Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1
SWIMMING POOL CLEANER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to swimming pool cleaners and, more
particularly, to automatic swimming pool cleaners movable along an underwater
pool
surface for purposes of cleaning debris therefrom. Still more particularly,
this
invention relates to swimming pool cleaners having the flow of water pumped
and/or
sucked by remote pumps into and through the pool cleaners.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automatic swimming pool cleaners of the type that move about the
underwater surfaces of a swimming pool arc driven by many different kinds of
systems. A variety of different pool-cleaner devices in one way or another
harness the
flow of water, as it is drawn or pushed through the pool cleaner by the
pumping action
of a remote pump for debris collection purposes.
Suction automatic pool cleaners are very successful when there is fine debris
or debris that become soft in water. This fine debris is sucked up by the
cleaner and
deposited into a pump basket, or other debris-collection device, and the
really fine
debris passes into the pool filter. An example of a suction cleaner is
disclosed in
commonly-owned United States Patent No. 6,854,148 (Rief et al.).
Suction automatic swimming pool cleaners are used in places with much sand
and slit. Although suction cleaners can take leafy debris once it has softened
in the
pool, large debris such and large acorns and hard leafs would plug up a
suction
cleaner. Suction swimming pool cleaners are also limited to the debris size
due to
loss of suction if the inlet and/or outlet orifices are widened to accommodate
such
large debris and the possibility of large debris clogging the pool pipes.
Conversely, pressure automatic swimming pool cleaners are very successful
when there is large debris such as leaves and acorns, these large debris arc
pulled off
the pool surface by virtue of a venturi effect and are placed into a debris-
collection
device, such as a bag, above the cleaner. An example of a pressure cleaner is
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disclosed in commonly-owned United States Patent No. 6,782,578 (Rief et al.),
entire
contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. With a pressure
swimming
pool cleaner, the limitation is the opposite to the suction cleaner. In
removing very
large debris from the swimming pool, a pressure cleaner uses a collection bag
or other
receptacle. Regardless of how fine the walls of such receptacle are, sand and
slit can
pass through the them back into the pool.
The problem is that most often only one cleaner is used in a pool. Therefore,
people have either a suction cleaner or a pressure cleaner. Many swimming-pool
builders place a suction cleaner into a pool when it is built. This is because
there is no
real landscaping around the pool at the time of the cleaner installation.
However, just
few years later, when trees and bushes have grown up, the debris becomes
overwhelming and constantly plugs the suction cleaner.
Still with the pressure cleaner, no matter how large debris is in the pool,
there
is always sand and slit from cement and other elements of the surrounding
environment. Such fine debris will pass through the debris-collection bag back
into
the pool. Although some swimming pool pressure cleaners have tails that
supposedly
whip the debris toward the main drain, in reality such tails only bring the
dirt into
suspension until it falls back on the pool bottom to start the process all
over again.
Attempts have been made to utilize both a suction power and a pressure flow
.. from remote pumps by the same swimming pool cleaner apparatus. One such
apparatus is disclosed in United States Patent No. 5,099,535 (Chauvier et
al.). The
apparatus of the Chauvier et al. patent is connected to both a pressure and
suction
remote pumps at the same time. However, only the suction hose is used for
removal
of the debris from the swimming pool underwater surface. The Chauvier et al.
cleaner
utilizes the pressure flow only for displacement of the cleaner along the
underwater
pool surface such that the Chauvier et al. cleaner remains a suction cleaner
at all times
and retains disadvantages of suction cleaners described earlier. Therefore, to
remove
large or hard debris from the swimming pool, one would have to use a separate
cleaner or cleaning method which accommodates successful removal of such large
debris. It should further be noted that, because suction and pressure line
connectors
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are not in the same vicinity of a swimming pool, the connection to both lines
at the
same, as proposed by the Chauvier et at. patent, is practically not possible.
United States Patent No. 7,168,120 (Habif et al.) discloses a pressure-fed
vacuum swimming pool cleaning robot. The robot of the Habif et al. patent has
a
structure which extends from a debris-inlet end applied to the swimming-pool
underwater surface to an opposite debris-outlet end which is distal from the
underwater surface. In the robot of the Habif et al. patent, the suction is
always
created at the debris-outlet end by either a connection of the debris-outlet
end to a
suction hose or by creating a venturi effect at the debris-outlet. The
structure of the
Habif et al. patent consistently operates as a suction cleaner which
successfully
removes only fine or very soft debris. This structure is not configured for
removal of
large and hard debris which would plug up the debris inlet as well as inner
passages of
the Habif et al. robot. Therefore, as with the Chauvier et al. patent, large
or hard
debris would have to be removed from the swimming pool by a separate cleaner
different from the robot of the Habif et al. patent or by some other means
designed for
removal of such large debris.
Also, in some states law requires variable speed pumps. It would be beneficial
to have a cleaner which consistently provides an efficient performance with
pumps
running at lower or higher rates and is successful in removing both fine and
large
debris from the swimming-pool underwater surface.
It would be desirable to have a pool cleaner allowing manufacturing to be
standardized and the end user have easy accessability to the cleaner parts for
maintenance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is an improved swimming pool cleaner of the type movable
along an underwater pool surface to clean debris therefrom. The swimming pool
cleaner of the present invention provides an important advantage of
substantially
strain-free and tool-free assembly.
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The swimming pool cleaner includes a body having a debris inlet and a debris
outlet. A segmented skirt includes a plurality of flap members each of which
extends
from a proximal end hinged to the body to a distal end which is configured for
extending along the pool surface such that the skirt forms with the pool
surface a
plenum from which water and debris are drawn into the inlet. The body defines
an
elongate slotted cavity extending between two ends and pivotably holding the
proximal ends of the flap members therewithin. The slotted cavity has an
openable
inlet-adjacent middle region permitting strain-free insertion of the flap-
member
proximal ends into the cavity for sliding therealong. The cleaner further
includes a
nozzle inserted into the debris inlet to control debris-laden water flow. The
nozzle is
positioned over the middle region of the slotted cavity retaining the flap-
member
proximal ends in the cavity.
The slotted cavity may be formed by first and second wall portions separated
by a slot. In some embodiments, a first wall-portion configuration being
continuous
between the closed side ends, and a second wall-portion configuration being
interrupted along the inlet-adjacent middle region permitting strain-free
insertion of
the flap-member proximal ends into the cavity.
In certain embodiments, the first and second wall-portion configurations each
include a plurality of spaced tabs holding the flap-member proximal ends. In
some of
such embodiments, the second configuration is lacking the tabs along the inlet-
adjacent middle region thereby opening access for sliding the flap-member
proximal
ends in or out of the cavity for strain-free assembly of the segmented skirt.
The cleaner body may also include a frame structure extending laterally from
the debris inlet along the slotted cavity. In such versions, the tabs of the
second wall-
portion configuration protrude from the frame structure thereby have a
reinforced
configuration minimizing breakage of the tabs.
The nozzle has two opposite lateral sides and a cavity-adjacent side
therebetween. In some embodiments, the nozzle includes at least one tab
extending
from the cavity-adjacent side over the cavity thereby closing the inlet-
adjacent middle
region and retaining the flap-member proximal ends within the cavity by
providing
continuity for the second wall-portion configuration.
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In certain embodiments, the nozzle is removable from the debris inlet and is
configured for engagement with the frame structure which holds the nozzle
within the
debris inlet. The pool cleaner may include a plurality of interchangeable
nozzles each
of which having a flow opening which is different in size than flow openings
of the
5 other nozzles.
Such varying in size nozzle permits easy adjustment of the inlet size to
accommodate the size of debris falling into the pool. The nozzle with a larger
nozzle
opening will allow large debris such as leaves, plant seeds and the like to
pass through
while the nozzles with a small or medium flow opening may not be able to pass
such
debris through. Furthermore, the interchangeable nozzles of the present
invention
consistently provide a required efficient performance of the cleaner with
variable
speed pumps. The interchangeable nozzles of the present invention consistently
provide a required efficient performance of the cleaner. In particular, when
the pump
runs at a lower rate, the nozzle with the smaller flow opening will provide
the
required performance. And, when the pump runs at a high rate, the nozzle with
the
larger flow opening will have the required performance.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the pool cleaner may be
interchangeably usable as a suction cleaner for removal of fine debris such as
sand and
slit and as a pressure cleaner for removal of large and hard debris such as
large leaves,
acorns and stones. In such embodiments, the body is adapted at the debris
outlet for
securement of either a water-suction hose connected to a remote suction system
or a
debris-collection device entrapping debris and passing water therethrough back
into
the pool. When the cleaner is used as a pressure cleaner, the one of the
nozzles which
has the larger flow opening is secured with respect to the body. When the
cleaner is
used as a suction cleaner, the inlet size can be reduced by installing that
one of the
nozzles which has the smaller flow opening.
In certain embodiments, the pool cleaner includes a tool-free nozzle mounting.
Such tool-free nozzle mounting includes a pair of lateral protrusions each
extending
from one of the lateral sides of the nozzle and a pair of frame-structure side
portions
extending laterally from the inlet and each engaging the corresponding lateral
protrusion of the nozzle thereby retaining the nozzle within the debris inlet.
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Each protrusion may have a first surface substantially orthogonal to the
nozzle
lateral side and a second surface sloping between the first surface and the
nozzle
lateral side. The orthogonal surface allows pressing on the corresponding side
body
portion and the sloping surface permits release of the nozzle from the inlet.
Each side
portion of the frame structure includes a spring-grip inwardly displaceable
when
pressed by the corresponding lateral protrusion of the nozzle being inserted
into the
debris inlet. The nozzle is being inserted beyond the spring-grip which
resiliently
returns into alignment with the side portion thereby locking the nozzle within
the
inlet.
In some embodiments, each side portion of the frame structure extends
outwardly from the debris inlet thereby forniing a tapered surface minimizing
entrapment of the cleaner on step-like pool structures.
In certain embodiments, the pool cleaner also includes a tool-free wheel-
mounting assembly which supports at least one pair of wheels moving the
cleaner
along the pool surface. The tool-free wheel-mounting assembly includes each of
the
wheels having a ball bearing rotatably holding such wheel on a non-rotating
shaft
extending laterally from the respective side of the cleaner body, each ball-
bearing
having an interior configuration matching an exterior configuration of the
shaft in
non-rotating engagement therewith. Each shaft may have a polygonal exterior
with
each bearing having a polygonal interior matching the shaft exterior in non-
rotating
engagement therewith. The ball bearing may be a double-race bearing in non-
rotating
engagement with the respective wheel.
In some versions, each shaft has a hollow interior with an inwardly-facing
shoulder therewithin. In such versions, the tool-free wheel-mounting assembly
includes a removable clip inserted into the shaft interior and in a locking
engagement
with the shoulder. The clip has at least two fingers which extend from an
exterior
head and terminate with a hook-end within the shaft interior. The fingers are
being
pressed together upon insertion into the shaft and spreading outwardly into
the locking
engagement with the shoulder thereby securely holding the wheel on the shaft.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method for tool-free assembly of
the swimming pool cleaner. In this method, the nozzle is installed by pressing
the
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spring-grip with the nozzle into the inlet until the nozzle is beyond the
spring-grip
which resiliently returns to its original orientation thereby locking the
nozzle within
the inlet.
The inventive method also includes the step of hingedly attaching the
.. segmented skirt to the body. The skirt is attached to the body in a stain-
free fashion.
In particular, prior to installing the nozzle, a proximal end (also referred
to as an
attaching end) of each flap member is freely places into the open inlet-
adjacent middle
region of the slotted cavity. The flap members are secured within the cavity
by the
step of installing the nozzle being positioned over and closing the inlet-
adjacent
.. middle region.
The tool-free assembly method also may further include a step of tool-free
mounting of the wheels by sliding the ball-bearing polygonal interior of each
wheel
over the corresponding matching polygonal shaft exterior for a non-rotating
engagement therebetween. In such embodiments, the ball bearing provides wheel
.. rotation. The wheel is securely held on the shaft by the removable clip
inserted into
the shaft interior and into a locking engagement with the shoulder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is an exploded bottom perspective view of a swimming pool
cleaner according to the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is an exploded cross-sectional side view of the swimming pool of
FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the assembled swimming pool
cleaner of FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a nozzle for the swimming pool cleaner
according to the present invention.
FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a
configuration of a slotted cavity seen in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 6 is a lateral cross-sectional view showing the step of installing the
nozzle by pressing the spring-grip with the nozzle.
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FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section view showing interaction
between the nozzle lateral side and the spring-grip as seen in FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 8 is a lateral cross-sectional view showing the step of installing the
nozzle by pressing the nozzle into the inlet beyond the spring-grip.
FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section view showing interaction
between the nozzle lateral side and the spring-grip as seen in FIGURE 8.
