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
  • E04H4/12—Devices or arrangements for circulating water, i.e. devices for removal of polluted water, cleaning baths or for water treatment
  • E04H4/1209—Treatment of water for swimming pools
  • E04H4/1272—Skimmers integrated in the pool wall
• • 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
  • E04H4/169—Pool nozzles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a water circulation unit with multiplication of flow for swimming pool, in particular intended for a fixed or mobile group of filtration and pool maintenance, a pool cleaning and broom and even a pool cleaning robot.
• the invention essentially implements, for a multiplication of flow, a system in which an ejector projects a stream of water into a convergent.
• FIG. 2 which reproduces a figure of this document, in which a pump circulates a stream of water from the swimming pool in a filter.
• a pump circulates a stream of water from the swimming pool in a filter.
• the water passes through an ejector placed in front of a convergent so that the water which has circulated in a basket connected to a "skimmer" is sucked by the convergent.
• the flow obtained by multiplication is not used for circulation in a filter, but only in a basket for stopping debris such as leaves.
• the ejector and the convergent are placed near a lower surface of a space at the upper part of which is housed the basket.
• the water descends towards the entrance of a horizontally arranged convergent and changes direction.
• the body of this document does not indicate the multiplication ratio obtained with such a system, the values indicated for the different dimensions correspond to a reduced multiplication factor, certainly not exceeding 2.5.
• FIG. 3 which reproduces a figure of this document, in which a pump feeds an ejector which projects a stream of water towards a duct aligned opposite it and arranged in a chamber delimiting a rounded convergent at the entrance of the conduit.
• the suction effect created by the ejector in the convergent is used for the suction of water which has circulated in a filter and which arrives by a conduit opening laterally into the chamber surrounding the ejector.
• the water stream from the filter arrives from one side of the ejector and must undergo a 90 ° change of direction to be drawn towards the outlet duct.
• the document WO 02/086 259 describes a set of water circulation with flow multiplication, a part of which is represented in FIG. 4 which reproduces a figure of this document, which gives a multiplication factor greater than 2.5, and which can even exceed 3.
• This set of multiplication of flow includes a convergent, a neck and a divergent, and water under pressure is injected in a direction parallel to the internal surface of the neck by a slot arranged at the periphery of the collar.
• This system is limited to the injection of water into the neck and, given the large length of the slit formed around the neck, this slit must be very narrow; it is found in practice that it is easily shut off, if suitable precautions are not taken so that it does not shut off.
• this document indicates that the upstream ejector placed on the axis of the convergent can be located inside a Kaplan elbow intended to allow obtaining a high rate of flow multiplication.
• a flow of 10 m 3 / h introduced by halves into the upstream ejector and into the throat ejector, gives an output of 30 m 3 / h, that is to say say that the flow multiplication ratio is equal to 3.
• an ejector 110 intended to direct horizontally a water flow of 2 m 3 / h at a pressure of 2 bar.
• the speed of the water at the outlet of the ejector was around 17 m / s.
• an element consisting of a convergent 114 and a conduit has been placed cylindrical 116.
• the section of the convergent and that of the duct were circular, from an upstream section of the convergent to a downstream section thereof, up to an outlet section of the duct, so that the assembly formed a surface of revolution.
• the ejector outlet port was placed in the plane of the upstream section of the convergent.
• the duct 116 connected to the convergent 114 had a length equal to 40% of the length of the convergent 114.
• the duct part 16 had been doubled and extended d 'a divergent, so that the duct 118 had a length equal to 1.75 times that of the convergent 114.
• the duct 118 of Figure 6B had been extended by a cylindrical duct of length equal to 1.25 times the length of the convergent, so that the conduit 120 had a total length equal to 3 times that of the convergent 114.
• the ejector 110 was supplied with water with a flow rate of 2 m 3 / h at a pressure of 2 bar, and the flow rate and the speed at the outlet of the duct 116, 118 or 120 were measured. It was found that in the case of FIG. 6A, a flow rate of 12 m 3 / h was obtained, in the case of FIG. 6B a flow of 21 m 3 / h and in the case of FIG. 6C a flow of 24 m 3 / h. It can therefore be seen that flow multiplication factors of 6, 10.5 and 12 are obtained respectively.
