Buoyant automatic cleaners for spas and other water-containing vessels

Abstract

Autonomous, mobile cleaners for water-containing vessels such as swimming pools and spas are detailed. The cleaners are especially useful for cleaning spas, although they may function adequately in connection with certain other vessels as well. They may be designed and constructed in particular to avoid high centering so as not to become stuck when encountering obstacles within the spas or other vessels.

Claims

1. An automatic cleaner for a water-containing vessel, comprising: a. a body comprising an inlet, an outlet, a rear, and a bottom surface having a generally planar portion extending from the inlet to the rear; b. means, comprising a front motive element and a rear motive element, for moving the body along a surface of the vessel; and c. means for exhausting water from the body through the outlet in a first direction; and in which (i) each of the generally planar portion of the bottom surface and the first direction forms an acute angle with the surface of the vessel when the body is moving along the surface of the vessel and (ii) the bottom surface slopes upward so as to be closer to the surface of the vessel at the front motive element than at the rear motive element.

2. An automatic cleaner according to claim 1 in which the generally planar portion of the bottom surface is planar.

3. An automatic cleaner according to claim 1 in which the acute angle formed between the generally planar portion of the bottom surface and the surface of the vessel differs from the acute angle formed between the first direction and the surface of the vessel.

4. An automatic cleaner according to claim 3 in which the acute angle formed between the generally planar portion of the bottom surface and the surface of the vessel is approximately 20° and the acute angle formed between the first direction and the surface of the vessel is approximately 60°.

5. An automatic cleaner for a water-containing vessel, comprising: a. a body comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a bottom surface having a generally planar portion; b. means, comprising a front motive element and a rear motive element, for moving the body along a surface of the vessel; and c. means for exhausting water from the body through the outlet in a first direction; and in which (i) each of the generally planar portion of the bottom surface and the first direction forms an acute angle with the surface of the vessel when the body is moving along the surface of the vessel and (ii) the bottom surface slopes upward so as to be closer to the surface of the vessel at the front motive element than at the rear motive element.

6. An automatic cleaner for a water-containing vessel, comprising: a. a body comprising an inlet, an outlet, a front portion, a rear, and a bottom surface having a generally planar portion extending from the inlet to the rear; b. means, comprising at least one driven front motive element and at least one driven rear motive element, for moving the body along a surface of the vessel; and c. means for exhausting water from the body through the outlet in a first direction; and in which (i) the generally planar portion of the bottom surface forms an acute angle of approximately 20° with the surface of the vessel when the body is moving along the surface of the vessel, (ii) the first direction forms an acute angle of approximately 60° with the surface of the vessel when the body is moving along the surface of the vessel, (iii) the bottom surface slopes upward so as to be closer to the surface of the vessel at the at least one driven front motive element than at the at least one driven rear motive element, (iv) the at least one driven front motive element comprises a scrubber, (v) the at least one driven rear motive element comprises a wheel, and (vi) the scrubber is driven at a higher rotation speed than the wheel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic cleaner consistent with the present invention showing, principally, a nominal front and side of the cleaner.

(2) FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the cleaner of FIG. 1 showing, principally, a nominal rear and side of the cleaner.

(3) FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the cleaner of FIG. 1 showing, principally, a bottom, side, and nominal rear of the cleaner.

(4) FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the cleaner of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the cleaner of FIG. 1.

(6) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cleaner of FIG. 1 with a lid of the cleaner opened to expose certain components within the body of the cleaner.

(7) FIG. 7 is a sectioned elevational view of the cleaner of FIG. 1.

(8) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a male portion of a multi-pin contact charger for batteries of the cleaner of FIG. 1.

(9) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a filter for placement within the body of the cleaner.

(10) FIG. 10 is a sectioned view of the cleaner of FIG. 1 showing, principally, components of a magnetic drive assembly of the cleaner.

(11) FIG. 11 is another sectioned view of the cleaner of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) Illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 is a version of cleaner 10. Cleaner 10 preferably is an automatic device, configured to be submerged and travel autonomously within a spa or other water-containing vessel without manual assistance or external cords or cables. Although cleaner 10 may be sized consistent with the vessel in which it is to operate, preferred dimensions of cleaner 10 may be approximately 216 mm wide, 195 mm long (front to rear), and 182 mm high. If so sized, cleaner 10 may be especially useful in cleaning recreational and therapeutic spas, which conventionally are smaller than most swimming pools.