FIGURE 10 is a lateral cross-sectional view showing the step of removing the
nozzle from the inlet by inward displacement of the spring-grip thereby
releasing the
nozzle.
FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section view showing interaction
between the nozzle lateral side and the spring-grip as seen in FIGURE 10.
FIGURE 12 is a perspective view of the nozzle with a small flow opening for
the swimming pool cleaner according to the present invention.
FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the nozzle with a mediom flow opening
for the swimming pool cleaner according to the present invention.
FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of the nozzle with a large flow opening for
the swimming pool cleaner according to the present invention.
FIGURE 15 is a lateral exploded cross-sectional view showing the step of
tool-free wheel mounting.
FIGURE 16 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded lateral cross-sectional view
showing the step of tool-free wheel mounting of one of the wheels as seen in
FIGURE
15.
FIGURE 17 is a lateral fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the tool-free
mounting of one of the wheels.
FIGURE 18 is a bottom perspective view of a swimming pool cleaner showing
alternative shapes for a matching shaft exterior and ball-bearing interior for
tool-free
wheel mounting according to the present invention.
FIGURE 19 is a side cross-sectional view of one example of a suction cleaner.
FIGURE 20 is a side cross-sectional view of an example of a pool cleaner
which can be interchangeably used as a suction cleaner and a pressure cleaner.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGURES 1-21 illustrate exemplary embodiments of aspects of the present
invention for an improved swimming pool cleaner 100 of the type movable along
an
underwater pool surface 2 to clean debris therefrom.
FIGURES 1 and 18-20 illustrate swimming pool cleaner 100 including a body
having a debris inlet 11 and a debris outlet 12. As best seen in FIGURES 1-3,
a
segmented skirt 20 includes a plurality of flap members 21 each of which
extends
from a proximal (or mounting) end 22 hinged to body 10 to a distal end 23
which is
configured for extending along pool surface 2 such that skirt 20 forms with
pool
10 surface 2 a plenum from which water and debris are drawn into inlet 11,
as best
illustrated in FIGURE 19. FIGURES 1-3, 5 and 18 show body 10 defining an
elongate slotted cavity 40 extending between two ends 41 and pivotably holding
proximal ends 22 of flap members 21 therewithin.
Prior to this invention, proximal ends of the skirt were clipped into the
slotted
cavity. Such clipping created stress on the cavity walls and skirt retaining
structures
which would later easily break later after the exposure to pool chemicals and
deterioration of the plastic materials of which the body is made.
FIGURES 1-3 show that inventive cleaner 100 has slotted cavity 40 with an
openable inlet-adjacent middle region 42 permitting strain-free insertion of
flap-
member proximal ends 22 into cavity 40. FIGURE 1 shows skirt 20 including
forward and rear sets of flap members 21A and 21B. Each set includes a pair of
end
flap members 21 which are inserted into middle region 42 for sliding along
cavity 40
toward their installed positions at a respective end 41. Each set is also
shown to
include a pair of middle flap members 21 which are inserted into middle region
42 in
their installed position adjacent inlet 11. FIGURES 1-3 best illustrate
proximal ends
23 of flap members 21 having a substantially cylindrical shape and cavity 40
being
configured to substantially conform such cylindrical shape (see FIGURE 5) with
a slot
44 being configured and dimensioned to permit pivoting of flap members 21, as
seen
in FIGURE 3.
FIGURES 2-4 show a nozzle 30 inserted into debris inlet 11 to control debris-
laden water flow. As best seen in FIGURE 3, nozzle 30 is positioned over
middle
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region 42 of slotted cavity 40 thus retaining flap-member proximal ends 22 in
cavity
40. Nozzle 30 is installed over proximal ends 21 of the middle flap members
41.
FIGURES 2 and 5 best show slotted cavity 40 formed by first and second wall
portions 45 and 46 separated by slot 44. FIGURES 1 and 18 show a first wall-
portion
5 configuration 45A continuously between ends 41 which are shown as closed
side
ends. A second wall-portion configuration 46A is shown as being interrupted
along
inlet-adjacent middle region 42 to permit strain-free insertion of flap-member
proximal ends 22 into cavity 40. Such strain-free and tool-less skirt assembly
also
permits for easy replacement of worn flap members by the end user without any
tools.