• FIG. 6D The device was similar to that of FIG. 6B, but the ejector 110 was placed in three positions 110A, 110B and HOC, the position 110B corresponding to the position indicated in FIG. 6B, the position 110A being outside the converge at a distance equal to 45% of the length of the convergent, and the HOC position corresponding to a position inside the convergent, at 45% of the length of this convergent.
• a multiplication factor practically unchanged, between 10 and 11 was obtained, with the accuracy of the measurements.
• a primordial factor for obtaining of a high multiplication factor is the circulation of water symmetrically at the outlet of the ejector and the inlet of the convergent.
• the invention relates to the implementation of these characteristics for obtaining a high multiplication ratio; it allows the use of low flow pumps to obtain both a large circulation flow, filtration of a high volume of water, and sufficient agitation of the water. a swimming pool so that particles cannot settle, that the bottom of the swimming pool remains clean and that its cleaning is greatly reduced.
• the invention relates to a water circulation multiplication assembly for swimming pools, of the type which includes a water inlet;
• the assembly includes an ejector connected to the water inlet and having a water outlet intended to spray water along an ejection axis, a convergent having an axis of symmetry and a section perpendicular to this axis which decreases from an upstream section to a downstream section, and having a length between the upstream and downstream sections, a conduit arranged in the extension of the convergent to which it connects without internal discontinuity to the downstream section of the convergent, the conduit having a length between the downstream section of the convergent and an outlet, the section of the conduit practically not decreasing along its length, the length of the conduit being at least equal to one third of the length of the convergent, the ejection axis being practically coincident with the axis of symmetry of the convergent, and the two axes forming an axis common of the assembly, the distance between the water outlet
• the axis of symmetry of the convergent is an axis of rotation symmetry.
• the common axis is an axis of revolution of the convergent and of the conduit.
• the convergent is a truncated cone having a circular director and whose angle of the generator with the axis is between 10 and 15 ° .
• the conduit has a length greater than 1.7 times the length of the convergent and preferably greater than 3 times this length.
• the conduit also includes a divergent section.
• the outlet section of the pipe prefferably has a value such that the average speed of water leaving the pipe is greater than 0.1 m / s, in particular 0.3 m / s, and preferably between 0.5 and 2 m / s.
• the flow rate at the water inlet of the ejector is greater than 1 m 3 / h.
• the assembly further comprises a pump intended to supply the water inlet.
• the invention also relates to a filtration and maintenance group for swimming pools, which comprises a set of water circulation according to the preceding paragraphs, and a filtration device.
• the filtration and maintenance group is intended to constitute a fixed group in a swimming pool installation.
• WO 02/086 259 describes a filtration method in which a flow multiplier is incorporated in a pumping assembly arranged downstream of the filtration assembly. In this way, the filtration assembly operates by suction, unlike a sand filter which operates under pressure.
• valves and pipes connected to the pumping assembly allow, for the maintenance of a swimming pool, the use of a robot, requiring a low flow rate at high pressure, and a brush intended to pick up debris and dirt.
• the invention relates to a filtration and maintenance group for swimming pools in which the use of a broom is extremely simple.
• the filtration and maintenance group which is intended to constitute a fixed group in a swimming pool installation, comprises a pumping assembly which itself comprises the circulation assembly according to the invention, disposed between an inlet opening placed partially above and below a nominal filling level of the swimming pool, and an outlet opening disposed at or near the nominal level, and an assembly filtration arranged between the inlet opening and the pumping assembly.
• the guiding space of the circulation assembly is delimited by a Kaplan bend connected without discontinuity to the upstream section of the convergent.
• a filtration group suitable for the use of a suction device used as a cleaning brush
• the group further comprises a shutter element and connector, the shutter part being intended to be placed upstream the filtration assembly to prevent direct communication between the inlet opening and the filtration assembly, and the fitting portion providing direct communication between a flexible tube and the filtration assembly;
• a bypass duct connects a first location, arranged upstream of at least part of the filtration assembly, to a second location, arranged downstream of the filtration assembly and upstream of at least part of the pumping assembly and to which there is a suction
• the flexible tube has a sufficient length so that its end opposite to the end connected to the element forming a plug and connector can be moved to any point of the pool, and a sufficient section to vacuum the debris and dirt present, possibly sucking a large quantity of air without causing a malfunction.
