EP1290298B1 - Dispositif automatique de nettoyage de piscine a quatre roues motrices - Google Patents

Dispositif automatique de nettoyage de piscine a quatre roues motrices Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1290298B1
EP1290298B1 EP00941156A EP00941156A EP1290298B1 EP 1290298 B1 EP1290298 B1 EP 1290298B1 EP 00941156 A EP00941156 A EP 00941156A EP 00941156 A EP00941156 A EP 00941156A EP 1290298 B1 EP1290298 B1 EP 1290298B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
drive
cleaner
wheel
wheels
pool
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EP00941156A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP1290298A1 (fr
EP1290298A4 (fr
Inventor
Dieter J. Rief
Manuela Rief
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Poolvergnuegen
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Poolvergnuegen
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    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to swimming pool cleaners and, more particularly, to automatic pool cleaners driven by the flow of water therethrough for purposes of cleaning. Still more particularly, the invention relates to wheeled automatic swimming pool cleaners.
  • Automatic swimming pool cleaners of the type that move about the underwater surfaces of a swimming pool are driven by many different kinds of systems.
  • Some of the many kinds of water-driven automatic pool cleaners are those driven in various ways by turbines, which translate water movement into rotational motion, and those driven in various ways by oscillators, which move back and back and forth by virtue of Bernoulli's principle, a motion which can be converted into intermittent unidirectional rotation and harnessed in various ways.
  • a vacuum-powered swimming pool cleaning device having a housing supported upon two pair of rubber-treaded wheels.
  • a first pair of wheels is driven by a gear train powered by a turbine wheel.
  • the turbine wheel is housed within a central chamber in waterflow communication between a trough at the bottom of the housing and an external vacuum line mounted to a hose connection on the top of the housing.
  • the turbine wheel has fixed vanes extending from a central shaft that rotates the wheel as water and any debris upon the pool surface is suctioned through the central chamber. The vanes are spaced a sufficient distance away from the turbine wheel's housing to allow the debris to pass through the chamber unobstructed.
  • a second gear train transfers drive power from the first pair of wheels to the second pair.
  • the direction of movement of the device is dictated by the position of control floats within the housing such that a shift in position of the floats enables the drive gear on the turbine shaft to switch from one transmission gear to another and thereby the direction of rotation of the first pair of wheels.
  • European Patent Application No. 0 323 883 of Liberty Pool Products S.A. discloses a swimming pool cleaner mounted upon three freely rotating wheels, each wheel being formed from two hemispheric members. Water is drawn into a turbine housing through an inlet on the underside of the cleaner when suction is applied through a hose connected to the pool's filtration system.
  • the turbine housing contains a paddle wheel with fixed vanes mounted upon an axle. Upward flow of the water through the housing causes the wheel and axle to rotate, thereby driving the rotation of a propellor by means of a single gear train.
  • the turbine housing is sized so that the turbine wheel presents no significant obstacle to either the water or any foreign material such as dirt embedded in it from flowing through the housing. Forward movement of the cleaner is achieved through the thrust exerted upon it by the rotating propellor. Oscillatory movement is imparted to a rudder positioned behind the propellor to continuously change the cleaner's direction of movement.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,933,899 granted to Stanford F. Campbell and Bret Martin is directed to an automatic pressure pool cleaner that operates on pressurized water supplied to the cleaner through a supply hose.
  • Water delivered by the hose is transferred to a pair of opposing jets located near the inlet to the cleaner's suction mast.
  • the flow of water upward through the suction mast generates a vacuum that draws debris off the surface of the pool and into a collection bag attached to the upper end of the mast.
  • Water from the supply hose is also delivered to rotate a turbine provided with multiple fixed vanes and mounted within the cleaner apart from the suction mast.
  • a rotating shaft extending axially from the turbine is equipped at opposite ends with splines to drivingly engage gearing along the inner surface of the cleaner's front two wheels.
  • a back set of wheels are not driven by the turbine or linked by any gear train to the front wheels but are mounted to the cleaner for only freewheeling rotation.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wheeled automatic swimming pool cleaner of the water-driven type.
  • Another object is to provide an improved wheeled automatic swimming pool cleaner of the water-driven type has excellent driving force along underwater pool surfaces.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wheeled automatic swimming pool cleaner of the water-driven type which has excellent traction in a variety of situations.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved wheeled automatic swimming pool cleaner of the water-driven type which has excellent ability to traverse pool surfaces of different types and hard-to-reach pool areas.
  • Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic pool cleaner of the water-driven type exhibiting excellent cleaning ability.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wheeled automatic swimming pool cleaner of the water-driven type which generates good driving power even when used with pool pumping systems generating low pumping pressures.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide an improved wheeled automatic swimming pool cleaner which resists any tendency to become hung up and is capable of extracting itself from situations in which there is a lack of traction.
  • Still another object is to provide an improved automatic swimming pool cleaner with excellent speed and steering (direction-changing) capabilities.
  • This invention is an improved automatic swimming pool cleaner of the type motivated by water flow through it to move along a pool surface to be cleaned, and of the particular type having four wheels in contact with the underwater pool surfaces.
