Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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POOL CLEANER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention lies. in the field of pool cleaners which are driven by water
circulated by a pump. The invention is not necessarily limited to "automatic
pool cleaners", depending on what precisely is understood by this term, but
the term "automatic pool cleaners" is often used in the context of pool
cleaners with which this invention is primarily concerned. Although the
words "pool cleaners" will be used for convenience in this specification, they
are to be interpreted broadly, as not limited to cleaning of domestic pools,
but to include other bodies of water in which a cleaning and/or stirring
action is required. The art in this field is divided into two parts, namely
suction side cleaners and push side cieaners, referring to the suction and
push sides respectively of a pump system which circulates water in the pool.
The present invention lies primarily though not exclusively, in the push side
part of the art, the term "pressure side cleaners" is also used to refer to
the
same push side cleaners.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Push side pool cleaners are distinguished from suction side cleaners, for
various reasons known in the art; an example of a push side cleaner is
described in South African patent 85/0648, granted to Alopex Industries,
marketed as the "POLARIS" (trademark).
Whereas suction side cleaners have an effective wiping or rubbing action on
the pool surfaces, this is a shortcoming with push side pool cleaners of the
present art which run on wheels with a venturi passage passing over the
pool surfaces with a clearance between the mouth of the venturi and the
pool surface.
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Again, whereas suction side pool cleaners have few moving parts, the
cleaner moving over the pool surfaces under impulsion of intermittent water
flow caused by an oscillating tongue, or a suction tube whose wall collapses
intermittently, for example, certain push side pool cleaners of the art have
the disadvantage that they are moved by means of a water turbine driving
the wheels through a drive train consisting of many gears and shafts.
Also, whereas suction side cleaners remove very small particles from the
pool because the particles picked up are passed through the main pool
filter, push side pool cleaners of the art do not pass particles through the
main pool filter, but through a bag filter attached to the cleaner; dust size
particles pass the apertures of bag type filters to re-enter the pool water,
so
that these cleaners must rely on stirring up these dust size particles so that
they remain sufficiently in suspension to be drawn into the pool weir and
thence to the main pool filter.
Whereas suction side cleaners are "add on" products, which the owner of an
existing pool and filtering system can add on without technical assistance,
most push side cleaners of the present art are initially set up by a
technically
capable person, where they are connected to a booster pump in the main
pool filter circulation system, or into a dedicated water circulation system.
Hence push side pool cleaners of the art tend to be sold via contractors who
are building a pool and circulation system.
Although push side pool cleaners do have potential for less interference with
the desirable randomness of movement over the pool surfaces, due to a
smaller diameter hose being acceptable, than suction side cleaners, much
of this potential advantage is lost by the wheeled drive of these cleaners of
the push side cleaner art which tend to provide straight line travel. The
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POLARIS cleaner has three wheels asymmetrically arranged to try to reduce
this effect, for example. There is a continuing need in the art for better
randomness of movement of the cleaner over the pool surfaces, leading to
better cleaning.
The push side water flow is given a bypass valve at the pool side allowing
water flow to the cleaner to be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the
bypass, so as to get an acceptable speed of movement of the cleaner over
the pool surfaces. A disadvantage of this arrangement of the art is that the
energy of the bypassed flow is discarded.
Finally, all present pool cleaners have limitations as to the shallowness at
which they. will operate and as to their ability to negotiate formations like
stairs in pools without becoming stuck in one position. It is desirable that
pool cleaners work in shallower regions and thus negotiate formations like
stairs better.
Thus there exists a need to address these limitations and problems in push
side cleaners of the art at least to some extent.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an
automatic pool cleaner defining a central axis and having
only a single pair of rotatable motive elements which are
symmetrically disposed about the central axis, the pool
cleaner comprising (a) a debris collector and (b) at least
one jet directing water onto at least one of the pair of
rotatable motive elements so as to cause it to rotate.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a push
side cleaner which is generally spherical or prolate or
otherwise spheroidal in the shape of its outer surfaces (or
otherwise expressed, the cleaner outer surfaces conform
with a conceptual outer envelope of spherical or prolate
spheroidal shape). The invention can also be implemented
in an outer shape which conforms to two truncated cones
both tapering outwardly from a central region of the
cleaner, for convenience the term "bi-conical" will be used
in the description and
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claims to briefly refer to this shape. The invention can also be implemented
in a cylindrical shape.
