EP3211158B1 - Surfaceskimmer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning water surfaces and near-surface water layers, especially in enclosed waters, for example in swimming pools, swimming ponds, ponds and lakes.

Water surfaces are exposed to recurring contamination by continuous entry of mostly unwanted foreign matter, such as leaves, petals, dust, insects, feathers, hair and the like. Therefore, regular cleaning is required especially for smaller bodies of water such as swimming pools, swimming ponds, ponds and smaller lakes.

Impurities can be removed manually, for example with the aid of a netting, from the water. However, since working time is expensive, this solution is not desirable for businesses or privately used waters. Rather, an automated cleaning is preferable.

For larger amounts of water this permanently installed, usually complex filter and pump systems are used, the drive water from the water through a filter system and then direct the filtered water back into the pool. However, in addition to a considerable financial outlay, this solution often requires a certain minimum volume of water throughput, so these systems are not compatible with smaller waters.

Alternatively, floating surface skimmers are offered that move freely across the surface of the water, collecting impurities in the upper layers of water. US 2006/0104720 A1 discloses such a solar powered device.

The WO 2009/066120 A2 discloses a skimmer for collecting surface debris from a water surface in a swimming pool having a trap and operable to be positionable on the water surface in the pool. The skimmer has an inlet for receiving water from the swimming pool and an outlet connectable to a suction device. In addition, in the WO 2009/066120 A2 discloses a combination of skimmer and chemical dispenser and a method of collecting debris from a surface of a swimming pool.

The US 6,041,453 A discloses a debris skimmer configured to float near the surface of a pool to trap drifting debris, including leaves. The skimmer defines a flow channel with a front and rear side, an inlet edge on the front and a container receptacle on the back. This novel flow channel is limited by side elements. One or more holes in a distribution channel located near the leading edge serve to deliver at least one backward jet of water into the flow channel. This water jet serves to allow a rearward flow of water through the flow channel, this rearward water flow serving to direct driving debris to the container receiving means located at the rear of the skimmer. The water jet may be discharged through a common distributor extending along the underside of the leading edge. However, the jet of water can also be discharged through a manifold which extends from the one side to the other in an elevated position above the inlet edge. In any event, the manifold is arranged to connect to a water supply, such as the return line of the pool.

The US 4,746,424 A describes a powered floating pool skimmer having a plurality of angularly-related channels with sluices in each of the channels that allow entry of water, debris and dirt into a central region of the device body. Nozzles arranged around the edge of the body drive the device in desired directions which automatically change in a desired sequence in order for the device to detect the entire surface of the pool. The collected leaves and collected debris are forced downwards by spiraling water down into a mesh bag where the leaves and debris can be removed from the pool. In another form, the leaves and debris are drawn down through a sieve and then through a flexible conduit to the vacuum system of the pool. The drive is accomplished by pressurized water supplied to the device from a suitable source through a flexible conduit.

GB 866 659 A discloses a device for removing debris floating on the surface of swimming pools, tanks or the like, which device comprises a floating cup-shaped container into which surface water of the pool enters through an inlet, the bottom of the cup-like container being connected to a suction line a change in the position of the container allowed, the container to its inlet is provided with a float - controlled shut - off element, which, when the liquid level falls under the influence of the suction process in the container drops with its upper edge below the surface of the liquid outside the container, but in the absence of suction, with its upper edge above the surface of the Liquid is lying. However, previous automated water purification devices have in common that they make no distinction between living and dead or non-living contaminants. As a result, smaller animals, especially beneficials such as bees and bumblebees that have fallen into the water or move across the water surface and are covered by the cleaning mechanism, unnecessarily come to death. This process, which is undesirable in itself, also contributes to an increased contamination volume of a body of water, which leads to an increased cleaning or maintenance effort. It is therefore an object of the present invention, a surface skimmer for cleaning the water surface and the near-surface water layers of waters, but especially not exclusively of swimming pools, swimming ponds and ponds up to a surface of for example 2 m ² to 50 m ² , preferably 5 m ² to 20 m ² and for example 10 m ² , whereby the death rate of the living beings covered by the surface skimmer is reduced.