  • the invention including in its preferred embodiments, overcomes various problems and shortcomings of the prior art, including those referred to above.
  • the automatic swimming pool cleaner of this invention provides important advantages, including the following: excellent driving force along underwater surfaces; excellent traction in a variety of situations; an ability to traverse pool surfaces of different types and hard-to-reach pool areas; excellent cleaning coverage of underwater surfaces; effective pool cleaner operation at low pressure; good speed and power, even at low pressures; reliable take-up of debris; highly-reliable steering; an ability to avoid and/or escape situations involving hang-up of the pool cleaner; and good adaptability to desired variations in cleaner structure.
  • the inventive automatic pool cleaner includes: a body having a front, a rear and opposite sides; four wheels rotatably mounted with respect to the body and including first and second sets of two wheels each, each set having one wheel on each side of the body; a drive mechanism secured with respect to the body in position to be activated by the flow of water through the pool cleaner, the drive mechanism including a rotatable drive member; drive train from the drive member to the first set of wheels and to the second set of wheels, such that all four wheels are driven.
  • the drive train includes a first drive-train portion from the drive member to the first set of wheels, a second drive-train portion from one wheel of the first set to one wheel of the second set and a third drive-train portion from the other wheel of the first set to the other wheel of the second set.
  • the drive mechanism is a turbine including a turbine rotor secured to the body in position to be rotated by the flow of water.
  • the drive member is secured with respect to the rotor and is rotatable with the rotor.
  • Highly preferred embodiments of the type having turbines as drive mechanisms include: a turbine housing secured to the body and having a water-flow chamber formed by a chamber wall, the chamber having inlet and outlet ports; the turbine rotor being rotatably mounted in the chamber; and turbine vanes having proximal ends connected to the rotor and distal ends which are movable between extended positions adjacent to the wall and retracted positions spaced from the wall and closer to the rotor, in order to allow passage of debris pieces of substantial size through the turbine.
  • the vanes are pivotably mounted with respect to the rotor.
  • the vanes are preferably curved and the distal edges of the vanes are able to contact the chamber wall in at least some of their extended positions.
  • the rotor has an exterior surface beneath which, for each vane, is a corresponding cavity which pivotably holds the proximal edge of the vane.
  • the vanes preferably have enlargements at their proximal edges sized for free insertion into, and pivotable engagement in, the cavities.
  • the drive mechanism included in the pool cleaner of this invention is preferably a turbine, and most preferably a turbine having the preferred features just described, the drive mechanism can be other kinds of devices capable of rotating a drive member.
  • oscillating drive mechanisms which utilize Bernoulli's principle to establish and maintain oscillation of an oscillator may be used.
  • oscillating rotation can be translated into intermittent unidirectional rotation by ratcheting devices or otherwise; thus, oscillators can drive the rotatable drive member referred to above.
  • each of the four wheels has an inward side and an outward side depending upon how it is mounted on the pool cleaner.
  • the first wheel of the first set has radially-spaced primary and secondary wheelgears on its inward side, such wheelgears facing one another, and the second wheel of the first set has another primary wheelgear on its inward side, the primary wheelgears on the two wheels of the first set being similar to one another.
  • the drive train terminates at the first and second wheels of the first set in first and second drive pinions, respectively, each engaging the primary wheelgear of the respective wheel of such set; this serves to drive the wheels of the first set in the forward direction synchronously, in contact with the underwater pool surface.
  • the wheelgears of the first wheel of the first set be concentric with one another, and integrally formed with the first wheel itself
  • the wheelgear of the second wheel of the first set is also preferably integrally formed with the second wheel.
  • the first and second wheels of the first set are identical, and therefore interchangeable.
  • wheelgear refers to any gear which is affixed on, or formed as part of, a swimming pool cleaner wheel which contacts the surface of the pool to propel the pool cleaner.
  • each of the wheels of the second set of wheels has what is being called a "final" wheelgear on its outward side.
  • each of the second and third drive-train portions mentioned above includes a transfer shaft journaled with respect to the body, a first transfer pinion engaged with one of the primary wheelgears, and a second transfer pinion engaged with one of the final wheelgears.
  • the wheels of the first set impart their rotation of the wheels of the second set.
  • each transfer shaft itself forms the first and second transfer pinions at the opposite ends thereof
  • all four wheels including the second set each of which has a "final” wheelgear on it, have their wheelgears integrally formed with the wheel. Most preferably, all four wheels are identical and completely interchangeable.
  • the drive member is a drive gear and the drive train includes first and second drive shafts which are journaled with respect to the body and which have proximal and distal ends.
  • the first and second drive pinions mentioned above, are driven by the first and second drive shafts, respectively, and the drive train is a gear train from the drive gear to the first and second drive shafts.
  • the first and second drive shafts form the first and second drive pinions, respectively, at their distal ends.
  • the drive train preferably includes a coupler with opposite ends receiving the proximal ends of the first and second drive shafts.
