WATER JET POOL CLEANER WITH OPPOSING DUAL PROPELLERS
First Claim
1. A self-propelled cleaning apparatus for cleaning the submerged surface of a pool or tank that is propelled by the discharge of a water jet, the apparatus comprising:
- a water pump that includes a reversible pump motor having a driveshaft that extends from either end of the motor, a propeller operatively connected to each end of the drive shaft, the axis of the pump motor and driveshaft extending along the longitudinal axis of the pool cleaner;
a housing in which the pump is mounted, the housing having a first water jet discharge port positioned at one end and a second water jet discharge port positioned at the opposite end of the housing, each of the discharge ports selectively being in an open position while the other is in a closed position to control the directional discharge of a water jet that is sufficient to propel the pool cleaner in a direction of movement corresponding generally to the longitudinal axis of the pool cleaner;
a water jet discharge conduit positioned between the pump motor and the water jet discharge port at the respective ends of the pool cleaner, each of the propellers being positioned adjacent to and outside of the end of the water jet discharge conduit; and
a water jet discharge valve positioned in each water jet discharge conduit between the propeller and the discharge port, the operation of each discharge valve being responsive to the flow of pressurized water,wherein water flowing through the discharge conduit is discharged through the discharge port in the form of a water jet to propel the cleaner in a direction that is determined by the direction of rotation of the pump motor.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A robotic pool or tank cleaner is propelled by water jets, the direction of which is controlled by the direction of rotation of a reversible pump motor that is horizontally mounted in the pool cleaner housing that has a propeller attached to either end of the motor drive shaft which projects from opposing ends of the motor body, each of the propellers being positioned in, or near a water jet discharge conduit that terminates in discharge ports at opposite ends of the housing. Each discharge conduit has a pressure-sensitive flap valve downstream of the respective propellers. When the propellers rotate in one direction, the water is drawn through one or more openings in the base plate, passes through one or more filter assemblies associated with the pool cleaner and is discharged through one of the discharge ports as a water jet of sufficient force to propel the pool cleaner.
24 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A self-propelled cleaning apparatus for cleaning the submerged surface of a pool or tank that is propelled by the discharge of a water jet, the apparatus comprising:
-
a water pump that includes a reversible pump motor having a driveshaft that extends from either end of the motor, a propeller operatively connected to each end of the drive shaft, the axis of the pump motor and driveshaft extending along the longitudinal axis of the pool cleaner; a housing in which the pump is mounted, the housing having a first water jet discharge port positioned at one end and a second water jet discharge port positioned at the opposite end of the housing, each of the discharge ports selectively being in an open position while the other is in a closed position to control the directional discharge of a water jet that is sufficient to propel the pool cleaner in a direction of movement corresponding generally to the longitudinal axis of the pool cleaner; a water jet discharge conduit positioned between the pump motor and the water jet discharge port at the respective ends of the pool cleaner, each of the propellers being positioned adjacent to and outside of the end of the water jet discharge conduit; and a water jet discharge valve positioned in each water jet discharge conduit between the propeller and the discharge port, the operation of each discharge valve being responsive to the flow of pressurized water, wherein water flowing through the discharge conduit is discharged through the discharge port in the form of a water jet to propel the cleaner in a direction that is determined by the direction of rotation of the pump motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
5. (canceled)
-
7. (canceled)
- 13. The method pool cleaner of claim 25, wherein reversing the direction of rotation of both first and second propeller reverses the low and high pressure zones at the respective ends of the housing and thereby closes the previously open discharge port and opens the previously closed discharge port.
-
20. A method for cleaning a submerged surface of a pool with a pool cleaner, said pool cleaner including a housing having a first discharge port at a front end thereof and a second discharge port at a rear end thereof, traversing means attached to the housing for supporting above and moving the cleaner along the surface of the pool to be cleaned, at least one inlet port formed in a bottom surface of the housing, a water pump having a pair of propellers, each of which is affixed to an opposing end of a driveshaft which extends within the housing along the longitudinal axis of the cleaner, a water jet discharge conduit positioned between the propeller and the water jet discharge port at the respective ends of the pool cleaner, and each one of the propellers being positioned adjacent to and outside an end of the water jet discharge conduit, the method comprising:
-
rotating the pair of propellers simultaneously in a common rotational direction; drawing water from the pool into the housing through the at least one inlet port; closing a first valve to close one of the water jet discharge ports; opening a second valve to open the other water jet discharge port; and discharging the water from the interior of the housing through the open water jet discharge port in the form of a water jet having sufficient force to propel the cleaner in a direction of movement generally corresponding to its longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification