Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO 95/12730 PCT/US94/12253
10
SWIMMING POOL CLEANER WITH VIBRATORY POWER
Field of the Invention
This invention is related generally to swimming pool
cleaners and, more particularly, to swimming pool
cleaners capable of operation without human assistance.
Backcrround of the Invention
Automatic swimming pool cleaners are widely used to
relieve swimming pool owners of the time-consuming and
arduous task of hand-operated vacuuming of underwater
pool surfaces. Such manual task, which typically
involved the use of long extension handles and clumsy
manipulation of a water-suction head held under water and
at a distance, have largely been made a thing of the past
by automatic systems. In recent decades, many automatic
swimming pool cleaners of various types have been
available and in wide use around the world.
A typical automatic swimming pool cleaner has a
suction head including a housing, a chamber open at its
lower side, and a pivotable connector to which a long
flexible hose is attached to allow movement of the
swimming pool cleaner in the pool. The hose typically
extends toward a remote pump which causes water flow from
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along the pool bottom surface, through the chamber and
into the hose, removing dirt and debris from:~lthe bottom
surface of the pool. The flow of water caused by the
pump is harnessed in various ways to cause movement of
the swimming pool cleaner.
Some of the prior devices which harness water flow
to drive pool cleaners include a wide variety of turbines
in the flow stream and flow-interrupting oscillating
devices (which can also be considered vibratory devices).
While there have been many advances in the art, there are
a number of significant problems and shortcomings with
apparatus of the prior art.
Certain oscillatory devices of the prior art exhibit
significant starting problems. More specifically, such
device often require manual intervention (such as
shaking, tilting or other rapid motion) to initiate flow-
driven oscillatory motion of the power source. Thus,
such devices cannot be considered to be reliably self-
starting.
Another significant shortcoming of certain prior
devices is a low level of power production. This is
particularly important and evident when a weak pump is
utilized to cause water flow through the power source.
This tends to increase the pump size requirement for the
pool owner and/or to make pump power insufficiently
available for efficient use by the pool cleaner.
Still another problem is that prior pool cleaning
devices have power sources which impose excessive loads
on pumps. This occurs in part because of the substantial
pressure drop across the pool cleaner, and in part
because of the intermittent nature of water through the
pool cleaner.
Certain devices of the prior art are complex in
structure and operation, causing cost and reliability
problems.
CA 02175364 2001-06-18
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One device directed toward solving the aforementioned problems
is disclosed in recently published European Patent Application No.
9114781.7. The inventions now disclosed and claimed are based on
the on-going development of such earlier-published apparatus.
There is a clear need for improvement in pool cleaning equipment
of the type using water flow to provide power for operation.
Objects of the Invention
It is an object of this invention to provide a swimming pool cleaner
which overcomes some of the problems and shortcomings of devices of
the prior art.
Summary of the Invention
According to the invention there is provided an improvement in a
pool cleaner of the type including: a housing; a hose connected thereto;
a power-source chamber having a substantially open upstream
chamber inlet and a downstream hose connection, the power-source
chamber laterally defined by a pair of opposed impact walls and a pair of
sealing walls; and, as a power source, a vibrator having a downstream
2p pivot by which it is pivotably mounted in the chamber, the vibrator being
unstable in all its positions for enabling the vibratonr power source to be
completely self-starting, and having two wall-facing edges adjacent to
the sealing walls and a pair of upstream flow-facing edges positioned to
be alternately reactive to fluid dynamic forces. The improvement resides
in a seal along each wall-facing edge in sealing relationship with the
sealing wall adjacent thereto and freely movable with respect to the
sealing wall to accommodate passage of dirt and debris such that
substantially all flow contributes power to the power' source.
CA 02175364 2001-06-18
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This invention is an improvement in swimming pool
cleaning apparatus of the type having a housing open at
its lower side (the upstream end of fluid flow), a hose
connection (the downstream end of fluid flow) allowing
water to be drawn therethrough, and a vibratory power
source. More specifically, the improvement is in a
vibratory power source.