  • the proximal end of the first drive shaft is a ball joint which allows the first drive shaft to be pivoted off-axis. This allows the distal end of the first drive shaft to be moved fore-and-aft between a driving position, in which the first drive pinion engages the primary wheelgear of the first wheel of the first set, and a steering position, in which the first drive pinion engages the secondary wheelgear of such first wheel.
  • This movement from engagement with a wheelgear in the form of a ring gear (i.e., with radially inwardly-facing teeth) to engagement with a wheelgear having radially outwardly-facing teeth, causes the first wheel of the first set to change its direction of rotation -- i.e., to rotate in a direction opposite that of the second wheel of the first set. This interrupts the synchronous rotation of the wheels on the pool surface, and causes turning of the pool cleaner.
  • Such apparatus preferably includes: a shift bracket assembly which is slidably held by the body and has the first drive shaft journaled in it for distal-end movement between the driving and steering positions; a cam wheel rotatably secured with respect to the body and engaging the shift bracket assembly, the cam wheel having portions of greater and lesser radii; a reduction gear assembly secured to the body and linking the drive mechanism with the cam wheel such that rotation of the cam wheel is related to rotation of the drive member; and a spring which is positioned and supported to bias the shift bracket toward the cam wheel.
  • the cam wheel acting through the shift bracket assembly, alternately holds the distal end of the first drive shaft in the driving position and allows the distal end of the first drive shaft to move to the steering position.
  • the wheels have treads with a multiplicity of outwardly extending radial fingers. It is most preferred that a small subset of the radial fingers (extending along a very small sector of the wheel) project radially further then the other fingers. With this embodiment, if the pad cleaner for any reason is hung up on some obstruction or pool surface feature, the longer treads, when they come around, tend to provide traction for dislodgement purposes.
  • the aforementioned water inlet faces the surface of the pool and the pool cleaner includes a skirt secured with respect to the body and extending toward the pool surface such that the skirt and the body, together with the pool surface, form a plenum from which water and debris are drawn into the inlet.
  • the skirt is formed of at least one flap member which has upper and lower articulating portions, the upper articulating portion having a proximal end hinged to the body and a distal end hinged to the lower articulating portion.
  • the skirt is segmented in that it is formed of a plurality of the articulated flap members in side-by-side arrangement, each having upper and lower articulating portions.
  • Such skirt which is the subject of commonly-owned copending United States Patent No. 6,131,227, entitled “Suction-Regulating Skirt for Automated swimming Pool Cleaner Heads,” filed by Dieter J. Rief, an inventor herein, and Hans Raines Schlitzer on May 21, 1999, facilitates relative enclosure of the plenum despite encountered irregularities in the pool surface immediately under the pool cleaner.
  • the skirt minimizes the openness between the pool cleaner body and the underwater surface of the pool, and this causes a speed-up in the linear flow of water immediately along the underwater surface of the pool, at positions under the pool cleaner.
  • Such speed-up of linear flow improves the ability of the pool cleaner to ingest debris along with water, so that the debris tends to move easily into the turbine chamber, and from there through the outlet and into a bag or other collector.
  • the inventive automatic pool cleaners are suction cleaners.
  • the inventive automatic pool cleaners are pressure cleaners.
  • Certain highly preferred forms of swimming pool pressure cleaners are the subjects of PCT Patent Application No.PCT/US00/14770, entitled “Swimming Pool Pressure Cleaner with Internal Steering Mechanism,” concurrently filed by the applicant herein on an invention of Dieter J. Rief and Manuela Rief, the inventors herein.
  • the drive mechanism included in the pool cleaner of this invention is preferably a turbine, and most preferably a turbine having the particular features referred to above, the drive mechanism can be other kinds of devices which are capable of rotating a drive member.
  • oscillating drive mechanisms which utilize Bernoulli's principle to establish and maintain oscillation of an oscillator may be used.
  • oscillating rotation can be translated into intermittent unidirectional rotation by ratcheting or other devices; thus, oscillators can drive the rotatable drive member referred to above.
  • FIGURES 1-9 illustrate a preferred automatic swimming pool cleaner 20 in accordance with this invention.
  • Pool cleaner 20 has four identical drive wheels marked by numeral 22, including left front drive wheel 22a, right front drive wheel 22b, and left and right rear drive wheels 22c and 22d. All four drive wheels are driven to provide forward movement of pool cleaner 20.
  • Rear drive wheels 22c and 22d are driven by separate linkages from front wheels 22a and 22b, respectively.
  • Left front drive wheel 22a which is normally driven in a forward direction, is periodically temporarily driven in a reverse direction.
  • left rear drive wheel 22c is also driven in a reverse direction by virtue of the linkage between drive wheels 22a and 22c.
  • This steering function together with the power provided by four-wheel drive of this invention, provides excellent cleaning coverage of underwater pool surfaces.
  • Pool cleaner 20 includes a body 24 which is preferably formed of two or more plastic pieces designed to accommodate the parts and features of the invention.
  • Front drive wheels 22a and 22b are rotatably mounted with respect to body 24 on wheel shafts 26, as shown in FIGURE 6. Attached to body 24 are rear wheel supports 28, and rear wheels 22c and 22d are rotatably mounted thereon by wheel shafts 30.
