Patent Publication Number: US-9896857-B2

Title: Pool cleaner light module

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/488,135 filed on Jun. 4, 2012, the entire contents are incorporated herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Automatic swimming pool cleaners include components for driving the pool cleaners along the floor and sidewalls of a swimming pool, either in a random or deliberate manner, to vacuum debris on and adjacent to the floor and sidewalls. For example, conventional pressure side cleaners and suction cleaners often use hydraulic turbine assemblies as drive systems to drive one or more wheels. Robotic cleaners often include a motor or other mechanical system powered by an external power source to drive one or more wheels. 
     Although automatic swimming pool cleaners operate with little manual operator interaction, it is sometimes difficult for the operator to quickly determine whether the pool cleaner is operating correctly or efficiently. For example, an operator can see the pool cleaner moving along a swimming pool floor, but not realize that the cleaner is not vacuuming or barely vacuuming until hours or days later when a substantial amount of debris has settled on the pool floor. This may be due to mechanical malfunctions in robotic cleaners, or insufficient suction or pressure in suction-driven or pressure-driven pool cleaners. Furthermore, an operator must wait to watch whether a pool cleaner is moving to determine if it is operating. If the pool cleaner is scheduled to operate at night, the operator must turn on lights inside or around the swimming pool just to see if the pool cleaner is operating. This can be a tedious task that many operators do not pay attention to and, as a result, these operators do not realize their pool cleaner has not been operating until a substantial amount of debris has settled on the pool floor. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments of the invention provide a pool cleaner receiving fluid flow from a pool hose, the pool cleaner comprising a supply mast configured for connection to a pool hose and directing fluid flow from the pool hose and a generator positioned within the pool cleaner. The pool cleaner further includes a paddle wheel coupled to the generator, the paddle wheel and the generator generating electric power using the fluid flow directed through the pool cleaner and control circuitry coupled to the generator, the control circuitry receiving the generated power from the generator for providing energy to operate at least one function of the swimming pool cleaner. 
     Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of operating a pool cleaner including the steps of receiving fluid flow through the pool cleaner and generating electric power using a paddle wheel positioned to receive at least some of the fluid flow and a generator coupled to the paddle wheel. The method further includes the steps of providing power to control circuitry coupled to the generator, the control circuitry including a motion sensor that detects movement of the pool cleaner and if substantial movement is detected, the pool cleaner operates the control circuitry according to a first operation and if insubstantial movement is detected, the pool cleaner operates the control circuitry according to a second operation. 
     A method of operating a pool cleaner according to some embodiments of the invention includes receiving fluid flow through the pool cleaner and generating electric power using a paddle wheel positioned to receive at least some of the fluid flow and a generator coupled to the paddle wheel. The method further includes the steps of providing power generated by the paddle wheel to control circuitry coupled to the generator and controlling by the control circuitry at least one function of the swimming pool cleaner, utilizing the power generated by the power wheel. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an in-line light emitting diode (LED) module, according to one embodiment of the invention, coupled to a pool cleaner. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the in-line LED module of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective cross-sectional view of the in-line LED module of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view of the in-line LED module of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an internal LED module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of the internal LED module of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an LED tube module according to yet another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the LED tube module of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a side cross-sectional view of the in-line LED module and the pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
     The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the invention. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. The figures, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the invention. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of embodiments of the invention. 