This object is achieved by the surface skimmer according to claim 1. The surface skimmer according to the invention floats and has a catching device for receiving and collecting impurities at and / or near a water surface. The safety gear has a catching lip, a collecting section for collecting trapped impurities, and a rise suitable for land animals following the collecting section. The catch lip can cover the full 360 ° or only part of the possible directions of movement of the surface skimmer parallel to the water surface. The safety catch preferably has a generally S-shaped contour on a line extending from the catching lip over the collecting section and the ascent. That Preferably, the catch lip bulges just below the water surface, e.g. not more than 20 mm or not more than 10 mm or not more than 7 mm from the water surface out of the water upwards through the water surface and passes into the downwardly curved collecting section, which may be partially below the water surface. According to the collecting section goes on the opposite side of the catch lip in an inclined ramp, which forms the rise. The ascent reaches preferably to a central area. The central area preferably has a float. Preferably, the central area, preferably the central floating body, at least in sections, but preferably on its entire circumference, surrounded by the S-shaped safety gear. By means of the surface skimmer according to the invention, ascending creatures are offered an ascent and thus an escape route for self-rescue from the collecting section.

If an impurity in the area of the water surface meets the catch lip of the surface skimmer with sufficient relative speed, the contaminant is conducted from the catch lip into the collecting section of the safety gear. As long as the capacity of the collection section is not exhausted, a once collected impurity is highly likely to remain independent of the direction of movement of the collection section Surface skimmer in the collection section until the surface skimmer is manually emptied. Such a collected living being, for example, a bee or bumblebee, can escape the collecting section again by rescuing from the collecting section on the rise. The ascent is expediently preferred as a not too steep ramp that provides enough grip to run. Preferably, the ascent has a slope of 0% to 70%, preferably 1% to 66%, more preferably 10% to 60%, more preferably 2% to 45%, more preferably 3% to 30%, most preferably 4% to 15%. Here, the slope is defined as usual for traffic routes: for a climb, which requires a distance dx to overcome a height difference of dh, the slope is dh / dx. The climb can have a constant slope. However, the ascent can also have different slopes, both in the circumferential direction of the surface skimmer and in the radial direction. The rise may include one or more plastics, rubber, wood and / or metal. The rise preferably extends from below the water surface in the connected collection section to a safe height, preferably at least 10 mm, more preferably at least 20 mm, particularly preferably at least 30 mm, above the highest water surface of the close environment. The animal can dry on the ramp at a safe distance from the water and then fly on its own or wait for its rescue at the next inspection of the surface skimmer.

The buoyancy of the surface skimmer requires a buoyancy of the surface skimmer adapted to the weight of the surface skimmer. The buoyancy is generated by one or more suitably dimensioned floats, which may be formed, for example, as polystyrene bodies and / or watertight closed hollow bodies. Alternatively or additionally, a portion of the Oberflächenskimmers, which primarily has a different function, be made as a water-sealed hollow body and / or have floating material and thus assume the function of a floating body.

The safety gear of a Oberflächenskimmers invention is at least partially permeable to water. The safety gear can be designed as spanned by shaping struts network. The safety gear may have any number of struts, with one, two, three, four, five, six, seven or eight struts being preferred. The struts are preferably made of a material of low density, preferably Plastic and / or wood, and may be shaped as a hollow body. The network preferably comprises plastic, metal, a wire mesh and / or cotton. Alternatively, the safety gear may have an inherently dimensionally stable sieve and / or rake, which preferably comprises plastic, rubber, metal, a wire mesh, cotton and / or wood. The rise preferably has a net-like and / or otherwise structured surface. The ascent can be finely corrugated, for example. This can help provide a living animal with more stability for running and / or crawling. The safety gear may have a lipophilic surface. This can help to bind soils that have an affinity for lipophilic substances, such as fats and fat-like substances, such as cream, oil and / or lotion, especially for sun protection, but also skin fat.

The plan view of a surface scoop according to the invention is preferably polygonal, particularly preferably square, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal or octagonal. Floor corners can be bevelled and / or rounded. Alternatively, the floor plan may take any other shape, such as oval, round or an irregular shape.

The surface skimmer may be equipped with a container suitable for containing pool cleaning tablets and / or other chemicals. The chemicals may be in solid and / or liquid and / or gaseous state and in dissolved and / or undissolved state. The container is preferably made at least partially permeable to water, such as a basket and / or mesh and / or water and chemical permeable membrane, so that the chemicals are released gradually to the water. Furthermore, it is preferred that the container with the remaining surface skimmer is reversibly, for example via a plug connection or a screw thread, connected and can be solved for the purpose of filling and re-attached. Alternatively or additionally, the container has a filling opening with closure.

