Patent Publication Number: US-2015076048-A1

Title: Swimming Pool Cleaner With A Rigid Debris Canister

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to swimming pool cleaners and, more particularly, to automatic swimming pool cleaners movable along an underwater pool surface for purposes of cleaning debris therefrom. Still more particularly, this invention relates to debris-collection means for swimming pool cleaners having the flow of water pumped and/or sucked by remote pumps into and through the pool cleaners. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Automatic swimming pool cleaners of the type that move about the underwater surfaces of a swimming pool are driven by many different kinds of systems. A variety of different pool-cleaner devices in one way or another harness the flow of water, as it is drawn or pushed through the pool cleaner by the pumping action of a remote pump for debris collection purposes. 
     Suction automatic pool cleaners are very successful when there is fine debris or debris that become soft in water. This fine debris is sucked up by the cleaner and deposited into a pump basket, or other debris-collection device, and the really fine debris passes into the pool filter. An example of a suction cleaner is disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,148 (Rief et al.), entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     Suction automatic swimming pool cleaners are used in places with much sand and slit. Although suction cleaners can take leafy debris once it has softened in the pool, large debris such as large acorns and hard leafs would plug up a suction cleaner. Suction swimming pool cleaners are also limited to the debris size due to loss of suction if the inlet and/or outlet orifices are widened to accommodate such large debris and of the possibility of large debris clogging the pool pipes. 
     Conversely, pressure automatic swimming pool cleaners are very successful when there is large debris such as leaves and acorns, these large debris are pulled off the pool surface by virtue of a venturi effect and arc placed into a debris-collection device, such as a bag, above the cleaner. An example of a pressure cleaner is disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,578 (Rief et al.), entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     With a pressure swimming pool cleaner, the limitation is the opposite to the suction cleaner. In removing very large debris from the swimming pool, a pressure cleaner uses a collection bag. Regardless of how fine the bag is, sand and slit can pass through the bag back into the pool. 
     The problem is that most often only one cleaner is used in a pool. Therefore, people have either a suction cleaner or a pressure cleaner. Many swimming-pool builders place a suction cleaner into a pool when it is built. This is because there is no real landscaping around the pool at the time of the cleaner installation. However, just few years later, when trees and bushes have grown up, the debris becomes overwhelming and constantly plugs the suction cleaner. 
     Still with the pressure cleaner, no matter how large debris is in the pool, there is always sand and slit from cement and other elements of the surrounding environment. Such fine debris will pass through the debris-collection bag back into the pool. Although some swimming pool pressure cleaners have tails that supposedly whip the debris toward the main drain, in reality such tails only bring the dirt into suspension until it falls back on the pool bottom to start the process all over again. 
     Attempts have been made to utilize both a suction power and a pressure flow from remote pumps by the same swimming pool cleaner apparatus. 
     Another common flaw of pool cleaners is the debris collector which typically presents certain maintenance difficulties. More specifically, when the cleaner operates as a suction cleaner, the debris collector is typically connected to the hoses. This presents a hindrance to the movement of the cleaner and the hoses. Moreover, such in-line debris collectors are typically located in awkward positions in the pool and are difficult to clean. 
     It would have been highly beneficial to a suction-cleaner debris collector which is easy to install and maintain and which keeps the pump basket clear of debris. 
     Pressure cleaners are known to use flexible nylon bags typically made from a soft material. They also have a tendency to be caught under the cleaner wheels and be damaged. These bags have to be replaced frequently due to tearing and other damage caused by manhandling and improper installation of the bag, including chemical damage to the material of the bag. 
     Furthermore, while flexible bags may trap some fine debris, most of slit and dirt flows back into the pool. Flexible bags are hard to clean due to their collapsible nature. In order to clean the bag, one has to open up a zipper, hook-and-loop or slide-on-T closure. Most often dirt gets logged into these closures making it difficult to clean the closures and the bag. 
     In the pool, flexible bags act like sails and are a hindrance to pool-cleaner movement. When the bag is full of debris, the balance is lost and the bag falls over, may get caught under cleaner&#39;s wheels and obstructs free movement of the cleaner. Once the bag falls over, cleaning ability of the cleaner is lost, but the cleaner may still attempt to move thereby damaging the bag and making it increasingly difficult to clean or replace the damaged bag. 