These shapes can comprehensively be described as a family of solids of
revolution and qther similar shapes, lying between the spherical/spheroidal,
conical and cylindrical are also accommodated within the scope of the
invention. In this description the term spheroidal only will henceforward be
used for convenience, comprehending within its scope also the meaning
indicated in the preceding sentence.
A central zone of the spheroidal shape bounded by two segments of the
spheroid on each side will form the total outer shape. The central zone will
have a push side hose connected to it and the two segments will be
rotatively driven on either side to provide impulsion to the cleaner for
moving
it over the pool surfaces to be cleaned. The central zone will have a
clearance from the pool surfaces and will accommodate a venturi or other
suction passage for drawing in debris from the pool surfaces.
The two segments may be independently driven, or there may be
advantage in linking them by a shaft so that they rotate being fixed relative
to each other.
Thus a feature of the cleaner of this invention is that the spheroidal
surfaces
of the two segments will provide impulsion to move the cleaner over the pool
surface, wherever these surfaces engage the pool surfaces and in whatever
orientation the cleaner happens to be. In this sense, then, the cleaner of
this invention is capable of providing impulsion to the cleaner in three
dimensions; by contrast, the pool cleaners of art, both of the push side and
of the suction side types, are confined to impulsion only in two dimensions.
The cleaners of art must remain oriented with their wheels or foot against
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the pooi surfaces, if they capsize, they are, like a conventional vehicle,
unable to move, until righted. By contrast the cleaner of this invention can
turn any way round relative to the pool surfaces, be they horizontal or
vertical, and still provide impulsion. Furthermore, this three dimensional
character of the ,motivation capability of the cleaner of this invention
provides
a dramatic enhancement of the ability to achieve more random movement
over pool surfaces. The spheroidal surface interacts with the pool surfaces
with an additional dimension of randomness i.e. the third dimension in
addition to the two dimensions of the pool surface. The cleaner is in fact
more unstable than one on wheels or a foot (a foot is used in suction side
cleaners) and gives better randomness. For example, when the cleaner
engages a wall of the pool surfaces, it has the capacity for the axis on
which the two segments were rotating over the pool floor, to swing with three
dimensions of freedom to a new orientation, giving enhanced randomness of
movement. In a practical embodiment which has been subjected to
extensive testing, the three dimensional movement can be described to
occur with respect to an axis of the push side hose connection : these are,
firstly around the axis, secondly swinging the axis to left and right and
thirdly
swinging the axis up and down. The randomness of movement is known in
the art to be important, in order to result in cleaning of all of the surface
to be
cleaned, over a period of time, non-random movements leave "dead" spots
which remain uncleaned.
Portions of the spheroidal surfaces of the segments may have brush like
formations, e.g. bristles, on them, to give a brushing effect.
Preferably the pool cleaner having the features of this invention is made with
a specific gravity closer to 1 than is appropriate in cleaners of the art.
This
is made possible by the three dimensional character of the movement of
the cleaner of this invention.
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The effective or net force acting on the cleaner, when the cleaner is under
water, may be made to pass through a point located on the opposite side of
the axis of rotation of the cleaner as a mouth of the suction passage. This
may be done with -floats, e.g. sealed volumes containing air) located on the
same side of the axis of rotation of the cleaner as the mouth. The cleaner
may still have a centre of gravity when outside water which centre is on the
same side of the axis as the mouth. However, when submerged, the
buoyancy of the floats reverses, the position of the net force acting on the
cleaner to the opposite side of the axis as the mouth. The effective or net
force acting on the cleaner when submerged can be assessed by
constructing the vector sum of the gravitational forces and the buoyancy
forces.