10 FIGURES 1 and
18 further show first and second wall-portion configurations
45A and 46A each including a plurality of spaced tabs 17 holding flap-member
proximal ends 22. Second configuration 46A lacks tabs 17 along inlet-adjacent
middle region 42 thereby opening access for strain-free insertion or removal
of flap-
member proximal ends 22 in or out of cavity 40 for strain-free assembly of
segmented
skirt 20.
FIGURES 1, 6-11 and 18 show cleaner body 10 also including a frame
structure 18 extending laterally from debris inlet 11 along slotted cavity 40.
It is
further seen in FIGURES 1 and 18 that tabs 17 of second wall-portion
configuration
46A protrude from frame structure 18 thereby being reinforced to minimize
breakage
of tabs 17.
FIGURES 1, 6, 8, 10 and 18 also show frame structure 18 extending laterally
and outwardly from debris inlet 11 thereby forming a pair of tapered surfaces
181
minimizing entrapment of cleaner 100 on step-like pool structures. Such angled
surfaces give the cleaner an ability to slide off any step or pool ledge, thus
minimizing
stopping of the cleaner on such pool structures.
FIGURE 4 shows nozzle 30 having two opposite lateral sides 31 and two
opposite cavity-adjacent sides 32 therebetween. Nozzle 30 includes tabs 33
extending
from each of cavity-adjacent sides 32 over cavity 40 thereby closing inlet-
adjacent
middle region 42 and retaining flap-member proximal ends 22 within cavity 40
by
providing continuity for second wall-portion configuration 46A.
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FIGURES 2, 3 and 6-11 show nozzle 30 being removable from debris inlet 11
and configured for engagement with frame structure 18 which holds nozzle
within
debris inlet 11.
FIGURES 19 and 20 show body 10 defininig a water-flow chamber 13 through
which water passes from debris inlet 11 to debris outlet 12. Illustrated
swimming
pool cleaner 100 is of the type motivated by water flow through it to move
cleaner 100
along underwater pool surface 2 to be cleaned. As seen in FIGURES 19 and 20,
turbine 14 is rotatably mounted within water-flow chamber 13 and has turbine
vanes
141 which are moved by the water flow to rotate turbine 14.
The improved cleaner of this invention provides excellent power and drive
particularly when the turbine is in the highly preferred forms which are the
subject of
co-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,292,970 and 6,854,184.
The removability of nozzle 30 allows easy access to chamber 13 through inlet
11 such that the end user may remove any debris entrapped within turbine 14
without
any need for opening an upper housing of the cleaner. Furthermore, in cleaner
100
with removable nozzle 30, body 10 can be molded as one standard configuration
without the need for sonic welding of threaded inserts onto body 10. This also
positively affects storage of body 10 which is a lower body piece for cleaner
like
cleaner 100. Prior to this invention, in cleaners with a non-removable nozzle
and
smaller flow opening, the lower body had to have a separate molding process.
As illustrated in FIGURES 6-11 nozzle 30 is installed and is removable
without any tools. Pool cleaner 100 includes a tool-free nozzle mounting which
includes a pair of lateral protrusions 34 each extending from one of lateral
sides 31 of
nozzle 30 and a pair of frame-structure side portions 19 extending laterally
from inlet
11 and each engaging the corresponding lateral protrusion 34 of nozzle 30
thereby
retaining nozzle 30 within debris inlet 11. Each side portion 19 of frame
structure 18
includes a spring-grip 16 inwardly displaceable when pressed by the
corresponding
lateral protrusion 34 of nozzle 30 being inserted into debris inlet 11.
As best seen in FIGURES 7, 9 and 11, each protrusion 34 has a first surface 35
substantially orthogonal to nozzle lateral side 31 and a second surface 36
sloping
between first surface 35 and nozzle lateral side 31. FIGURES 6-9 illustrate
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installation of nozzle 30 by pressing orthogonal surface 35 of nozzle 30 on
the
corresponding spring-grip 16 (see FIGURES 6 and 7) to pass nozzle 30 toward
inlet
11 and beyond spring-grip 16 which resiliently returns to its original
orientation in
alignment with side portion 19 thereby locking nozzle 30 within inlet 11 (see
.. FIGURES 8 and 9). FIGURES 10 and 11 illustrate how sloping surface 36
permits
release of nozzle 30 from inlet 11 by pressing each side portion 19 inwardly
beyond
orthogonal surface 34 of nozzle 30 which is then free for removal from inlet
11.