     Embodiments of the invention provide an LED module for a swimming pool cleaner. The LED module can provide functional and aesthetic uses by illuminating the pool cleaner surroundings, highlighting debris within the swimming pool, and/or conveying information related to the pool cleaner back to a user or operator. The LED module is capable of single color lighting modes, multi-color lighting modes, and/or color change modes. In addition, the LED module can be removably coupled to the swimming pool cleaner internally or externally, as further described below. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an in-line light emitting diode (LED) module  10 , according to one embodiment of the invention, for use with a pool cleaner  12  in a swimming pool or spa system. The in-line LED module  10  can be positioned along a fluid path of the pool cleaner  12 , for example between a supply mast  14  of the swimming pool cleaner  12  and a pool hose attachment adapter  16 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a bottom portion  18  of the in-line LED module  10  can be coupled to the supply mast  14 , for example, through a snap-fit connection between through-holes  20  in the bottom portion  18  and extension portions  22  of the supply mast  14 . A top portion  24  of the in-line LED module  10  can be coupled to the pool hose attachment adapter  16 , for example, by a friction fit. The pool hose attachment adapter  16  can receive a pool hose (not shown) in fluid communication with a filter pump or a booster pump of the pool or spa system to supply water to the pool cleaner  12 . The in-line LED module  10  can include an outer housing  26  with a paddle wheel housing  28 , a generator  30 , a paddle wheel  32  (as shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 9 ), and a tube housing  34 . The tube housing  34  can include the bottom portion  18  and the top portion  24 , described above, as well as LED housings  36  that at least partially enclose one or more LEDs  38 . 
     In one embodiment, the pool cleaner  12  can be a pressure-driven pool cleaner. As a result, water from the filter pump or the booster pump is driven through the pool hose and into fluid path of the pool cleaner  12  in order to operate the pool cleaner  12 . More specifically, water is driven through the pool hose, the hose attachment adapter  16 , the tube housing  34  of the in-line LED module  10 , and into the supply mast  14 . The paddle wheel  32  is substantially positioned within the paddle wheel housing  28  and extends into the tube housing  34 . The tube housing  34  acts as a flow-directing portion of the in-line LED module  10  to provide fluid flow from the pool hose to the supply mast  14  and across the paddle wheel  32 . Thus, when water flows through the tube housing  34 , the paddle wheel  32  is rotated. The paddle wheel  32  is coupled to the generator  30  (e.g., a shaft  40  of the generator  30  is connected to the paddle wheel  32 ) so that rotation of the paddle wheel  32  hydraulically causes the generator  30  to produce electric power for operating the LEDs  38  and their related circuitry. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the generator  30  can be housed within a generator housing  42  that extends into the paddle wheel housing  28 . A rubber seal ring  44  can be positioned between a first side  46  of the generator  30  and the paddle wheel  32  (e.g., inside the generator housing  42 ) to prevent water flow through the tube housing  34  and the paddle wheel housing  28  from reaching the generator  30 . The generator housing  42  and the paddle wheel housing  28  can include mating holes  45  for receiving fasteners to couple together the generator housing  42  and the paddle wheel housing  28  and to allow easy removal of the generator  30  for replacement or repair. A second, opposite side  48  of the generator  30  can be enclosed within the generator housing  42  by a lead cover  50 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lead cover  50  can allow exposure of one or more leads  52  from the generator  30  through lead openings  53 . Lead cables (not shown) can electrically connect the leads  52  through the generator housing  42  to the LEDs  38  in order to provide power to the LEDs  38 . For example, the lead cables can be routed through access holes  54  in the LED housings  36 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the LEDs  38  can be positioned generally downward and outward and/or the LED housings  36  can be shaped to generally reflect light from the LEDs  38  in a downward and outward manner in order to illuminate the pool cleaner surroundings (e.g., the pool floor or pool walls near the pool cleaner  12 ). The LEDs  38  can include internal control circuitry programmed to control the illumination time and/or color of the LEDs  38 . In some embodiments, external control circuitry for the LEDs  38  and/or other components of the in-line LED module  10  can be housed within the generator housing  42  and the lead cables can provide both power from the generator  30  and control from the control circuitry to the LEDs  38 . 
