EP1015716A4 - Procede et dispositif permettant de faire fonctionner un nettoyeur de piscine - Google Patents

Procede et dispositif permettant de faire fonctionner un nettoyeur de piscine

Info

Publication number
EP1015716A4
EP1015716A4 EP98923739A EP98923739A EP1015716A4 EP 1015716 A4 EP1015716 A4 EP 1015716A4 EP 98923739 A EP98923739 A EP 98923739A EP 98923739 A EP98923739 A EP 98923739A EP 1015716 A4 EP1015716 A4 EP 1015716A4
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
hose
wheel
motion
lever
pool cleaner
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP98923739A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1015716B1 (fr
EP1015716A1 (fr
Inventor
Johannes Stephanus Grobler
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
FIXTRADE 782 (PTY) LTD.
Original Assignee
FIXTRADE 782 Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by FIXTRADE 782 Pty Ltd filed Critical FIXTRADE 782 Pty Ltd
Publication of EP1015716A1 publication Critical patent/EP1015716A1/fr
Publication of EP1015716A4 publication Critical patent/EP1015716A4/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1015716B1 publication Critical patent/EP1015716B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
    • E04H4/14—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
    • E04H4/16—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for specially adapted for cleaning
    • E04H4/1618—Hand-held powered cleaners
    • E04H4/1636—Suction cleaners
    • E04H4/1645—Connections to the pool water circulation system
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
    • E04H4/14—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
    • E04H4/16—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for specially adapted for cleaning
    • E04H4/1654—Self-propelled cleaners
    • E04H4/1663—Self-propelled cleaners the propulsion resulting from an intermittent interruption of the waterflow through the cleaner
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
    • E04H4/14—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
    • E04H4/16—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for specially adapted for cleaning
    • E04H4/1618—Hand-held powered cleaners
    • E04H4/1636—Suction cleaners