(13) Cleaner 10 also preferably (but not necessarily) is buoyant in water of a pool or spa. As shown in FIGS. 1-5, cleaner 10 may include body 14, one or more (nominally) front motive elements 18, and one or more (nominally) rear motive elements 22. FIGS. 1 and 4 detail the presence of two front motive elements 18 in the form of first and second scrubbers 18A and 18B, respectively. FIGS. 2 and 5 detail the presence of two rear motive elements 22A and 22B, again respectively.

(14) Rear motive elements 22A and 22B preferably are wheels, with element 22A being positioned at or to side 26 of body 14 and element 22B being positioned at or to side 30 of body 14. Elements 22A and 22B may be connected to one or more drive motors and driven either separately or together. As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, elements 22A and 22B may be aligned such that they rotate about a common axis. The elements 22A and 22B further may, but typically will not, share a common axle.

(15) Whereas rear motive elements 22 preferably are wheels, front motive elements 18 preferably are not. Instead, front motive elements 18 beneficially may be scrubbers. Nevertheless, scrubbers 18A and 18B may be connected to one or more drive motors 31 (see FIG. 10) and driven either separately or together. If two or more elements 18 are present, they advantageously may be aligned such that they rotate about a common axis and may, but typically will not, share a common axle.

(16) Also depicted in FIG. 1 are front caps 34A and 34B. Front cap 34A is shown as being positioned adjacent scrubber 18A at or to side 26 of body 14, and front cap 34B is positioned adjacent scrubber 18B at or to side 30 of the body 14. Body 14 additionally may have a generally dome-shaped lid 38, as illustrated in FIG. 1, which itself may include an exhaust port 42. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that port 42 may be located elsewhere in connection with cleaner 10, although its presently-preferred placement is a laterally-central area of the cleaner 10 toward or at the nominal rear portion 44 of body 14 (see FIG. 2).

(17) FIG. 1 additionally illustrates a clip and handle assembly 46 beneficially located toward or at the nominal front portion 45 of body 14. Assembly 46, together with hinges 50 (see FIG. 6), facilitates opening and closing of lid 38 relative to nominally lower section 54 of body 14, with its clip portion either locking lid 38 in place (as in FIG. 1) or allowing it to open (as in FIG. 6). If desired assembly 46 also may be constructed to include a handle or similar device allowing a person to grasp lid 38 and either move it relative to lower section 54 or, if lid 38 is locked in place, to move the entirety of cleaner 10 from place to place.

(18) Thrust may be provided, at least in part, by jetting water outward from port 42. FIG. 7 shows propeller 58 placed within body 14 together with thrust-straightening vanes 58A at or near port 42; when operating, the propeller 58 may push water from within the body 14 to, and out of, port 42, hence creating the thrust jet discussed earlier in this application. Propeller 58 and vanes 58A may be part of thrust assembly 62 (see FIG. 7), which also may include motor 66 and shaft 70 connecting the propeller 58 to the motor 66 as well as thrust tube 85. As is conventional, motor 66 operates to rotate shaft 70, in turn rotating propeller 58.

(19) Thrust assembly 62 additionally may include magnet assembly 72 comprising one or more magnets 73. Employing magnets to effect some mechanical actions may enhance the seal integrity of assembly 62 and be beneficial by allowing operation of motor 66 even when dry. By contrast, normal lip seals can overheat and be damaged when run dry.

(20) In the version of magnet assembly 72 illustrated in FIG. 7, four rectangular magnets 73 exists and interact with radially (rather than linearly) with magnet on the other side of a thin-walled tube within body 14. This configuration eliminates axial loads on shaft 70 and is particularly energy-efficient as compared with conventional lip-seal approaches. Magnets 73 may differ in number, shape, and placement, however, as is necessary or desired. Finally, magnet assembly 72 may also function as a clutch should, for example, propeller 58 be jammed or have its rotation stopped by debris. Again, by contrast, such jamming would be detrimental to direct lip-seal drives, normally causing current spikes capable of harming batteries and electronics.