     In other embodiments, the LEDs  38  can be positioned to illuminate other areas surrounding the pool cleaner  12 . For example, the LEDs  38  can be positioned to illuminate upward and/or outward to convey information to a pool user, such as an indication that the pool cleaner  12  is operating or an amount of time the pool cleaner  12  has been operating or has left to operate (e.g., through color changes, flashing, etc.). The downward-facing LEDs  38 , as described above, can also achieve this function of conveying information to the user. In addition, in some embodiments, the pool cleaner  12  can be a vacuum-driven pool cleaner, in which water flow through the fluid path of the pool cleaner  12  is reversed with respect to the pressure-driven pool cleaner embodiment described above. In such embodiments, the in-line LED module  10  operates the same as described above. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an internal LED module  56  according to another embodiment of the invention. The internal LED module  56  can operate similar to the in-line LED module  10  described above and can be positioned inside the pool cleaner  12  and at least partially within the fluid path of the pool cleaner  12 . In general, the fluid path of the pool cleaner  12  can include any components in which fluid is directed through the pool cleaner  12 , such as the pool hose attachment adapter  16 , the supply mast  14 , a sweep hose jet, a distributer manifold, thrust jets, a timing assembly, a hydraulic drive wheel assembly, a vacuum assembly, etc. 
     The internal LED module  56  can include an outer housing  26 , a paddle wheel  32 , a lead cover  50 , lead cables  63 , and LEDs  38 . The outer housing  26  can house a generator  30 , which can be coupled to a paddle wheel  32  via a generator shaft and can be substantially sealed off from the paddle wheel  32  by a seal plate and a rubber seal ring. As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the outer housing  26  can include a flow director  58  that directs water flow from the fluid path across the paddle wheel  32 . As a result, the paddle wheel  32  rotates, causing rotation of the generator shaft to generate power for the LEDs  38 . 
     The internal LED module  56  can be positioned at any location within the pool cleaner  12  so that the flow director  58  enters the fluid path and receives water flow to redirect to the paddle wheel  32 . For example, the internal LED module  56  can be positioned within the pool cleaner  12  so that the flow director  58  extends into the supply mast  14  or a distributor manifold  100  of the pool cleaner  12 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the distributor manifold  100  can substantially encircle a suction mast  101  of the pool cleaner  12  and can receive fluid flow from the supply mast  14 . Generally, the fluid path leads from the supply mast  14  to the distributor manifold  100  and the distributor manifold  100  distributes the fluid path of water flow received by the supply mast  14  to various portions of the pool cleaner  12  for operation, such as a fluid outlet  102  for a timer assembly (not shown), a sweep hose jet  104 , a vacuum assembly  106 , etc. In another example, the internal LED module  56  can be positioned downstream from the distributor manifold  100  (i.e., in comparison to upstream from the distributor manifold near the supply mast  14 ) and closer to the timer assembly, the sweep hose jet  104 , the vacuum assembly  106 , or other hydraulically operated assemblies of the pool cleaner  12 . The outer housing  26  can include a mounting portion  60  with through holes  62  to allow an operator to couple the internal LED module  56  to a chassis  108  or other component within the pool cleaner  12  using fasteners (not shown). 
     Referring back to the generator  30  in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a second side  48  of the generator  30  is enclosed in the outer housing  26  by the lead cover  50 . The lead cover  50  allows access for lead cables  63  to connect to leads  52  on the generator  30  (e.g., through lead openings  53  in the lead cover  50 ). The lead openings  53  can extend from sides of the of the lead cover  50 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , or can extend from a back end of the lead cover  50 , as shown in the lead cover  50  of  FIGS. 1-4  with respect to the in-line LED module  10 . The lead cables  63  are further connected to the LEDs  36  (e.g., with LED housings  38 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) in order to provide power and/or control to the LEDs  38 . The LEDs  38  can include control circuitry (e.g., internal control circuitry adjacent to the LEDs  38  and/or external control circuitry housed within the outer housing  26 ) to control the illumination time and/or color of the LEDs  38 . 
