Patent Publication Number: US-11028610-B2

Title: Automated cleaning device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure is directed to an automated cleaning system, and more particularly to a submersible automated cleaning device and a debris bag collection system. 
     Devices are known to be used for cleaning pools. Based on the location of debris, the device identifies a route and accordingly cleans the pool. The debris is captured in debris bag. The debris bag has limited capacity. Once the bag is full, the device has to be removed from the pool and the owner has to install a new bag to continue cleaning. This known pool cleaning device results in unproductive time and causing the pool cleaning take a longer time than desired. There is another known pool cleaning system having an underwater station that requires the device to be controlled to enter and leave the station for receiving and discharging filters. This known pool cleaning system is a bulky and expensive that unduly complex to operate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, a submersible automated cleaning device includes a device body configured to move along the bottom of a pool and a filter canister mounted within the device body. A plurality of filter cassettes is releasably mounted within the filter canister, each filter cassette having a filter container and a flotation device. The filter container is configured to permit debris to enter the filter container. A cartridge is mounted to the device body configured to release a gas into one of the flotation devices to inflate the flotation device. A controller is configured to activate the cartridge to release the gas into the flotation device in response to detecting that the filter container is full and to release the filter cassette from the filter canister upon inflation of the flotation device. 
     In one embodiment, the floating debris bag has a transmitter for releasing a signal upon reaching the top of the water. A method for removing the floating debris bag includes receiving by a drone operator the signal from the floating debris bag to alert the drone operator that the floating debris bag is floating in the water, capturing by the drone the floating debris bag and removing by the drone the captured debris bag from the water. 
     In one embodiment, a pool floating debris bag collection system includes a submersible automated cleaning device having a floating debris bag. The submersible automated cleaning device is configured to selectively release the floating debris bag into the pool water. The floating debris bag has a transmitter for releasing a signal upon reaching the top of the water. A receiver is attached to a pool skimmer for activating a pool skimmer pump in response to the signal from the floating debris bag. A sensor attached to the pool skimmer detects that the floating debris bag has reached the pool skimmer and sends an alert in response to the detection. In one embodiment, the pool floating debris bag collection system includes a pick-up mechanism configured to automatically remove the floating debris bag from the water in response to the detection. 
     Further features as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a top view of one embodiment of the pool cleaning device disclosed in this specification. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a side view of one embodiment of the pool cleaning device disclosed in this specification. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of a side view of one embodiment a filter cassette and a mating vacuum pump and valve of the pool cleaning device disclosed in this specification. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of one embodiment of a filter cassette of the pool cleaning device disclosed in this specification. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of one embodiment of a filter cassette of the pool cleaning device disclosed in this specification. 
         FIGS. 6A-6D  are a schematic diagram of the various states of operation of one embodiment of a filter cassette of the pool cleaning device disclosed in this specification. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the method disclosed in this specification. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of an exemplary computing system suitable for implementation of the embodiments disclosed in this specification. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In one embodiment, a system and method is disclosed in which a pool cleaning device will have multiple debris collection bags, each bag will be surrounded by or connected to deflated balloon. At any point of time only one debris collection will be connected to the device. The device will also have one or more a cartridges, such as a CO 2  whip cream cylinders, to inflate the connected balloon. Once a debris collection bag is full, then the device will encapsulate the debris bag and will inflate the connected or covered balloon with stored CO 2  gas. The device will disconnect the debris collection bag after the CO 2  is filled in the balloon. The buoyancy force of the filled balloon will cause the debris bag rise to the top of the pool water and will float in the water. 