  • Front wheels 22a and 22b have gearing (hereafter described) on their inward surfaces, i.e., the surfaces facing each other.
  • Rear wheels 22c and 22d have the same gearing on their outward surfaces.
  • Drive wheels 22a-d are identical to each other, and thus are interchangeable.
  • the gearing on wheels 22a-d includes concentric radially-spaced primary and secondary wheelgears 32 and 34.
  • Primary and secondary wheelgears 32 and 34 are radially spaced from one another by a distance in excess of the diameter of a pinion gear (hereafter described) which alternately engages such gears on drive wheel 22a. While all wheels are interchangeable, only drive wheel 22a uses both wheelgears; on drive wheels 22b-d, only wheelgear 32 is used.
  • Pool cleaner 20 includes a drive mechanism which utilizes the flow of water through the pool cleaner to create rotary motion which is transferred to the wheels by a drive train. More specifically, pool cleaner 20 includes a turbine 36, part of which, notably turbine housing 38, is secured to body 24. (As used with respect to turbine housing 38 and body 24, the term “secured to” includes having been formed together.)
  • Turbine housing 38 has a chamber 40 in it which is formed by a chamber wall 42.
  • Chamber 40 includes an inlet port 44 and an outlet port 46.
  • Turbine 36 also includes a rotor 48, which is rotatably mounted within chamber 40, and a number of turbine vanes 50, each of which has proximal and distal edges 50a and 50b.
  • Proximal edge 50a of each vane 50 is generally cylindrical in shape and is loosely received within a generally cylindrical void in rotor 48, formed just below the outer surface of the rotor.
  • vanes 50 which are of a curved configuration, freely move between fully extended positions in which they contact chamber wall 42 and retracted positions in which their distal edges 50b are closer to rotor 48 and spaced from chamber wall 42. This provides free adjustability of vanes 50 to allow large pieces of debris to pass through chamber 40 without interfering with operation of the turbine.
  • Turbine 36 shown in FIGURE 7, serves two functions, providing power to drive wheels 22a-d through linkages (hereafter described) and providing power for operation of a steering device (hereafter described), both of which occur as water and debris are drawn through it by the action of a remote pump.
  • a flexible hose (not shown) is rotatably attached to hose coupling 52 (in known fashion) and draws water from beneath pool cleaner 20 through inlet port 44, turbine 36 and outlet port 46.
  • Pool cleaner 20 includes a segmented skirt which has forward and rearward portions, each of which includes a number of flap members 56 arranged in side by side relationship. Together, flap members 56 and body 24 form a plenum 62. Each flap member 56 includes an upper articulating portion 58 and a lower articulating portion 60. Upper portion 58 has a proximal end 58a which is hinged to body 24 and a distal end 58b which is hinged to a proximal end 60a of upper portion 60. By virtue of this design, flap members 56 self-adjust to the contours of the pool surface 54. Flap members 56 serve to keep plenum 62 substantially closed, which provides flow characteristics favorable for collection of debris from beneath pool cleaner 20 by the suction action.
  • FIGURE 10 While pool cleaner 20 is a suction cleaner, an alternative pool cleaner 63, which is a pressure cleaner, is shown in FIGURE 10.
  • Pressure cleaner 63 has a turbine 68 and related portions which differ from their counterparts in pool cleaner 20.
  • Pressure cleaner 63 instead of operating by harnessing the suction of water through a pool cleaner, operates by harnessing a positive flow of water to a pool cleaner through a pool cleaner hose (not shown), which is attached to a swiveling hose coupling (not shown). The water from the hose flows through conduits 64 and conduit branches 64a and 64b, and ultimately through venturi jets 66a and 66b into turbine 68.
  • FIGURE 10 is schematic; it omits a number of parts and does not purport to show the location or the structure providing conduits for flow of water from the hose to the venturi jets.
  • turbine 68 has a larger inlet 70 facing the pool surface (not shown) than is used in pool cleaner 20, described above.
  • Venturi jets 66a and 66b are located at or near inlet 70 and are oriented to direct water upwardly into inlet 70 and toward outlet 72.
  • the venturi jets, particularly venturi jet 66a are located to cause rotation of the rotor of turbine 68 to provide driving and steering power for pressure cleaner 63.
  • a venturi action caused by venturi jets 66a and 66b draws water and debris from beneath pool cleaner 63 into inlet port 70, and causes such water and debris to flow upwardly through turbine 68 and outlet port 72 into a collection bag 74, which acts as a filter.
  • venturi action is caused by the accelerated flow of water created by jets 66a and 66b.
  • the accelerated flow of water creates a pressure differential which causes an upward suction of water and debris from adjacent on the pool surface into inlet 70.
  • the venturi jets serve two purposes -- driving the turbine and creating an upward flow from beneath the pool cleaner for cleaning purposes.
  • the size and orientation of venturi jets 66a and 66b not only cause these actions, but serve to facilitate an essentially quick straight-line movement of debris into collection bag 74.