     The LEDs  38  can be positioned at one or more locations along the pool cleaner  12  to illuminate the surrounding area of the pool cleaner  12 . For example, the LEDs  38  can be positioned at locations near the bottom sides of the pool cleaner  12  to illuminate the pool floor or walls near the pool cleaner  12 . In another example, the LEDs  38  can be positioned at locations near the front of the pool cleaner  12  to illuminate debris in the path of the pool cleaner  12 . In another example, the LEDs  38  can be positioned at locations near the back side of the pool cleaner  12  to illuminate a whiptail (not shown) trailing the pool cleaner  12  to scrub pool surfaces. The LEDs  38  can be positioned substantially outside the pool cleaner  12 , or can be at least partially recessed within the pool cleaner  12  and protected by outer covers  64  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) of the pool cleaner  12 . In either such embodiment, the outer covers  64  can be removable to allow removal or replacement of the LEDs  38 , the lead cables  63 , and/or the internal LED module  56 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an LED tube module  66  according to another embodiment of the invention. The LED tube module  66  can be removably attached to a mounting assembly (not shown) on one of the outer covers  64  of the pool cleaner  12 . The LED tube module  66  can include a holder  68 , a cap  70 , one or more batteries  72 , shims  74 , a first printed circuit board (PCB)  76 , a second PCB  78 , and LEDs  38 . The first PCB  76  and the second PCB  78  can be positioned along opposite ends of the LED tube module  66  and can be connected by the shims  74 . The batteries  72  can be held in place between the first PCB  76 , the second PCB  78 , and the two shims  74 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The second PCB  78  can include a battery spring  80  and the first PCB  76  can include a battery tab  82 , or vice versa, in order to connect to terminals of the batteries  72  for powering circuitry on the first PCB  76  and/or the second PCB  78  as well as the LEDs  38 . The LEDs  38  can be connected to the first PCB  76  or the second PCB  78  and directed toward outward ends of the LED tube module  66  in order to illuminate both ends of the LED tube module  66 . Accordingly, either end of the LED tube module  66  (e.g., end portions of both the holder  68  and the cap  70 ) can include transparent portions  83  to allow light from the LEDs  38  to illuminate outward from the LED tube module  66 . In some embodiments, the entire outer housing  26  of the LED tube module  66  (i.e., including the holder  68  and the cap  70 ) can be constructed of transparent material. 
     The holder  68  and the cap  70  can form a water-tight housing  26  around the LEDs  38 , the batteries  72 , the first PCB  76 , and the second PCB  78 . According to one embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the holder  68  can include a first closed end  84  and a second open end  86  and can extend a portion of the total length of the LED tube module  66 . Adjacent to the second end  86 , the holder  68  can include an opening  88 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , sized to allow insertion of the batteries  72  between the first PCB  76  and the second PCB  78 . The cap  70  can extend a portion of the total length of the LED tube module  66  in order to at least cover the second open end  86  and the opening  88  of the holder  68  when the cap  70  is assembled over the holder  68 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the second open end  86  of the holder  68  can include a threaded portion  90 , and an inner end of the cap  70  can include a mating threaded portion  92  for coupling together the holder  68  and the cap  70 . As a result, the holder  68  and the cap  70  can be screwed apart to provide access inside the LED tube module  66  for replacing the batteries  72  or the LEDs  38 . 
     As described above, the holder  68  and the cap  70  can provide a water-tight outer housing  26  for the LEDs  38 , the first PCB  76 , the second PCB  78 , and the batteries  72 . More specifically, to prevent water from entering the LED tube module  66  when is it assembled, an o-ring  94  can be fitted over the holder  68  between the first closed end  84  and the opening  88  and can engage the cap  70  when the cap  70  and the holder  68  are assembled or screwed together (i.e., via the mating threaded portions  90 ,  92 ). 
