Pool cleaning device with wheel drive assemblies

• US 9,677,294 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Renaud, Benoit Joseph, Renigar, Seth Darrell, Hayes, Graham M., Osuna, Omar E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/204,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20140259464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 15 17, 301 5301, 301 5302, 301 5305, 301 5309, 301 61, 4490, 16 18 R- 18 B
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 37/10 the wheels being individually rotatable around the axles
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1654 Self-propelled cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A drive system for a pool cleaner is disclosed, the drive system including a motor operatively connected relative to an axle for driving rotation of the axle. The axel in turn is connected to and drives the rotation of (i) a roller assembly including a roller for cleaning a target surface and (ii) a wheel drive assembly engaged with an idler gear for driving a wheel. Notably the axis of rotation of the roller assembly is different than the axis of rotation of the wheel. Thus, the wheel drive assembly may drive the wheel by interacting with a surface of a cylindrical flange of the wheel.

Claims

1. In a pool or spa cleaner having a wheel assembly, the improvement comprising:

a housing assembly with a side panel;

a wheel having a wheel base (a) receiving in slots formed therein an interchangeable trim and (b) secured to a tire or an interchangeable tread;

a wheel bushing and a wheel hub operatively coupled to each other and relative to the side panel, said wheel bushing and wheel hub defining a wheel race; and

a wheel hub cap for securing the wheel to the wheel race.

2. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wheel hub cap is interchangeable.

3. The cleaner of claim 2, wherein said wheel hub cap includes at least one cleaner feature means for cleaning.

4. A pool or spa cleaner having a wheel assembly comprising:

a housing assembly with a side panel;

a wheel having an interchangeable trim;

a wheel bushing and a wheel hub operatively coupled to each other and relative to the side panel, said wheel bushing and wheel hub defining a wheel race; and

a wheel hub cap for securing the wheel to the wheel race;

wherein the wheel bushing and the wheel hub each include a flange, wherein the flanges are inserted in opposite directions through an aperture in the side panel of the housing assembly so as to define the wheel race.

5. A pool or spa cleaner having a wheel assembly comprising:

a housing assembly with a side panel;

a wheel having an interchangeable trim;

a wheel bushing and a wheel hub operatively coupled to each other and relative to the side panel, said wheel bushing and wheel hub defining a wheel race; and

a wheel hub cab for securing the wheel to the wheel race;

wherein the wheel hub cap includes a flange including one or more deflectable arms for locking the wheel hub cap into place with respect to an aperture in the wheel bushing.