     It is desirable to have a pressure-cleaner debris collector with an increased debris capacity, easy to install and to clean, which gives the cleaner improved buoyancy, and is durable and long lasting. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an improved swimming pool cleaner overcoming some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, including those referred to above. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved swimming pool cleaner which is able to successfully remove fine and large debris from the swimming-pool underwater surface. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved single swimming pool cleaner which may operate as a suction cleaner or as a pressure cleaner. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved swimming pool cleaner that is easily transformed from a pressure-cleaner type to a suction-cleaner type or from the suction-cleaner type to the pressure-cleaner type. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved swimming pool cleaner that includes a suction-cleaner debris collector which is easy to install and maintain. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an improved suction swimming pool cleaner which keeps the pump basket clear of debris. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved swimming pool cleaner that includes a debris collector with an increased debris capacity yet gives the cleaner correct buoyancy. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved swimming pool cleaner that includes a debris collector which is easy to install and to clean, and which is durable and long lasting. 
     How these and other objects are accomplished will become apparent from the following descriptions and the drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is an improved swimming pool cleaner of the type movable along an underwater pool surface to clean debris therefrom. The swimming pool cleaner includes a body having a debris inlet and a debris outlet. 
     The inventive swimming pool cleaner includes a rigid debris-collection canister secured to the cleaner body over the debris outlet to collect debris in the rigid canister and pass filtered water either back into the pool or to a remote suction system. In the inventive swimming pool cleaner the collected debris remain at the pool-cleaner body for easy maintenance while allowing free flow of water through the rigid canister. The rigid canister is shaped to minimize obstructions to the pool cleaner movement in the pool by providing improved buoyancy and limiting entrapment of the cleaner by underwater pool structures. 
     In some embodiments when the inventive pool cleaner operates as a suction cleaner, the rigid debris-collection canister has a substantially sealed interior to maintain suction. The canister preferably includes a fine-mesh container connected to the debris outlet and positioned for entrapping debris in the sealed interior. The rigid canister also has a connection to a suction-system hose for passing filtered water thereto. The connection to the suction-system hose is preferably a swivel connection allowing the pool cleaner turn in different directions without twisting the hose. The swivel connection may be of the type disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,046 (Rief), entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Any other known connection, of course, may also be used. 
     In the suction-cleaner embodiment, the rigid debris-collection canister preferably includes a base portion and a cover portion which is sealingly connected to the base portion. In some of such embodiments the rigid debris-collection canister includes an o-ring gasket seal between the base and cover portions. However, any other suitable seal may clearly be used to achieve the sealed interior for the suction-cleaner rigid debris-collection canister. 
     In embodiments where the pool cleaner operates as a pressure cleaner; the rigid debris-collection canister includes a base portion and a cover portion connected to the base portion. The cover portion preferably has a series of apertures for passing filtered water back into the pool. It is preferred that the base portion of the rigid canister has a solid structure to retain fine debris therein. The cover portion may include a fine mesh insert positioned opposite the debris outlet to entrap fine debris such as sand and pollen. 
     In preferred embodiments, the rigid canister has a debris-receiving region about the debris outlet and a debris-collecting region extending from the debris-receiving region to the rear of the pool cleaner. The rigid canister is preferably configured such that the debris flow to the rear and accumulate from the debris-collecting region toward the debris-receiving region to fill up the canister substantially uniformly and substantially free of interference with the pool-cleaner operation. 
     The base portion preferably includes an L-shaped protrusion extending from a base-portion edge. The cover portion preferably defines an aperture configured to receive the L-shaped protrusion therein, thereby forming a hinge connection between the base and cover portions. It is preferred that the hinge connection is positioned at a forward end of the canister. The canister also preferably includes a retaining latch at a rear end thereof for securely locking the base portion to the cover portion during the pool cleaner operation. 
     Preferred embodiments of the inventive pool cleaner further include an attachment mechanism securely locking the rigid canister to the pool cleaner body. The attachment mechanism preferably includes a connector mechanism and a locking mechanism. The connector mechanism is secured to the debris outlet and defines a pair of oppositely-positioned slots. The locking mechanism forms a pair of oppositely-positioned locking projections. The locking mechanism is configured to snap the projections into the corresponding slots of the connector mechanism for securely attaching the rigid canister to the pool cleaner body for operation and to withdraw the projections from the slots for detaching the rigid canister from the cleaner for emptying and pool cleaner maintenance. 