• the filtration assembly comprises at least two stages, a first coarse filtration stage and a second fine filtration stage, for the obturator and connector element to be arranged in upstream of the coarse filtration stage, and that the first location to which the bypass duct is connected is between the two stages.
• the first filtration stage consists of a removable basket having a large useful surface with orifices of dimension between 0.1 and 0.5 mm.
• the section of the bypass duct is much smaller than the inlet section of the converging nozzle of the circulation assembly.
• the bypass duct is connected to the filtration assembly and to the pumping assembly near the nominal filling level of the swimming pool, and the pumping assembly sucks the water leaving the filtration assembly. at a level far below the nominal filling level of the pool.
• the filtration unit further comprises a duct having a first end intended to be connected to a drain at the bottom of the swimming pool, and a second end connected upstream of the circulation assembly, the duct being provided with a valve arranged near its second end.
• the filtration group also comprises a shutter of the inlet opening which allows the evacuation of all the water from the filtration and maintenance group by the pumping assembly, to place the group in wintering conditions.
• the pumping assembly which sucks the water leaving the filtration assembly comprises a double pump driven by a single electric motor, and comprising a low pressure and high flow rate pump which feeds the circulation assembly and a high pressure, low flow pump.
• the outlet opening disposed at or near the nominal level has an axis inclined relative to a normal to the wall of the pool at its location, so that the projected water has a component causing circulation rotating in the pool.
• the filtration and maintenance group is intended to constitute a mobile filtration group for a swimming pool installation, in which the filtration device is a filter practically centered on the common axis.
• the filter is cylindrical and is in the form of a cartridge surrounding the guide space of the circulation assembly, and the convergent and the conduit are placed essentially in the extension of the cartridge.
• the filter is cylindrical and is in the form of a cartridge placed essentially around the guide space, the convergent and the duct.
• the filtration and maintenance group is intended to constitute a mobile filtration group for a swimming pool installation, in which the filtration device and the circulation assembly are arranged in a frame provided with a temporary fixing device to a swimming pool wall.
• the group includes a water inlet pipe connector intended to be connected to a water inlet.
• the group comprises an electric pump supplying the ejector.
• the entire filtration and maintenance group is ballasted so that it can float in an orientation such that a water inlet orifice and a water outlet orifice are close to the surface. water on which the mobile unit floats.
• the filtration and maintenance group is intended to constitute a swimming pool cleaning brush.
• robot a cleaning device that can operate without the presence of any operator
• broom a device moved by an operator.
• a robot differs from a broom in that it comprises a displacement device intended to allow it to move to the bottom of a swimming pool.
• a cleaning broom sometimes called a "leaf collector” comprises a body provided with a long handle, usually telescopic, handled by an operator from the edge.
• a broom comprises a body having a lower part close to the bottom, a suction device, having an inlet for pressurized water and a vertical duct starting perpendicularly from the center of the body and delimiting, at the lower part, an inlet. of water and, at the top, a water outlet, and a filter attached to the top and intended to receive contaminating materials, mainly leaves.
• a cleaning robot has a body fitted with a propulsion device (wheels, chains, tracks, belts, water jets, etc.).
• the propulsion device is driven by a motor device so that it moves the body on a pool floor, with the possibility of changing direction at the limits of the bottom.
• the body includes a suction device, having a pressurized water inlet and a vertical conduit, sometimes in the form of a venturi, into which pressurized water is introduced so that it causes the circulation of an ascending current. of water from the pool to the filter which is attached to the upper part of the duct.
• Such a robot further comprises a cleaning accessory formed of a flexible tube provided with bodies intended to rub against the bottom of the swimming pool in order to detach contaminating materials therefrom.
• swimming pool installations create, for the supply of pressurized water supply to a robot or a cleaning broom, and sometimes other accessories, a stream of water of moderate power (from around 3 to 0.5 m 3 / h at a pressure of 1 to 5 bar, most often from 2 to 3 bar, the flow rate of the same pump decreasing when its pressure increases).
• a brush has all this power, around 100 W, for the sole suction function.
