative of at least one orientation parameter of the housing,

it further comprises a processing unit of the signals furnished by the orientation detector, capable of producing control signals representative;

of a first command of the drive device for an orientation parameter included within a first predetermined interval of values,

of a second command of the drive device, different from the first command, for an orientation parameter falling within a second predetermined interval of values, separate from the first interval.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing unit is capable of producing control signals representative of a predetermined control of the drive device for at least one orientation parameter falling within a predetermined interval of values, the interval being an interval of a group of separate intervals, the group of intervals covering all of the values that can be attained by said orientation parameter.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a first orientation parameter of said housing is a pitch measurement of the housing.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the processing unit is capable of producing control signals representative:

of a first command corresponding to a drive of the body in a first direction in the lengthwise direction, for a pitch measurement of said housing falling within a first predetermined interval of values,

of a second command corresponding to stopping the body, for a pitch measurement of the housing falling within a second predetermined interval of values, different from the first interval,

of a third command corresponding to a drive of the body in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, in the lengthwise direction, for a pitch measurement of said housing falling within a third predetermined interval of values, different from the first and second interval.

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a second orientation parameter of said housing is a roll measurement of the housing.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the processing unit is capable of producing control signals representative:

of a first command corresponding to guidance of the body firstly turning in a yaw movement, for a roll measurement of said housing within a first predetermined interval of values,

of a second command corresponding to guiding the body straight ahead in the lengthwise direction, without turning in a yaw movement, for a roll measurement of said housing within a second predetermined interval of values, different from the first interval,

of a third command corresponding to guiding the body in a second direction, turning in a yaw movement, opposite to the first turn, for a roll measurement of said housing within a third predetermined interval of values, different from the first and second interval.

7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said orientation detector is an accelerometric device.

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said housing comprising an orientation detector is also equipped with:

a processing unit,

a wireless transmitter connected to the processing unit and suitable for wirelessly transmitting control signals produced by the processing unit.

9. Motorized submerged surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a body,

a drive device comprising guide and drive systems capable of driving and guiding the body on the submerged surface in at least one direction, called lengthwise direction, and in at least two distinct modes of movement,

a device for remotely controlling the apparatus according to claim 1,

a communication link between said remote control device and said drive device capable of allowing at least the transmission of control signals between the remote control device and the drive device.