An external docking station may be provided and may a filter manipulator that is arranged to (i) input without human intervention, a filter into a pool cleaning robot that exited a pool and is located in a filter replacement position and to (ii) assist without human intervention, in positioning the filter at a position in which the filter is at least partially disposed within a path formed between a first fluid opening and a second fluid opening of a housing of the pool cleaning robot thereby allowing the filter to apply a filtering operation when fluid passes through the fluid path.

Exemplary embodiments include a pool cleaner having a body and articulated cleaning member extending from the body. The articulated cleaning member can be pivotally and/or rotatably coupled to the body. The articulated cleaning member can be pivoted or rotated with respect to the body to accommodate changes in the terrain of a pool. A method for cleaning a swimming pool is also provided where a pool cleaner having articulated cleaning members is submerged in a pool and allowing the pool cleaner to traverse an immersed surface of the pool. The method further rotates the articulated cleaning member in response to a difference in an elevation of the immersed surface between the articulated cleaning member and the body.

A pool cleaner includes a vent mechanism and a water port in fluid communication with the vent mechanism. When a forward end of the pool cleaner extends above a waterline of the pool, water flows through the vent mechanism and the water port over an inlet port and prevents loss of suction at the inlet port. A protruding member of the pool cleaner contacts submerged obstacle and tilts the pool cleaner to prevent the pool cleaner from becoming stuck on the submerged obstacle.

A pool cleaner includes a body, a water source connection, a gear drive and a suspension arrangement. The body defines a suction opening on a lower surface thereof. The gear drive is mounted to the body and includes a drive housing and a pair of gears with intermeshing teeth rotatably mounted in the drive housing. The drive housing is in fluid communication with the water source connection such that associated water flow is directed around the pair of gears, imparting rotational motion thereto. The suspension arrangement is driven by the gear drive and supports the body for motion over a pool surface. An alternator can be driven by the gear drive and power various electric components. A skirt assembly and ducts above the water source connection can improve suction. The gear drive can be used to power other pool devices.

Disclosed herein are a steering system for a suction cleaning device, a locomotion system for a pool cleaner, and a turbine for use in an automatic cleaner. The steering system includes a fluid driven turbine that rotates a cam gear that is interconnected with a cam wheel for directing a drive pinion. The drive pinion is positionable in a plurality of positions to drive a nose cone that steers the suction cleaning device. The locomotion system includes first and second A-frame arms that respectively engage first and second bearings about first and second eccentrics of a turbine. Rotation of the turbine causes the first and second A-frame arms to rotate back and forth driving associated walking pod assemblies. The turbine includes a turbine rotor and a plurality of vanes connected to the turbine rotor. The plurality of vanes including lateral edges having lateral open regions to facilitate debris-removing efficiency.

An underwater cleaning apparatus includes a front body having a filter and a rear body removably attachable to the front body. The rear body includes a motor having a shaft, an impeller configured to draw in water through an inlet opening in the front body, and a gap. The impeller is positioned in the gap in the rear body. A lock is configured to secure the rear body to the front body. A battery is configured to supply electrical power to the motor to drive the shaft and a power switch is configured to control the supply of electrical power to the motor.

A method and a pool cleaning robot that may include (i) a turbine that is at least partially disposed within a fluid path of the robot to extract energy from flow of fluid through the fluid path; (ii) an electrical generator for providing electrical power thereto and adapted to be driven by the turbine; (iii) a rechargeable power source arranged to be charged by the electrical generator, and (iv) a controller that is arranged to direct the pool cleaning robot to be positioned in a certain location in which a flow level of fluid that is circulated by a pool fluid circulation system is higher than a flow level of the fluid within a majority of the pool, wherein when positioned at the certain location the fluid that is circulated by the pool fluid circulation system passes through the fluid path.

Disclosed herein are a steering system for a suction cleaning device, a locomotion system for a pool cleaner, and a turbine for use in an automatic cleaner. The steering system includes a fluid driven turbine that rotates a cam gear that is interconnected with a cam wheel for directing a drive pinion. The drive pinion is positionable in a plurality of positions to drive a nose cone that steers the suction cleaning device. The locomotion system includes first and second A-frame arms that respectively engage first and second bearings about first and second eccentrics of a turbine. Rotation of the turbine causes the first and second A-frame arms to rotate back and forth driving associated walking pod assemblies. The turbine includes a turbine rotor and a plurality of vanes connected to the turbine rotor. The plurality of vanes including lateral edges having lateral open regions to facilitate debris-removing efficiency.

Disclosed herein are a steering system for a suction cleaning device, a locomotion system for a pool cleaner, and a turbine for use in an automatic cleaner. The steering system includes a fluid driven turbine that rotates a cam gear that is interconnected with a cam wheel for directing a drive pinion. The drive pinion is positionable in a plurality of positions to drive a nose cone that steers the suction cleaning device. The locomotion system includes first and second A-frame arms that respectively engage first and second bearings about first and second eccentrics of a turbine. Rotation of the turbine causes the first and second A-frame arms to rotate back and forth driving associated walking pod assemblies. The turbine includes a turbine rotor and a plurality of vanes connected to the turbine rotor. The plurality of vanes including lateral edges having lateral open regions to facilitate debris-removing efficiency.

A docking station which can releasably engage and hold a robotic pool cleaner, the docking station optionally including a pre-filter for coarse debris, the pool cleaner including an internal filter and a pump to suction in, filter and eject filtered water while the pool cleaner is coupled to the docking station. The pool cleaner's pump creates water jets to provide propulsion for the pool cleaner and to aid in decoupling the pool cleaner from the docking station.