This counter intuitive approach results in a less stable device under water,
which is tolerable by virtue of the spheroidal shape of the cleaner of this
invention. The lower stability results in more random movement over the
pool surface which in turn gives the advantage, as mentioned, of less
tendency for the cleaner to repeatedly miss some areas, leaving them
uncleaned.
A feature of this invention, whether the floats are used, or not, is that the
centre of gravity is made closer to the axis of rotation of the cleaner than
is
appropriate in cleaners of conventional design. This feature again reduces
stability and as a result brings the beneficial advantage of greater
randomness than is achieved in conventional cleaners. This is possible
simply for the reason already stated, that spheroidal shape gives the
advantage that the cleaner can not "capsize" into a position in which it can
no longer move, like a conventional vehicle.
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The degree of buoyancy of the hose may be selected, for example, to
achieve a desirable balance between a tendency to work well on the bottom
surfaces of the pool, on the one hand, and also on the wall surfaces, on the
other.
The cleaner of this invention may be given a jet which impels the cleaner
against the pool surfaces with a mouth of the suction passage in proximity to
the pool surfaces, achievable both on upright as well as horizontal parts of
the pool surfaces.
Preferably the passage is given a direction, at least near the mouth of the
passage, which has a tangential component as well as a radial component.
In other words, the venturi passage, at least near its mouth, is preferably
not
normal (at right angles) to the spheroidal outer surfaces of the cleaner. The
passage is oriented so that the mouth is directed in the direction in which
the cleaner moves. This gives a degree of scooping action, helpful to lifting
debris from the pool surfaces. Jets which provide the suction action in the
suction passage, given this tangential component of direction, also assists in
the forward impulsion of the cleaner, by jet reaction forces.
This invention further provides a pool cleaner which is driven by direct
impulsion of water jets from the push side supply onto vanes on wheels of
the cleaner. No drive train is provided or required, there are no gears or
drive shafts transmitting a drive to wheels. The spheroidal shaped cleaner,
as described above, provides the wheels in the form of the outer segments
of the spheroidal shape.
Preferably, this drive feature is provided in the cleaner having a spheroidal
outer shape, as described above. The vanes are provided at an inner edge
of each segment, with the water jets issuing from nozzle formations provided
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on the central zone. Low energy losses giving more efficient use of the
water energy can be achieved by the judicious application of this aspect of
the invention. An advantage that is achievable as a result is that more of
the total water energy available from the push side supply can be devoted to
the suction function while still leaving sufficient for impulsion of the
cleaner.
Wearing parts in a drive train are eliminated.
A further feature of the invention, which is preferably implemented with the
features described above, is the location of a debris collector inside the
spheroidal shape of the cleaner. Conveniently, the debris collector is
confined to within the central zone, because this makes it simple to lift the
debris collector out of the cleaner to empty it, from time to time. Thus the
suction passage leads to the debris collector which is located in the central
zone. The debris collector can includes a sump region and must include
sieve or screen surfaces to allow the water to exit the collector and retain
the debris. The suction passage is therefore preferably curved, leading
from the mouth which is oriented with a tangential component of direction, to
the collector.
A still further feature of the invention relates to the splitting or division
of the
water which is supplied to the cleaner via the push side hose between the
jets which provide the suction action within the suction passage and the jets
which provide the direct impulsion onto the vanes on the wheels. In
accordance with the invention, a water flow splitter is provided which
comprises two passages which have adjacent entrance mouths, a movable
occluding element which is movable to selectable position settings in which
one entrance mouth is occluded more or less than the other entrance
mouth. The preferred structure for the adjacent entrance mouths is a
circular tube with a diametral dividing wall and for the occluding element a
cylindrical cup shaped element rotatable in the tube with a bottom of the cup
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located against the diametral dividing wall and the bottom having a semi-
circular opening and movable by rotation of the cup shaped element. The
occluding element can have markings on it to indicate various optional
settings which provide different splits between the driving jets and suction
generating jets., There may be grooves and ridges on the occluding
element and the adjacent mouths to retain selected settings and the
manufacturer or supplier may provide a selected setting to the user.