Definitions

  • THIS INVENTION relates to method of operating a pool cleaner and to a device for use in operating a pool cleaner.
  • Pool cleaners such as pool cleaners widely m use to clean swimming pools, for example currently available m South Africa under the trade names or trademarKS KREEPY KRAULY and BARACUDA, pass water from a head m a pool cleaner body via a nose into and through a pump system of the pool .
  • the flow stream of water is cyclically interrupted in the pool cleaner body which causes a corresponding, cyclic stop - start motion m the body and m turn causes a cyclic water hammer action and a cyclic to and fro motion m the hose.
  • the hose is at least slightly resilient m a longitudinal direction such that its end, remote from the pool cleaner body, can be fixed to a rigid connecting member of a pump system.
  • Said stop - start motion causes a pool cleaner body to move generally along the line of the hose portion proximate the body.
  • Various ways and means are provided to cause tne pool cleaner body to follow a random path and not a pattern such that the whole of the emerged pool surface is covered.
  • a steady state condition comes aoou , especially when tne oody is in a corner of the pool, and tne body gets stuck m one position. It is an ob ect of this invention to alleviate those problems.
  • a method of operating a pool cleaner of the general kind described including, mechanically, continually or continuously moving the hose at a position remote from a body of the pool cleaner.
  • tne method step is effected “non-manually” .
  • Moving the hose may include changing at least one of an attitude and a location of a portion of the hose.
  • the me nod step may include preferably changing both the attitude and the location of the hose portion.
  • the method may include cyclically oscillating a specific point of said hose portion.
  • the movement may be along an arc. It may be m a horizontal plane, conveniently generally along the surface of the water.
  • energy associated with pumping of the water through the hose may be used to move the hose.
  • reciprocation or to and fro movement of the hose may be transmitted to a mechanical device adapted to transduce the reciprocating motion into the motion to which said specific point on the hose portion is subjected.
  • the method may thus include transmitting reciprocating motion of the hose via a lever, pawl-fasnion, to a wheel to rotate the wheel, and transducing rotation of the wheel to arcuate wiping motion transmitted to the hose.
  • Rotation of the wheel may be reduced in one or more reduction gear steps forming part of a gear train. Rotation of a gear wneel at a downstream end of the gear train
  • the invention extends m respect of a second aspect to a guiding device suitable for use in operating a pool cleaner of the general kind described by mechanically, continually or continuously, moving the hose at a position remote from a body of the pool cleaner, the device including a driven member arranged to be driven, a transducer connected to the driven member and adapted to transduce motion of the drive member to motion to be imparted to the hose; and a transmission member arranged to transmit motion from the transducer to the hose.
  • the driven member may be m the form of a lever having a fulcrum, a force point connected to the hose, and a load point connected to a wheel .
  • the load point may be releasably connected to the wheel by means of a connection device adapted to connect the load point to the wheel when motion of the lever is in a first direction, and to disconnect the lever from the wheel when motion of the lever is in a second direction opposed to the first direction.
  • a connection device adapted to connect the load point to the wheel when motion of the lever is in a first direction, and to disconnect the lever from the wheel when motion of the lever is in a second direction opposed to the first direction.
  • a releasable check device may be provided to allow turning of the wheel m said one direction only l . e to check the wheel against rotation in a direction opposite to said one direction.
  • the device may include a speed reduction mechanism d ⁇ vmgly connected to said wheel. It may include cogs on said wheel to render said wheel a gear wheel, and one or more gear wheels forming a speed reducing gear train.
  • Said speed reducing gear tram Tay have a final wheel and a pivot on said wheel parallel to and spaced from an axis of said final wheel .
  • the transmission member -ray be m the form of a lever pivoted at a fulcrum thereof, a load point of the lever being connected by means of a connecting link to said pivot of said final wheel.
  • the arrangement is adapted to impart arcuate wiping motion to the hose.
  • Figure 1 shows, three dimensional view, a pool being cleaned by means of a pool cleaner operated m accordance with the invention by means of a pool cleaner guiding device;
  • Figures 2 and 3 shows respectively in plan view and side view a driving mechanism forming part of the device of Figure 1;
  • Figure 4 shows, m plan view, m more detail, tne device of Figure 1.
  • a pool being cleaned is generally indicated by reference numeral 10.
  • a conventional pool cleaner 20 is in use cleaning the pool 10.
  • the pool cleaner 20 has a cleaning head 22, a body 24 and a nose 26 connected to the pumping system of the pool at the rfeir 18.
  • the pool cleaner 20 passes water pumped by the pool pumping system via the head 22, body 24 and hose 26 to the pool pumping system.
  • the flow of water is interrupted m the head or body which causes a stop-start motion the head and body and which causes the head and body to translate across surfaces of the pool to be cleaned. It also causes reciprocation or to and fro motion the hose 26 which is slightly resilient.
  • a guiding device generally indicated by reference numeral 30 which has a body 32 anchored by means of an anchor bracket 34 to the weir 18.
  • the body 32 is preferably buoyant to cause it to float on the water surface 16.
