EP0989255B1 - Cleaning apparatus for swimming-pool - Google Patents

Abstract

The fluid to be cleaned is delivered into an inner space (5) at least partly enclosed by the housing (1) and through a filter (6) in order to separate a part (5') of the inner space exposed to dirt from one (5) which is cleaner. The fluid is then discharged through an outlet aperture (7). The filter locates tightly on a floor surface (8) of the inner space and on an underside (9) of a covering (10) arranged over the inner space. The filter is of the lamella type. The pump (4) is effectively connected via a shaft (12) with an electric motor (13) and together with it is arranged vertically in the inner space. The electric motor and the pump are arranged coaxially to and inside the cylindrical filter.

Description

The invention relates, according to the preamble of independent claim 1, to a cleaning device, in particular for cleaning swimming pools, with a housing and with at least one suction opening arranged at the base of the housing, through which a liquid to be cleaned is pumped into a housing at least partially enclosed interior, through a filter that can be arranged in this interior - to separate a part exposed to dirt from a clean part of the interior - and can be conveyed via an outlet opening.

For cleaning large liquid containers, in particular swimming pools filled with water, it is known to use cleaning devices with which the cleaning of the pool floor and possibly the pool walls can be carried out. The device is operated, if it is necessary at all, advantageously from outside the water basin. Also known are cleaning devices which are designed to be self-propelled and are either controlled by an operator (for example as in EP-A-0 314 259) and which move randomly in such a way that essentially the entire bottom of the swimming pool is swept off (for example as in US Pat. No. 4,168,557) ). For cleaning under water, these cleaning devices have wheels which are driven by an electric motor. It is also known to use the water flow caused by an external pump to drive the cleaning device (for example, as in EP-A-0 468 876). The cleaning device can also be equipped with sensors which, through the mechanical contact with a pool wall, cause the cleaning device to change direction, so that automatic and complete cleaning of the pool floor is achieved (for example as in EP-A-0 483 470 by the same patent applicant ).

In addition to the efficiency of a cleaning device, the ease of servicing and, in particular, the easy cleaning and replaceability of the filter are of great interest. For example, in the case of the devices described in EP-A-0 314 259 and US 4,168,557 - the bottom of the device is removed for removing the filter bag. To remove the floor, the cleaning device must be tilted or tilted to the side, and there is always the risk of damage to the control or electrical cables leading to the device.

In the case of EP-A-0 468 876, on the one hand there are no electrical cables; the reason for this is the special drive that has already been pointed out. On the other hand, the lateral pulling out of a housing part to which the filter is connected is described. For cleaning, this housing part is open on two sides; however, this means that - in contrast to the two cleaning devices described above (EP-A-0 314 259 and US 4,168,557) - a part of the device has inner surfaces which are exposed to dirt and must also be cleaned. For cleaning and especially for visual inspection of these inner surfaces, however, the device must be inclined to the side.

In contrast to all other devices cited, the vortex wheel in EP-A-0 483 470, which acts as a pump, is exposed to dirt and has to be cleaned from time to time, which can also be regarded as a disadvantage.

WO-A-90/09498 proposes a swimming pool cleaning device which has the disadvantages discussed above in particular. There, a pump medium is made available in the dirty water area under a cleaning container from which the dirty water is filtered outwards. Replacing the filter is difficult and accessibility to the engine - for cleaning or Maintenance - appears possible only when tilted. A device of this type, which is also represented by the preamble of claim 1, therefore has to be improved, for example.

WO-A-87/00883 proposes a swimming pool cleaning device which already has an underlying filter area with a filter through which the outside flows and in which the pump area is also arranged in the unexposed part, but access is again very difficult in this area Case due to the arrangement of the pump, which is not located indoors. Accessibility is thereby made even more difficult and here too there is no indication of how to prevent the device from tipping over for the purpose of cleaning or maintenance.

A swimming pool cleaning device is proposed in US Pat. No. 5,337,434, which in turn has a filter that is difficult to access and a pump device in the unexposed part, which once again makes access even more difficult.

The object of the present invention is to propose a cleaning device, in particular for cleaning swimming pools, in which the filter can be replaced or all parts of the cleaning unit exposed to dirt can be cleaned without the device needing to be lifted or tilted and in which no pump parts come into contact with dirty liquid.

