Patent Publication Number: US-6984315-B2

Title: Pool cleaning device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a swimming pool cleaning device. More particularly, this invention relates to a device for cleaning a swimming pool without the use of additional hoses or suction devices. 
   Conventional swimming pool cleaning devices often have disadvantages associated with their use. One such disadvantage is that often these devices require a user to attach separate hoses and use additional devices in order to begin cleaning. Additional devices may include one or more hoses that typically must be attached a pool&#39;s filtration/cleaning system or a separate standalone system in order to provide the necessary suction to remove debris from the bottom of a pool. These additional hoses are often cumbersome and often take up a significant amount of storage space. 
   Another drawback with using conventional pool cleaning devices is that if such devices are improperly attached to the to a pool&#39;s filtration/cleaning system, damage to this system may occur. 
   It therefore would be desirable to provide a pool cleaning device that does not use cumbersome additional devices and that eliminates the potential damage to the swimming pool&#39;s filtration/cleaning system. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool cleaning device without the use of additional hoses or suction devices. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a swimming pool cleaning device that eliminates the potential danger to a swimming pool&#39;s filtration/cleaning system. 
   In accordance with this invention an apparatus for cleaning a swimming pool without the use of additional hoses or suction devices is provided. The apparatus may include a housing with a substantially hollow cavity that runs along the longitudinal axis of the housing; a handle means mounted to the housing for providing directional control and movement of the housing; a wheel means movably mounted to the housing for facilitating forward, backward, and angular movement of the housing along the swimming pool surface; a debris agitator means rotatably attached to the housing to facilitate water movement through the housing and the removal of debris from the swimming pool surface; a scraping means attached to the bottom of the housing for scraping the swimming pool surface; and a debris collection means detachably connected to the housing that filters debris from pool water and that allows filtered pool water to exit from the debris collection means. 
   The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a side view of an embodiment of a pool cleaner that may be used for performing the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows a partial side view of an embodiment of a pool cleaner that may be used for performing the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  shows a partial side view of an embodiment of a pool cleaner that may be used for performing the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  shows a side view of an embodiment of a pool cleaner that may be used for performing the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  shows a top view of an embodiment of a pool cleaner that may be used for performing the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  shows a top view of an embodiment of a pool cleaner that may be used for performing the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  shows a top rear view of an illustrative example of one embodiment of debris collection device. 
       FIG. 8   a  shows an illustrative embodiment of a debris agitator means according to the invention. 
       FIG. 8   b  shows an illustrative embodiment of a debris agitator means according to the invention. 
       FIG. 8   c  shows an illustrative embodiment of a debris agitator means according to the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   An apparatus according to the invention includes a housing defined by a top section, a rear section, two side sections, a bottom section, and a substantially hollow cavity that runs along the inner longitudinal axis of the housing. The apparatus may also include a handle means mounted to the housing for providing directional control and movement of the housing; a wheel means movably mounted to the housing for facilitating forward, backward, and angular movement of the housing along the swimming pool surface; at least one debris agitator means rotatably attached to the housing to facilitate water movement through the housing and the removal of debris from the swimming pool surface; a scraping means attached to the bottom of the housing for scraping debris from the swimming pool surface; and a debris collection means detachably connected to the housing that filters debris from pool water and that allows filtered pool water to exit from the debris collection means. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention the debris agitator means rotatably attached to the housing may be mechanically geared to the rotational movement of the wheel means. 
   In another embodiment of the present invention the rotation of the wheel means and/or the rotation of the debris agitator means may be electrically controlled. 
     FIGS. 1–4  show a side view of four preferred embodiments of an apparatus  100  according to the invention. Apparatus  100  may include housing  110 , handle means  120 , handle attachment means  145 , wheel means  170 , scraping means  180 , debris agitator means  190 , debris collections means  195 , flow valve  197 , and debris collection locking means  198 . 
   In  FIGS. 1–4 , housing  110  may be attached to handle means  120  using handle attachment means  145 . For example, handle attachment means may include universal ball  150  and universal socket  160  or any other suitable attachment device or devices that allows handle means  120  to be manipulated in a 360-degree motion. 
   The length of handle means  120  may be fixed (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) or may be adjustable (as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 ). When handle means  120  is adjustable, handle means  120  may include handle cylinder  130 , handle locking means  135 , and handle extension  140 . The length of handle means  120  may be adjusted by either collapsing or extending handle extension  140  into or from handle cylinder  130  and by applying handle extension locking means  135 . For example, handle cylinder  130  may have a larger diameter than handle extension  140  to allow handle extension  140  to adjustably slide in and out of handle cylinder  130 . When handle extension  140  is at a desired length, handle extension locking means  135  may be applied. Handle extension locking means  135  may, for example, be a twist lock device (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ), a pin (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), a spring-loaded pin (not shown), or any other suitable means for rigidly attaching handle cylinder  130  and handle extension  140  at a fixed desired length. 