  • the anchor bracket 34 is pivotally attached to the weir 18 and also to the body 32 to allow the body 32 to rise and fall with the surface of the water 16. This has an added advantage in that, should an object or person fall or step on the body 32, it can pivot downwardly to allow the object or body to pass without offering much resistance. This is regarded as an important safety feature.
  • a guide lever 40 forming part of the device to perform a wiping or swinging motion generally indicated by reference numeral 42.
  • a guide clip 36 At a free end of the guide lever 40, it is connected by means of a guide clip 36 to the hose 26 at a position remote from the body 24 of the pool cleaner 20. It is to be understood that such wiping motion takes place slowly and it takes place through a w de arc, only slightly smaller than 180° .
  • underneatn tne body 32 of the device 30, the hose 26 is connected oy means of an actuating clip 38 such as to drive the device 30.
  • the actuating clip 38 is resilient such that it can engage the hose.
  • t has an inner male ridge 38.1 receivable snugly a female groove m the hose 26. It is to be understood that, because the hose 26 is to be resilient, it is continuously ribbed, bellows fashion and the male ridge 38.1 thus seats intermediate adjacent ribs thus to locate it axially without lost motion on the hose 26.
  • the clip 38 has an integral shaft 50 which has a split, resilient end with a circumferential clip-on formation enabling it to be clipped into an aperture 44.1 through a boss provided at one end of a lever 44.
  • the clip 38 is pivotally received on the lever 44.
  • the lever 44 will extend transversely relative to the axis of the clip 38 and thus transversely also to the hose 26.
  • the lever 44 Closely spaced from the aperture 44.2, the lever 44 defines a projecting stub 64.2.
  • the wheel 54 has a circumferential flange or rim 56 having an inner circumferential surface 58 and an outer circumferential surface 60, both being concentric with an axis 48 about which the wheel 54 is pivoted.
  • a connecting pawl or cam 62 is pivotally mounted on the stub 64.2.
  • the connecting pawl or cam 62 has a cam surface 62.1 lying against the inner circumferential surface 58 of the wheel 54.
  • the pawl 62 further has a resilient tail 64.3 which is checked against a check surface 64.4 on a DOSS of the lever 44 defining the aperture 44.2.
  • a similar pawl or cam 64 is provided pivoted via a stub
  • a resilient tail 64.3 is checked against a check member 64.4 provided for that purpose on the body 32.
  • the arrangements of the pawls 62, 64, and more specifically the arrangement of the cam surfaces 62.1 and 64.1, are such that, when the lever 44 is pivoted about the pivot axis 48 during reciprocation of the hose 26 such that the force point of the lever 44, represented by its axis 46 about which the clip 38 is pivoted, moves the direction of arrow 66, the cam surface 62.1 frictionally checks against the inner circumferential surface 58 such that the wheel 54 is pivoted with the lever 44.
  • the pawl 62 releases from the inner circumferential surface 58 to allow the lever 44 to return on its own.
  • the pawl 64 and more specifically its cam surface 64.1 frictionally engages and brakes the wheel 54 via its outer circumferential surface 66 such that the wheel 54 is braked and does not return with the lever 44.
  • the wheel 54 is cyclically pivoted in small steps m a direction which is clock-wise as seen m Figure 2.
  • the wheel 54 has cogs 68 at a relatively small diameter which cogs mesh, as can best be seen in Figure 4, with outer circumferential cogs 70.1 of a gear wheel 70.
  • the gear wheel 70 also has cogs 70.2 at a small diameter which mesh in turn with cogs 72.1 of a gear wheel 72 at a large diameter.
  • the gear wheel 72 turn has cogs 72.2 at a small diameter.
  • gear wheel 74 and a final gear wheel 76 together with the gear wheels 70 and 72 as well as the cogs 68 form a reduction gear tra . It is to be appreciated that a very large speed reduction is provided as there are four reduction steps in the gear tram.
  • the final gear wheel 76 has, close to is periphery, a stub 76.2.
  • gear wheels are rotatable about parallel axes i.e parallel to the axis of the wheel 54.
  • the guide lever 40 is pivoted about an axis 80 on the body 32.
  • the axis 80 is conveniently co-axial with the axis of the gear wheel 74.
  • the axis 80 serves as a fulcrum for the lever 40, while the connection of the guide clip 36 to the hose 26 at the end of the lever 40 serves as a load point for the lever.
  • a connecting link 78 is pivotally connected at its respective ends between the stop 76.2 on the final wheel 76 and the force point 82 on the guide lever 40.
  • the guide lever 40 is in the form of two sections which are interconnected m series and are frictionally locked as indicated Dy reference numeral 86.
  • the f ⁇ ctional locking is effected by means of opposing discs, which could be cogged if desired, on tne respective sections of the lever 40 which are then frictionally held m mesh or in frictional engagement.
  • the frictional connection 86 acts as a clutch to prevent breakage .
  • the device 30 will be manufactured almost exclusively m the form of synthetic polymeric mouldings which method of manufacture lends itself to mass manufacture. Furthermore, the parts are easily assembled as can be received especially from Figure 4 Special mention is made of the easy and effective way m which the clip 38 is connected to the lever 44 as shown best in Figure 3.
  • the other pivot points may be manufactured m like fashion such that, for example, the gear wheels can easily be clipped into stubs provided for those purposes on the body 32. It is thus contended that the device 30 can be manufactured very effectively and at relatively low cost.
  • the device 30 is driven by means of energy associated with pumping of water by means of the existing pool pumping system.
  • a dedicated power or energy source it will not be necessary to provide a dedicated or special power or energy source to drive the device 30.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)