These splitting arrangements still allow for the water supplied by the push
side hose to the cleaner to be provided to a third use, namely the jet which
issues external to the cleaner to provide an impulsive force assisting the
forward motivation of the cleaner and/or the attachment to a surface to be
cleaned.
A beneficial effect of a pool cleaner designed according to this invention, is
that a positive pressure is created inside the spheroidal cleaner other than
in
the suction passage, so that debris which might otherwise accumulate in
unwanted spaces does not do so.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will more fully described by reference to a non-limiting
example shown in the drawings.
In the drawings : -
Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a pool cleaner of this invention in a
pool,
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a pool cleaner of this invention,
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Figure 3 is a rear elevation of a pool cleaner,
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the pool cleaner,
Figure 4a is a front elevation of an alternative shape for the cleaner,
Figure 4b is a front elevation of another alternative shape for the cleaner,
Figure 5 is an isometric view of the cleaner,
Figure 6 is an isometric view of the inner surfaces of a segment of the
cleaner,
Figure 7 is an oblique view of the outer surfaces of a segment of the
cleaner,
Figure 8 is a side view of the cleaner with the near side segment removed to
show a side view of the central zone,
Figure 9 is an oblique view of the cleaner with the near side segment
removed to show a central zone and parts of the inner surface of the far side
segment,
Figure 10 is an oblique view to show only the central zone of the cleaner,
Figure 11 is an oblique view to show the suction passage of the central zone
of the cleaner and the far side segment,
Figure 12 is an oblique view of the suction passage of the cleaner,
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Figure 13 is an oblique view from another angle of the suction cleaner of the
central zone,
Figure 14 is an Qblique view of the debris collector,
Figure 15 is a similar oblique view of the debris collector with the sieve
portion partially lifted off from the sump portion, and
Figure 16 is an enlarged view of water flow distribution passages with an
outer cover removed for convenience of illustration and description.
Figure 17 is a rear elevation of a flow splitter for the cleaner,
Figure 18 is a side elevation of an occluding element of the flow splitter,
removed from the splitter,
Figure 19 is a front elevation of the occluding element, removed from the
splitter,
Figure 20 is an isometric projection of the occluding element, removed from
the splitter,
Figure 21 is an isometric projection of a connector to a push side hose (not
shown),unscrewed from the splitter,
Figure 22 is an axial cross section on section X-X shown in figure 17, of the
splitter including occluding element and connector, all connected,
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Figure 23 is a cross sectional side view on section Y-Y shown in figure 24,
of a movable lip for the mouth of the suction passage, removed from the
passage,
Figure 24 is a plan view of the movable lip, removed from the passage,
Figures 25 and 26 are elevational views of a float used on both
sides on the cleaner (see figures 9, 10 and 11), and
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 schematically shows a push side cleaner I located on a bottom
surface 2 of a pool 3. The pool cleaner 1 has a hose 4 connected to the
push side of a water circuiation system which circulates and filters water for
the pool. The pool cleaner I has a nozzle 5 which jets water rearwardly of
the pool cleaner so as to assist in propelling it along the pool surface and
the nozzle is mounted in a ball joint so that it can be angled, or it can be
manufactured in a fixed angle position, as shown by reference numeral 85 in
figure 17. The angle of the nozzle may be made suitable also to press the
pool cleaner to some extent onto the surface of the pool along which it is
moving. The pool cleaner moves by rotation of the outer segments of the
cleaner in the direction indicated by the arrow 6 so that the pool cleaner
moves along the pool surface in the direction indicated by the arrow 7.