• a robot has this same power, but, in a robot, this current of water is distributed in substantially equal amounts between the propulsion functions of the robot, creation of an updraft in the vertical duct, and drive of the cleaning accessory. It can thus be seen that the function of creating an ascending current does not have great power. For this reason, cleaning a swimming pool requires many hours of robot operation, and it is therefore often done at night. As the robot's water supply requires at least one pump to operate, a noise problem may arise. Above all, this low power available for the updraft does not give a sufficient speed to detach the contaminating materials which cling firmly to the swimming pool, so that the cleaning accessory is necessary.
• a cleaning broom has advantages of simplicity, efficiency and speed compared to a robot.
• known brushes pose a number of problems.
• the known brushes do not have good stability. In order not to tire the operator unduly, their body must be relatively light. As soon as the filter, which is in the high position, begins to fill with sheets, these tend to tilt and tilt the filter to one side. Even if the weight of the picked up material is not important, the filter tends to tilt the broom on the side towards which the bag is offset. If this tendency to tilt is oriented in one axis of the telescopic handle of the broom, the operator only needs a moderate effort to compensate for the effect observed.
• a brush has great power, great mobility and great stability.
• the large power is obtained thanks to several characteristics which are firstly the high flow multiplication factor obtained thanks to the water circulation assembly according to the invention, secondly the large extent over which a rapid current of water circulates on the bottom of the swimming pool, this rapid current of water being obtained by the formation of a thin layer of liquid in the guide space on the lower surface of the brush, and thirdly the formation of a peripheral skirt which delimits the zone d action of the powerful current formed.
• the great mobility is obtained by using wheels arranged so that they avoid any direct contact of the body with the bottom of the pool on a convexity.
• the great stability is obtained by lowering the center of gravity of the broom due to the accumulation of contaminating materials picked up at a low location of the broom, either directly on the base of the body, or near the lower part of the broom.
• the filtration and maintenance group is intended to constitute a pool cleaning brush; in this case, the guiding space of the circulation assembly is delimited by a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis common passing through the upstream section of the convergent and through a surface substantially parallel to this plane and arranged more upstream.
• the group comprises a body having a base, the lower surface of which, intended to be close to a swimming pool bottom, constitutes practically the plane substantially perpendicular to the common axis which is intended to be practically vertical, a nozzle for fixing a handle to the body, and a filter bag surrounding the upper part of the circulation assembly; the filtration device is then fixed to the body at the lower part thereof.
• the filtration device is fixed to the base.
• the filtration device is a filter bag which has orifices of dimension greater than 40 ⁇ m, and preferably of the order of 60 ⁇ m.
• the filtration device is a filtration cartridge.
• the filtration device has an air exhaust valve at its upper part.
• the lower surface of the base has two substantially parallel sides which are provided with wheels.
• the wheels are arranged in two parallel lines, and each line comprises at least three wheels.
• the space between the edges of the base and the inlet of the circulation assembly on the lower surface has a large extent and a low height.
• the edges of the lower surface of the base are provided with a skirt, and the skirt is advantageously formed by a member chosen from a flexible flap and bristles.
• Figures 1 to 5 are simple reproductions of a significant figure of each of the five aforementioned prior art documents, and they have been described previously;
• FIGS. 6A to 6D are diagrams which have already been described for the explanation of the means of the invention;
• FIG. 7 is a diagram of a fixed filtration group for swimming pools implementing the principles of the invention;
• FIG. 8 represents an example of use of the filtration group of FIG.
• FIG. 10 is a partial section of a swimming pool cleaning brush comprising a water circulation multiplication assembly according to the invention
• Figure 11 is a perspective view from below of the brush of Figure 10
• Figure 12 is a perspective view from above of the brush of Figures 10 and 11
• Figure 13 is a perspective view from above of a mobile filtration unit comprising a water circulation assembly according to the invention
• Figure 14 is a perspective view of the rear of the group of Figure 13
• Figure 15 is a view with parts broken away from the group of Figures 13 and 14, showing how the invention is implemented in a movable assembly
• FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a mobile filtration unit which is particularly simple and effective according to the invention.
• FIG. 7 generally represents a filtration and maintenance group for swimming pools in the first embodiment of the invention.
