Patent Publication Number: US-10781599-B2

Title: Pool cleaner with diaphragm cassette unit and retention mechanism

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This applications claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/545,716, filed on Aug. 15, 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to pool cleaners, and more particularly to suction-driven pool cleaners having a replaceable diaphragm. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally, automatic pool cleaners are driven electrically or via water pressure. Water-driven cleaners fall into two categories: suction-driven and pressure-driven. A well-known type of suction-driven cleaner uses an internal diaphragm in the suction path to periodically interrupt water flow, causing the cleaner to creep along pool surfaces. These diaphragms must be flexible by design, and consequently are subject to wear and damage necessitating repeated replacement over the life of the cleaner. Removing the diaphragm to replace it requires some disassembly of the pool cleaner, and is often done by customers rather than service professionals. It is consequently desirable to make the removal and reinstallation process as easy as possible, without unduly complicating the overall design of the cleaner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pool cleaner with a diaphragm cassette unit and retention mechanism. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a pool cleaner comprises a body, a diaphragm cassette unit arranged inside the body, and a retention mechanism mounted on the body. The body extends between a water connection end and foot end, a foot end opening being defined at the foot end. The diaphragm cassette unit is arranged inside the body and includes a cassette extending to the foot end and a flexible diaphragm inside the cassette also extending to the foot end. The retention mechanism is mounted on the body and is operable to allow removal and reinstallation of the diaphragm cassette unit through the foot end opening. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, an outer pipe extends from an upper outer pipe end proximate the water connection end to a lower outer pipe end engaging the cassette. An inner pipe is arranged within the outer pipe and extends from an upper inner pipe end proximate the water connection end to a lower inner pipe end engaging the flexible diaphragm inside the cassette. The inner pipe is part of the diaphragm cassette unit and removable and reinstallable therewith upon operation of the retention mechanism. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, the retention mechanism includes a first latch assembly, the first latch assembly having a first operator extending through a first latch opening defined in the body and a first latch movable by the first operator, the first latch releasably engaging a retention surface on the cassette. 
     According to a further aspect of the present invention, the first operator and the first latch are connected to opposite sides of a lever arm pivotable about a first pivot axis therebetween such that inward movement of the operator results in outward movement of the latch and disengagement of the retention surface. 
     According to an additional aspect of the present invention, the retention mechanism further includes a second latch assembly having a second operator extending through a second latch opening defined in the body and a second latch movable by the second operator, the second latch releasably engaging the retention surface. The second operator is pivotably connected to the outer pipe about a second pivot axis and pivotably connected to the second latch about a parallel pivot axis such that outward pivoting of the second operator results is disengagement of the second latch from the retention surface. The retention mechanism can further include a third latch assembly identical to the second latch assembly, a third operator extending through a third latch opening defined in the body on an opposite side from the second latch opening. 
     These and other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better appreciated in view of the drawings, and following detailed description of preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pool cleaner with a diaphragm cassette unit and retention mechanism, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 , partially cutaway to show an outer pipe and a cassette of the diaphragm cassette unit; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 , partially cutaway as in  FIG. 3 , with the outer pipe and cassette removed to show an inner pipe and diaphragm; 
         FIG. 5  is a detail view of area  5  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 , showing the diaphragm cassette unit partially removed therefrom. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a pool cleaner  10  includes a body  12  extending between a water connection end  14  and a foot end  16 . The body  12  holds outer and inner pipes  20 ,  22  extending between respective upper ends  24 ,  26  proximate the water connection end  14  and lower ends  30 ,  32  toward the foot end  16  from the water connection end  14 . A cassette  34  engages the lower end  30  of the outer pipe and extends to the foot end  16 . Inside the cassette  34 , a flexible diaphragm  36  engages the lower end  32  of the inner pipe  22  and also extends to the foot end  16 . A retention mechanism  40  (shown in greater detail in  FIG. 5 ) mounted on the body  12  is operable to allow removal and reinstallation of the cassette  34 , inner pipe  22  and diaphragm  36  as a unit (referred to herein as the diaphragm cassette unit  42 ) through an opening  44  the foot end  16  (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     In the depicted pool cleaner  10 , a disc  46  is releasably secured to the foot end  16  by a foot pad  48 . Before removing and reinstalling the cassette unit  42 , the foot pad  48  and disc  46  are removed from the foot end  16 . Before resuming operation, the foot pad  48  and disc  46  are reinstalled. 