This object is achieved by proposing a cleaning device, in particular for cleaning swimming pools, according to the features of independent claim 1. This cleaning device comprises a housing and at least one suction opening arranged at the base of the housing, through which, by means of a pump, a liquid to be cleaned into an interior at least partially enclosed by the housing, through a filter that can be arranged in this interior - for separating a part exposed to dirt from one clean part of the interior - and can be conveyed via an outlet opening and which is characterized in that the filter lies sealingly against a bottom surface of the interior and an underside of a cover which can be arranged above the interior and the pump is operatively connected via an axis to an electric motor and together with it vertically is arranged in the interior. Preferred developments of the cleaning device according to the invention result from the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

einen Vertikalschnitt durch ein erfindungsgemässes Reinigungsgerät, gemäss seiner Ausführungsform;

Fig. 2

einen Grundriss entsprechend Fig. 1.

Fig. 3

einen vergrösserten Vertikalschnitt durch eine Ansaugöffnung, wobei in

Fig. 3A

eine Kombination Einsatzblech mit Einsatzmembrane; und in

Fig. 3B

eine Kombination Einsatzkübel mit Einsatzmembrane gezeigt ist.

The invention, as characterized in the claims, is illustrated below with the aid of schematic drawings. These figures are only to be understood as an illustration of the invention and are in no way intended to limit the scope of protection. Show it:

Fig. 1

a vertical section through a cleaning device according to the invention, according to its embodiment;

Fig. 2

a floor plan corresponding to Fig. 1st

Fig. 3

an enlarged vertical section through a suction opening, wherein in

Figure 3A

a combination of insert plate with insert membrane; and in

Figure 3B

a combination insert bucket with insert membrane is shown.

Figure 1 shows a vertical section through a cleaning device according to the invention. The cleaning device has a housing 1 with a base 2, on which at least one suction opening 3 is arranged. The liquid to be transported is sucked in by a pump 4, which is arranged outside the housing 1 in the swimming pool or outside the same. This liquid, which is referred to as water for the sake of simplicity, contains, depending on the degree of pollution of the swimming pool, inorganic material such as dust, sand, stones and the like, and often also biological material such as plant, animal remains and algae or other small organisms. The water enters through the suction opening or the suction openings 3 into an interior 5, which is at least partially surrounded by the housing 1, and is drawn through a filter 6, which is arranged in this interior. Before the water passes through the filter 6, it is referred to as dirty water, hereinafter referred to as filter water. The filter water emerges from the interior of the housing 1 through at least one outlet opening 7, which is preferably arranged within a cover 10 and essentially centrally above the interior. This cover 10 thus closes at least part of the interior 5. The filter 6 is preferably designed as a lamella filter and having a cylindrical shape and on the one hand touches the surface 8 of the interior floor and on the other hand the bottom 9 of the interior cover 10. This contact is such that practically none Water from the dirt-exposed part 5 'of the interior 5 get into the clean part 5''of the same can. In order to improve this contact and thus the seal, a sealing element, for example in the form of sealing lips, can be provided on the contact surfaces of the filter 6 with the corresponding surfaces 8, 9 or also on the regions of the surfaces 8, 9 touched by the filter. The pump 4 'is arranged inside the housing 1, specifically in the clean part 5''of the interior 5. The pump 4 'is operatively connected via an axis 12 to an electric motor 13 which is arranged near the bottom surface 8 of the interior 5 and is arranged vertically together with the latter in the interior 5. The electric motor 13 and the pump 4 'are coaxial with and within the one having a cylindrical shape Filters 6 arranged. The outlet openings 7 are arranged in a substantially vertical direction above the pump 4 '. If the device is placed in a swimming pool which is at least partially filled with water and the pump 4 'is put into operation, a vacuum is created in the clean part 5 "of the interior 5. This vacuum causes a flow in the interior of the device, which is shown schematically by the two arrows 25. Within the clean part 5 ″ of the interior 5 delimited by the filter 6, flow conductors 24 can additionally be arranged - for amplifying or accelerating the water flow or for deflecting it.

The dirty water enters through the suction opening or the suction openings 3 into the dirt-exposed part 5 'of the interior 5, which is at least partially surrounded by the housing 1, and is drawn through a filter 6, which is arranged in this interior. The filter water sweeps past the flow conductors 24, is conveyed further by the pump 4 'or its propeller and passes through at least one outlet opening 7, which is preferably arranged within a cover 10 and essentially centrally above the interior, from the interior 5 of the Housing 1 out. This cover 10 thus closes at least part of the interior 5. The filter 6 is preferably designed and arranged as a lamella filter according to the first embodiment. In contrast to the first embodiment, one or more motors (cf. FIG. 2) are provided in this second embodiment, which serve to drive the wheels 15 or their axes 16, 16 '. At least one motor 14, 14 'is preferably provided for driving the impellers 15 for the locomotion of the cleaning device, two impellers 15 being arranged on an axis 16, 16' and each axis 15, 15 'being assigned its own motor 2, 2' is. A controller 22 is preferably arranged outside the cleaning device and connected to the cleaning device via a control line 23, so that For example, an operator located outside the swimming pool or an automatic system that can be connected to a computer or has built-in intelligence that can control the cleaning device. In the case of built-in intelligence, however, it can also be provided that the control is located within the housing and that the local conditions are stored in an electronic memory, such as a so-called smart card, and that this memory is part of or can be used in the control; In this case, the arrangement of energy stores, such as batteries and the like, in the housing is advantageous, in this way the cleaning device is completely autonomous and can be used for the independent cleaning of a liquid container, in particular a swimming pool.