• This group 10 is intended to be placed essentially below the nominal level of the water in the pool, this level being identified by the reference 12 in FIGS. 7 and 8.
• the main elements of this filtration group are, on the one hand, a filtration assembly 14 and, on the other hand, a pumping assembly 16.
• the filtration assembly 14 is connected at its upper part to a space which opens into the swimming pool basin by an inlet opening 18, formed by an element known in the art under the name of "skimmer" and which can be closed by a plug or a shutter, not shown.
• the upper space also has an upper opening 20 which is normally at ground level around the pool and which is closed by a hatch.
• the filtration assembly 14 preferably comprises at least two stages, a first stage 22 for coarse filtration and a second stage 24 for fine filtration.
• the coarse filtration stage 22 allows particles of dimension less than a fraction of a millimeter to pass through, and operates according to a screen filter principle.
• this first filtration stage 22 consists of a basket advantageously formed of a fabric with holes of 0.1 to 0.5 mm, for example 0.3 mm, injection molded between ribs of plastic.
• the second fine filtration stage 24 comprises a cylindrical filter made up of a sheet of an accordion-pleated nonwoven, held between two circular flanges and surrounded in a variant by an external nonwoven.
• This second filtration stage 24 constitutes in this variant a double stage, on the one hand formed by the outer nonwoven, having the role of a deep filter, and on the other hand by the accordion pleated nonwoven, having the role of a surface filter, the fineness of filtration of which is significantly greater than that of the outer nonwoven.
• An advantageous characteristic of the filtration assembly shown in FIG. 7 is that the outlet of the filter 24 is located at the lowest point of the group and is connected by a conduit 26 which rises to the nominal level of the water in the pool. .
• the pumping assembly 16 comprises a pump 28 and a flow multiplication assembly 30.
• the pump 28 is advantageously of the type described generally by the application for French patent No. 02.13 384.
• This pump comprises a motor 32, advantageously of electric type, which drives the rotor of a first pump 34 at high flow rate (for example 14 m 3 / h) and low pressure (for example 1.4 bar) whose inlet is connected to the conduit 26 at the most bottom of the filtration unit, that is to say near the outlet of the filtration assembly 14.
• the total flow rate of the pump 34 (for example 14 m 3 / h) is distributed between a first outlet 36 (by example 12 m 3 / h) which is connected to the flow multiplication assembly 30 and a second outlet 38 (for example 2 m 3 / h) which is connected to the second pump 40.
• This pump 40 raises the pressure of the liquid received (for example from 1.4 bar) and feeds a line 42 which allows the operation of a brush or a cleaning robot (working for example at 2.5 bar).
• the outlet 38 shown in the form of a separate pipe is however preferably constituted by an assembly placed all around the electric motor 32 to cool the latter.
• the flow multiplication assembly 30 comprises a converging nozzle then a diverging nozzle, and an ejector 44 placed just upstream of the converging nozzle.
• the flow rate at the outlet of the flow multiplication assembly 30 is of the order of 36 m 3 / h, this flow being transmitted to the basin by the outlet opening 48.
• FIG. 8 represents the same filtration group, but provided with an element forming a shutter and connector 50 according to the invention.
• the element 50 comprises, on the one hand, a part forming a shutter 52 and, on the other hand, a part forming a connector 54.
• This part forming a connector is intended for the connection of a flexible tube 56 used as a broom for the swimming pool.
• the shutter portion 52 is preferably applied upstream of the filtration assembly and in particular of the first stage 22.
• this shutter portion 52 is a circular plate provided with lugs allowing it to be locked by rotation, by an effect of bayonet. Consequently, most of the suction from the pump 28 passes through the flexible tube 56.
• the tube essentially sucks up water, leaves and other debris, the water circulates normally in the filter, and the leaves and other debris sucked up are stopped by the basket 22 forming the first filtration stage.
• the broom When the broom is working, it basically sucks up water.
• this air when air manages to be introduced into the filtration assembly, by means of the element forming a shutter and fitting, this air can only circulate in the coarse filtration part 22 and not in the fine filtration part 24.
