Device for dislodging a submersible swimming pool cleaner

• US 5,740,576 A
• Filed: 09/19/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wattatec Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Wattatec LP
• Inventors: Sebor, Pavel, Phillipson, Brian H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knode, Marian C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALIMI, ALI REZA
• Application Number:
  US08/715,715
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 134/18, 134/21, 15/1.7, 15/246, 15/246.2
• US Class Current: 15/1.7
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1636 Suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners

Abstract

A steering device is attached to a submersible swimming pool cleaner for aiding in turning the cleaner away pool side wall engaging positions and thus allowing the cleaner to move across pool surfaces for performing its cleaning function. The steering device includes elongated rods extending from a connector fitting attached to the pool cleaner hose connector. Driven gears of the pool cleaner connector drive the steering device and cause rod ends engaging a pool side wall to lift and push the cleaner away from the side wall. The fitting and thus the rods are freely rotatable through a limited arc about an axis of rotation of the connector, defined by movement of a gear tooth between stop prongs. The ability of the rods to rotate freely within this arc overcomes a problem of excess drag to the cleaner by the steering device. Further, the rods extend radially outward and downward form the fitting such that the rod tips engage the side wall and initiate a ratchet-like action against the side wall surface which results in an upward force acting on the cleaner for reducing friction between cleaner ground engaging portions and the pool bottom wall surface, thus making it easier to rotate the cleaner for movement along pool surfaces to be cleaned.

Claims

1. A swimming pool cleaner comprising:

a hose;

a cleaner housing;

a connector rotatably carried by the housing, the connector in fluid communication with the hose;

a chamber formed within the housing, the chamber in fluid communication with the connector;

an oscillator carried within the chamber such that fluid flow through the chamber to the connector provides a vibratory motion to the oscillator;

gear means communicating between the connector and the oscillator for providing a rotational movement to the connector;

a fitting carried by the connector;

multiple elongated rods radially extending from the fitting, each rod having a proximal end attached to the fitting for extending the rod radially outward from the connector, each rod having a length dimension for extending a rod distal end beyond a perimeter plane of the cleaner housing for preventing the housing from contacting a pool side wall surface during movement of the cleaner over a pool bottom wall surface; and

wherein the gear means rotates the connector and thus the fitting for rotating the rods about the connector, the rod distal end engaging the pool side wall for biasing the rod distal end against the side wall thus turning the cleaner.

2. The cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a ring extending beyond the housing perimeter plane, the ring carried by the rod distal ends.

3. The cleaner according to claim 1, wherein each rod attached to the fitting is removable.

4. The cleaner according to claim 1, wherein each rod distal end comprises a rubber tip for providing enhanced frictional contact between the distal end and the pool side wall.

5. The cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the rods further extend radially outward from the fitting in a downwardly angled direction.

6. The cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sleeve for closely receiving the connector, the sleeve having a distal end for engaging the hose and a proximal end for rotatably receiving the fitting;

stop means having multiple prongs carried by the fitting and sleeve, the stop means having at least one prong freely moveable between at least one prong pair for limiting rotation of the fitting about the sleeve within an arc defined by a prong pair separation.

7. The cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the arc is sixty degrees.

8. The cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the stop means further comprises multiple prongs radially extending from the sleeve proximal end and the fitting having a groove for engaging the sleeve prongs, the fitting further having multiple prongs within the groove for communicating with the sleeve grooves in limiting free rotation of the fitting about the sleeve, and thus limiting free rotation of the rods about the connector.

9. A swimming pool cleaner comprising:

a connector rotatably driven during operation of the cleaner;

a fitting carried by the connector; and

an elongated rod extending radially outward from the fitting, the rod having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end attached to the fitting and the distal end extending beyond a cleaner perimeter, the rod distal end engaging a pool side wall for turning the cleaner during rotation of the connector.

10. The cleaner according to claim 9, further comprising multiple rods and a ring carried by the rod distal ends for frictionally engaging the pool side wall.

11. The cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the rod is removable attached to the fitting.

12. The cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the rod distal end comprises a rubber tip for providing enhanced frictional contact with the pool side wall.

13. The cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the rod further extends radially outward from the fitting in a downwardly angled direction.

14. The cleaner according to claim 9, further comprising:

a sleeve for closely receiving the connector, the sleeve having a distal end for engaging a hose and a proximal end for rotatably receiving the fitting; and

a stop means having multiple prongs carried by the fitting and sleeve, the stop means having at least one prong freely moveable between at least one prong pair for limiting rotation of the fitting about the sleeve within an arc defined by a prong pair separation.

15. The cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the stop means further comprises multiple prongs radially extending from the sleeve proximal end and the fitting having a groove for engaging the sleeve prongs, the fitting further having multiple prongs within the groove for communicating with the sleeve grooves in limiting free rotation of the fitting about the sleeve, and thus limiting free rotation of the rods about the connector.

16. A swimming pool cleaner steering device comprising:

a sleeve having a distal end for engaging a cleaner hose and a proximal end for rotatably receiving a fitting;

a fitting rotatably attached to the sleeve proximal end;

multiple elongated rods radially extending from the fitting, each rod having a proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends attached to the fitting, each rod having a length dimension for extending each rod distal end beyond a perimeter plane of the cleaner for limiting cleaner contact with a pool side wall surface during movement of the cleaner over a pool bottom wall surface; and

stop means having multiple prongs carried by the fitting and sleeve, the stop means having at least one prong freely moveable between at least one prong pair for limiting rotation of the fitting between the prong pair, thus limiting rotation of the rods about the connector.

17. The cleaner device according to claim 16, further comprising a ring extending beyond the housing perimeter plane, the ring carried by each rod distal end.

18. The cleaner device according to claim 16, wherein each rod distal end comprises a rubber tip for providing enhanced frictional contact between the distal end and the pool side wall.

19. The cleaner device according to claim 16, wherein the rods further extend radially outward from the fitting in a downwardly angled direction.

20. The cleaner device according to claim 16, wherein the stop means further comprises multiple prongs radially extending from the sleeve proximal end and the fitting having a groove for engaging the sleeve prongs, the fitting further having multiple prongs within the groove for communicating with the sleeve grooves in limiting free rotation of the fitting about the sleeve, and thus limiting free rotation of the rods about the connector.

21. A swimming pool cleaner steering device comprising:

a fitting for attaching to a cleaner hose connector; and

an elongated rod radially extending from the fitting, the rod having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end attached to the fitting, the rod having a length dimension for extending the rod distal end beyond a perimeter plane of the cleaner for contacting a pool side wall surface during movement of the cleaner over a pool bottom wall surface.

22. The cleaner steering device according to claim 21, further comprising;

second rods radially extending from the fitting; and

a ring carried by each rod distal end for frictional engagement between the pool side wall and the ring.

23. The cleaner steering device according to claim 21, further comprising:

a sleeve for receiving the connector, the sleeve having a distal end for engaging a hose and a proximal end for rotatably receiving the fitting; and

stop means having multiple prongs carried by the fitting and sleeve, the stop means having at least one prong freely moveable between at least one prong pair for limiting rotation of the fitting about the sleeve within an arc defined by a prong pair separation.

24. The cleaner steering device according to claim 21, wherein the rod distal end comprises a rubber tip for providing enhanced frictional contact with the pool side wall.