  • pressure cleaner 63 is like suction cleaner 20.
  • FIGURE 6 is particularly helpful in illustrating the drive train and its three different portions.
  • the three different portions include: (1) a first portion which extends from a first drive gear 76, affixed to rotor 48, to left and right front wheels 22a and 22b; (2) a second portion which extends from front wheel 22a to rear wheel 22c; and (3) a third portion which extends from front wheel 22b to rear wheel 22d.
  • first drive gear 76 (The second and third portions of the drive train are identical to each other.) All four wheels are driven by first drive gear 76; a second drive gear 78, which is affixed to the opposite side of rotor 48, is used to control the steering of pool cleaner 20.
  • First and second drive gears 76 and 78 are integrally formed with rotor 48 and are affixed to a rotor shaft 79 which is rotatably mounted with respect to body 24.
  • the first drive train portion includes left and right drive shafts 80 and 82, sometimes referred to herein as "first" and “second” drive shafts.
  • Drive shafts 80 and 82 are aligned end-to-end.
  • the first drive train portion also has a gear train including gears 84a, 84b and 84c.
  • Gear 84c serves as a coupler to receive the proximal ends 80a and 82a of drive shafts 80 and 82.
  • Proximal end 80a of drive shaft 80 forms a ball-joint coupling with coupling gear 84c, for steering purposes described below.
  • Drive shafts 80 and 82 terminate at their distal ends in pinion gears 86a and 86b, which are integrally formed with the shafts.
  • Gears 86a and 86b engage primary wheelgears 32 of drive train wheels 22a and 22b, respectively.
  • the rotation of rotor 48 causes synchronous rotation of front drive wheels 22a and 22b, each in the same direction.
  • each of these identical drive-train portions end up engaging primary (or final) wheelgear 32 of one of rear drive wheels 22c and 22d.
  • Adjacent to each rear wheel is a transfer shaft 88 which is journaled in body 24 by means of appropriate bearings.
  • the opposite ends of each transfer shaft 88 include pinion gears 90a and 90b, which are formed as part of transfer shaft 88.
  • Each pinion gear 90a engages primary wheelgear 32 of one of front drive wheels 22a or 22b, at a position spaced about 180° from the point of engagement of pinion gear 86a or 86b therewith.
  • Each pinion gear 90b engages primary (or final) wheelgear 32 of one of rear drive wheels 22c and 22d.
  • Left drive shaft 80 which is generally in exact axial alignment with right drive shaft 82, can be moved off-axis by virtue of the ball-joint at its proximal end 80a. More specifically, pinion gear 86a, which is formed at the distal end of left drive shaft 80, is movable in fore-and-aft directions depending upon forces applied to drive shaft 80, as hereafter described.
  • FIGURE 7 shows an oblong opening 92 in a portion of body 24 which accommodates such movement of left drive shaft 80.
  • Pool cleaner 20 includes a shift bracket assembly 94 which is slidably held within a cavity 96 formed in body 24.
  • Left drive shaft 80 is journaled by suitable bearing means in shift bracket assembly 94.
  • Shift bracket assembly 94 includes a roller 98 at its rearward end for engagement by a cam wheel 100 which serves the purpose of controlling the position of shift bracket assembly 94, either fore or aft.
  • a spring 102 is located within cavity 96 in a position between a fixed surface of body 24 and the forward end of shift bracket assembly 94. Spring 102 biases shift bracket assembly 94 into firm engagement with cam wheel 100.
  • pinion gear 86a Since left drive shaft 80 is journaled in shift bracket assembly 94, the position of pinion gear 86a is determined by the fore-or-aft position of shift bracket assembly 94. In the forward position, pinion gear 86a engages primary wheelgear 32 of left front wheel 22a; in the rearward position, it engages secondary wheelgear 34 of left front wheel 22a. Left front wheel 22a moves in a forward direction when pinion gear 86a engages primary wheelgear 32; however, since the reverse side of pinion gear 86a is what engages secondary wheelgear 34 when pinion gear 86a is in the aft position, such engagement results in reverse rotation of left front wheel 22a.
  • cam wheel 100 has a fixed radius sufficient to allows cam wheel 100 to hold shift bracket assembly 94 in a forward position.
  • Cam wheel 100 also has one or more smaller portions of lesser radius which allow shift bracket assembly 94 to move to its aft position under the biasing force of spring 102.
  • Cam wheel 100 is rotatably supported on an extension 104 of rotor shaft 79 at a position spaced from rotor 48. Also rotatably supported on extension 104 are several gear members of a reduction gear assembly 106, the purpose of which is to reduce rotational speed such that cam wheel 100 turns slowly -- at a rate such that its portions of greater or lesser radial dimension dwell in contact with roller 98 of shift bracket assembly 94 for reasonable periods of time. More specifically, the gearing and cam design are such that the pool cleaner 20 will move in a forward position most of the time, and only intermittently change directions for short periods of time.
  • Primary and secondary wheelgears 32 and 34 are integrally formed with each of the drive wheels 22a-d.