     The LED tube module  66  can be attached to the pool cleaner  12  at any location along the pool cleaner&#39;s outer surface, for example onto a mounting assembly on one of the covers  64  of the pool cleaner  12 . Therefore, a user can detach the LED tube module  66  from the attachment portion in order to use it as an external light under or above water, to replace the batteries  72 , to replace the LEDs  38 , etc. The first PCB  76  can include circuitry such as one or more capacitors  96  and a motion sensor  98 . The motion sensor  98  can be used to detect substantial movement of the pool cleaner  12  (e.g., movement indicative of pool cleaner operation) and can be connected to the internal control circuitry of the LEDs  38  to signal operation of the LEDs  38  only when the pool cleaner  12  is in motion. In another embodiment, the LED tube module  66  can be attached to a chassis of the pool cleaner  12  or an underside of one of the covers  64 , and the LEDs  38  can illuminate through grating, holes, or transparent portions in the covers  64 . 
     The above embodiments of LED modules  10 ,  56 ,  66  describe illuminating the LEDs  38  when the pool cleaner  12  is in operation, either through electric power generation when the pool cleaner  12  is receiving water from a pool hose or through battery power based on motion sensor signals. Therefore, the LEDs  38  can provide functional as well as aesthetic uses. More specifically, the illuminated LEDs  38  can provide a quick signal to an operator that the pool cleaner  12  is in operation. In some embodiments, the control circuitry of the LEDs  38  and/or additional control circuitry of the LED modules  10 ,  56 ,  66  (such as the external control circuitry in the generator housing  28  or on the first PCB  76 ) can control the color and/or illumination time of the LEDs  38  based on the water pressure entering the pool cleaner  12 , for the hydraulically powered LED modules  10 ,  56 , or the speed of the pool cleaner  12 , for the battery-powered LED tube module  66 . For example, if the pool cleaner  12  is receiving insufficient water pressure, and as a result is not vacuuming properly, the paddle wheel  32  of the LED modules  10 ,  56  will rotate slower. Also, if the pool cleaner  12  is moving slower, for example due to an obstruction, a mechanical failure, etc., the motion sensor  98  may not signal or may emit different signals to the control circuitry. Either event can be communicated to the operator by operating the LEDs  38  with a different color (e.g., green for sufficient flow or movement speed, red for insufficient flow or movement speed) or at a different rate (e.g., constant illumination for sufficient flow or movement speed, flashing for insufficient flow or movement speed). 
     In addition, the LED control circuitry can operate the LEDs  38  in a single color mode (i.e., where all LEDs  38  illuminate the same color), a multi-color mode (i.e., where different LEDs  38  illuminate different colors, for example where one side of the pool cleaner  12  is illuminated red and the other side of the pool cleaner  12  is illuminated purple), or a color-changing mode (i.e., where the LEDs  38  illuminate a first color for a first time period, then a second color for a second time period, etc.). The color-changing mode may convey to an operator as to when the pool cleaner  12  will be done operating. For example, the LEDs  38  may be illuminated in a first color during most of the pool cleaner operation, and then illuminated in a second color during the last ten minutes of the pool cleaner operation so that the operator knows that the pool cleaner operation is almost completed. Each of the LED modules  10 ,  56 ,  66  can be easily removed from the pool cleaner  12  to allow repair or replacement of components, such as LEDs  38 , generators  30 , batteries  72 , etc. 
     Furthermore, in some embodiments of the invention, the LED modules  10 ,  56 ,  66  may be capable of connecting to a power supply and/or a controller (not shown) of the pool cleaner  12 . The power supply can assist powering the LEDs  38 , while the controller can provide additional information about the pool cleaner  12  in order to illuminate the LEDs  38  in accordance with other operations of the pool cleaner  12 . For example, the pool cleaner controller can include a sensor to determine when the debris bag needs to be emptied. The pool cleaner controller can communicate this needed action to the LED control circuitry, and the LED control circuitry can illuminate the LEDs  38  in a manner to alert the operator of the needed action. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the invention has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the invention is not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples and uses are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of each patent and publication cited herein is incorporated by reference, as if each such patent or publication were individually incorporated by reference herein. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.