(21) FIG. 7 depicts nominal forward direction of movement “A” of cleaner 10 along a to-be-cleaned surface “B.” Thrust assembly 62 exhausts pressurized water out port 42 in direction “C,” which forms an acute angle α.sub.1 with surface B and an obtuse angle α.sub.2 with vector A. (This can be readily contrasted with, for example, the cleaners of the Hui application, in which the angles corresponding to α.sub.1 and α.sub.2 would both be right angles.) A presently-preferred value for angle α.sub.1 is approximately sixty degrees (˜60°), which continues to allow the exhausted water to provide substantial down force to cleaner 10. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that other values less than ninety degrees (<90°) may be acceptable as well.

(22) Inlet port 74 appears in FIG. 7. Port 74 leads to inlet section 78 of filter 82 within body 14. Clear from FIG. 7 is that port 74 may be adjacent front motive elements 18, positioned immediately behind the elements 18 relative to the normal direction of travel A. Motive elements 18 hence may be considered to be within or inside port 74 or to form a wall or boundary thereof. Counterclockwise rotation of elements 18 thus serves not only to agitate debris into suspension, but also to accelerate and “paddle” the debris mechanically into inlet port 74 and inlet section 78 of the filter 82.

(23) So positioning port 74 leads to efficient movement of debris-laden water into filter 82 within body 14. However, it also increases the likelihood of cleaner 10 ingesting air, particularly when the cleaner 10 is only partially submerged while scrubbing a wall or similar surface at the waterline of a vessel. Introducing air into a water-pumping system can be detrimental for multiple reasons, including causing a pump motor to run dry and the associated cleaner to float away from the surface to be cleaned. To reduce these detrimental aspects of air ingestion, cleaner 10 may be weighted and balanced such it immediately points front portion 45 downward, thereby positioning port 42 (and therefore the exhaust from body 14) at the highest point of the cleaner 10. Because lid 38 is shaped as a dome with a generally smooth interior surface, ingested air hence must migrate within lid 38 to that highest point, where it too can be expelled.

(24) Indeed, because motor 66 may continue operating even when air is ingested, it may eject most of the ingested air through port 42. This ejection may be aided by opening 84, a small suction hole in a wall of thrust tube 85 angled from the highest point of lid 38. Utilizing the Venturi principle, fluid flowing out port 42 may cause ingested air to be evacuated from body 14 through opening 84 and out port 42.

(25) Rear portion 44 of body 14 may include interface 86 useful to charge one or more batteries within the body 14 powering the various motors. In at least one version of body 14, interface 86 may be a female portion of a multi-pin contact charger. FIG. 8 illustrates a corresponding male portion 90 of the charger. Portion 90 may self-latch to interface 86 using magnets. In the five-pin embodiment of portion 90 depicted in FIG. 8, which may be reversible left to right, connection of center pin 94 to a corresponding center opening of interface 86 may signal that the charger is operational. Once certain pin 94 is removed, power to the other four pins is withdrawn so as to avoid power leaking into the water of the vessel.

(26) At present, lithium iron (LFP) batteries are preferred for use as part of cleaner 10. Their charge statuses may be monitored during operation of cleaner 10 and, if desired, energy to the various motors may be increased as the batteries are exhausted so as to maintain approximately constant performance of cleaner 10 during a cleaning cycle. One or more light emitting diodes or other devices may indicate performance statuses of the cleaner 10.

(27) FIGS. 3-4 depict sensor 98 present on bottom surface 102 of body 14. Sensor 98 may be designed to ascertain whether body 14 is immersed in water, sensing conductivity changes between its two metallic posts 206 due to the presence, or absence, of water. A well 210 may circumscribe each post 206 and contain wax so as to enhance reliability of the sensing. Preferably, when sensor 98 does not detect the presence of water, power to the various motors of cleaner 10 will be withdrawn immediately. Sensor 98 also, if desired, may function together with a magnetic start switch 214; if the start switch 214 is “on” and sensor 98 detects that cleaner 10 is in water, power will be provided to the motors of the cleaner 10.

(28) Among significant features of cleaner 10 is that bottom surface 102 is sloped relative to a to-be-cleaned surface such as surface B of FIG. 7. As illustrated in that figure, bottom surface 102 thus may form an angle α.sub.3 with surface B rather than be parallel thereto (as in the cleaners of the Hui application, for example). One presently-preferred value for angle α.sub.3 is approximately twenty degrees (˜20°), although other values may be satisfactory as well.