As shown in figures 2, 3 and 4 the push side pool cleaner is generally
spheroidal in shape of its outer surfaces. The pool cleaner comprises a
central zone 8 bounded by two segments 9 and 10. The central zone 8
has the push type hose 4 connected to it and the two segments 9 and 10
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are rotatively driven as indicated again by the arrow 6. The central zone 8
has a clearance 11 from a pool surface 12 on which the cleaner moves.
The mouth has added to it a movable lip 81 (Fig. 23) which is
hinged to the mouth and has a plastic formation 83 which acts as
a spring to urge the lip downwards to tend to bear against the
surface to be cleaned, as the cleaner moves over the surface.
The central zone 8 also accommodates a venturi 13 which has its
mouth shown in figure 4 directed forwardly in relation to the
direction of motion 7 of the cleaner in use. The two segments in
this example are independently driven, as will be described
below. The centre of gravity is located at a position 14 of the
cleaner thus below the axis of rotation 15 in the orientation
that the cleaner will normally assume along a bottom surface of
the pool. Because of the lightness of the cleaner and because.of
the spherical surfaces which can provide the impusion for the
cleaner, however, it is relatively unstable, can swing and rotate
and the axis 15 oscillate in three dimension so as to provide a
high degree of randomness of the movement over the pool surfaces.
This would occur particularly, for example, where the cleaner,
moving over the bottom surface 2 of the pool would contact a wall
16 of the pool (Fig. 1). Because of the jet 5 and the specific
gravity close to 1 the pool cleaner will climb up the wall 16 but
also in many instances one segment may lose contact while the
other retains contact and this will result in a rotation of the
pool cleaner about an axis approximating to the axis of the hose
4 where it is connected to the cleaner, for example. This and
many other relatively acrobatic gyrations of the cleaner are
possible. The hose 4 and/or its connection to the cleaner has a
rotational coupling to allow this freedom. If the cleaner lands
=J on the pool bottom surface upside down or some other orientation
this does not matter because of its spherical shape and that all
of the surfaces which can touch the pool surfaces are rotating so
that the cleaner undergoes twisting and turning in a highly
random manner.
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Figure 4a shows another shape for the cleaner which is two truncated
conical segments 9a and 10a, tapering outwardly.
Figure 4b shows yet another shape for the cleaner in which the two
segments 9b and 10b are cylindrical
Turning to figure 5 the main features of the pool cleaner in its exterior
surfaces can be seen and the same reference numerals as have been used
in the preceding figures are shown in figure 5. In addition the nipple 17 is
seen to which is connected the hose 4. The jet 5 in a ball joint connection
is seen in more detail with the ball 18 visible. Furthermore a manifold 19 is
seen which serves to distribute the water supplied at the connection 17 from
the hose 4. . The manifold's purpose is to distribute the water on the one
hand to two jets inside the cleaner (which will be described below) each of
which drives one of the two segments 9 and 10 and to distribute water to a
jet or jets in the suction passage. The water jets in the suction passage
have an entrainment and/or venturi effect which results in the suction
passage drawing water in from the general body of water of the pool just
ahead of the mouth of the suction passage and also to draw in debris as the
pool cleaner moves forward. As can be seen in figure 4 this mouth is
directed in the direction in which the pool cleaner moves. The view of
figure 5 also shows a gap 20 between the segment 9 and central zone 8 on
the one hand and 21 between the segment 10 and the central zone 8 on the
other hand. The view also shows a slotted circular hole 22 in the segment 9
and a similar circular slotted hole (not seen) is provided in the segment 10.
These openings allow water which has been drawn into the suction tube,
to pass into the debris collector and then move out through the
sieve walls of the debris collector, and then to exit completely
from the pool cleaner. This aspect of the cleaner design of this
invention results in the interior of the cleaner, apart from the
suction passage, being under positive pressure, i.e.
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slightly higher pressure than the ambient water. This is advantageous, of
course, in that there will not be tendency for debris to be sucked into
interior
regions of the cleaner, other than the suction tube. The holes 22 also allow
escape of air from the cleaner should air enter it, e.g. due to the cleaner
breaching the water surface.