Cleaner 100 has a plurality of nozzles 30A, 30B and 30C for being
interchangeably used with cleaner 100. FIGURES 12-14 show each of nozzles 30A,
30B and 30C having a flow opening 37A, 37B and 37C which is different in size
than
flow openings 37 of other nozzles 30. Such varying in size nozzle permits easy
adjustment of the inlet size to accommodate the size of debris falling into
the pool.
Nozzle 30C with larger flow opening 37C will allow large debris such as
leaves, plant
seeds and the like to pass through while nozzles 30A and 30B with small and
medium
flow openings 37A and 37B may not be able to pass such debris through.
Interchangeable nozzles 30 also accommodate variable speed pumps such that
when
the pump runs at a lower rate, nozzle 30A with smaller flow opening 37A will
provide
the required performance. And, when the pump runs at medium or high rate,
nozzles
30B and 30C with medium and larger flow openings 37B and 37C will have the
required performance.
FIGURE 20 illustrates pool cleaner 200 which may be interchangeably usable
as a suction cleaner and as a pressure cleaner. FIGURE 20 shows body 10A
adapted
at debris outlet 12 for securement of either a water-suction hose connected to
a remote
suction system or a debris-collection device entrapping debris and passing
water
therethrough back into the pool. When cleaner 200 is used as a pressure
cleaner,
nozzle 30C which has larger flow opening 37C is secured with respect to body
10A.
When cleaner 200 is used as a suction cleaner, the inlet size can be reduced
by
installing nozzle 30A which has the smaller flow opening 37A.
FIGURES 15-18 illustrate a tool-free wheel-mounting assembly 50.
FIGURES 18-20 show a one pair of wheels 51 for moving cleaner 100 along pool
surface 2. FIGURES 15-17 illustrate tool-free wheel-mounting assembly 50 as
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including a ball bearing 52 for each of wheels 51 and rotatably holding such
wheel 51
on a non-rotating shaft 53 extending laterally from the respective side 15 of
cleaner
body 10. It is seen in FUGREs16 and 17 that each ball-bearing 52 has an
interior
configuration 520 matching an exterior configuration 530 of shaft 53 such that
ball
bearing 52 and shaft 53 are in non-rotating engagement with each other. Each
shaft
exterior 530 and each bearing interior 520 are shown in FIGURE 18 as having a
polygonal configuration. FIGURE 18 also illustrates other possible shaft
exterior and
bearing-interior configurations, including polygons with 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10
sides.
One such configuration may be round with a protrusion on one of the shaft
exterior
530 and the bearing interior 520 and a conforming cavity on the other one of
the shaft
exterior 530 and the bearing interior 520 such that shaft 53 and bearing 52
are locked
in non-rotating engagement therebetween. When this configuration is round,
ball
bearing 52 is closely fitted over shaft 53 to prevent rotation therebetween.
Prior to this invention, shoulder bolts had to be used for securing wheels to
the
cleaner body. The shoulder bolts have shown to wear fairly quickly resulting
in wheel
hubs getting an undesirable lateral movement. Such lateral movement negatively
affects a sonic molding of wheel-supporting parts to the body such that the
sonic
molding is separated and the wheel-supporting parts being removed out of the
body.
FIGURES 15-17 show ball bearing 52 as a double-race bearing which is in a
non-rotating engagement with respective wheel 51. The bearings have shown
superior rotating properties and through extended tests exhibited wear and
tear as well
as their overall performance significantly better than prior wheel-assembly
configurations. The tool-less wheel assembly which provided for easy
disasssembly
gives the end used an ability to easily replace bearings in the wheel hubs
without the
need for any special tools.
FIGURES 16 and 17 show each shaft having a hollow interior 531 with an
inwardly-facing shoulder 55 inside shaft 53. Tool-free wheel-mounting assembly
50
also includes a removable clip 53 which is inserted into shaft interior 531
into a
locking engagement with shoulder 55, as seen in FIGURE 17. FIGURES 16 and 17
further show clip 56 having at least two fingers 561 which extend from an
exterior
head 562 and terminate with a hook-end 563 within shaft interior 531. Fingers
561
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are being pressed together upon insertion into shaft 53 and then spread out
inside shaft
53 into the locking engagement with shoulder 55 thereby securely holding wheel
51
on shaft 53, as illustrated in FIGURE 17.
While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in
connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such
embodiments
are by way of example and are not limiting.