In another embodiment, the surface skimmer may include one or more water quality and / or water temperature monitoring devices. In such a device, chemical, mechanical and / or electrical methods can be used. Preferably, a device for displaying the measured water quality and / or the measured water temperature is integrated. The Display may include an electronic display, such as a light, an LED, and / or a display for displaying text and / or symbols. The display may additionally or exclusively have a mechanical component, such as a pointer and / or a liquid column, and / or a chemical display, each optionally with a scale. For example, the surface skimmer can measure and display the pH of the water, for example by means of indicator paper or sticks. Also possible is a pH measurement and display by means of a pH meter. Furthermore, the surface skimmer may include an electronic or a liquid column based thermometer. Furthermore, the surface skimmer may have a device for measuring the chlorine content in the water and / or a device for displaying the chlorine content in the water.

In one embodiment, the surface skimmer uses external forces, such as air and / or water currents, to move across the water surface to collect contaminants. In a further embodiment, to increase its efficiency, the surface skimmer may have its own drive system which generates propulsion of the surface skimmer. The drive system preferably includes a motor that preferably uses electrical energy to move the surface skimmer. The propulsion of the surface skimmer is preferably generated by the engine driving a suitably-scaled propeller and / or operating a pump that draws water from the water and expels it through an outlet, thereby producing a jet of water and thus recoil, for propulsion is being used. The drive system is preferably constructed so that the inflowing water passes first the catch lip and the collecting portion of the safety gear before it passes through the propeller or the pump. Alternatively or additionally, the incoming water passes through a water-permeable safety filter, which shields the propeller or the pump from the environment. As a result, on the one hand damage to the surface skimmer by larger and / or particularly hard objects and other injuries to humans, animals and / or other objects such as toys or plants are avoided.

Preferably, a self-propelled surface skimmer generates waves on the surface of the body of water with the water moved for the purpose of propulsion, making the surface more perceptible to living beings. As a result, the rate of entry of animals into the water is already reduced, so that the cleaning or rescue effort reduced. Furthermore, oxygen is supplied to the water by the generation of surface waves, which in particular favors the preservation of the ecological balance of swimming ponds, ponds and lakes.

The drive system of the surface skimmer is preferably designed in such a way that propulsion in several directions can be generated. The different propulsion directions are preferably generated by the use of multiple propellers and / or outlets for water jets, which generate different strong propulsion forces depending on the desired direction. Alternatively or additionally, a propeller and / or an outlet is movable, so that one and the same propeller or the same outlet can produce propulsion in several directions. Alternatively or additionally, different propulsion directions are generated by different positions of a tail below the water surface.

Preferably, the surface skimmer autonomously changes its propulsion direction at adjustable regular and / or random intervals, so as to gradually descend the entire surface of the body of water. Preferably, two directly successive directions of movement differ at least regularly by 90 ° to 270 °, more preferably by 110 ° to 250 °, particularly preferably by 135 ° to 225 °. This ensures that the surface skimmer does not get trapped in corners and / or small bays of swimming pools and / or ponds.

A further preferred embodiment of the surface skimmer has a detection system which detects an obstacle in the direction of movement of the surface skimmer. Upon detection of an obstacle, the drive system is controlled such that the surface skimmer changes its propulsion direction. The detection system can be mechanically or electronically coupled to the drive.

Preferably, the surface skimmer has a location for receiving a rechargeable and / or non-rechargeable electrical energy store, which space is preferably watertight to the outside environment. Preferably, electrical contacts are integrated, which are suitable for the connection of the memory for electrical energy and via which the surface skimmer is electrically connected to the memory.

In a further preferred embodiment, the surface skimmer has a solar panel, which is preferably mounted on the upper side of the surface skimmer. The electrical energy generated by the solar panel can be used directly and / or stored for later use in an electrical storage.

The electrical energy that may be provided by a solar panel or by an electrical storage may, for example, be used by the drive system, the detection system and / or water quality and / or water temperature monitoring devices.

In a preferred embodiment, the surface skimmer includes a microprocessor that may be used to perform and / or coordinate user input, measurement, display, propulsion, detection, control, power, power, and / or energy usage as appropriate, and / or or to process and / or control.

Fig. 1A

eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Oberflächenskimmers;

Fig. 1B

eine Draufsicht des erfindungsgemäßen Oberflächenskimmers aus Fig. 1A;

Fig. 2

einen Querschnitt durch die Fangvorrichtung entlang der Linie C-D des erfindungsgemäßen Oberflächenskimmers aus Fig. 1B;

Fig. 3

einen Querschnitt entlang der Linie A-B des erfindungsgemäßen Oberflächenskimmers aus Fig. 1B;

Fig. 4

eine perspektivische Ansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Oberflächenskimmers aus Fig. 1A, wobei ein Teil des Oberflächenskimmers aufgeschnitten dargestellt ist.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the Oberflächenskimmers invention are described in detail with reference to FIGS. Show it:

Fig. 1A

a side view of a Oberflächenskimmers invention;

Fig. 1B

a plan view of the Oberflächenskimmers invention Fig. 1A ;

Fig. 2

a cross section through the safety gear along the line CD of the Oberflächenskimmers invention Fig. 1B ;

Fig. 3

a cross section along the line AB of the Oberflächenskimmers invention Fig. 1B ;

Fig. 4

a perspective view of the Oberflächenskimmers invention Fig. 1A , wherein a part of the Oberflächenskimmers is shown cut open.