Figures 6 and 7 show a segment of the pool cleaner, the segments are
_ identical with each other on each side. Figure 6 shows the interior of the
segment and the important formations inside the segment include the vanes
23 arranged on the interior surface of the segment near the edge 26 of the
segment. It is on to these vanes that a jet of water impinges in order to
drive the segment rotatively and which provides the motivation for the pool
cleaner to be driven forward. The view also shows the important feature of
the bush 27 having in it splines 28 into which a shaft (to be described below)
is inserted. This establishes the axis of rotation of the segment in use.
The view also shows the slotted aperture 22 and a plurality of flanges 29
provided for structural purposes. Prototype trials have shown that the
splines can be omitted and instead a fairly firm friction fit used between
shaft
and wheel. The friction fit allows the connection to give way if an excessive
torque is applied so that the shaft is not broken
The view of figure 7 shows the outer surfaces of a typical segment 9 or 10.
The outer surfaces have a highly flexible polymer applied in a pattern 30
which is designed to give improved traction of the segment against surfaces
of the pool and it has aesthetic aspects as well. However, a region 31 of
the segment near its axis of rotation has bristles 32 designed so as to
provide a brushing action when this region 31 engages surfaces of the pool.
The segment itself would be, for example, moulded from a suitable other
polymeric material, e.g. an engineering plastic.
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The view of figure 8 allows a side view of the central zone of the cleaner
since the near side segment has been removed. Reference is at the same
time made to figure 9 which is an oblique view with the front segment
removed and to figure 10 which is an oblique view with both segments
removed.
These figures show that the central zone of the pool cleaner comprises two
major components, a debris collector and a suction passage. The debris
collector is indicated generally by the arrow 32 and the suction passage
generally by the arrow 33, the debris collector is shown also in the views of
figures 14 and 15 and the suction passage is shown also in the views of
figures 11, 12 and 13 and more detailed description will be given with
reference to these figures below. The suction passage includes integrally a
support structure 34 which supports a housing 35 which carries bearings 56
for a shaft 36 (fig. 9) which projects at both ends from the housing 35 so as
to be inserted into the splined holes of the outer segments of the pool
cleaner. This allows for rotation of the two segments with respect to the
central zone on an axis lying along the. centre line of the shaft 36 and in
this
example the two segments must necessarily rotate at the same speed as
they are both splined onto the same shaft. These splines may be
replaced by a friction fit to allow slipping should large forces
arise. As supplied to the customer the two segments will be
fixed to the shaft 36 and hence will not usually be removable
from the suction passage 33 and structure 34 which carries the
housing 35 in which the shaft is journalled. However, the debris
collector 32 can be lifted out from the pool cleaner by means of
the handle 86 being grasped, the tab 37 being pushed so as to
disconnect a latch on the suction passage structure. At the
other end of the debris collector, formation 50 of the suction
passage structure engaging detent 58 of the debris collector
structure provides for a hinging action initially after which the
debris collector comes free from the suction passage structure
and can be
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lifted out of the pool cleaner for cleaning out of the collected debris. The
suction passage 13 presents its mouth 39 (see figure 10) on the forward
side of the pool cleaner relative to its direction of advance 7 and water and
debris ingested at the mouth 39 passes along the curved suction passage
13 into the debris collector 32. The debris collector consists of a sump 40,
which is partitioned by the necessity of the bush 35, and a portion 41 having
gauze which is provided on both sides for escape of water but retention of
debris inside the debris collector, (the gauze is not shown in fig. 9).