     The depicted pool cleaner  10  also includes a steering mechanism  50  located at the water connection end  14 . An exemplary steering mechanism can be seen in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/367,853, filed on Dec. 2, 2016, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. Advantageously, removal and reinstallation of the diaphragm cassette unit  42  requires no access via the water connection end  14  nor removal of the steering mechanism  50 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 5 , the retention mechanism  40  includes latch assemblies  52 ,  54  having operators  56 ,  58  extending through openings  62 ,  64  in the body  12  and latches  66 ,  68  movable by the operators  56 ,  58  to releasably engage a retention surface  70  on the cassette  34 . In the depicted embodiment, the latch assemblies  52  are located on opposite sides of the body  12 , while the latch assembly  54  is located on a trailing edge of the body  12 . It will be appreciated that the number and configuration of latch assemblies could be varied. In practice, it has been found that the latch assembly  54  offers secure retention when used alone. 
     In each latch assembly  52 , the operator  56  is pivotably connected to the outer pipe  20  about a pivot axis  72 , and also pivotably connected to the latch  66  about a parallel pivot axis  74 . By pivoting the operator  56  outwardly (in the direction of arrow  76 ), the latch  64  is disengaged from the retention surface  70 . By pivoting the operator  56  inwardly (opposite arrow  76 ), the latch  66  is locked into engagement with the retention surface  70 . 
     In the latch assembly  54 , the operator  58  is connected to the latch  68  by a lever arm  80 , which pivots about axis  82  such that inward movement of the operator  58  (in the direction of arrow  84 ) results in outward movement of the latch  68  and disengagement of the retention surface  70  thereby. Preferably, the operator  58  is biased outwardly (opposite arrow  84 —e.g., by a spring) such that the latch  68  is urged into engagement with the retention surface  70 . When reinstalling the diaphragm cassette unit  42 , an angled lip  86  of the latch  68  engages the retention surface  70  such that the latch  68  moves outwardly until the retention surface  70  clears the lip. Once clear, the outwardly biasing of the operator  58  will automatically reengage the latch  68  under the retention surface  70 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 6 , the lower end  90  of the cassette  34  is configured to ensure proper alignment and seating when inserted into the opening  44 . Consequently, the retention surface  70  will be properly positioned for engagement by the retention mechanism  40  when the lower end  90  is properly seated against the opening  44 . Additionally, the depicted retention surface  70  is formed by a single collar arranged around the upper end  92  of the cassette  34 . It will be appreciated that the retention surface  70  is not necessarily a unitary structure, and could be otherwise configured. 
     In use, the pool cleaner  10  is typically removed from a pool and the foot pad  48  and disc  46  are removed. The latch assemblies  52  on either side of the body  12  are disengaged and the operator  58  is depressed to disengage the latch assembly  54 , allowing the diaphragm cassette unit  42  to be removed via the opening  44 . The cassette unit  42  is then disassembled to allow replacement of the diaphragm  36  and reassembled. 
     The reassembled diaphragm cassette unit  42  is reinserted through the opening  44  until the lower end  90  of the cassette  34  is properly seated and the retention surface  70  has cleared and been reengaged by the latch  68  of the latch assembly  54 . The latch assemblies  52  are then reengaged, the disc  46  and foot pad  48  are reattached, and the pool cleaner  10  is again ready for use. 
     The foregoing is provided for illustrative and exemplary purposes; the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto. Rather, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, as well as adaptations to particular circumstances, are possible within the scope of the invention as herein shown and described and of the claims appended hereto.