Abstract:
A skimmer device for cleaning the surface of a body of liquid having a housing with a front and rear opening. Disposed within the housing is at least one float, a removable tray, and a battery powered motor with an attached propeller. Attached to the exterior of the housing is a guide fin and a net.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention is directed to a device for cleaning the surface of a body of liquid. Leaves and other floating debris are commonly removed from swimming pools by “skimmers” built into the walls of the pool at the normal water level. Wave action in the pool washes floating leaves and debris into troughs or openings in the wall of the pool where they are drawn by a line connected to the suction side of the swimming pool pump. This system is less than satisfactory as some leaves are blown against the wall of the pool remote from the skimmer. The water level also fluctuates below the position of the skimmer causing the skimmer to be inoperative.  
         [0002]     Floating skimmers have been used to overcome these problems, but these devices are complex, requiring many parts, are difficult to assemble, and expensive to manufacture. Therefore, a need exists in the art for a skimmer that addresses these problems.  
         [0003]     An objective of this invention is to provide a skimmer having fewer parts that is easier to assemble.  
         [0004]     Another objective of this invention is to provide a skimmer that is more economical to manufacture.  
         [0005]     These and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the following written description.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     A skimmer device for cleaning the surface of a body of liquid having a housing with a front and rear opening. Disposed within the housing is at least one float, a removable tray, and a battery powered motor with an attached propeller. Attached to the exterior of the housing is a guide fin and a net. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a skimmer;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a skimmer;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a skimmer, and  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a skimmer. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]     Referring to the figures, the skimmer  8  has a housing  10  with a front opening  12  and a slotted rear opening  14 . While the housing  10  is of any shape and size, preferred is a housing comprised of housing sections and float covers. More specifically, the housing has a front section  16  with an opening  12 , a first  18  and second  20  handle section, a first  22  and second  24  middle section, and a rear section  26  having a slotted opening  14 . Disposed within the housing sections are a plurality of covers including an upper cover  28  and first  30  and second  32  side covers. The housing sections are connected together with screws or the like. The shape of the front section  16  is preferably curved or arcuate to reduce the chance that the skimmer  8  will become stuck against a pool wall or in the corner and instead will spin away and continue to move.  
         [0012]     Disposed within the housing  10  is at least one float, and preferably an upper float  34 , and first  36  and second  38  side floats which are positioned adjacent the upper cover  28  and first  30  and second  32  side covers respectively. The weight of the skimmer used in conjunction with the floats keeps the skimmer upright and flips the skimmer if it capsizes. Further, disposed within the housing is a battery  42  that is operatively connected to a motor  44 . The battery  42  and motor  44  are enclosed within covers  46  and seals  48  and are supported by an inner support  50 . Connected to the motor is a propeller  52 . Preferably the propeller is tilted with relation to the surface of the water to assist in smooth and free movement of the skimmer  8 .  
         [0013]     Disposed within the inner support  50  is a switch assembly  54  and a DC jack  56  and plunger  58 . The switch assembly  54  has a button  60  connected to a switch  62  with a switch cover  64  positioned over both. The switch assembly  54  is connected to the battery  42  and activates the battery  42  upon engagement.  
         [0014]     Removably positioned within the housing  10 , through the opening  12  of the front section  16  is a tray  66  for collecting rubbish. The tray is positioned below the edge of the opening  12  so that fluid and rubbish will flow over the edge of the opening  12  such that rubbish is collected in the tray  66 . The tray  66  is detachably connected to the housing  10  by a latch or locking mechanism  68 . The latching mechanism  68  has a button  69  that extends outwardly from the housing  10  that upon engagement will release the tray  66 .  
         [0015]     Attached to an extending outwardly from the bottom of the housing  10  is a stabilizing fin  70 . The stabilizing fin  70  guides the skimmer  8  as it moves through the water preventing the skimmer  8  from spinning in circles. Also, attached to the housing  10  is a net  72  that provides a secondary filter for trapping debris. Preferably, the net  72  is attached to the rear section  26  of the housing  10  and is made of fine nylon.  
         [0016]     In operation, a power source is connected to the DC jack  56  to charge the battery  42 . Once charged, the power is supplied to the motor  44  from the battery  42  by activating the button  60  of the switch assembly  54 . Once activated, the motor  44  rotates the propeller  52  such that when the skimmer  8  is placed in the water the propeller  52  will move the skimmer across the surface of the water. Preferably, the skimmer  8  does not move straight ahead and instead moves generally and continuously ahead. When the skimmer  8  engages the edge of the pool the skimmer will turn and continue to move generally ahead and continuously.  
         [0017]     The width of the front opening  12  is preferably 110-126 mm which is submerged into water. As the skimmer  8  moves ahead water with rubbish flows through the front opening  12  and down into the tray  66  and through the rear slotted opening  14  such that rubbish is collected in the tray  66 . When filled, the tray  66  is removed and the rubbish deposited at a remote location.  
         [0018]     Thus, a skimmer that at least meets all of the stated objectives has been described.