For more intensive cleaning of the subsurface, which can include both the floor and the walls of a swimming pool, brushes 26 and / or brush rollers 20 known per se are optionally used in all three described embodiments. These brushes or brush rollers can be used both along and on the side in the area of the base 2 of the housing or in the region of the edge of the housing inside or also - deviating from the illustration in FIG. 1, outside the housing.

FIG. 3A shows an enlarged vertical section through an intake opening, a combination of insert plate 18 with insert membrane 17 being shown. The insert plate lies directly on the floor surface 8 of the interior 5, or its dirt-exposed part 5 ', and essentially covers this part of the floor surface 8 of the interior. Optionally provided sealing elements (not shown) between the floor surface 8 and the insert plate 18 can additionally prevent that dirty water from the suction openings 3 can penetrate directly into the clean part 5 ″ of the interior. On the insert plate 18 there is an insert membrane 17 which covers the suction holes 3. If - due to the operation of a pump 4, 4 'in the interior 5, the elastically deformable membrane, which is made of rubber, for example, is bent upward in the area of the suction openings 3. The intake openings are now open. As soon as the negative pressure disappears, for example because the pump 4, 4 'has been switched off, the insert membrane 17 immediately rests on the suction openings 3 and closes them; the insert membrane thus acts like a one-way valve or non-return valve, which may allow dirty water to flow into the interior, but prevent it from flowing out. The result of this is that a considerable amount of dirt, for example when the pump is switched off, leaves the cleaning device in an uncontrolled manner and thus contaminates the swimming pool or its surroundings. However, in order that the water, which is located in the cleaning device after the pumps 4, 4 'have been switched off, can be removed in a controlled manner, one or more drain openings 30 are provided in the area of the clean part 5 "of the interior. Conversely to the suction openings 3 there are at the one or more drain openings 30 each act as a flap 31 membrane piece, which the outside of the base 2 of the housing is arranged. This diaphragm piece 31 is sucked in during pump operation, so that all drain openings are closed. As soon as the negative pressure in the interior 5 subsides, all membrane flaps 31 are pressed open by the weight of the water in the interior, whereupon the water flows off. Because the drain openings 30 are provided in the floor area of the clean part 5 ″ of the interior, only water leaves the interior, which has passed through the filter and is therefore cleaned; the dirt is thus effectively retained in the dirt-exposed part 5 'of the interior.

FIG. 3B shows an enlarged vertical section through an intake opening, a combination of insert plate 18 with insert bucket 19 being shown. Like the insert plate 18 in FIG. 3A, the insert bucket 19 here lies directly on the bottom surface 8 of the interior 5, or its dirt-exposed part 5 ′, and essentially fills the dirt-exposed part of the interior. Optionally provided sealing elements (not shown) between floor surface 8 and insert bucket 19 can additionally prevent that dirty water can penetrate from the suction openings 3 directly into the clean part 5 ″ of the interior. On the insert bucket 19 there is an insert membrane 17, which covers the suction holes 3 and acts as a one-way valve as described in FIG. 3A. Corresponding drain openings 30 with membrane flaps 31 can also be provided.

For mutual stabilization and to simplify the cleaning of the device (see below), the insert plate 18 or the insert bucket 19 preferably has clamps 32 which connect the inserted lamella filter 6 to the insert plate or the insert bucket and the insert membrane 17 between the plate filter and insert plate or Grasp or pinch the insert bucket.

The use of a lamellar filter has the advantage that - if the lamellas are essentially horizontal - small particles, which experience has shown to make up the majority of the dirt to be retained by the filter, remain on or between the lamellas and trays, and - later Cleaning the device - together with the filter can be lifted out of the interior. On the other hand, a lamella filter with essentially vertically arranged lamellae has the advantage that it can be easily brought into a cylindrical shape, because the lamellae run practically parallel to the cylinder axis and, due to the bend on the cylinder surface, the gaps between the lamellae - each according to the number of lamellas - be slightly compressed or stretched. It has been shown that even in the case of slats which run essentially vertically, the majority of the dirt to be retained by the filter is deposited in the interstices of the slats and can likewise be removed from the cleaning device by lifting the filter.