• a bypass conduit 58 of small section is disposed between the filtration assembly, at a location between the two filtration stages, and the conduit 26 which joins the flow multiplication set. Thanks to this bypass duct 58, the air sucked in by the flexible tube 56 does not circulate in the fine filtration stage 24, but passes through the duct 58 and is evacuated directly by the flow multiplication assembly.
• the bypass conduit 58 therefore has the essential advantage of enabling switching to the brush function by simple positioning of the shutter and connector element 50 according to the invention. More specifically, the use of the "broom" function given by the tube 56 simply requires the removal of the hatch which closes the opening 20 and the installation of the shutter 52 on the filtration assembly. From this moment, the suction is ensured by the flexible tube 56 and continues until the element 50 is removed. At this time, the filtration unit resumes normal operation, with multiplication of the flow.
• the bypass duct 58 has the auxiliary advantage of allowing the use of the filtration basket 22 to retain debris and dirt, without disturbing the fine filtration stage 24.
• the filtration unit 10 shown in Figures 7 and 8 has many other advantages.
• the inlet opening 18 and the outlet opening 48 are very close to the nominal level 12 of the water in the pool.
• the filtration unit Another advantage of the filtration unit is that the pumping assembly is connected to the lower part of the filtration assembly, at the lowest point of the installation. Consequently, when the inlet opening 18 is properly blocked, the pumping assembly allows the group to be emptied, for example for wintering.
• the section of the bypass duct is very small compared to that of the duct 26. In this way, during normal operation, the flow of water passing through this bypass duct having undergone only the primary filtration is extremely reduced when 'it is water.
• the ratio of the sections of the conduits 58 and 26 is preferably less than 1/15, for example of the order of 1/25.
• the outlet 48 which leads to the swimming pool, either directly, either by a nozzle has an axis which is preferably inclined in a horizontal plane relative to a normal to the wall of the pool. This inclination of the axis of the outlet 48 of the water stream is indicated in FIG. 9.
• the stream of water with a high flow rate also has a high kinetic energy, transmitted to the pool water with a movement component that promotes closed loop flow at the surface of the pool, and also a mixing of the entire volume of the pool.
• This closed-loop flow allows circulation of debris and dirt, promoting their capture by suction through the opening 18 of the "skimmer".
• the significant energy transmitted to the pool water which creates a circulation component causing a rotating flow, has the advantage of ensuring excellent mixing of the pool water, and ultimately limiting, even eliminating, stagnation zones.
• FIG. 9 represents the major part of a filtration group according to the invention, in perspective view, with in addition a certain number of advantageous characteristics.
• the housing of the filtration assembly and of the conduit 26 consists of an assembly produced by a blowing technique, the body containing the filter preferably being a rib in order to have good mechanical strength.
• a conduit 60 has an upper end on the one hand which opens to the atmosphere and on the other hand which is connected by a valve 62 to a location which is upstream of the flow multiplication set. Its lower end is intended to be connected to a drain at the bottom of the pool. In this way, it is possible to circulate water by vacuum in this conduit at a flow rate of approximately 4 m 3 / h and thus to obtain circulation by a bottom drain of the swimming pool.
• bypass duct is connected between the first and second filtration stages, it can also be placed entirely upstream of this filtration assembly. In this case, debris can pass through the bypass pipe, but as it has a small section, this debris is not very annoying, as long as they do not block this pipe. Any device sufficient to prevent clogging of the bypass pipe is therefore sufficient.
• the second end of the duct can be connected at any location where a suction exists, for example at any point upstream of the converging nozzle of the flow multiplication assembly.
• the filtration unit in Figures 7 to 9 is well suited for swimming pools with a water volume of the order of 100 to 200 m 3 .
• a water volume of the order of 100 to 200 m 3 .
• several groups can be used and can share certain elements, for example a pump.
• the volume is smaller, it is advantageous to use a mobile type group, as described later in this specification.
• the filtration and maintenance group comprising the circulation assembly of 1 • invention is intended to constitute a pool cleaner head.
• Figures 10 to 12 show different views of this embodiment of the pool cleaning brush according to the invention.
• the brush essentially comprises a body 210 and a filter 212 shown in this case in the form of a bag for simplicity of representation but which can be a filter cartridge.