In the swimming pool cleaning apparatus of this
invention, the improved vibratory power source includes:
a power-source chamber between an upstrE:am chamber inlet
(preferably adjacent to the housing lower side) and
downstream hose connection, such power-source chamber
laterally defined by a pair of opposed impact walls and a
pair of sealing walls and having a substantially open
upstream inlet; a vibrator having a downstream pivot
thereon by which it is pivotably mounted in the chamber,
the vibrator mounted and sized such that all vibrator
positions are unstable and such that flow is
substantially unrestricted regardless of the position of
the vibrator, the vibrator having two wall-facing edges
adjacent to the sealing walls and a pair of upstream
flow=facing edges positioned to be alternately reactive
to fluid dynamic forces. Each wall-facing edge has a
seal therealong in sealing relationship with the sealing
wall adjacent thereto and freely movable with respect to
the sealing wall to accommodate passage of dirt and
debris such that substantially all flow contributes power
to the vibratory power source.
In certain preferred embodiments, the wall-facing
3o edges and the seals are arcuate (curved), and each seal
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has a sealing edge facing the adjacent sealing wall, a
back edge, and upstream and downstream arcuate surfaces.
Each wall-facing edge has a wide notch therealong on the
upstream surface of the vibrator to receive one of the
seals, placing the downstream arcuate surface of such
seal in contact with the vibrator, leaving the upstream
arcuate surface of the seal substantially free of contact
with the vibrator, and exposing the back edge of the seal
to the water flow at a position upstream of the vibrator.
Thus, the seal is positioned and arranged to be
freely driven against the sealing wall by the
differential pressure across the seal. Furthermore, the
seal freely self-adjusts with respect to the sealing wall
of the power-source chamber to allow passage of dirt.
With this arrangement, the seal is self-cleaning, such
that accumulation of dirt around the seal is avoided.
This allows the seal to be operable under normal pool-
cleaning conditions, that is, in the presence of dirt and
debris which is being removed from underwater pool
surfaces.
In particularly preferred embodiments, each wall-
facing edge of the vibrator has lateral end slots which
are adjacent to each of the flow-facing edges, and each
seal has two ends, one resting in each of the lateral end
slots. This serves to further locate the seal with
respect to the vibrator.
The positional instability of the vibrator enables
the vibratory power source to be completely self-
starting; that is, vibration begins when water flow
begins, without the need for manual intervention to start
oscillatory motion. Furthermore, the unrestricted nature
of the flow through the power-source chamber minimizes
the load imposed on the pump, which typically is remote
from the pool cleaner.
The vibrator preferably has a concave-convex shape,
with the concave surface facing upstream and the convex
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surface facing downstream. The pivot mount preferably
defines a pivot axis, and the vibrator preferably has
substantial bilateral symmetry about a central axis which
is perpendicular to the pivot axis. The vibrator
preferably is semi-cylindrical in cross-sectional shape.
It is also highly preferred that the open upstream inlet
and downstream hose connection of the power-source
chamber have flow axes which are in alignment with the
central axis when the vibrator is in its middle position.
The open upstream inlet preferably has a
substantially larger open flow area than the downstream
hose flow area. As already suggested, this minimizes
load on the system pump. Furthermore, it enables the
vibratory power source to generate greater power than is
possible when flow is restricted. This provides more
power for cleaning, movement and/or control of the pool
cleaner.
The swimming pool cleaner of this invention, in
preferred forms, may include various drive means thereon
which are mechanically linked to the vibratory power
source, such that at least some of the power generated by
the vibratory power source may be used to move the pool
cleaner along an underwater surface. Such drive means
can include vibratory bristle drive as described in some
detail herein. In such case, the mechanical linkage
includes the pool cleaner housing itself as well as
bristle mounts and related apparatus. Other drive means
include a wide variety of mechanisms, such as spring-
mounted legs driven by vibration, or wheel or tractor
systems with a drive train which includes a ratchet or
clutch device which links the oscillating vibrator to
suitable gearing.
In certain embodiments of this invention, for
example, those having bristles, power from the vibratory
power source is harnessed to assist in cleaning through
scrubbing action.
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Brief Descriution of the Drawings
FIGURE 1 is a perspective of a preferred swimming
pool cleaner in accordance with this invention.
FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the device of
FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is a rear elevation.
FIGURE 4 is a side elevation.
FIGURE 5 is a top plan view.
FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view.
FIGURE 7 is an exploded view.
FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along section 8-8
as indicated in FIGURE 5.
FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along section 9-9
as indicated in FIGURE 5.
FIGURE 10 is a side view of an adjustment device for
which is used for adjusting the vertical position of a
portion of the secondary-bristle ring.
FIGURE 11 is a right side elevation of FIGURE 10,
showing the head of the adjustment device.