The manifold 19 extends across the width of the central zone so that water
entering it from the connector 17 can enter a passage 41 on the near side of
the suction passage structure which is seen in these views and also a
similar passage on the other side of the structure which is not visible. The
passage 41 connected to a passage shown in the structure 42 (figure 9)
which carries this water also to the other side of the structure and applies
thus water equally to two nozzles which are located inside the suction
passage 13. One of these nozzles, nozzle 43 can be seen in the view of
figure 10 and a similar nozzle on the other side of the inner surfaces of the
suction passage 13 is similarly supplied with water. These two nozzles
direct water jets in a suction passage 13 and they entrain surrounding water
and draw it into the mouth 39 and along the passage 13 into the debris
collector as well as then entraining debris from the pool surfaces. The
passage 47 similar to the passage 41 on the other side of the structure
similarly leads to a connecting passage (not seen) which brings the water
equally to both sides and thence to two nozzles on the outside of the
structure each of which directs a jet on to the mains of the outer segment so
as to drive these rotatively. In these views the outer nozzle 44 is visible in
figures 8 and 9 and a similar nozzle 45 is provided on the other side (fig.
10). Thus the nozzle 44 drives the outer segment which has been removed
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in these views and the other similar outer nozzle drives the segment 9 which
is visible, for example, in the view of figure 9.
This manner of directing the water flow allows for a structure to be provided
inside the manifold 19 which can be used to adjust the division of water
between the two inner nozzles which direct their jets into the suction
passage 13 on the one hand and the two outer nozzles which drive the
outer segments which serve as wheels on the other hand. This structure is
not shown but can comprise some convenient partitioning or metering
structure such as, for example, are known in other arts such as mixing taps
and the like. The sieve part 41 of the debris collector is clipped on to the
sump part 40 by the action of a clip which can be released by pressing a tab
46.
Moving on to figures 11, 12 and 13 the suction passage 33 of the debris
collector is shown more effectively in these views. In figure 11 it can be
seen how the sump part 33 has the structure 34 integrally moulded with it
supporting the housing 35 in which the shaft 36 is journalled and the far side
outer segment 9 is seen on the shaft. As mentioned the assembly of this
sump unit shaft and both outer segments is normally not disassembled by
the user.
The views 11, 12 and 13 show rather well the curved suction passage 13
with the open mouth 39 of this passage. The views of figure 12 and 13 also
show the second of the outer jets, the jet 45 which is a mirror image of the
jet 44 seen in previous views. The views also show the passage 47 which
is a mirror image of the passage 41. The internal connection of these two
passages are, however, as mentioned such that the passage 41 feeds both
internal jets and the passage 47 feeds both external jets. The suction
passage 13 with its mouth 39 directed forwardly relative to the direction of
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movement 7 in use curves upwardly to an exit 48 of the suction passage 13.
It is this exit 48 which discharges water and debris into the debris collector
as has been described previously.
Moving on to figures 14 and 15, these show the debris collector as it
appears when removed from the pool cleaner. This will be done by the user
of the pool cleaner at intervals when it is necessary to clean out the debris
collector. As can be seen and has been described the debris collector
comprises a sump 40 having the indentation 49 to allow for the space
needed by the bush 35. The clip 37 can be seen by which the unit as
shown in figure 14 comprising the sump 40 and the sieve portion 41 clips
into the pool cleaner, the other end having a detent 58 into which is locked a
tumover flange 50 of the pool cleaner in the central zone (see figs. 11, 12
and 13).
The exit 48 (figs. 11, 12, 13) of the suction passage 13 thus connects to the
debris collector and discharges its water and debris at the position indicated
by the arrow 51 into the debris collector. The water and debris then follows
paths indicated by the arrows 52. Certain debris will thus settle into the
sump areas 40 while the water will then exit sideways out of the sieve mesh
at 41. The water flow is circular, sweeping past the sieve surfaces, so there
may be a self-cleaning effect, at least near the exit 48 of the suction
passage 13. It will be noted that the debris collector has a
width which is confined to the central region which means that
once unclipped it can simply be lifted straight out of the pool
cleaner in a convenient way.
Figure 15 shows how, once the tabe 46 are pressed the sieved
portion 41 is released from the sump portion 40 and can initially
be hinged upwardly as indicated by the arrow 53 and then
disconnected entirely from the
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formations 38 which hingedly hold the other end initially. The sieved portion
sump portion can then be separated entirely to facilitate thoroughly cleaning.
