Patent Publication Number: US-4835809-A

Title: Apparatus for automatic cleaning particularly of the bottom of a swimming pool

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus having automatic displacement capable of cleaning by aspiration in particular the bottom of a swimming pool or the like. 
     The cleaning of a swimming pool consists of removing the deposits which occur essentially on the bottom. 
     2. Background and Discussion of Relevant Information 
     This operation is performed most often, manually by means of a sweep connected to the general aspiration of the swimming pool. 
     This operation which must be performed once per week quickly becomes a chore which explains the value of automatic cleaning apparatus and their development despite an expensive price. 
     The available automatic apparatus on the market are classified in two major categories: agitators and aspirators. 
     The agitators are sorts of octopuses which are animated by a recycling of pressurized water. 
     Their role is to resuspend in the water the deposits which have occurred. The materials in suspension are then eliminated by the general filtration system of the swimming pool. 
     The aspirators are apparatus with automatic displacement on the bottom and if desired the walls of the pool, which are, either connected to the general aspiration by a floating pipe or a superpressurizer, or electrically controlled by an on board propulsive set programmed if desired. 
     The majority of displacement systems of these apparatus rely upon a sophisticated mechanism (turbines, gears, submerged pump, motor-reducer, end of path contacts) of an elevated manufacture and maintenance cost. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention attempts to overcome these disadvantages and its aim is to provide an automatic operation apparatus, of simple design and utilizing the hydraulic energy of the recycling of the water of the swimming pool to assure the aspiration of the deposits and the propulsion of the apparatus. 
     To this end, the invention has as object an apparatus for the automatic cleaning particularly of the bottom of a swimming pool or the like, characterized in that it comprises an aspiration container in the general form of a flattened cylinder of vertical axis provided with a removable bottom defining therewith an aspiration orifice or mouth situated in a plane substantially parallel to the surface to be cleaned and at a small distance therefrom, and an outlet orifice of aspirated water, a filter positioned in the container between the said aspiration orifice and the said water outlet orifice, a means integral with the container adapted to aspirate the water of the container and to send it into a pipe carried by the container and oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the surface to be cleaned and a deflector wing attached to the container, the axis of the propulsive jet of the pipe being laterally offset with respect to the vertical axis of the container and cutting the plane of the deflector wing. 
     Such an apparatus is of the type to displace itself along the bottom of a pool by reaction along a straight line defined by the resultant of the propulsive force of the jet of the pipe and the braking force of the deflector wing, then, upon contact with a lateral wall of the swimming pool, to pivot to start again along another direction and to repeat the same pivoting against another wall, the apparatus displacing itself thus in the manner of a billiard ball return by the edges and finishing by passing over the entire surface of the bottom and thus completely cleaning it. 
     The water and the impurities and various debris covering the bottom are thus aspirated into the container, th impurities and debris are filtered and the water aspirated is ejected by the propulsive pipe. 
     The apparatus rests on the bottom by means of swivelling wheels and/or a brush positioned in a cordon adjacent to the said water aspiration orifice. 
     The propulsion means of the container can be an apparatus known as a hydro-injector and comprising a water injection inlet orifice connected by a flexbile pipe to a recycle mouth or the like of the swimming pool, a water aspiration orifice connected to the water outlet orifice of the container and a recycle pipe constituting the said propulsive pipe. This apparatus has the merit of utilizing traditional equipment of the swimming pool and of consuming practically no energy by virtue of the fact that the recycling system of the water of the swimming pool is practically always in action. 
     The propulsion means can likewise be constituted by an electric pump incorporated into the container and driving a turbine positioned in a conduit connecting the water outlet orifice of the container to the said propulsive pipe. The electricity is furnished, either by a floating electric cable connected to a grounded electric source, or from an on board battery. 
     This second propulsion means lends itself most particularly to providing an apparatus likewise capable of displacing itself on the surface of the water, the &#34;head&#34; down, and cleaning the surface by aspiration of the surface film of water. To this end, one or more removable floats are attached to the bottom and the container of the apparatus. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other characteristics and advantages will become clear from the description which follows of the embodiments of the apparatus of the invention, description given by way of example only and with reference to the annexed drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical cross-section of a swimming pool with its equipment and an apparatus according to the invention in action on the bottom; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the displacement of the apparatus on the bottom of the swimming pool; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section along line IV--IV of the apparatus of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is an axial vertical cross-section of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-section of another embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention; and 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 6, the &#34;head&#34; down for the cleaning of the surface of the water of the swimming pool. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a swimming pool 1 with its water aspiration pump 2, its filter 3 and a filtered water recycle mouth 4 in the swimming pool. At the bottom of the swimming pool a cleaning apparatus 5 displaces itself propelled by reaction force and connected by a flexible channel 6 to the recycle mouth 4. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 schematically illustrate one embodiment of apparatus 5 schematically shown in FIG. 1. 
     The apparatus shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is constituted by a container or housing having a substantially cylindrical outer wall with a 7 vertical axis open at its lower portion and having at its upper portion a circular orifice 8 coaxial with container 7, called a water outlet orifice. 
     The lower orifice is almost entirely blocked by a removable bottom 9 defining only with the lower edge of the container an orifice or outlet 10 called an aspiration orifice in the form of a narrow arched window, extending over approximately 120° of the circumference of the container 7. 
     On the opposite side of aspiration mouth 10 bottom 9 is provided with swivelling wheels 11. Adjacent the mouth the lower edge of container 7 is provided with an arched brush 12 having substantially the same shape and length as the lower edge of the container. The arched brush 12 and wheels 11 maintain the apparatus at a sufficient distance from the bottom of the swimming pool to allow for its displacement and appropriate aspiration of the various impurities and debris littering the bottom, after a preliminary brushing of the surface to be cleaned. 