FIGURE 12 is a left side elevation of FIGURE 10,
showing the other end of the height adjustment device.
FIGURE 13 is an enlarged exploded perspective view
of the vibrator device.
FIGURE 14 is a partially cutaway side elevation of
the main-bristle ring.
FIGURE 15 is a partially cutaway side elevation of
the secondary-bristle ring.
FIGURE 16 is a partially cutaway side elevation of a
secondary-bristle group.
FIGURE 17 is a side elevation of a preferred manual
pool cleaner utilizing this invention.
As will be noted, for reasons of convenience several
of the figures represent bristles somewhat schematically,
rather than in actual form. The required characteristics
of such bristles, however, is disclosed by such figures
and by the written descriptions herein.
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_8_
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
FIGURES 1-16 illustrate a dual-use automatic
swimming pool cleaner suction head 20 in accordance with
this invention. "Dual-use" refers'to the fact that
suction head 20 may be used for.:automatic pool cleaning
or manual pool cleaning, as desired.
Suction head 20 has a housing 22, a chamber 24 (see
FIGURES 6, 8 and 9) which is open at the lower side of
housing 22, and a pivotable hose connection 26, more
specifically, a spherical joint, on housing 22 allowing
pivotable connection of a hose 28 through which a remote
suction pump (not shown) causes water flow through
chamber 24 and into hose 28, removing dirt and debris
from the underwater surface of the pool.
Lugs 27 at hose connection (spherical joint) 26 are
used to removably attach an elongate handle (pole) 27a to
housing 22. Handle 27a is removed during automatic pool
cleaning operations and attached for manual operations.
Handle 27a is attached by means of a removable pin 27b.
As shown best in FIGURES 5, 6, 8 and 9, chamber 24
includes a central outflow portion (or "power-source
chamber") 24a and a surrounding inflow portion 24b which
extends to the periphery of housing 22. As shown in
FIGURES 6-9 and 13, suction head 20 includes a vibrator
30 in power-source chamber 24a. Vibrator 30 is pivotably
secured to housing 22 by means of a shaft 30a, and is
designed to freely oscillate within power-source chamber
24a in response to water flow therethrough. As shown
best in FIGURES 7 and 8, shaft 30a is journaled in holes
30b in housing 22 and is held in place by retainer plates
30c which are engaged with housing 22.
As shown in FIGURES 7, 9 and 13, vibrator 30 is
shaped to have a hollow semi-cylindrical cross-section
and is located in dome-like power-source chamber 24a,
with the convex side of vibrator 30 oriented downstream
toward hose connection 26. Vibrator 30 has a pair of
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upstream flow-facing edges 30ue, which water flows
against during operation, causing vibrator 30 to pivot
first in one direction and then in the other. The
profile and dimensions of vibrator 30 have been developed
to provide a self-starting and relatively constant speed
vibration which is powered by the flow of water up toward
outlet hose 28. Flow of water causes an oscillation of
vibrator 30, and the oscillatory momentum and impact
forces (including movements of water mass) are imparted
to housing 22 to cause vibratory motion.
As shown in FIGURES 6-8 and 13, vibrator 30 has
opposite wall-facing edges 30w, each of which is arcuate
and forms a pair of lateral end slots 30e. Sliding seals
30d are aligned along wall-facing edges 30w. Each seal
30d has two opposite ends 30s, each of which is seated
(rests in) one of the lateral end slots 30e. Seals 30d
engage opposed inner side walls 30f of power-source
chamber 24a, as will be described further herein.
Sliding seals 30d serve to seal vibrator 30 to side walls
30f and prevent excessive by-pass of water and yet allow
sand or other small particles to escape to avoid clogging
and lock-up and to avoid damage to parts. Sliding seals
30d can move inwardly as necessary to accommodate the
passing of sand or other particles.
Sliding seals 30d are forced toward side walls 30f
by the difference in hydraulic pressure between opposite
edges of each of the sliding seals. Lower pressure fluid
is exposed to seal outer (or "sealing") edges 3og than is
exposed to seal inner (or "back") edges 30h (see FIGURES
6, 7, 8 and 13), and the higher pressure along seal inner
edges 30h pushes seals 30d outwardly toward the lower
pressure or suction sides of seal 30d (that is, in the
' direction toward seal outer edges 30g), causing
engagement with side walls 30f.
