Patent ID: 8307484

Claim:
An automated self-propelled pool cleaner having a housing, a pump for moving water through the housing, drive means for moving the pool cleaner over at least the bottom wall of a pool; an integral electrochemical chlorine generator positioned in said housing for producing bactericidal chlorine, the electrochemical chlorine generator comprising a plurality of negative and positive conductive plates arranged in a parallel spaced-part array to form a plurality of passageways, the array being positioned in the flow path of water moving through the housing; an outlet for discharging water containing bactericidal chlorine produced by the electrochemical chlorine generator into the water proximate the exterior of the pool cleaner housing; a source of electrical power operatively connected to the electrochemical chlorine generator; and programmable control means for initiating and terminating the operation of the chlorine generator, the pump and the drive means, the control means programmed for: a. activate the pump and the drive means to thereby move the pool cleaner across the surface of a wall of the pool to perform a programmed cleaning cycle; b. initiate the operation of the electrochemical chlorine generator to thereby produce bactericidal chlorine from a chlorine-containing compound dissolved in the water during the cleaning cycle; c. discharge bactericidal chlorine-containing water from the pool cleaner housing in a turbulent flow to mix with the water in the pool; d. deactivate the drive means and the pump at the end of the cleaning cycle while maintaining the operation of the electrochemical chlorine generator; e. activate the pump for intervals of several seconds every several minutes following the end of the cleaning cycle for a period of about one hour; f. activate the drive means and the pump for a period of time ranging from 2 to 4 minutes to thereby relocate the pool cleaner in the pool; g. activate the pump for intervals of several seconds every several minutes after the pool cleaner is relocated; and h. repeat steps (f) and (g) for a predetermined period of time.