Patent Description:
A pool-cleaning brush of such an APC is known from <CIT>.

Commonly-owned <CIT>, discloses various components of APCs. Among components illustrated in the van der Meijden application are devices referenced as "scrubbers. " As detailed in the van der Meijden application, an exemplary scrubber may include blades, a shaft, and optionally a gear.

In use, [the] scrubber desirably rotates about [the] shaft so as to move water. toward [an] inlet of [a] body of [an] automatic pool cleaner. Such rotation may be caused by interaction of [the] gear with a corresponding gear or other device typically located within [the] body.

See van der Meijden, pp. <NUM>-<NUM>, ¶ <NUM> (numerals omitted). The rotation and evacuation of water entering the inlet additionally produces "down force" tending to enhance traction of the APC as it moves along a surface within a pool.

Also described in the van der Meijden application as another optional part of a scrubber is a "wear surface. " If present, the wear surface may be located centrally among the blades of the scrubber and coaxial with the shaft. At least at times in use, the wear surface may contact a surface to be cleaned. <NUM>, ¶ <NUM>.

Even though the van der Meijden application contemplates frictional contact between the wear surface and surfaces of a pool or spa, additional scrubbing action may be desirable--at least at times--for cleaning purposes. Including brushes spaced from (i.e. not coaxial with) the shaft of a scrubber also may be advantageous, as may be utilizing bristles which contact a surface as the scrubber rotates about the shaft. Removably attaching the brushes to a scrubber further may be beneficial, as in such cases the brushes may be removed from the scrubber when not needed.

The present invention provides these types of brushes useful especially (although not necessarily exclusively) with the scrubbers and APCs of the types identified in the van der Meijden application. Brushes of the invention may clip to a hub of a scrubber so as to attach to, and detach from, the scrubber easily. The brushes also preferably flex when a scrubber rotates.

The brushes include fingers having bristles protruding outward on both opposed sides of the fingers. Prior to rotation of the scrubbers, the fingers nominally are generally perpendicular to the surface on which the associated APC rests. As scrubbers rotate, however, the fingers flex (e.g. lay over) and become more parallel to the surface. Flexing of the fingers in this manner in turn causes bristles on one side of fingers to become more perpendicular to the surface, thus readily frictionally contacting it.

Because in use scrubbers of the present invention rotate about an axis generally perpendicular to the pool surface, their brush speeds relative to the surface are faster than those of passive devices (which typically are dragged along the surface) or rollers (which typically rotate about an axis parallel to the surface and in the same direction as the wheels of the cleaner). Such rotation also requires less surface-area contact between the brushes and pool surface to scrub an equivalent width of pool surface than would a roller, whose length must span that entire width. This decreased surface-area contact of the brushes produces less resistance on the drive system of the APC than would rollers, potentially enhancing the longevity and robustness of the drive system.

Brushes may be attached as desired to a scrubber. Presently preferred is that at least two brushes be used with a scrubber and positioned symmetrically about the shaft. Fewer or more than two brushes may be used in connection with any particular scrubber, however, and conceivably more than one brush may be attached in a particular location.

It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide components for APCs.

It also is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide improvements to scrubbers of the type identified in the van der Meijden application.

It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide brushes configured to contact to-be-cleaned surfaces.

It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide brushes that may clip to scrubbers so as to rotate as the blades rotate.

It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide brushes that include flexible fingers with bristles protruding therefrom.

It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide brushes whose fingers flex as their associated blades rotate, thus causing contact between their bristles and a to-be-cleaned surface of a pool or spa.

It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide brushes which rotate about an axis perpendicular to the to-be-cleaned surface so as to produce faster speeds and less load on drive systems than do certain passive devices and rollers.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in relevant fields with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application.

Depicted in <FIG> is exemplary scrubber <NUM>. Scrubber <NUM>, which is generally similar to scrubbers of the van der Meijden application, may include blades <NUM> and shaft <NUM>. Also illustrated in <FIG> is hub <NUM> interconnecting blades <NUM> and shaft <NUM>. In use, scrubber <NUM> desirably rotates about shaft <NUM> so as to move water toward an inlet <NUM> of a cleaner such as APC <NUM> (see <FIG>). When the APC <NUM> is upright on a bottom surface of a pool, shaft <NUM> will be generally perpendicular to the plane of the bottom surface and thus scrubber <NUM> will rotate about an axis perpendicular (or generally so) to the bottom surface.

Consistent with the discussion in the van der Meijden application, blades <NUM> preferably are "semi-rigid" in nature, meaning that they have sufficient flexibility to accommodate passage into inlet <NUM> of APC <NUM>, without blockage, of at least some larger types of debris often found in outdoor swimming pools. The term "semi-rigid" also means that blades <NUM> nevertheless have sufficient rigidity to move volumes of water toward the inlet <NUM> of the cleaner as they rotate about shaft <NUM>. A presently-preferred material from which blades <NUM> is made remains molded thermoplastic polyurethane, although other materials may be used instead.

Scrubber <NUM> advantageously may include six blades <NUM> extending radially from shaft <NUM>. Fewer or greater numbers of blades <NUM> may be employed as appropriate, however. As illustrated in <FIG>, two scrubbers <NUM> preferably are employed as part of APC <NUM>, with each scrubber <NUM> being positioned at least partly to a side of inlet <NUM> of the APC <NUM>. Again, though, fewer or greater numbers of scrubbers <NUM> may be utilized, and each or any scrubber <NUM> may be positioned in any suitable location.