     The locking mechanism preferably includes a pair of locking members each including one of the locking projections. Each locking member has a fixed end which is secured to the rigid canister and a free end. In a released state, the locking members maintain the projections in the corresponding slots and when the free ends are pressed toward each other the projections are withdrawn from the slots thereby releasing the rigid canister from the cleaner body. Each of the locking members may include a finger grip at its free end for a simple finger pressing of the free ends toward each other to withdraw the projections from the slots to detach of the rigid canister from the pool-cleaner body. 
     Each fixed end of the locking member preferably defines a hole therethrough. A fastener stud extends through the holes of both fixed ends and a canister wall, thereby affixing the fixed ends to the rigid canister. The fastener stud may have a U-like shape and include a gripping wedge extending outwardly substantially perpendicular along each leg of the U-shaped stud and sloping to terminate at the end of the leg. The perpendicular surfaces of the wedges engage an interior surface of the rigid canister, thereby securely mounting the locking mechanism to the rigid canister. 
     The connector mechanism may include a pair of corresponding keys, one on each of first and second connector portions. The first connector portion preferably extends from the pool-cleaner body around the debris outlet. The second connector portion may be secured to the first connector portion by interengagement of the corresponding keys which engage by rotation of the first and second connector portions. The second connector portion preferably defines the pair of oppositely-positioned slots. 
     The swimming pool cleaner of the present invention provides an important advantage in that it can be interchangeably usable as a suction cleaner for removal of fine debris such as sand and slit and as a pressure cleaner for removal of large and hard debris such as large leaves, acorns and stones. 
     One such apparatus is disclosed in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/581,405 (Rief et al.) filed on Oct. 19, 2009, entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application discloses a single cleaner which is successful is removing both fine and large debris from the swimming-pool underwater surface. 
     The swimming pool cleaner of the &#39;405 Rief et al. application can be interchangeably usable as a suction cleaner for removal of fine debris such as sand and slit and as a pressure cleaner for removal of large and hard debris such as large leaves, acorns and stones. The body of this cleaner is adapted at the debris outlet for securement of either a water-suction hose connected to a remote suction system or a debris-collection device entrapping debris and passing water therethrough back into the pool. When the cleaner is used as a pressure cleaner, a venturi-line structure is secured with respect to the body. The body is also adapted at the debris outlet for securement of a removable debris-outlet adjuster configured to reduce the debris outlet for connection to the water-suction hose and further includes a debris-inlet adjuster configured to reduce the debris inlet to adapt the cleaner for use as a suction cleaner. 
     In the inventive swimming pool cleaner, the cleaner body is adapted for securement of either a water-suction hose connected to a remote suction system or a venturi-line structure connected to a water-flow line fed by a remote pump such that the pool cleaner is interchangeably usable as a suction cleaner and as a pressure cleaner. A rigid debris-collection is canister secured to the cleaner body over the debris outlet to collect debris in the rigid canister and pass filtered water either back into the pool or to a remote suction system such that the collected debris remain at the pool-cleaner body for easy maintenance while allowing free flow of water through the rigid canister. The rigid canister is shaped to minimize obstructions to the pool cleaner movement in the pool by providing improved buoyancy and limiting entrapment of the cleaner by underwater pool structures such as ladders and the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an inventive swimming pool cleaner operating as a suction cleaner. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an inventive swimming pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the inventive swimming pool cleaner operating as a pressure cleaner and showing a partial cross-section. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the inventive swimming pool cleaner without rigid canister. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the inventive swimming pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the inventive swimming pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the inventive swimming pool cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the rigid canister for a suction cleaner. 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of the rigid canister of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of the rigid canister of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is a rear view of the rigid canister of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the rigid canister of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of the rigid canister when attached to a suction mode. 
         FIG. 14  is another cross-sectional side view of the rigid canister when attached to a suction-mode cleaner and showing flow of debris-filled water and filtered water. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of a hose swivel connection. 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded side view of the swimming pool cleaner in a pressure mode with a cross-sectional side view of the rigid canister for the pressure cleaner. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view of the rigid canister when attached to a pressure-mode cleaner and showing flow of debris-filled water and filtered water. 