The device is cleaned as follows:

By switching off the pump 4, 4 'the device is put out of operation and e.g. pulled out of the swimming pool using a lifting rope. In this case, the filter space or the interior 5 drains via the drain openings 30 already described on the housing base 2 in the clean part 5 ″ of the interior.

The interior 5 or the filter space is made accessible by removing the cover 10.

The lamella filter 6 is pulled out of the filter space essentially vertically upwards. If an insert plate 18 or an insert bucket 19 was used, these inserts can be lifted out together with the lamella filter.

If no such inserts 18, 19 are provided, a more frequent visual check is recommended as to whether the dirt-exposed part 5 'of the interior 5 is already so heavily soiled that the lamellar filter 6 can no longer accommodate almost no additional dirt load. A cover 10, which comprises or is made of transparent material, such as transparent plastic and the like, makes this optical monitoring considerably easier.

In general, a transparent cover has the advantage that the degree of contamination of the filter 6 can be determined in a simple manner and also during the operation of the cleaning device.

The inserts, which are held together for example via terminals 32 and e.g. from the filter 6, which consist of the inserted insert plate 18 or insert bucket 19 and the insert membrane 17, slide together out of the filter space, preventing coarse dirt from falling back into it. The use of an insert bucket 19 also prevents dirty water from coming into direct contact with the inner wall of the interior 5. The fact that (apart from the cover 10) no internal components of the housing 1 come into contact with dirty water, the cleaning of the cleaning device is additionally simplified.

Any fine contaminants, especially if only an insert membrane 17 and a filter 6 (i.e. neither insert plate 18 nor insert bucket 19) are used, can be washed out from above with cleaning water from the interior 5, ie the filter and pump chamber, through the suction and discharge openings 30 ,

By inserting an insert membrane 17, possibly also an insert plate 18 or insert bucket 19 and a clean or cleaned filter 6, the cleaning device is immediately ready for the next use, without it ever having to be tilted sideways or even turned over.

A separate motor 2, 2 'is preferably assigned to each axis 15, 15' in a cleaning device. However, a common motor can also be provided for both axes. Forming the housing 1 of the cleaning device as a self-supporting plastic chassis has proven itself. It is particularly preferred, however, that the plastic chassis is formed in one piece, because this considerably simplifies production and, above all, assembly.

Claims (16)

1. Cleaning apparatus, in particular for cleaning swimming pools, comprising a housing (1) and at least one suction aperture (3) arranged at the base (2) of said housing, through which aperture by means of a pump (4, 4') a liquid to be cleaned can be conveyed into an interior chamber (5) which is at least partly enclosed by the housing (1), through a filter (6) which can be arranged in this interior chamber - for separating a part (5') exposed to dirt from a clean part (5'') of the interior chamber - and can be conveyed by way of an outlet aperture (7),
   characterised in that

   • the filter (6) of an upper surface (8) of the bottom of the interior chamber (5) and of an underside (9) of a cover (10) which can be arranged above the interior chamber fits closely so as to provide a seal; and

   • the pump (4') is in effective connection by means of an arbor (12) with an electric motor (13), and is vertically arranged in the interior chamber (5) together with said electric motor.
2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the filter (6) is a lamellar filter.
3. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the electric motor (13) is arranged near the upper surface (8) of the bottom of the interior chamber (5).
4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the electric motor (13) and the pump (4') are arranged coaxially in relation to and within the filter (6), which is of cylindrical shape.
5. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the outlet aperture (7) is arranged essentially in vertical direction above the pump (4').
6. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the outlet aperture (7) is arranged in the cover (10) of the interior chamber (5).
7. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one motor (14, 14') is provided for driving running wheels (15) for moving the cleaning apparatus along.
8. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that two running wheels (15) each are arranged on one axle (16, 16').
9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that each axle (15, 15') is associated with a motor (2, 2') of its own.
10. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the housing (1) is constructed as a self-supporting plastic chassis.
11. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the plastic chassis is built in a single piece.
12. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in addition an insert membrane (17) which serves as a nonreturn valve for the suction aperture (3) is provided.
13. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in addition a metal insert plate (18) is provided which essentially covers that part (8') of the upper surface (8) of the bottom of the interior chamber, which part (8') is exposed to dirt.
14. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that in addition an insert bucket (19) is provided which essentially covers that part (5') of the interior chamber (5), which part (5') is exposed to dirt.
15. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cover (10) comprises transparent material.
16. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in addition outlet apertures (30) with membrane flaps (31) are arranged in the bottom region of the clean part (5'') of the interior chamber.