AU707960B2

AU707960B2 - Apparatus for cleaning submerged surfaces

Info

Publication number: AU707960B2
Application number: AU22803/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: George Victor Rissik
Original assignee: Galago Ltd
Current assignee: Arengo 309 Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1996-05-17
Filing date: 1997-05-16
Publication date: 1999-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-16
Also published as: AU2280397A; ES2134138A1; ES2134138B1; FR2748675B1; FR2748675A1; CA2205522A1; CA2205522C

Description

2 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SUBMERGED

SURFACES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning submerged surfaces such as the walls and floors of swimming pools and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many types of such apparatus referred to as pool cleaners have a suction head which is connected to pthe inlet of a swimming pool filtration system by means of a flexible hose and which moves in a generally random way 15 across the surface to be cleaned.

One of the problems associated with such apparatuses is their ineffectiveness in pools where the side walls meet each other and the bottom in definite 20 corners or sharp curves as opposed to gentler continuous curves. Such configurations often result in the pool 0 cleaner becoming stuck in the corners of the pool.

Attempts to alleviate this problem include the 25 provision of formations which project from the apparatus or from the flexible hose near the apparatus and which engage the pool near or in a pool corner to urge the cleaner away therefrom before it gets stuck. These devices while helpful in some instances are not particularly satisfactory.

An object of this invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus which is less likely to get stuck in pool corners and the like than prior art apparatuses.

S-\\melbO\homeS\Monique\Keep\speci\ 2 2 8 03- 9 7 .doc 19/05/99 3 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a cleaning apparatus for automatic cleaning of a submerged surface which includes, a body defining an internal chamber having an inlet and a pair of outlets, with each outlet being connectable with a suction means; a liquid flow transferring means located inside the chamber for alternately transferring flow of liquid to each of the pair of the outlets from the inlet; a cleaning foot associated with the body and communicating with the inlet, the cleaning foot having an outer surface adapted to be located adjacent to and to travel over the submerged surface; with the body being pivotal relative to the foot 15 about at least one axis that is substantially parallel to said outer surface between a first position which allows travel of the cleaning foot relative to the surface in a first direction, to a second position which allows travel of the cleaning foot relative to the surface in a second 20 direction.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention described by way of example only follow with respect to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a part sectional elevation of a third embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 shows a partially sectioned schematic side view of a cleaning apparatus, in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention.

\\melb01\home$\Monique\Keep\speci\22803-97.doc 19/05/99 -4- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWING In the first embodiment of the invention as shown by Figure 1 an apparatus for cleaning the submerged surfaces in swimming pools and the like is provided.

The apparatus is similar to other apparatuses well known in the art of cleaning such surfaces and comprises a body which defines an internal chamber The chamber is specifically designed to incorporate a means, such as a flapper valve, for interrupting the flow of water through the body. Various configurations of interrupting means are known in the art and will not be .described further in this specification.

The body incorporates an inlet and two outlets for the chamber The 10 inlet and the outlets are on opposite sides of the chamber with the inlet (4) being lower most in use and the outlets being effectively at the top of the body. oy The outlets are in the form of tapered spigots which are adapted as connectors for flexible hoses which are connected together at a position 5 remote from the body which is also well known in the art of swimming pool cleaning apparatus. In this way the apparatus is connected to the suction inlet of the filtration apparatus for the swimming pool.

The inlet is formed by a part-cylindrical extension to the body This extension has a circumference which extends for approximately 225 and includes an elongated opening (10) at a position remote from the body and which divides the part-cylindrical extension into two equal portions.

The part-cylindrical extension is located in a complimentary shaped socket (11) of a foot (12) for the apparatus The socket (11) is formed in a projection (13) from a base member (14) of the foot and the extension is secured therein by means of a pin (not shown) passing through co-axial apertures (15) in end walls (16) for the extension and end walls (17) for the projection (13) of the base member.

5 The base member (13) includes a passage (18) which communicates with the opening (10) of the extension and with the bottom (19) of base member.

Secured to the bottom (19) of the base member is a circular flexible pad (20) also of a type well known in the art and having a central aperture (21) co-axial with the passage This construction provides an outer surface (22) for the apparatus which surface (22) is adapted to be located adjacent to and move over a surface to be cleaned.

4From the above description it is clear that the body of the apparatus can pivot about the axes formed 15 by apertures (15) and pin therethrough in a single plane S. and between the extremities of a limited acute angle. This plane is generally transverse to the surface (22) of the O foot.

20 When the apparatus is in use the body (2) will be at an acute angle to the foot (12) and pad (20) as it will tend to move in known manner behind the flexible hose which connects it to the filtration apparatus.

*o 0o 25 When the apparatus reaches the corner of say a flat bottomed swimming pool for example, instead of becoming stuck in that corner as happens with prior art apparatus, the body will pivot with respect to the foot (12) thus directing the flexible hose in the opposite direction and reversing the direction of movement of the apparatus across the submerged surface being cleaned.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 2. The configuration of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment and similar parts have been given similar reference numbers. The essential difference between the second and first embodiment is that -c i\mel bOI\homeSMonique\Keep\speci\22803 9.doc 19/05/99 r 7L Sa in the second embodiment the extension (31) from the body is not part-cylindrical but is part-spherical with an opening (32) at the position remote from the body The part-spherical extension (31) is held captive in a complementary shaped part-spherical socket (33) located in the projection (13) of the foot (12) of the apparatus.