         FIG. 18  is another cross-sectional side view of the rigid canister when attached to a pressure-mode cleaner. 
         FIG. 19  is yet another cross-sectional side view of the rigid canister when attached to a pressure-mode cleaner. 
         FIG. 20  is a top view of the rigid canister  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 21  is a front view of the rigid canister  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 22  is a cross-sectional side view of the rigid canister when attached to a pressure-mode cleaner and showing the hinge connection between the base and cover portions. 
         FIG. 23  is a top view of the base portion of the rigid canister. 
         FIG. 24  is a top view of the base portion of the rigid canister with the attachment mechanism in place. 
         FIG. 25  is a side view of the attachment mechanism. 
         FIG. 26  is a side view of the connector mechanism. 
         FIG. 27  is a top view of a first portion of the connector mechanism. 
         FIG. 28  is a top view of a second portion of the connector mechanism. 
         FIG. 29  is an exploded view of a locking mechanism with a fastener stud. 
         FIG. 30  is a top view of the locking mechanism in a locked position. 
         FIG. 31  is a top view of the locking mechanism in a unlocked position. 
         FIG. 32  is a fragmental side cross-sectional view of the pool cleaner in a suction mode. 
         FIG. 33  is a fragmental side cross-sectional view of the pool cleaner in a pressure mode. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1-33  illustrate a preferred swimming pool cleaner  10  in accordance with the present invention. Swimming pool cleaner  10  is of the type movable along an underwater pool surface  11  to clean debris  12  therefrom. Swimming pool cleaner  10  includes a body  14  having a debris inlet  15  and a debris outlet  16 .  FIGS. 1-4  show preferred body  14  formed of two or more plastic pieces designed to accommodate the parts and features of the invention. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , swimming pool cleaner  10  includes a rigid debris-collection canister  20  secured to cleaner body  14  over debris outlet  16  to collect debris  12  in rigid canister  20  and pass filtered water  17  either back into the pool or to a remote suction system. In swimming pool cleaner  10 , collected debris  12  remain at pool-cleaner body  14  for easy maintenance while allowing free flow of water through rigid canister  20 .  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 - 12  best illustrate that rigid canister  20  is shaped to minimize obstructions to movement of pool cleaner movement in the pool by providing improved buoyancy and limiting entrapment of the cleaner by underwater pool structures. Canister has a smooth curved shape with rounded corners. 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  show rigid canister  20 A secured to pool cleaner  10 A which operates as a suction cleaner  10 A. Rigid debris-collection canister  20 A has a substantially sealed interior  21  to maintain suction. Canister  20 A includes a fine-mesh container  22  connected to debris outlet  16  and positioned for entrapping debris  12  in sealed interior  21 . Rigid canister  20 A also has a connection  23  to a suction-system hose  13  for passing filtered water  17  thereto.  FIG. 15  shows connection  23  to suction-system hose  13  which is a swivel connection  35  allowing pool cleaner  10 A to turn in different directions without twisting hose  13 . 
     Rigid debris-collection canister  20  includes a base portion  24  and a cover portion  25 . In canister  20 A, cover portion  24  is sealingly connected to base portion  25 .  FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate that rigid debris-collection canister  20 A includes an o-ring gasket seal  36  between base portion  24  and cover portion  25 . 
       FIGS. 16-22  illustrate embodiments where pool cleaner  10  operates as a pressure cleaner which includes rigid debris-collection canister  20 B with base portion  24  and a cover portion  25 B connected to base portion  24 . As seen in FIGS.  3  and  16 - 22 , cover portion  25 B has a series of apertures  250  for passing filtered water  17  back into the pool. It is seen in  FIGS. 16-19  and  22 - 24  that base portion  24  has a solid structure to retain fine debris therein. As illustrated in  FIG. 17 , cover portion  25 B includes a fine mesh insert  27  positioned inside rigid canister  20 B opposite debris outlet  16  to entrap fine debris such as sand and pollen. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 14 and 17 , rigid canister  20  has a debris-receiving region  28  about debris outlet  16  and a debris-collecting region  29  extending from debris-receiving region  28  to rear  18  of pool cleaner  10 . These FIGURES further illustrate that rigid canister  20  is configured such that debris  12  flow to rear  18  and accumulate from debris-collecting region  29  toward debris-receiving region  28  to fill up canister  20  substantially uniformly and substantially free of interference with the pool-cleaner operation. 