As shown in <FIG>, many of the six blades <NUM> are circumferentially spaced approximately forty-five degrees, rather than approximately sixty degrees, from adjacent blades <NUM>. This is because attachment assemblies <NUM> of hub <NUM> have, in effect, replaced the seventh and eighth blades. The two attachment assemblies <NUM> are at least partially visible in <FIG> spaced circumferentially about shaft <NUM> by approximately one hundred eighty degrees. Symmetrical positioning of attachment assemblies <NUM> about shaft <NUM> presently is preferred, although situations may arise in which an odd number of assemblies <NUM>, or asymmetrical positioning of an even number of assemblies <NUM>, is desired.

The exemplary attachment assembly <NUM> of <FIG> may comprise at least one recess 30A. In the version of scrubber <NUM> depicted in <FIG>, recess 30A is formed by a pair of spaced walls 34A-B connected to hub <NUM>. A second recess 30B, formed by a pair of spaced walls 38A-B connected to hub <NUM>, also appears in <FIG>.

Shown especially in <FIG> is exemplary brush <NUM>. Included as part of brush <NUM> is member <NUM>, which is sized and shaped to be frictionally fitted into recesses 30A and 30B. Concurrently, clips <NUM> of brush <NUM> frictionally slide along walls 34A-B and 38A-B. Manipulating brush <NUM> in this manner connects the brush <NUM> to scrubber <NUM> for use--as shown in <FIG>. Because brush <NUM> is likely to wear through use, it preferably may be detached from scrubber <NUM> (as through manual force, for example) for replacement.

Also included as parts of brush <NUM> are brush body <NUM>, fingers <NUM>, and bristles <NUM>. Fingers <NUM> depend from body <NUM>, with each finger <NUM> comprising opposed major sides 66A-B. Bristles <NUM> protrude outward from these major sides 66A-B. Although <FIG> illustrate three fingers <NUM> depending from each body <NUM>, more or fewer fingers <NUM> may be present instead if appropriate or desired.

Fingers <NUM> beneficially are flexible. Accordingly, as shown in <FIG>, fingers <NUM> may flex as blades <NUM> rotate about shaft <NUM>. Whereas major sides 66A-B are nominally vertical when APC is upright (e.g. <FIG>) and blades <NUM> are not rotating, flexing of fingers <NUM> causes major sides 66A-B to become more closely parallel to the surface to be cleaned. Consequently, because bristles <NUM> protrude outward from major sides 66A-B, these bristles <NUM> become more closely perpendicular to the to-be-cleaned surface as the fingers <NUM> flex. Bristles <NUM> thus in use may contact the to-be-cleaned surface so as to "scrub" the surface and suspend bottom-dwelling debris into the water of the pool for evacuation into inlet <NUM> of APC <NUM>. Consistent with other suction-type APCs, APC <NUM> also may include body <NUM> through which the evacuated water may flow to outlet <NUM> and then into a hose, all under influence of a pump.

Moreover, because scrubber <NUM> rotates about an axis perpendicular to the to-be-cleaned surface, the speed of movement of brushes <NUM> (and hence of bristles <NUM>) relative to the surface may be faster than that of passive devices which merely are dragged along the surface. This relative speed of movement likewise may be faster than that of rollers, which typically rotate about axes parallel to the surface and in the same direction as the wheels or tracks of an associated cleaner. Rotation of scrubber <NUM> about the perpendicular axis also requires approximately fifty percent less surface-area contact between brushes <NUM> and the pool surface to scrub an equivalent width of pool surface than would a roller, whose length must span that entire width. This decreased surface-area contact of brushes <NUM> produces less resistance on the drive system of APC <NUM> than would rollers, potentially enhancing the longevity and robustness of the drive system.

If scrubber <NUM> is configured to rotate only in one direction, bristles <NUM> need necessarily be present only on whichever of major sides 66A or 66B is the "leading" side for purpose of the rotation (as the other, "trailing" major side will flex away from the to-be-cleaned surface). It nevertheless may be advantageous to include bristles <NUM> on the trailing major side 66B or 66A of brush <NUM> so that, when bristles <NUM> on the leading side wear, brush <NUM> may be switched to a circumferentially opposite location on scrubber <NUM> so that the previously-trailing side becomes the leading side and presents unworn bristles <NUM> to the to-be-cleaned surface. This switch effectively can double the useful life of a brush <NUM>. (And of course, if scrubber <NUM> ever is configured to rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise, including bristles <NUM> on both major sides 66A-B may be valuable.

Claim 1:
A pool-cleaning brush (<NUM>) suitable for an automatic pool cleaner (<NUM>) comprising:
a. a brush body (<NUM>);
b. a first flexible finger (<NUM>) (i) depending from the brush body (<NUM>) and (ii) comprising opposed first and second major sides (66A, 66B);
c. bristles (<NUM>) protruding outward from the first and second major sides,
characterized in that the pool-cleaning brush (<NUM>) comprises clips (<NUM>) for connecting the brush body (<NUM>) to another component of an automatic pool cleaner (<NUM>).