  • FIGURE 8 illustrates the main portion of one such drive wheel, with its tread piece removed.
  • FIGURE 9 illustrates a resilient elastomeric tread element 108 which is shaped for firm engagement about the periphery of the main portion of each drive wheel and to provide good traction.
  • Tread element 108 has many outwardly extending resilient radial fingers 110.
  • These tread features on the drive wheels of the present invention provide increased traction on slippery surfaces.
  • This tread in combination with the large size of the drive wheels, which are essentially as large in diameter as the pool cleaner is high, allows the cleaner to ride over commonly encountered impediments and obstacles in the pool environment, including main drains, pool liner wrinkles, and uneven, convex and concave surfaces.
  • Such drive wheels in the four-wheel-drive pool cleaner of this invention also allow the pool cleaner to navigate a vertical wall which joins a pool bottom surface without any curved transition (or "radius").
  • radial fingers 110a-c project radially farther than the others. As explained above, this serves to provide additional traction for dislodgement of the pool cleaner 20, if needed.
  • Radial finger 110b extends slightly farther than radial fingers 110a and 110c.

Claims (23)

  1. Un dispositif automatique de nettoyage de piscine du type entraíné par écoulement d'eau à travers ledit dispositif pour un déplacement le long d'une surface de piscine (54) à nettoyer, comprenant :
    un corps (24) possédant un côté avant, un côté arrière et des côtés opposés ;
    quatre roues (22a - d), dont chacune est en contact direct avec la surface de piscine, les roues étant montées de manière rotative par rapport au corps et formant un premier (22a, 22b) et un deuxième (22c, 22d) jeu de deux roues, chaque jeu incluant l'une des roues de chaque côté du corps ;
    un mécanisme d'entraínement attaché au corps dans une position pouvant être déplacée par l'écoulement d'eau à travers le dispositif de nettoyage de piscine, le mécanisme d'entraínement comprenant un membre d'entraínement rotatif et un train de propulsion entre le membre d'entraínement et les premier et second jeux de roues, les quatre roues étant ainsi entraínées, le train de propulsion étant caractérisé par :
    une première portion du train de propulsion entre le membre d'entraínement et le premier jeu de roues ;
    une deuxième portion du train de propulsion entre une roue (22a) du premier jeu de roues et une roue (22c) du deuxième jeu de roues ; et
    une troisième portion du train de propulsion entre l'autre roue (22b) du premier jeu de roues et l'autre roue (22d) du deuxième jeu de roues ;
    et dans lequel :
    chacune des roues possède un côté intérieur et un côté extérieur ;
    une première roue (22a) du premier jeu possède un engrenage à roue primaire et un engrenage à roue secondaire (32, 34) radialement distants, disposés sur la roue et se faisant face l'un à l'autre sur son côté intérieur ;
    une deuxième roue (22b) du premier jeu possède un autre engrenage à roues primaire (32) sur son côté intérieur, les engrenages à roue primaires étant similaires les uns aux autres ; et
    la première portion du train de propulsion se termine par un premier pignon d'entraínement et un deuxième pignon d'entraínement (86a, 86b) respectivement disposés à la première et à la deuxième roue du premier jeu, chacun desdits pignons engageant ou se mettant en prise avec l'engrenage à roue de la roue correspondante ;
    pour entraíner ainsi le premier jeu de roues vers l'avant.
  2. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que :
    chacune des roues du deuxième jeu (22c, 22d) possède un engrenage à roue final (32) sur son côté extérieur ; et
    chacune de la seconde et de la troisième portion du train de propulsion comprend :
    un arbre de transmission (88) guidé dans le corps (24) ;
    un premier pignon de transfert (90a) engagé ou en prise avec l'un des engrenages à roue primaires ; et
    un deuxième pignon de transfert (90b) engagé ou en prise avec l'un des engrenages à roue finaux ;
    la rotation du premier jeu de roues entraínant la rotation du deuxième jeu de roues.
  3. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que chaque arbre de transmission (88) forme le premier pignon de transfert (90a) et le deuxième pignon de transfert (90b) à ses extrémités opposées.
  4. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que les engrenages à roue (32, 34) de la première roue (22a) du premier jeu sont formés intégralement avec la première roue et sont concentriques.
  5. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que l'engrenage à roue (32) de la deuxième roue (22b) du premier jeu est formé intégralement avec la deuxième roue.
  6. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que la première roue (22a) et la deuxième roue (22b) du premier jeu sont identiques, étant ainsi interchangeables.
  7. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que les quatre roues (22a - d) sont identiques, étant ainsi interchangeables.
  8. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que le membre d'entraínement est une roue motrice (76) ; et la première portion du train de propulsion comprend :
    un premier arbre d'entraínement et un deuxième arbre d'entraínement (80, 82) guidés dans le corps (24) et possédant des extrémités proximales et distales ;
    le premier pignon d'entraínement (86a) et le deuxième pignon d'entraínement (86b) étant respectivement entraínés par le premier arbre d'entraínement et le deuxième arbre d'entraínement ; et
    un train d'engrenages (84a - c) entre le membre d'entraínement et les premier et deuxième arbres d'entraínement.