       FIGS. 1-5  are schematic drawings of one embodiment of a submersible pool cleaning device  10 . The device  10  includes a device body  12  having wheels  14  configured to move the device  10  along the bottom of a pool. A filter canister  16  is mounted within the device body  12 . A plurality of filter cassettes  18  are releasably mounted within the filter canister  16 . Each filter cassette  18  has a filter container  20  and a flotation device  22 . In one embodiment of the submersible pool cleaning device  10 , the filter container  20  concentrically surrounding the flotation device  22  as shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , however, any suitable arrangement of filter container  20  and flotation device  22  may be used. The filter container  20  is configured to permit debris to enter the filter container  20 . A cartridge  24 , such as a CO 2  cylinder, is mounted to the device body  12  and is configured to release a gas into one of the flotation devices  22  of one of the filter cassettes  18  to inflate the flotation device  22 . A controller  26  is provided on the device body  12  and is configured to activate the cartridge  24  to release the gas into the flotation device  22  in response to detecting that the filter container  22  is full and to release the filter cassette  18  from the filter canister  16  upon inflation of the flotation device  22 . The controller may be implemented by program module  102  described later in connection with  FIG. 8 . 
     The submersible pool cleaning device  10  includes a vacuum pump  28  mounted within the device body  12 . The vacuum pump  28  is in fluid communication with an inlet valve  30 . The inlet valve  30  serves as an inlet for both the filter container  20  and the flotation device  22 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the vacuum pump  28  and the inlet vale  30  have mating coaxial ports  32  and  34 , respectively, such that, when a filter cassette  18  is seated within the vacuum pump  28 , an air tight connection is made to permit the vacuum pump to draw debris into the filter container  20  and to allow CO 2  to flow into the flotation device  22  through air line  36  (see  FIG. 1 ). In one embodiment, the controller  26  is configured to determine, based on depth of water and weight of debris, the amount of gas to be released into the flotation device  22  from the cartridge  24  so that the flotation device  22  will have sufficient buoyancy force for the flotation device  22  to float to the top of the water. 
     In one embodiment, a filter container sensor (not shown) is mounted to the device body  12  for sensing that a filter container  20  is full. In one embodiment, a flotation device sensor (not shown) is mounted to the device body  12  for sensing that a flotation device  22  is fully inflated. Various known sensor arrangements may be used such as light sensors mounted to the filter canister  16  for sensing when the respective filter container  20  and flotation device  22  have been filled to a certain height. 
     In one embodiment, the canister  16  is rotatable to selectively position each filter container at a debris collection position  38 . The controller is configured to automatically activate the vacuum pump  28  in response to a signal from a sensor detecting that a filter cassette  18  is in the debris collection position  38 . The controller is also configured to automatically rotate the canister  16  in response to a signal that a cassette  18  has been released. In one embodiment, the cassettes  18  are released through a cassette release chimney  40  mounted to the device body  12  at the debris collection position  38 . The canister  16  rotates to position another filter cassette  18  at the debris collection position  38  and then the controller activates a mechanism seat the cassette  18  within the vacuum pump  28  and for connecting the mating connector ports  32  and  34 . 
       FIGS. 6A-6D  depict schematically the steps involved in one embodiment of filling a filter container  20  and a flotation device  22 .  FIG. 6A  shows a cassette  18  in which the filter container  20  and flotation device  22  are in the initial non-inflated state. As can be seen, a portion  22   a  of flotation device  22  extends through inlet valve  30 .  FIG. 6B  shows the filter container  20  in a partially inflated state as the submersible pool cleaning device  10  moves along the bottom of a pool collecting debris.  FIG. 6C  shows the filter container  20  in a filled state. When a sensor (not shown) detects that the filter container  20  is filled, the controller shuts down the vacuum pump and activates the cartridge  24  to start inflating the flotation device  22  with gas. As shown in  FIG. 6C , the flotation device  22  is in a partially inflated state. As also shown in  FIG. 6C , in one embodiment, the portion  22   a  of flotation device  22  begins to cover the inlet valve  30  during inflation.  FIG. 6D  shows the flotation device  22  in the fully inflated state. Portion  22   a  of flotation device  22  completely covers the inlet  30  to prevent debris from entering or exiting the filter container  20 . Once the controller  26  detects the signal indicating that the flotation device  22  is fully inflated, the cassette  18  is released from the canister into the water. The flotation device  22  may have a handle portion  42  for purposes of removal of the cassette  18  from the pool after the cassette  18  floats to the top of the water. In one embodiment, a pole can be used to catch and remove the cassette from the pool. 