As shown in FIGURES 6-9 and 13, best in FIGURE 13,
WO 95112730 PCT/US94/12253
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seals 30d have upstream and downstream arcuate surfaces
30us and 30ds, respectively, such surfaces extending from
back edge 30h to sealing edge 30g. Each wall-facing edge
30w of vibrator 30 has a wide notch 30i extending along
nearly all of its length -- and nearly all the length of
seal 30d. Downstream arcuate surface 30ds contacts
vibrator 30 and upstream arcuate surface 30us of seal 30d
is substantially free of contact with vibrator 30. Back
edge 30h of seal 30d is exposed to water flow upstream of
vibrator 30. This configuration and arrangement allows
effective operation of the pressure differential across
seal 30d, which causes pressure-driven outward movement
of sliding seals 30d such that sealing edge 30g properly
engages walls 30f of power-source chamber 24a.
Notches 30i serve to fully expose much of the
surfaces of seals 30d, allowing seals 30d to remain free
to move within lateral slots 30e -- by reducing or
eliminating spaces where sand or dirt particles could
accumulate to interfere with operation.
As already noted, vibrator 30 causes vibration of
housing 22 as water passes through suction head 20.
Vibration acts through inclined bristles or other like
flexures to cause forward movement of suction head 20.
Housing has a lower edge 32 which surrounds chamber 24,
and secured along lower edge 32 are main bristles 34 such
bristles forming something of an annulus of main bristles
34. More specifically, main bristles 34 are secured to a
main-bristle ring 34a and such ring is removably secured
to housing 22 along lower edge 32.
Main bristles 34 project downwardly to terminate in
free main-bristle ends 34b which are disposed in a common
plane and support suction head 20 on an underwater
swimming pool surface to be cleaned. FIGURES 2-4 include
a reference line 36 which is representative of a planar
horizontal pool bottom surface, that is, a surface to be
cleaned; as shown in FIGURES 2-4, such line is also
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representative of the common plane in which main-bristle
ends 34b are disposed, given that in such views suction
head 20 is supported by surface 36. The orientation of
bristles will be described herein by reference to a
vertical direction with respect to a horizontal surface
such as that represented by reference line 35.
Main bristles 34 are affixed to main-bristle ring
34a at an angle; they deviate from vertical in a common
direction at all locations about ring 34a. Such
inclination, or deviation from vertical, is preferably
about 8 to 18°, more preferably about 10 to 14°, with
about 12° most preferred. This inclination of main
bristles 34 about main-bristle ring 34a is illustrated
best in FIGURE 14, the breakaway portion of which shows
that bristles on the far side of main-bristle ring 34a
are angled in the same direction as those on the near
side. Vibration of housing 22, acting through the
combined rapid small motions of the many main bristles 34
about ring 34b, causes forward motion of suction head 20.
Suction head 20 has three groups of secondary
bristles. These include two inside secondary-bristle
groups 38 and 40 and an outer annulus of side secondary
bristles 42 on secondary-bristle ring 42a. All of such
secondary bristles, during operation of suction head 20,
are in fixed vertical positions, although adjustment is
possible with respect to bristles 42 of secondary-bristle
ring 42a. All of such secondary bristles are inclined,
that is, deviate with respect to the vertical direction.
Such angle of inclination is preferably about 8 to 18°,
more preferably about 10 to 14°, with about 12° most
preferred, but such bristles are mounted so that most are
inclined in a direction or directions different than the
direction of inclination of main bristles 34.
As earlier described, contact of secondary-bristle
ends with the surface to be cleaned as suction head 20
moves therealong such surface causes turning in the
WO 95/12730 pC"T/US94/12253
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direction of movement of suction head 20. That is, the
vibration causes a turning of the head away from the
forward direction by virtue of the vibratory action of
the secondary bristles -- as with the main bristles, but
in a different, and therefore turning, direction. The
extent of turning depends on the extent of secondary
bristle end contact with the surface to be cleaned.
Secondary-bristle groups 38 and 40 are secured to
the downwardly-facing middle surface 22a of housing 22, a
surface surrounded by housing lower edge 32. See FIGURES
6-9 and 16. Secondary bristle groups 38 and 40 are
secured to bristle blocks 38a and 40a, respectively,
which are secured with respect to housing 22 such that
the bristles of bristle groups 38 and 40 are in fixed
vertical positions, with their bristle ends 38b and 40b
at or about at the aforementioned common plane which is
defined by main-bristle ends 34b.