  9. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 8, caractérisé en ce que le premier arbre d'entraínement et le deuxième arbre d'entraínement (80, 82) forment respectivement le premier et le deuxième pignon (86a, 86b) à leurs extrémités distales.
  10. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce que la première portion du train de propulsion comprend un coupleur ou dispositif d'accouplement (84c) avec des extrémités opposées recevant les extrémités proximales (80a, 82a) des premier et deuxième arbres d'entraínement (80, 82).
  11. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 10, caractérisé en ce que l'extrémité proximale (80a) du premier arbre d'entraínement (80) est un joint à rotule permettant à l'extrémité distale du premier arbre d'entraínement d'être déplacée d'avant en arrière ou alternatif entre une position d'entraínement dans laquelle le premier pignon (86a) engage ou se met en prise avec l'engrenage à roue primaire (32) de la première roue (22a) du premier jeu, et une position de guidage dans laquelle le premier pignon d'entraínement engage ou se met en prise avec l'engrenage à roue secondaire (34) de la première roue du premier jeu, entraínant ainsi la rotation de la première roue selon une direction opposée à celle de la deuxième roue (22b) du premier jeu, de manière à ce que la direction du mouvement du dispositif de nettoyage de piscine soit changée.
  12. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 11, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre un appareil pour le mouvement d'avant en arrière ou alternatif de l'extrémité distale du premier arbre d'entraínement (80), comprenant :
    un assemblage de bride ou support de déviation ou déplacement (94) maintenu par le corps (24) de manière à pouvoir glisser, le premier arbre d'entraínement étant guidé dans ledit assemblage pour réaliser un mouvement de son extrémité distale entre les positions d'entraínement et de guidage ;
    une roue à came (100) attachée au corps de manière rotative et engageant l'assemblage de bride ou support de déviation ou déplacement, la roue à came possédant des portions aux rayons plus ou moins grands ;
    un assemblage d'engrenages de réduction (106) attaché au corps et reliant le mécanisme d'entraínement avec la roue à came de manière à ce que la rotation de la roue à came est reliée à la rotation des membres d'entraínement (76) ; et
    un ressort (102) sollicitant l'assemblage de bride ou support de déviation ou déplacement vers la roue à came ;
    l'assemblage de bride ou support de déviation ou déplacement de maintenant alternativement l'extrémité distale du premier arbre d'entraínement dans la position d'entraínement et permettant à l'extrémité distale du premier arbre d'entraínement de se déplacer dans la position de guidage, en agissant par l'intermédiaire de l'assemblage de bride ou support de déviation ou déplacement.
  13. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le mécanisme d'entraínement comprend un rotor à turbine ou disque de turbine (48) monté de manière rotative dans un carter de turbine (48) attaché au corps (24) dans une position lui permettant de tourner par le biais de l'écoulement d'eau, le disque de turbine possédant une chambre d'écoulement d'eau (40) formée par une paroi de chambre (42), la chambre comprenant des ports d'admission (44) et d'échappement (46), le membre d'entraínement (76) étant attaché au disque de turbine et de manière rotative avec ce dernier, et le dispositif de nettoyage étant caractérisé par des aubes de turbine (50) possédant des bords proximaux (50a) reliés au ou couplés avec le rotor et des extrémités distales (50b) déplaçables par rapport audit rotor entre des positions étendues adjacentes à la paroi et des positions rétractées davantage distancées de la paroi et plus proches du rotor, pour permettre ainsi le passage de pièces de débris ou de détritus d'une taille substantielle à travers la turbine.
  14. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 12 ou la revendication 13, caractérisé en ce que les roues possèdent des bandes ou bandes de roulement (108) disposées directement sur lesdites roues avec de multiples doigts radiaux (110) s'étendant vers l'extérieur et espacés autour de l'entière circonférence desdites roues.
  15. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 14, caractérisé en ce qu'un sous-ensemble des doigts radiaux (110a - c) projette radialement davantage que les autres doigts (110), pour fournir ainsi une traction lors du besoin d'un délogement.
  16. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 13, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de nettoyage de piscine est un dispositif de nettoyage par pression (63).
  17. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 13, caractérisé en ce que les bords proximaux (50a) des aubes de turbine (50) sont reliés au ou couplés avec le rotor (48) de manière pivotante.
  18. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 17, caractérisé en ce que les aubes (50) sont courbes et en ce que les bords distaux (50b) des aubes sont au contact avec la paroi de la chambre (42) dans leurs positions étendues.
  19. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 17, caractérisé en ce que le rotor (48) possède une surface extérieure en dessous de laquelle, pour chaque aube (50), une cavité correspondante est disposée qui maintient le bord proximal (50a) de l'aube de manière pivotante.
  20. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 19, caractérisé en ce que les aubes (50) possèdent des agrandissements ou élargissements à leurs extrémités proximales (50a), dont la taille permet une insertion libre et un engagement pivotable dans les cavités.