     Within container 7 is positioned an annular filter F of the washable cartridge type for example, interposed between aspiration mouth 10 and water outlet orifice 8. 
     This orifice makes container 7 communicate with a reaction hydraulic propulsion apparatus 13 commonly called a hydro-injector. 
     Such an apparatus is well known and need not be described in detail. It comprises a propulsive tube 14 whose inlet is connected to the water outlet orifice 8 and an injector 15 opening onto the axis of pipe 14 and connected to an orifice 16 called an injection orifice coaxial with orifice 8 and connected by a turning connection 17 with flexible channel 6. 
     The body of the hydro-injector 13 has the general shape of a T, the pipe 14 being positioned horizontally. Furthermore, the outlet 14a of the pipe (FIG. 3) is directed on the side such that the axis 18 of thrust of the ejected water does not cut the vertical axis of the apparatus but is offset in a fashion so as to cut a deflector wing vertical plane 19 fixedly mounted on the container-hydro-injector assembly. 
     The angular position (FIG. 3) of pipe 14 and wing 19 with respect to the opening of aspiration mouth 10 is determined in a fashion such that in the water the conjugation of the propulsive force 18 with the reaction to the advancement caused by wing 19 causes a resultant force displacing the apparatus in a direction 20 in the axis of the aspiration mouth 10. 
     The trajectory of the apparatus in movement on the bottom of the swimming pool is shown in FIG. 2. It is more or less similar to that of a billiard ball which successively hits the sides of the billiard table and keeps moving such that it practically never passes over the same spot and thus arrives at the end of a certain number of successive changes of direction, to &#34;cover&#34; the entire surface on which it is displaced. 
     In the absence of an obstacle the apparatus 5 displaces in a rectilinear fashion. Arriving at abutment (A) against the wall of the swimming pool, the resistance to the advancement caused by the wing 19 disappears and the rotational movement which has a tendency to apply the offset propulsive force 18 on the apparatus 5 is no longer compensated such that apparatus 5 will pivot substantially on itself (B) around its vertical axis unitl the reaction of the wall (C) disappears and the wing 19 reassumes its full compensation effect. At this moment apparatus 5 is oriented in direction 21 and displaces itself practically in a straight line. In FIG. 2 out of concern for clarity three offset positions A, B, C of the apparatus are shown during the encounter with the wall. In reality the three positions are approximately superimposed 
     Upon encountering D with another wall of the swimming pool the apparatus will again veer away from the edge and take off again along direction direction 22, to again veer at E and take off along direction 23; and thus continuing in a manner so as to &#34;sweep&#34; the entire bottom surface of the swimming pool at the end of a certain amount of time. 
     In the course of its displacements the brush 12 brushes the bottom thus raising the deposits. These are then aspirated by the reduced pressure created within container 7 by hydro-injector 13 and retained by the filter F. The aspirated water purified of its various debris is then directed towards pipe 14 and participates in the propulsive effort of the motor. 
     The connection of channel 6 to the recycle system 4 of the pool allows for a normal operation of the filtration installation of the water of the swimming pool which eliminates the impurities which would not have been arrested by filter F of apparatus 5. The latter necessitates therefore neither exterior installation nor additional energy. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodimemnt in which the deflector wing assembly 19-hydro-injector 13 is mounted rotatable on container 7&#39; in the manner of a weather vane. 
     The aspiration mouth 10&#39; is, as a result, totally circular and the raised removable bottom 9&#39; is provided with a brush 12&#39; in the form of a circular cordon attached to the periphery of the bottom. The latter comprises, as the bottom 9 of the embodiment of FIG. 4, an internal edge 24 over the entire length of mouth 10&#39;, so as to hold fast the debris and impurities in the apparatus during the outward exit of the water from the apparatus, to empty it in particular and change the filter. The apparatus rests on the bottom of the swiming pool only by means of the brush cordon 12&#39;. 
     It should be noted that the apparatus does not utilize adherence on the bottom of the swiming pool to displace itself and, as a result, its displacement on an inclined bottom does not pose a problem because there is no risk of sliding. 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment in which the propulsive reaction means is constituted by a turbine 25 positioned in a bent conduit 26 serving as a pipe and mounted rotatable on the water outlet orifice 8 of container 7&#34; of the apparatus. 
     The turbine 25, of axis coaxial to the axis of container 7&#34; is driven by an electric motor 27 attached on the bottom 9&#34; within annular filter F. The aspiration mouth 10&#34; is circular and provided with a brush cordon 12&#39; as in the apparatus of FIG. 5. 
     The rotating pipe 26 has its end likewise oriented in an offset manner with respect to the vertical axis of the apparatus and is likewise provided with a deflector wing 19&#34;. The apparatus displaces itself exactly as those of the preceding figures. 
     The electric feed of motor 27 is assured, either by a floating electric cable 28 connected to a grounded electric source (sector or another), or from a group of batteries loaded on the apparatus as symbolically shown at 29. In this latter version the apparatus can be utilized to clean the surface of the water 30 (FIG. 7) of the swimming pool by placing the &#34;head&#34; down and making it float by virtue of one or more removable floats 31 attached to the bottom 9&#34; and on the container 7&#34; in a manner such that mouth 10&#34; aspirates the film of surface water of the swimming pool. 
     In inverted position the apparatus displaces itself as easily by reaction and will pivot and start again in another direction by touching the edge of the swimming pool. 
     Finally, the invention is obviously not limited to the embodiments shown and described above but on the contrary covers all variations, particularly with respect to the shapes and arrangements of the propulsive pipe and the deflector wing as much with respect to one another as with respect to the container of the apparatus.