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(1 \\melbO\honm$\Monie\Keep\c\ 228 3 97 .d 19/05/99 -6- The part-spherical configuration of the extension (31) and socket (33) enables the body to move with respect to the foot (12) not only in one pivotal direction as with the first embodiment but to swivel and pivot throughout the whole of the 360 °about the axis through the socket (33) of the foot This results in greater manoeuvrability of the cleaning apparatus and consequently less likelihood of the apparatus becoming stuck in the corners of a swimming pool for example.

A third embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Again in this embodiment elements that are similar to those elements of the first embodiment are given similar reference numerals.

The construction of the third embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment •S."in that pivotal movement of the body with respect to the surface (21) is in a o substantially single plane transverse to the surface (21).

S .i The projection (13) from the foot (12) of the apparatus terminates in a pair of 15 spaced semi-circular side walls These spaced side walls (41) accommodate the passage (18) through the foot as well as the lower portion (42) of the housing. This lower portion (42) of the housing has the configuration of an inverted trapezoid and is pivotly mounted by means of a pin (15) near the lower most point (43) thereof. In this way it can swivel between the members (41) and 20 the housing and particularly inlet therefore can be in communication with the passage To ensure that the opening (10) and passage (18) remain in S° substantially sealed communication at all pivotal positions of the housing with respect to the foot (12) a pair of flexible closures (44) are provided on opposite sides of the lower trapezoidal portion (42) of the housing. These flexible closures (44) are mounted to the lower portion (42) of the housing to extend in opposite directions with free ends (45) engaging over the projection (13) and passage (18).

As the housing pivots with respect to the foot (12) the closures (44) flex and move over the projection while at all times substantially sealing the passage and opening 7 A fourth embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 4. The configuration of the fourth embodiment is similar to that of the second embodiment and again similar parts have been given similar reference numbers. In this case a part-spherical member (46) having a neck portion (47) is mounted to a base member (48) defining the outlet of the body The member (46) is held captive in a complementary shaped part-spherical socket (48) defined in the projection (13) of the foot (12) of the apparatus. A central flow passage (49) having an inlet (50) is defined in the member (46).

Again, as in the case of the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the body can swivel with respect to the foot t' 15 (12) about a perpendicular axis. The cleaning foot (12) also includes a debris collection reservoir with debris in use being sucked into the reservoir (51) when the inlet (50) of the member (46) is aligned with the debris collection reservoir (51).

o* Other embodiments are envisaged within the scope of the invention including other shapes and configurations

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and applications thereof.

o* *1 S\\elbOl\home\MoniueKeep\peci\2283 .doc 19/05/99 V"rp^'i 8 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1i. A cleaning apparatus for automatic cleaning of a submerged surface which includes: a body defining an internal chamber having an inlet and a pair of outlets, with each outlet being connectable with a suction means; a liquid flow transferring means located inside the chamber for alternately transferring flow of liquid to each of the pair of the outlets from the inlet; a cleaning foot associated with the body and communicating with the inlet, the cleaning foot having an outer surface adapted to be located adjacent to and to travel over the submerged surface; with the body being pivotal relative to the foot about at least one axis that is substantially parallel to said outer surface between a first position which allows travel of the cleaning foot relative to the surface in a first direction, to a second position which allows travel of the cleaning foot relative to the surface in a second direction.

2. A cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the body is movable in a swivelling manner relative to the foot about an axis that is perpendicular to said outer surface.

3. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which a socket is defined in a projection which extends from the cleaning foot and the body includes a complementary part cylindrical extension which seats snugly inside the socket, with the socket and projection being pivotally connected to each other.

4. The cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the body has a part-spherical member and the cleaning foot has a complementary socket, the part-spherical member being snugly received inside the socket.

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Claims

6. A cleaning apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3. Dated this 19th day of May 1999 GALAGO LIMITED AND KENNETH DINNER By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK 20 Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia S\\melb01\home$\Monique\Keep\speci\22803-97.doc 19/05/99 f~ h. ABSTRACT A cleaning apparatus for submerged surfaces such as found in swimming pools includes a body defining an internal chamber; at least one inlet and at least one outlet to the chamber on opposite sides of a suitable liquid flow interruption means; a cleaning foot associated with the body and communicating with the inlet, the cleaning foot having an outer surface adapted to be located adjacent to and to travel over a submerged surface to be cleaned; a connection for a flexible suction hose communicating with the outlet; and is characterised in that the connection alone or as part of the body is pivotable in at least one direction generally in a plane transverse to the surface of the cleaning foot and preferably 10 also pivotable in a swivelling manner generally parallel to the surface of the cleaning foot. S. I. illil rllr 'l li l I l