  21. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre une jupe attachée au corps (24) et s'étendant vers la surface de la piscine (54) de manière à ce que la jupe et le corps, ensemble avec la surface de la piscine, forment une chambre de collecte (62) à partir de laquelle l'eau et les débris sont attirés dans une admission d'eau faisant face à la surface de la piscine et supportée par les roues (22a - d) à proximité rapprochée de la surface de la piscine, la jupe possédant au moins un membre de rabat ou de volet (56) comprenant des portions d'articulation supérieure et inférieure (58, 60), la portion d'articulation supérieure comprenant une extrémité proximale (58a) articulée par rapport au corps et une extrémité distale (58b) articulée par rapport à la portion d'articulation inférieure.
  22. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 21, caractérisé en ce que la jupe est segmentée de manière à ce qu'elle comprenne plusieurs membres de rabat ou de volet articulés (56) disposés côte - à - côte, pour faciliter ainsi l'enveloppement relatif de la chambre de collecte (62) malgré la rencontre d'irrégularités dans la surface de la piscine (54) immédiatement en dessous du dispositif de nettoyage de piscine.
  23. Un dispositif de nettoyage selon la revendication 13 ou la revendication 22, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de nettoyage de piscine est un dispositif de nettoyage par succion (20).
EP00941156A 2000-05-26 2000-05-26 Dispositif automatique de nettoyage de piscine a quatre roues motrices Expired - Lifetime EP1290298B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2000/014771 WO2001092664A1 (fr) 2000-05-26 2000-05-26 Dispositif automatique de nettoyage de piscine a quatre roues motrices

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1290298A1 EP1290298A1 (fr) 2003-03-12
EP1290298A4 EP1290298A4 (fr) 2004-04-07
EP1290298B1 true EP1290298B1 (fr) 2005-11-02

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EP00941156A Expired - Lifetime EP1290298B1 (fr) 2000-05-26 2000-05-26 Dispositif automatique de nettoyage de piscine a quatre roues motrices

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EP (1) EP1290298B1 (fr)
AT (1) ATE308652T1 (fr)
AU (2) AU5590500A (fr)
CA (1) CA2414117C (fr)
DE (1) DE60023756T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2250146T3 (fr)
WO (1) WO2001092664A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6854148B1 (en) 2000-05-26 2005-02-15 Poolvernguegen Four-wheel-drive automatic swimming pool cleaner
US9593502B2 (en) 2009-10-19 2017-03-14 Hayward Industries, Inc. Swimming pool cleaner
EP2967268A1 (fr) 2013-03-14 2016-01-20 Hayward Industries, Inc. Système de nettoyage pour piscine avec des éléments de nettoyage articulés
WO2014150506A1 (fr) 2013-03-15 2014-09-25 Hayward Industries, Inc. Dispositif de nettoyage de piscine doté d'ensembles entraînement de roue
EP3176350B1 (fr) 2013-08-30 2020-10-07 Hayward Industries, Inc. Système de nettoyage de piscine
USD789624S1 (en) 2014-11-07 2017-06-13 Hayward Industries, Inc. Pool cleaner
USD787760S1 (en) 2014-11-07 2017-05-23 Hayward Industries, Inc. Pool cleaner
USD789003S1 (en) 2014-11-07 2017-06-06 Hayward Industries, Inc. Pool cleaner
USD787761S1 (en) 2014-11-07 2017-05-23 Hayward Industries, Inc. Pool cleaner

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3439368A (en) * 1967-01-03 1969-04-22 Robert R Myers Swimming pool cleaner
EP0323883B1 (fr) * 1988-01-07 1992-09-09 Liberty Pool Products S.A. Appareil pour le nettoyage de piscines
IT1217945B (it) * 1988-06-28 1990-03-30 Egatechnics Srl Pulitore automatico semovente per piscine
FR2665209A1 (fr) * 1990-07-25 1992-01-31 Chandler Michael Dispositif de balai hydraulique pour bassin de piscine et analogue.
DK0483470T3 (da) * 1990-10-31 1996-09-23 3S Systemtechn Ag Selvkørende rengøringsapparat, især til svømmebassiner
US5197158A (en) * 1992-04-07 1993-03-30 Philip L. Leslie Swimming pool cleaner
US5933899A (en) * 1996-10-31 1999-08-10 Letro Products, Inc. Low pressure automatic swimming pool cleaner
US6131227A (en) * 1998-10-30 2000-10-17 Poolvergnuegen Suction regulating skirt for automated swimming pool cleaner heads

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ES2250146T3 (es) 2006-04-16
AU5590500A (en) 2001-12-11
CA2414117A1 (fr) 2001-12-06
DE60023756T2 (de) 2006-04-27
EP1290298A1 (fr) 2003-03-12
ATE308652T1 (de) 2005-11-15
EP1290298A4 (fr) 2004-04-07
DE60023756D1 (de) 2005-12-08
AU2000255905B2 (en) 2006-07-27
CA2414117C (fr) 2007-10-30
WO2001092664A1 (fr) 2001-12-06
AU2000255905A1 (en) 2002-02-28

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