As shown best in FIGURE 6, bristle blocks 38a and
40a are attached within securement walls 38c and 40c,
respectively, which are formed on (and are part of)
downwardly-facing middle surface 22a of housing 22.
Securement wall 38c is shaped with a tapered corner such
that one of the bristle blocks, in this case bristle
block 38a, can be secured therein in only one orientation
-- that is, with its secondary bristles 38 inclined in a
direction different than the direction of inclination of
main-bristles 34. Bristle block 38a cannot be reversed
in its orientation. On the other hand, securement wall
40c is generally rectangular in shape without any
irregular features which would limit the manner in which
bristle block 40a is inserted therein.
Thus, bristle block 40a may be removed, reversed in
orientation, reinserted and reattached within securement
wall 40c, allowing its secondary bristles to be in either
of at least two different orientations. The illustrated
arrangement has secondary bristle groups 38 and 40
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inclined in opposite directions -- that is, in a common
direction when considered rotationally -- and this serves
to impart an enhanced rotational motion to suction head
20, thus facilitating turning of suction head 22 from its
direction of forward movement.
It has been found that the irregularities in the
otherwise flat underwater surfaces of swimming pools --
that is, portions which are off-flat or off-smooth
surfaces -- interact with secondary bristles as suction
head 20 moves about a swimming pool under the vibratory
action of main-bristles 34. More turning is achieved if
the ends of the secondary bristles protrude more from the
bottom of housing 22; less turning is achieved if the
secondary-bristle ends are recessed a bit. It has been
found that locating secondary bristle groups 38 and 40
such that bristle ends 38b and 40b are at or very near
the aforementioned common plane provides ample random
turning action. This turning action can be either
enhanced or controlled by reversal of the orientation of
bristle group 40.
As shown in FIGURES 2-4 and 6-9, best in FIGURES 8
and 9, ring 42a to which secondary bristles 42 (that is,
"side" secondary bristles) are secured, is secured to
housing lower edge 32 in a position which is concentric
with main-bristle ring 34a at a position outside (that
is, radially outside) main-bristle ring 34a. Both rings
34a and 42a are removably secured along lower edge 32,
and may therefore be replaced when worn.
Side secondary bristles 42 project both outwardly
and downwardly and terminate short of the common plane
indicated by reference line 36 (in FIGURES 2-4). As
shown in FIGURE 15, which includes a breakaway portion
allowing illustration of bristle orientations on both the
near side and the far side of secondary-bristle ring 42a,
secondary bristles 42 are disposed at a common rotational
angle -- about 12° to vertical -- such that engagement of
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bristle ends 42b with pool bottom surfaces causes a
turning deflection of suction head 20. And, in addition
to such rotational angle, bristles 42 are oriented to
project radially outwardly, preferably about 16 to 24°
from vertical, most preferably about 20°. This
facilitates engagement with pool side walls as they are
approached by suction head 20, and the combination of
rotational and radial angling causes turning of suction
head 20 when such bristles hit a:.side wall.
As shown in FIGURES 2-4, 6 and 9, secondary-bristle
ring 42a is in a tilted orientation such that the ends of
its rear bristles 42r, that is, its bristles generally
along the rear circumferential portion of ring 42a, are
at a lower position than are the ends of its front
bristles 42f, that is, its bristles generally along the
front circumferential portion of ring 42. The ends of
the bristles of secondary-bristle ring 42 at circumfer-
ential portions between the front and the rear are at
levels therebetween. The rear circumferential portion of
secondary-bristle ring 42a is referred to herein as a low
circumferential portion. Its level is because of the
tilt of ring 42; all bristles 42 are of substantially
equal lengths.
Not only is ring 42a tilted, but the extent of tilt
of ring 42a is adjustable. As shown in FIGURES 8 and 9,
the upper surface of ring 42a is against ring-placement
surface 42c which is part of the under surface of housing
22 along housing lower edge 32. Ring-placement surface
42c, while planar, is tilted with respect to a horizontal
plane such that ring 42a is tilted.
As illustrated best in FIGURE 9, between the rear
circumferential portion of ring 42a and the adjacent
portion of ring-placement surface 42c is a tilt-adjuster
44. Tilt-adjuster 44, shown in detail in FIGURES 10-12,
has an inner end which is rotatably secured to housing
22, an outer end 44b by which the rotational orientation
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of tilt-adjuster 44 is set (for example, by using a screw
driver), and a middle caroming portion 44c. As shown best
in FIGURE 12, caroming portion 44c has four sides, each of
such sides having a different spacing from the axis of
tilt-adjuster 44.