     In one embodiment, the cassette  18  has a transmitter (not shown) for sending a signal upon reaching the top of the water to provide an alert. In one embodiment, a method for removing the floating cassette  18  includes receiving by a drone operator the signal from the cassette  18  to alert the drone operator that the cassette  18  is floating in the water, capturing by the drone the cassette  18  and removing by the drone the captured cassette  18  from the water. 
     The drone (not shown) may be configured to receive the signal from the cassette  18  to assist the operator in locating cassette  18  floating in the water. The drone operator maneuvers the drone to capture and remove the floating cassette  18  from the water. 
     In one embodiment, a receiver (not shown) is attached to a pool skimmer for activating a pool skimmer pump in response to the signal from the floating debris bag. A sensor (not shown) is attached to the pool skimmer for detecting that the floating debris bag has reached the pool skimmer and sending an alert in response to the detection. An automated pick-up mechanism (not shown) may be provided to automatically remove the floating debris bag from the water in response to the detection. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing several embodiments of computer implemented methods for cleaning a pool. One embodiment includes step S 100  submersing pool cleaning device into a pool, step S 102  activating the device to move along bottom of pool, step S 104  activating a vacuum pump on the device to collect debris into a filter container of a first filter cassette mounted on the device, step S 106  automatically inflating a flotation device of the filter cassette in response to the filter container being full and step S 108  automatically releasing into the water the first filter cassette from the filter canister upon inflation of the flotation device. Another embodiment includes step S 110  rotating a canister on the device having a plurality of filter cassettes to selectively position a second filter cassette at a debris collection position in response to a signal that the first filter cassette has been released and step S 112  activating the vacuum pump in response to detecting that the second filter cassette is in the debris collection position. One embodiment includes step S 114  determining, based on depth of water and weight of debris, the amount of gas to be released into the flotation device from the cartridge. 
     In another embodiment, the method includes step S 116  of sending a signal from the first filter cassette upon reaching the top of the water. In step S 118  receiving by a drone operator the signal from the floating first cassette to alert the drone operator that the first cassette is floating in the water and step S 120  capturing and removing by the drone the floating first cassette. In an alternative embodiment, the method includes step S 122  activating a pool skimmer pump in response to the signal from the first floating cassette, step S 124  detecting that the first cassette has reached the pool skimmer and step S 126  sending an alert in response to the detection. The signal in step S 116  and the alert in step S 126  may be one of light, sound and an electronic message. The electronic message may be an email, SMS or other form of electronic message. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a schematic of an example computer or processing system that may implement the controller in one embodiment of the present disclosure for controlling the submersible pool cleaning device, the pool floating debris bag collection system and the method for cleaning a pool. The computer system is only one example of a suitable processing system and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the methodology described herein. The processing system shown may be operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the processing system shown in  FIG. 8  may include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like. 
     The computer system may be described in the general context of computer system executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer system. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and so on that perform a particular task, or implement particular abstract data types. The computer system may be practiced in distributed cloud computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer system storage media including memory storage devices. 
     The components of computer system may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units  100 , a system memory  106 , and a bus  104  that couples various system components including system memory  106  to processor  100 . The processor  100  may include a program module  102  that performs the methods described herein. The module  102  may be programmed into the integrated circuits of the processor  100 , or loaded from memory  106 , storage device  108 , or network  114  or combinations thereof. 
     Bus  104  may represent one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus. 
     Computer system may include a variety of computer system readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by computer system, and it may include both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. 
     System memory  106  can include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) and/or cache memory or others. Computer system may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media. By way of example only, storage system  108  can be provided for reading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (e.g., a “hard drive”). Although not shown, a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided. In such instances, each can be connected to bus  104  by one or more data media interfaces. 
     Computer system may also communicate with one or more external devices  116  such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display  118 , etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with computer system; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur via Input/Output (I/O) interfaces  110 . 
     Still yet, computer system can communicate with one or more networks  114  such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter  112 . As depicted, network adapter  112  communicates with the other components of computer system via bus  104 . It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware and/or software components could be used in conjunction with computer system. Examples include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc. 
     The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product at any possible technical detail level of integration. The computer program product may include a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. 
     The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. 
     Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. 
     Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. 
     Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. 
     These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements, if any, in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     In addition, while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.