• the body comprises a base 214 and a conduit 216 perpendicular to the base 214.
• the conduit is part of the water circulation assembly according to the invention.
• the base 214 has wheels 218, in the form of two rows of three wheels in the embodiment shown.
• a skirt 220 for example formed of a rubber or an elastomer, but which can also be formed of bristles, is disposed at the entire lower periphery of the base 214.
• the duct 216 has an inlet 222 of converging at the level from the lower surface of the base and an outlet 224 at its upper part.
• the duct 216 is formed in this case by a convergent, a cylindrical central part 226 and a divergent.
• a tube 228 ends at the inlet 222 of the convergent by an ejector 230 intended to project an ascending current of pressurized water, transmitted by an inlet connector 232.
• the connector 232 is intended to be connected by a tube flexible to a pressurized water intake usually arranged at the edge of a swimming pool and giving a flow rate of the order of 2 m 3 / h at a pressure of 1 to 5 bar, for example from 2 to 3 bar.
• the base has a collar 236 intended to retain a retaining cord 234 placed at the opening of the filter bag 212 of the brush. Also shown, in Figure 12, a tip 238 comprising an articulated rod 240 allowing the connection of a telescopic handle. Finally, note the presence of a valve 242 at the top of the filter bag 212.
• the base 214 delimits, with the surface on which the brush rests, a space for guiding the circulation assembly of low height and large extent, symmetrical around the entrance to the convergent (see the large base surface surrounding the inlet 222 in FIG. 11).
• the skirt 220 leaves a small space only for the passage of water between the base and the bottom of the pool.
• the suction effect created by the circulation system is very important.
• the suction water stream must first circulate in the low height and large guide space formed between the lower surface of the base and the bottom of the pool before reaching the convergent. As this space has a low height, the water flows with a high speed and therefore has a significant cleaning effect. This effect is further reinforced at the edges of the broom since the skirt delimits a locally very small space and therefore causes an acceleration of the water which then takes on a high kinetic energy on the bottom of the pool.
• the wheels 218 are mounted on ball bearings, preferably stainless, and as they are arranged on two lines (oriented parallel to the direction of the telescopic handle fixed to the rod 240 of the end piece 238), the base does not come directly in contact with a convexity, because the wheels in the middle of each line come in contact with the convexities and allow easy movement.
• a very important characteristic of the brush shown in Figures 10 to 12 is its great stability.
• the body is made of light plastic material and has a low weight
• the filter bag 212 is fixed by a cord 234 of its lower opening around a flange 236 of the base of the body, the contaminated materials sucked up, when they escape through the outlet 224, fall around the duct 216 and come to accumulate on the base all around the latter.
• the weight of the contaminated material collected therefore constitutes a kind of ballast which increases the stability of the broom.
• the accumulation of contaminating materials can reach the height of outlet 224.
• the filter bag 212 is preferably formed from a fabric having meshes of dimension greater than 40 ⁇ m and preferably of the order of 60 ⁇ m. Such a mesh size ensures the retention of even small contaminating materials, such as small particles of soil, and therefore quickly ensures the cleanliness of the pool. These meshes are however so small that air cannot escape from the bag through the fabric; a fabric with such a fine mesh cannot therefore be used with a known broom.
• the filter bag 212 when formed from such a fabric, comprises a valve 242 for exhausting air.
• the mop may also include, in a known manner, a cleaning accessory in the form of a flexible tube provided with members intended to rub against the bottom of the pool to separate the materials strongly attached.
• a cleaning accessory in the form of a flexible tube provided with members intended to rub against the bottom of the pool to separate the materials strongly attached.
• Such an accessory can be easily mounted at the connector 232 or at another location of the tube 228.
• this accessory is generally not necessary, unless the pool has not been used for a very long time without undergoing any cleaning, so that particularly resistant dirt may have adhered to the bottom of the pool.
• the base has been described with a flange 236 intended to retain the bead 234 from the opening of the filter bag 212, the flange may be placed on the duct near the inlet, so that the contaminating materials constitute a ballast.
• FIG. 17 represents the brush of FIGS. 10 to 12 turned 180 ° and placed in a housing 244 provided with water inlets 246 at the level of the surface of the pool and a water outlet 248.