In the embodiment illustrated, tilt-adjuster 44
adjusts the tilt of secondary-bristle ring 42a between an
orientation in which the ends of rear bristles 42r are at
about the level of common plane 36 (and, thus, at about
the level of main-bristle ends 34b) and an orientation in
which the ends of rear bristles 42r are about three
millimeters above common plane 36. Adjustments can be
made to intermediate positions in which the ends of rear
bristles 42r are either one or two millimeters above
common plane 36. Outer end 44b of tilt-adjuster 44 is
marked as a guide for such adjustment. When in its
highest position of adjustment, the ends of front
bristles 42f are still at a level about three millimeters
above the level of the ends of rear bristles 42r.
This adjustability in the vertical positions of
secondary-bristle ends 42b provides a further way to
assure that the turning action provided by the secondary
bristles of suction head 20 is appropriate for effective
cleaning of a particular swimming pool.
As illustrated in FIGURES 6-9, a skirt 46, which is
concentric with bristle rings 34a and 42a, projects
downwardly from housing 22 at a position radially inside
main-bristle ring 34. Bristle rings 34a and 42a and
skirt 46 are configured and dimensioned for engagement
with one another to facilitate assembly of suction head
20. Skirt 46 extends downwardly to a skirt lower edge
46a which is spaced well above the ends of both main
bristles 34 and secondary bristles 42, that is, above the
ends of the bristles of both bristle rings. Such spacing
determines the gap through which water and debris will
pass in entering housing chamber 24, and the gap must be
WO 95/12730 PCT/US94/12253
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small enough to assure sufficient turbulence of water
flow at and between bristles as they engage the pool
surface to be cleaned, and large enough to allow passage
of dirt and debris.
FIGURE 17 illustrates a simpler suction head 50
which is designed for manual use. Suction head 50 has a
single removable ring of bristles 52 about the lower edge
of its housing. Unlike suction head 20;,.suction head 50
has no tilt adjustment feature. However, in most other
respects, including the presence of vibrator 30, suction
head 50 is similar to suction head 20 of the dual-use
automatic pool cleaner described above.
Bristles 52 are similar to secondary bristles 42
(described above) in that they are disposed at a common
rotational angle -- about 12° to vertical -- such that
engagement of bristle ends 52a with underwater pool
surfaces causes a turning deflection of suction head 50.
Such turning, which occurs while the operator grips
handle 27a to manipulate suction head 50, is allowed to
occur by virtue of the aforementioned spherical joint 26.
Furthermore, such turning is facilitated by the vibratory
forces described above. The turning of suction head 50
provides enhanced scrubbing action.
Unlike secondary bristles 42, bristles 52 are not
outwardly (radially) inclined; they are only rotationally
inclined; that is, bristles 52 are essentially tangential
to an imaginary cylinder generally at their location and
each bristle is generally along a line which is a skew
line with respect to the axis which is defined by the
bristle ring. Outward (radial) inclination of the
bristles would be acceptable, but for a manual-use pool
cleaner such inclination would provide no important
advantage.
In certain embodiments, the bristles of a manual
cleaner need not be inclined, either rotationally or
outwardly. Vibratory action alone is sufficient to
WO 95!12730 PCT/US94/12253
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enhance the cleaning action. Furthermore, movement of
the suction head along underwater surfaces tends to be
facilitated by such vibratory action.
Many variations are possible in arrangement and
configuration of bristles and other parts as required.
The parts of this apparatus described herein may be made
using known materials and molding and forming methods
well known to those skilled in the art. The housings,
vibrators, hose connectors, tilt-adjuster, and the rings
and blocks for bristle mounting are preferably made of
suitable rigid plastics. The housings can be molded with
all or most of their required functional elements and
features integrally formed as parts or features thereof.
The bristles are preferably made of common bristle
materials which are flexible and resilient, and thus
facilitate the moving actions described above. Sliding
seals 30d are made of fairly rigid seal materials, one
preferred material being a Dupont Delrin acetal material.
A wide variation of materials, part manufacturing
methods and assembly methods can be used.
While the principles of this invention have been
described in connection with specific embodiments, it
should be understood clearly that these descriptions are
made only by way of example and are not intended to limit
the scope of the invention.
