Abstract:
A device, which acts like a vacuum to suck unwanted particles out of the water in a swimming pool or spa. The device uses a battery and motor which are located in the handle of the device and are not inserted into the water. The motor drives a propeller, which draws water and particles into the device. The particles are sucked into the device and trapped.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
   Not Applicable 
   REFERENCE TO APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A swimming pool or spa can be a difficult thing to maintain. Often they are kept outside. Thus, debris and unwanted materials are free to enter the water. While chemicals may be added to remove microorganisms, larger materials can only be removed physically. A vacuum adapter to be used when immersed in water is an ideal tool for this task. Because water conducts electricity, a battery operated machine with a motor which stays out of the water would prove beneficial. 
   A. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to removing unwanted debris from the floor of a pool or spa. 
   B. Prior Art 
   Prior art exists which performs the above described function. Schuman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,559), Leginus (U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,980), and DeMoura (U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,776) all provide vacuum devices which aid in cleaning the floor of a pool. However there is nothing in the prior art, which is both battery powered and has the motor near the handle, so as to keep it out of the water. The present invention fulfills these purposes. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a vacuum to be used for cleaning swimming pools and spas. The present invention is cordless because it is powered by a battery. The battery and motor will both be enclosed in the body of the handle at the top of the invention. The handle will remain out of the water when in use. The motor will drive a long shaft, which will turn a set of propeller blades. The propeller blades are located behind a guard and will be inserted into the water. The motion of the propeller blades will cause a suction force and draw materials toward the guard in front of the fan blades. A bag, which is located in the casing captures the solid material while letting water pass through the bag. For the owners of a spa or swimming pool, the portability and safety of the present invention are desirable. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the device. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view along line  2 — 2  on  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view along line  3 — 3  in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view along line  4 — 4  in  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention is a device  10 , which acts like a vacuum and can be used to clean the floor of a swimming pool or spa. The shape of the present invention is basically long and thin. The handle  14  is located at one end of the invention and an opening  12  to collect the debris is located on the opposite end.  FIG. 1  Various attachment pieces may be attached to the suction end  12  to achieve its stated purpose. 
   The handle  14  has a grip feature so the user can comfortably hold it. Within the handle structure is a battery and a motor. There is a button on the grip feature, which acts like a trigger to engage the motor. 
   The user applies pressure to the button when use is desired. A power switch is located on the exterior of the handle  14  and allows the user to easily turn the device  10  on and off. A propeller (abbreviated to “prop” in the remainder of the application) shaft  20  is connected to the motor and exits out of an opening in the front of the handle  14 . The prop shaft is a long and thin cylindrical structure and contained within a hollow cylindrical tube  18  protect the prop shaft  20 .  FIG. 3  The hollow cylindrical tube  18  and prop shaft  20  extend from the handle and connect to a protective casing unit  16 .  FIG. 1  Support bearings  30  are installed in the hollow cylindrical tube  18  to prevent the shaft from wobbling during normal operation.  FIG. 3  A drain hole  32  on the side of the end of the cylindrical tube allows water to drain from the tube as it is lifted out of the water.  FIG. 1   
   The shaft extends through the tube  18  and a propeller  22  is attached to one end of the shaft  20 . The shaft  20  is connected to a casing unit  16 .  FIGS. 1 ,  2   
   The casing unit  16  is a large cylindrical shaped case which is hollow, open ended on one end and closed on the other end.  FIG. 2  Within the protective casing unit  16  is the prop  22 . The prop  22  is connected to the prop shaft  20 . When the motor is activated, the prop shaft is rotated and causes the prop to rotate inside the casing unit. The motion of the prop creates a vacuum and causes water and objects to be pulled towards it. Within the casing  16  is a flexible collection bag  26  for collection of the debris; this flexible collection bag  26  is connected to the second end of the casing and is positioned such that the bag will be stretched and expand as the device  10  is operated.  FIG. 2   
   A prop guard  24  is fixed in front of the prop inside the casing unit  16  between the prop blades  22  and the bag  26 . This guard  24  prevents the bag  26  inside the casing  16  from contacting the blades of the prop  22 .  FIGS. 2 ,  4   
   A flexible bag-like structure  26  is attached to the closed or second end of the casing unit  16 . It allows water to move through it, but traps any solid materials within the bag. On the side of the casing unit  16  there is a small side flap  17 , which acts like a single directional check valve and allows water out when the device is idle. A screen  15  may also cover this flap to add another measure of safety to prevent any debris from entering the casing and damaging the prop  22 .  FIG. 1  This small side flap  17  is used to help empty water from the casing  16  as the vacuum  10  is removed from the pool or spa. When the unit is on, the suction, which is created by the device  10 , will force this flap  17  closed. 
   On the second end of the casing unit  16 , the vacuum attachment  35  located at the suction end  12  to collect the debris, is attached to the casing unit  16  over a hole in the protective casing unit.  FIGS. 1 ,  2  It is contemplated that the vacuum attachment  35  will be constructed similar to the representation in  FIG. 1  but other shapes and sizes may be manufactured depending on a particular need. The size or shape of the vacuum attachment  35  is not being claimed as part of this application. The vacuum attachment  35  is connected to the casing unit  16  via a hollow shaft  34  and allows clear communication of the flow of water through the device with the bag in the casing  16  via the opening in the protective casing when the unit is operated. A single directional check valve or flap  28  is positioned over the opening in the protective casing between the attachment point for the vacuum attachment  35  and the bag. A small shaft or tube  34  connects the closed end of the casing  16  and the suction attachments  35 .  FIGS. 1 ,  2  In normal operation the flap  28  pens as a vacuum is created by the prop and closes when the device  10  is not operational. 
   This flap  28  operates as a single direction check valve. As the device is operated and a vacuum is created water and particles are sucked or pulled from the suction end  12  and towards the bag  26 . The water will enter the bag through the mouth of the flap  28 . Particles, which enter through the suction end  12  by way of the vacuum attachment  35  and pass through the flap  28 , will be caught in the flexible collection bag  26  within the casing unit  16 . The second end of the casing unit  16  can be removed to clean the flexible collection bag  26  and reattached to the casing unit. 
   The user can then remove the device  10  from the water and empty the trapped particles into the garbage. Because the battery and motor are usually out of the water, the user does not risk being injured.