   As mentioned above, apparatus  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , may also include wheel means  170 . Wheel means  170  may include wheel housing  172 , wheel  174 , and wheel cylinder  175 . Wheel housing  172  may be bottom mounted, side mounted, or mounted in any other suitable arrangement to housing  110 . For example, wheel  174  may be rotatably coupled to wheel housing  172  using wheel cylinder  175  or a like device. Wheel means  170  may include a single wheel (as shown in  FIGS. 1–4 ) or a plurality of wheels (not shown). 
   Apparatus  100  may also include scraping means  180  for scraping the bottom of a swimming pool. Scraping means  180  may be rigidly fixed or flexibly mounted to housing  110 . Scraping means  180  may be comprised of rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible material (e.g., steel, hard plastic, flexible plastic, or any other suitable material). As shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , scraping means  180  is preferably angularly constructed to facilitate scraping debris from the pool bottom. Alternatively, scraping means  180  may be linearly constructed (not shown). 
   Apparatus  100  may further include debris agitator means  190  that assists in the removal of debris from the pool surface. Debris agitator means may include fin means  192  attached to fin housing  825 . Fin means  192  may, for example, be flexible, rigid, bristle, and/or bristle-like structures that, when rotated, produce an aqueous current to assist in the removal of debris from the pool surface. Illustrative embodiments of debris agitator means  190  and fin means  192  are shown in  FIGS. 8   a ,  8   b , and  8   c.    
   Debris agitator means  190  may be rotatably attached to housing  110  using mounting means  805  (shown in  FIGS. 8   a ,  8   b , and  8   c ) or by any other suitable arrangement. To produce an aqueous current, debris agitator means  190  may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction at a sufficient rate of speed such that the aqueous current produced by fin means  192  assists in forcing debris down the substantially hollow cavity of housing  110  for collection within debris collection means  195 . Debris agitator means  190  may be rotated by the force of water against fin means  192  when apparatus  100  is operated in a forward direction, by a mechanical gearing device coupled to wheel means  170 , and/or by an electrical power source. 
   As further shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , apparatus  100  may also include debris collection means  195  for collecting debris from the pool surface. Debris collection means  195  may include mesh bag  196  ( FIG. 1 ), a series of meshed bags (not shown), single screen collection device  220  ( FIG. 2 ), dual screen collection device  320  ( FIG. 3 ), or any other suitable collection device for collecting debris from a pool surface. 
   Debris collection device  195  may be attached to housing  110  using debris collection locking means  198 . Debris collection locking means may, for example, be a tongue and groove arrangement, a VELCRO® hook-and-loop fastening strap, a buckle device, a clamping device, or any other suitable device and/or arrangement for detachably connecting debris collection means  195  to housing  110 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , apparatus  100  may also include flow valve  197 . Flow valve  197  may be used to prevent debris from reentering housing  110 . Flow valve  197  may, for example, be a hinged rubber stopper arrangement that opens when housing  110  is moved in a forward direction and closes when housing  110  moves in a reward direction. 
   In another embodiment, flow valve  197  may be mechanically geared to the rotation of wheel means  170 . For example, when wheel means  170  operates in a forward direction, flow valve  197  will be in open position allowing water and debris to flow into debris collection device  195 . Conversely, when wheel means  170  operates in a reverse direction, flow valve  197  will be in a closed position in order to prevent water and debris from flowing back through housing  110 . 
   In still another embodiment, flow valve  197  may be electrically geared to the rotation of wheel means  170 . For example, when wheel means  170  operates in a forward direction, an electronic sensor may sense such forward movement and cause flow valve  197  to be in open position allowing water and debris to flow into debris collection device  195 . Conversely, when wheel means  170  operates in a reverse direction, an electronic sensor may sense such rearward movement and cause flow valve  197  to be in a closed position in order to prevent water and debris from flowing back through housing  110 . 
     FIG. 2  shows a partial side view of one embodiment of apparatus  100 . In this view, the length of handle means  120  may be adjustable. As stated above, when handle means  120  is adjustable, handle means  120  may include handle cylinder  130 , handle locking means  135 , and handle extension  140 . The length of handle means  120  may be adjusted by either collapsing or extending handle extension  140  into or from handle cylinder  130  and by applying handle extension locking means  135 . For example, handle cylinder  130  may have a larger diameter than handle extension  140  to allow handle extension  140  to adjustably slide in and out of handle cylinder  130 . When handle extension  140  is at a desired length, handle extension locking means  135  may be applied. Handle extension locking means  135  may, for example, be a twist lock device (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ), a pin (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), a spring-loaded pin (not shown), or any other suitable means for rigidly attaching handle cylinder  130  and handle extension  140  at a fixed desired length. 