Figure 16 shows a detail of the passage 41 with the outer cover of that
passage removed for purposes of illustration. This shows how the manifold
19 which receives water from the connection 17 distributes that water to left
and right. On the left hand side it enters the passage 41 and moves to the
region in which there is a transverse passage 42 which takes the water
across to the other side of the central zone in addition to the side on which
the passage 41 is located. This water is then fed via the hole 54 to the
internal jet which is not seen but which is a mirror image of the jet 43
inside
the suction passage 13. Water which has entered from the manifold 19 in
the other passage 47 (see figs. 10, 12 and 13) comes across to the side of
the central zone shown in figure 16 via the passage 55. In this way the
water is supplied to both sides of the central zone to the two outer jets
being
the jet 44 and the jet 45.
Figures 17 to 22 show a water flow splitter means of the cleaner, seen as a
view in the direction of arrow 60 shown in figure 5. The water flow splitter
comprises two passages 61 and 62 with adjacent or contiguous mouths 63
and 64, respectively. The two passages and mouths are formed by a
diametral dividing wall 65 in a circular tube 66.
An occluding element 67 shown separately in figures 18, 19 and 20, is cup
shaped and rotatably fitted in the tube 66. The bottom 68 of the cup shape
is rotatably against the dividing wall 65 and has a semi circular opening 69.
A small tab 70 allows the cup shaped element to be lifted out of the tube 66
by finger and thumb. A set of five grooves 71 allow the cup shaped
element to be fltted into the tube 66 in anyone of five selectable rotatory
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,positions, which adjusted the division of water between the passages 61 and
62.
A connector 72 is screwed- onto an external screw thread on the tube 66 and
holds the occluding element in operative position, as shown in figure 22. A
flanged formation 74 allows the connector to be used as a handle to lift the
cleaner. The connector has a spigot 73 which is shown on a swivel 77, but
could be directly onto the connector 72, if preferred.
Figure 22 shows a swivel connection comprising a flange 75 in the
connector 72 and a co-acting groove 76 in a swivel 77 which provides the
spigot 73 for connection of a push side hose (not shown). The swivel
connector is best located in the connector 72, as shown in figure 22, rather
than in the pipe or at the pool wall, as is the case with the prior art.
Figure 22 shows a nozzle 85 which is an alternative, being fixed, to the
nozzle 5 described above.
Figures 23 and 24 show a structure 80 which provides a movable lip 81 for
the mouth of the suction passage. The structure has a shaft 82 which is
journalled in the mouth of the cieaner so as to be hingedly mounted. A thin
finger-like formation 83 presses- against the roof of the mouth when installed
and acts as a spring to urge the lip downwards so as to bear against the
surface being cleaned. The flow of water inwardly through the structure is
indicated by the arrow 84 and figure 23. The structure fits in
the mouth 39.
Figures 25 and 26 show a float 86 of which two are attached to the cleaner,
at a position below the axis of rotation of the axle 36 of the cleaner (see
figures 8,9,10 and 11). -The float is a moulding in plastic which creates a
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sealed void filled with air, thus giving a buoyancy force when immersed in
water. With two located below the axis of rotation of the axle and hence the
wheels of the cleaner (related to the cleaner moving over a pool bottom),
they give a force which raises the effective centre of gravity of the cleaner
above the axis of rotation, reducing stability under water, creating greater
randomness and hence more thorough cleaning.
The floats 86 have grooves 87 on either side and a catch 88, for a sliding fit
into the sides of the cleaner and to be retained in position.
Figures 5 and 14 show a weight 89 in the form of a rectangle of lead (or
similar heavy material), located at the top of the cleaner, relative to its
position with its mouth against a pool bottom. This weight raises the centre
of gravity of the cleaner to just below the axis of the shaft 36. This high
weight combined with the buoyancy forces created by the low floats, one
gets the resulting effects which have been described above.
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