     Base portion  24  includes L-shaped protrusions  31  extending from a base-portion edge  32 , as seen in  FIGS. 3 ,  16 ,  18  and  19 .  FIGS. 3 ,  20  and  21  best show that cover portion  25  defines apertures  33  configured to receive L-shaped protrusions  31  therein, thereby forming a hinge connection  30  between base portion  24  and cover portion  25 . As illustrated at least in  FIGS. 3 and 22 , hinge connection  30  is positioned at a forward end  26 F of canister  20 . Canister  20  also includes a retaining latch  34  at a rear end  26 R thereof for securely locking base portion  24  to cover portion  25  during the pool cleaner operation. 
     Pool cleaner  10  further includes an attachment mechanism  40  securely locking rigid canister  20  to pool-cleaner body  14 . Attachment mechanism  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 13 ,  16 ,  23 - 31 , includes a connector mechanism  41  and a locking mechanism  42 . Connector mechanism  41  is secured to debris outlet  16  and defines a pair of oppositely-positioned slots  43  best seen in  FIGS. 26-28 . Locking mechanism  42  forms a pair of oppositely-positioned locking projections  44 .  FIGS. 25 ,  30  and  31  illustrate that locking mechanism  42  is configured to snap projections  44  into corresponding slots  43  of connector mechanism  41  for securely attaching rigid canister  20  to pool cleaner body  14  for operation and to withdraw projections  44  from slots  43  for detaching rigid canister  20  from cleaner  10  for emptying and pool cleaner maintenance. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 29-31 , locking mechanism  42  includes a pair of locking members  45  each including one of locking projections  44 . Each locking member  45  has a fixed end  46  which is secured to rigid canister  20  and a free end  47 .  FIG. 30  shows locking mechanism in released state in which locking members  45  maintain projections  44  in corresponding slots  42 . When free ends  47  are pressed toward each other, as seen in  FIG. 31 , projections  44  are withdrawn from slots  43  thereby releasing rigid canister  20  from cleaner body  14 . 
       FIGS. 29-31  further show that each locking member  45  includes a finger grip  45  at its free end  47  for a simple finger pressing of free ends  47  toward each other to withdraw projections  44  from slots  43  to detach of rigid canister  20  from pool-cleaner body  14 . 
     It is also seen in  FIGS. 29-31  that each fixed end  46  of locking member  45  defines a hole  460  therethrough. A fastener stud  50  extends through holes  460  of both fixed ends  46  and a canister wall  210 , thereby affixing fixed ends  46  to rigid canister  20 .  FIG. 29  shows that fastener stud  50  has a U-like shape and includes a gripping wedge  51  extending outwardly substantially perpendicular along each leg  52  of U-shaped stud  50  and sloping to terminate at the end  53  of leg  52 . Perpendicular surfaces  54  of wedges  51  engage an interior surface  211  of rigid canister  20 , thereby securely mounting locking mechanism  42  to rigid canister  20 . 
     FIGS.  16  and  26 - 28  show that connector mechanism  41  includes a pair of corresponding keys  55 , one on each of first connector portion  56  and second connector portion  57 . As seen in  FIG. 16 , first connector portion  56  extends from pool-cleaner body  14  around debris outlet  16 . Second connector portion  57  is secured to first connector portion  56  by interengagement of corresponding keys  55  which engage each other by rotation of first and second connector portions  56  and  57 . Second connector portion  57  defines pair of oppositely-positioned slots  43 . 
       FIGS. 32 AND 33  illustrate that swimming pool cleaner  10  can be interchangeably usable as a suction cleaner  10 A for removal of fine debris  12  such as sand and slit and as a pressure cleaner  10 B for removal of large and hard debris  12  such as large leaves, acorns and stones. 
     It is seen in  FIGS. 32 and 33  that cleaner body  14  is adapted for securement of either water-suction hose  13  connected to a remote suction system or a venturi-line structure  19  connected to a water-flow line fed by a remote pump such that the pool cleaner is interchangeably usable as suction cleaner  10 A and as pressure cleaner  10 B. 
     While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such embodiments are by way of example and are not limiting.