Abstract

Selon la présente invention, un circuit de pompage de piscine (10) pompe l'eau à travers un nettoyeur de piscine (20) et une manche à eau (26) reliée à un déversoir (18). Le flux qui s'écoule à travers le nettoyeur (20) est interrompu à intervalles réguliers afin d'imprimer un mouvement de va-et-vient répété à la manche à eau (26). Un dispositif (30) fixé au déversoir (18) est couplé à la manche à eau (26) par un serre-câble (38). Le mouvement de va-et-vient de la manche à eau (26) est transmis au dispositif (30), dans lequel il est transformé en un mouvement de balancement (42) au moyen d'un bras (40) attaché à la manche à eau (26) par un serre-câble (36), lequel bras modifie périodiquement l'orientation et la position de la manche à eau afin de favoriser le déplacement aléatoire du nettoyeur (20) et de réduire la probabilité que le nettoyeur (20) reste bloqué.
EP98923739A 1997-05-24 1998-05-22 Procede et dispositif permettant de faire fonctionner un nettoyeur de piscine Expired - Lifetime EP1015716B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA9702464 1997-05-24
ZA972464 1997-05-24
PCT/US1998/010628 WO1998053164A1 (fr) 1997-05-24 1998-05-22 Procede et dispositif permettant de faire fonctionner un nettoyeur de piscine

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1015716A1 EP1015716A1 (fr) 2000-07-05
EP1015716A4 true EP1015716A4 (fr) 2003-09-10
EP1015716B1 EP1015716B1 (fr) 2008-05-21

Family

ID=25586318

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98923739A Expired - Lifetime EP1015716B1 (fr) 1997-05-24 1998-05-22 Procede et dispositif permettant de faire fonctionner un nettoyeur de piscine

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1015716B1 (fr)
AU (1) AU734929B2 (fr)
DE (1) DE69839519D1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998053164A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001059236A1 (fr) * 2000-02-14 2001-08-16 Kenneth Lewis Hawksworth Accessoire de nettoyage de piscine automatique
ATE407276T1 (de) * 2002-03-15 2008-09-15 Johannes Stephanus Grobler Führungseinrichtung zur steuerung eines schwimmbeckenreinigers
WO2024057221A1 (fr) * 2022-09-16 2024-03-21 Scheepers Michael Johannes Accessoire de nettoyage de piscine et procédé associé

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4007749A (en) * 1975-04-07 1977-02-15 Pansini Andrew L Automatic pool cleaner system with timer device
US5082028A (en) * 1988-08-30 1992-01-21 Leonard Jean Jacques Pool cleaner suction pipe
EP0753633A1 (fr) * 1995-07-07 1997-01-15 Sweepy International S.A. Nettoyage de surfaces immergées

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU552555B2 (en) * 1982-06-16 1986-06-05 Jack Nel Agencies (Panama) S.A. Suction cleaner for submerged surfaces
NZ215497A (en) * 1985-03-18 1987-07-31 Leonard Jean Jacques Swimming pool vacuum cleaner with floating support

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4007749A (en) * 1975-04-07 1977-02-15 Pansini Andrew L Automatic pool cleaner system with timer device
US5082028A (en) * 1988-08-30 1992-01-21 Leonard Jean Jacques Pool cleaner suction pipe
EP0753633A1 (fr) * 1995-07-07 1997-01-15 Sweepy International S.A. Nettoyage de surfaces immergées

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of WO9853164A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU734929B2 (en) 2001-06-28
DE69839519D1 (de) 2008-07-03
EP1015716B1 (fr) 2008-05-21
EP1015716A1 (fr) 2000-07-05
WO1998053164A1 (fr) 1998-11-26
AU7595798A (en) 1998-12-11

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