• the bag has been replaced by a filtration cartridge 250, and the assembly constitutes a mobile or autonomous filtration group.
• the same combined device is used either as a broom or as a filtration unit.
• the invention also relates to other mobile filtration units, as indicated in FIGS. 13 to 16.
• FIG. 13 represents part of a wall 122 of swimming pool at the upper part of which are supported two hooks 124 which carry a body 126 of mobile filtration unit.
• the mobile filtration unit has an opening 128 of "skimmer" which feeds a filter body 130 of vertical orientation. Between the lower part of the filter 130 and an opening 132 for evacuating the group's water filtration is arranged a conduit which rises and whose vertical part comprises a convergent 134 then a conduit 136 which, in the example shown, comprises a divergent part.
• An ejector 138 for the circulation assembly according to the invention is disposed on the axis and in the axis of the duct part 136, at the entrance practically of the convergent 134. In the example shown, the ejector 138 is powered by a water intake 140 present in the wall of the pool.
• a lower opening 135 allows the group to be emptied and easily removed from a swimming pool.
• the mobile filtration unit can occupy various locations.
• one of the hooks 124 (or a swimming pool ladder) can be used for the supply of water (or electricity in the following variant).
• the group includes a low-flow, high-pressure pump (approximately 2 bar or more), for example of the electrical type, which is mounted on the body 126 and directly draws water from the pool: no connection in no water is needed.
• the reference 141 designates a three-way valve allowing the supply either of the multiplication assembly (ejector 138), or of a pressurized water intake 139 intended for an accessory such as a brush. of cleaning.
• This mobile unit has the advantage of being able to be moved and to be able to be used in particular with above-ground pools which generally have a smaller volume than in-ground pools. It has only light and inexpensive elements and can be easily moved, especially thanks to its handles. In addition, it is easily produced in floating form, and it is preferably ballasted so that it can float in an orientation such that a water inlet orifice and a water outlet orifice are close to the surface of the water on which the mobile unit floats.
• the filtration and maintenance group comprising the set of circulation according to 1 the invention is also intended to constitute a mobile or autonomous group of filtration and maintenance of swimming pool, but it is even simpler than the group of the second embodiment.
• FIG. 16 represents such a mobile filtration group.
• the apparatus of FIG. 16 comprises an ejector 142 aligned on an axis and connected to a connector 144 allowing a connection to a water supply pipe.
• a duct 146 having a convergent on the side of the ejector is arranged on the axis of the ejector and is connected to the latter by a small number of thin arms 148, ensuring the support of the convergent while disturbing the water flow between the ejector and the inlet of the convergent.
• the ejector and the duct 146 are held by two flanges 150, 152 which also support a cylindrical filter cartridge 154. This is advantageously held on the inner side by a grid 156, for example of plastic, and another grid 158 is advantageously arranged outside so that large objects, such as sheets, do not come directly to the filter contact 154.
• the device represented in FIG. 16 was used with a pressure at the outlet of the ejector of between 1 and 3 bar and a flow oscillating between 0.5 and 3 m 3 / h.
• the speed obtained at the outlet of the conduit was always greater than 0.2 m / s and the multiplication factor was always greater than 10.
• This mobile group has not only the advantage of being able to be moved and of being able to be used in particular with above ground pools which generally have a smaller volume than inground pools, such as the second group embodiment, but furthermore it is even lighter and less expensive and is very effective.
• a group can be arranged near the location of a swimming pool which is the dirtiest or most convenient to access.
• the group can only be introduced into the pool when necessary.
• a single group can be used transported to filter the water of several swimming pools consecutively.
• several groups can be arranged simultaneously in the same large pool, the time required for filtration.
• no anchoring device is necessary.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Filtration Of Liquid (AREA)
• Water Treatment By Sorption (AREA)
• Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)

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• 2004
  • 2004-04-27 WO PCT/FR2004/001019 patent/WO2004109042A2/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2004-04-27 DE DE602004002593T patent/DE602004002593T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-04-27 EP EP04742586A patent/EP1629163B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-04-27 US US10/558,392 patent/US7311821B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-04-27 AT AT04742586T patent/ATE340906T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-04-27 ES ES04742586T patent/ES2273275T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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