     FIG. 2  also shows one embodiment of debris collection means  195 . In this embodiment, debris collection means  195  may include debris collection device  220  that may further include screen  230  and debris removal cap  240 . Screen  230  allows debris that is more dense than water to settle at the bottom of debris collection device  240  while allowing water to exit from debris collection device  240  via screen  230 . Screen  230  may be a coarse screen, a fine screen, or any combination of coarse and fine screens. Debris removal cap  240  may be used to assist in the removal of debris from debris container device  240 . Debris container cap  240  may, for example, be a screw on device, a removable lid secured by a clamping mechanism, or any other suitable device. 
     FIG. 3  shows a partial side view of an embodiment of handle means  120 . In this view, handle means  120  may be at a fixed non-adjustable length.  FIG. 3  also shows an embodiment of debris collection means  195 . In this embodiment, debris collection means  195  may include debris collection device  220  that may further include screen  230 , screen  330 , and debris removal cap  240 . Screens  230  and  330  allow debris that is more dense than water to settle at the bottom of debris collection device  240  while allowing water to exit from debris collection device  240  via screens  230  and  330 . Screens  230  and  330  may include a coarse screen, a fine screen, or any combination of coarse and fine screens. Debris removal cap  240  maybe used to assist in the removal of debris from debris container device  240 . Debris container cap  240  may, for example, be a screw on device, a removable lid secured by a clamping mechanism, or any other suitable device that allows access to remove debris from debris container device  220 . 
     FIG. 4  shows a side view of an embodiment of apparatus  100  according to the invention. In this embodiment, apparatus  100  may include secondary debris agitator means  410  to further assist in the removal of debris from the pool surface. Secondary debris agitator means may include propeller  420  or like device, propeller housing  430 , and safety screen  440 . For example, propeller  420  or like device may be rotatably attached to the inner-top portion of housing  110 . Propeller  420  may rotate in a counterclockwise motion in order to create a suction that assists in lifting and removing small debris from the pool surface. The rotation of propeller  420  may be geared to the movement of wheel means  170  or may be operated from an electrical source. 
   Propeller  420  or like device may be partially surrounded (i.e., top, left side, and right side) by propeller housing  430  and may be attached to housing  110 . The bottom side of propeller housing  430  may include an opening such that safety screen  440  may be inserted. Safety screen  440  may, for example, be used to prevent accidental contact with propeller  220 . 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  are top views of two embodiments of apparatus  100 . In addition to the items previously described above, apparatus  100  may include gearing/electronic compartment  510  and flow holes  520 . Gearing/electronic compartment  510  may be a watertight compartment used to house gearing components that may be used to drive debris agitator means  190  and/or secondary debris agitator means  410 . Gearing/electronic compartment  510  may also house electrical components necessary to drive debris agitator means  190 , secondary debris agitator means  410 , and/or wheel means  170 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , apparatus  100  may also include flow holes  520  to assist in the rotation of debris agitator means  190  and the flow of water through housing  110 . 
     FIG. 7  shows a top rear view of one embodiment of debris collection device  220 . In this embodiment, debris that flows through housing  110  and that is more dense than water collects near or on top of debris container cap  240 . The filtered water then may exit debris container device  220  via screen  230  and/or screen  330 . As stated above, screen  220  and screen  330  may be a coarse screen, a fine screen, or any combination of coarse and fine screens. 
   As stated above,  FIGS. 8   a ,  8   b , and  8   c  show illustrative embodiments of debris agitator means  190 . As also stated above debris agitator means  190  may include fin means  192 , fin housing  825 , and mounting means  805 . Fin means  192  may rigidly or flexibly attached to fin housing  825 . Fin means  192  may be flexible, rigid, bristle, and/or bristle-like like structures that, when rotated, produce an aqueous current to assist in the removal of debris from the pool surface. Fin means  192  may also, when rotated, have contact with the pool surface to further assist in the removal of debris. 
   Debris agitator means  190  may be rotatably attached to housing  110  using mounting means  805  or by any other suitable arrangement. To produce an aqueous current, debris agitator means  190  may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction at a sufficient rate of speed such that the aqueous current produced by fin means  192  assists in forcing debris down the hollow cavity of housing  110  for collection within debris collection means  195 . Debris agitator means  190  may be rotated by the force of water against fin means  192  when apparatus  100  is operated in a forward direction, by a mechanical gearing device coupled to wheel means  170 , and/or by an electrical power source. 
   Thus, a device for cleaning a swimming pool without the use of additional hoses or suction devices is provided. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the described embodiments are presented for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation and the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.