(29) Bottom surface 102, furthermore, may be closest to surface B at front portion 45 (adjacent inlet port 74) and farther from surface B at rear portion 44. The increased distance between bottom surface 102 and surface B toward rear portion 44 materially minimizes, if not wholly prevents, high centering of cleaner 10 otherwise possibly caused by a cleaner encountering an obstacle protruding from surface B and disengaging all driven motive elements from the surface B.

(30) Scrubbers 18A-B preferably are driven at a higher speed than are rear wheels 22A-B, with an exemplary (but not exclusive) speed ratio being approximately 1.3:1. Driving scrubbers 18A-B at a higher speed allows them to scrub a surface (such as surface B) as they rotate while concurrently helping cleaner 10 travel along the surface. This approach may be contrasted with that of conventional cleaners, which typically drive their motive elements at the same rotational speed.

(31) Collectively, scrubbers 18A-B may extend more or less completely across the width of body 14. The angling of bottom surface 102 (α.sub.3) and the exhausted water (α.sub.2) effectively move the high-centering point of cleaner 10 near the scrubbers 18A-B. However, because scrubbers 18A-B are motive elements, they may drive cleaner 10 (effectively levering front portion 45) over obstacles. If desired to facilitate turning of cleaner 10, scrubber 18A may always be driven in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) as its corresponding wheel 22A, and scrubber 18B may be driven in the same direction as wheel 22B, but scrubber 18A/wheel 22A need not always be driven in the same direction as scrubber 18B/wheel 22B.

(32) Each scrubber 18A or 18B may comprise core 106 and extensions 110. Core 106 typically will be cylindrically shaped with a central longitudinal bore or annulus for receiving an axle 112. The axle 112, in turn, can be directly or indirectly connected to a motor of cleaner 10 so as to rotate it. Extensions 110 may, if desired, be in the form of blades protruding from, and spaced along, the circumference of core 106. In general, at least extensions 110 have substantial flexibility. Caps 34A-B may function to protect the drive mechanism of scrubbers 18A-B from contact with certain features of spas or pools and to prevent high-centering of that mechanism. Because caps 34A-B may protrude beyond the nominal width of body 14, they additionally may facilitate brushing and cleaning of, e.g., corners of pools and spas. FIG. 11, further, shows that axle 112 may extend beyond scrubbers 18A and 18B for use in rotating caps 34A-B as well.

(33) An exemplary filter 82 is illustrated in FIG. 9. A preferred filter 82 fits within body 14 between bottom surface 102 and lid 38 in a manner so that debris-laden water entering inlet port 74 must encounter it before exiting via exhaust port 42. As shown in FIG. 9, filter 82 may comprise mesh 114 supported by frame 118. Most particulate debris suspended in water entering port 74 will be stopped (blocked) by mesh 114, mechanically cleaning the water as it passes through the filter 82. Filter 82 advantageously is removable from body 14 for emptying debris and cleaning and, if desired, may have frame 118 made of two parts, one hinged or otherwise movably connected to the other so as to allow the frame 118 to open and expose debris therein.

(34) Depicted in FIG. 10 are components of a drive motor assembly 122. Two such assemblies 122 preferably are present in cleaner 10, although more or fewer may be included as desired. As shown in FIG. 10, an assembly 122 may include motor 31, magnet drive 126, and gear drive 130. Magnet drive 126 may include a first array of magnets 134 on a disc, with the magnets 134 interfacing linearly with another disc of magnets 138 opposite a sealed wall 142. As with magnet assembly 72, magnet drive 126 may avoid use of lip seals, as no shaft need penetrate wall 142, and function as a clutch should motive elements 18, for example, become jammed.

(35) The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. As but one example, cleaner 10 may be adapted to receive control signals from a remote source (e.g. a wireless transmitter, as typically exists in a smartphone) capable of controlling aspects of operation of the cleaner 10. Such control signals could, for example, change speed or rotation direction of any or all of motive elements 18 or 22 (or disable their drives) or inhibit or change operational characteristics of thrust assembly 62. Cleaner 10 may also be adapted to transmit information about its operation or the water within the vessel to a location remote therefrom. As yet another example, cleaner 10 may include an on-board processor and memory for creation and storage of control information or data (or both), whether or not such information or data is transmitted to or received from a remote source of location.