Fig. 1A shows the side view of a preferred embodiment of a Oberflächenskimmers invention 2. The surface skimmer 2 has a safety gear 4 with a rise 6 on. The surface skimmer 2 also has a float 8, which for example comprises polystyrene. The float 8 is dimensioned such that a catch lip 10 of the safety gear 4 at or just below the water surface 12th which corresponds to an immersion depth of the surface skimmer 2 in the water 14 optimized for its mode of operation.

As seen from the top view Fig. 1B it can be seen, the embodiment of the Oberflächenskimmers 2 according to the invention on a rotating catching device 4, the catch lip 10 accordingly covers the full 360 ° of the possible directions of movement of the Oberflächenskimmers 2 parallel to the water surface 12. The embodiment shown here has in plan view according to Fig. 1B a square floor plan with bevelled corners, but in other embodiments may also have other planforms, such as rectangular, round, polygonal or oval, and be equipped with fully encircling or partially rotating safety gear 4.

The safety gear 4 in the Figures 1A and 1B illustrated embodiment has struts 16 which tension a net 18, which preferably has plastic, in its intended form. The net 18 preferably has a mesh width of 0.5 to 2 mm, which on the one hand the capture of impurities and on the other hand, a sufficiently large water flow rate is ensured.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross section through the safety gear 4 along the line CD Fig. 1B , The safety gear 4 has on the line from D to C a generally S-shaped contour, ie the catch lip 10 bulges out of the water 14 up through the water surface 12 and passes into the downwardly curved collecting portion 20, which partially located below the water surface 12. The collecting section 20 merges on the side opposite the catching lip 10 into an inclined ramp which forms the ascent 6 and can extend to the central floating body 8 of the surface skimmer 2. The rise 6 is preferably not too steep, preferably with a slope of 10% to 60%, and a surface condition that allows animals, such as insects such as bees and bumblebees, to run on it. Preferably, the surface of a, as in Fig. 2 shown formed as a network rise to a structure that provides the collected living things, such as bumblebees and / or bees, enough support that they can run out of the collection section and / or crawl. Preferably, the mesh size is selected to be correspondingly fine and / or the thickness and / or the material of the yarn used for the net selected appropriately (eg 1 mm to 10 mm or 2 mm to 5 mm mesh size). The moves in the Fig. 1B illustrated embodiment on the water surface 12, so is an impurity, such as leaves, petals or an insect which strikes the catching lip 10 at a sufficient relative speed is conveyed via the catching lip 10 into the collecting section 20. This operating principle applies to each movement direction of the surface skimmer parallel to the water surface 12, since the catch lip 10 of the illustrated embodiment covers each of these directions of movement. The S-shape of the safety gear 4 causes a once-collected contaminant to remain in the collecting portion 20 with high probability regardless of the moving direction of the surface scaler 2 until the surface skimmer 20 is manually emptied. If the contaminant is an animal, such as a bee or a bumblebee, the ascent 6 in the form of a ramp enables the animal to recover from the collection section 20.

At the top of its central float 8, the in Fig. 1B illustrated embodiment, solar panels 22, which provide electrical energy obtained from light. This is in the cross section of FIG. 3 shown closer. The energy thus obtained is immediately used to generate propulsion or stored for later use in an electrical energy store (not shown). Alternatively or additionally, the energy is used immediately and / or later for the operation of one or more measuring devices and / or displays (not shown in each case).

As in Fig. 3 is shown, the embodiment described here at the bottom of a container 24 for receiving chemicals 26, for example, chlorine tablets, on. The container 24 may be reversibly connected to the surface skimmer 2 via a plug connection and may be loosened and refastened for the purpose of filling. The chemicals 26 entrained during operation are discharged successively, for example through a permeable container wall, to the water 14.

Furthermore, the in Fig. 3 illustrated surface skimmer 2 preferably at least one electric motor 28, which provides the propulsion of the Oberflächenskimmers 2 by converting electrical energy, which he directly from the solar panels 22 and / or from (not shown) stores for electrical energy. In the present embodiment, the electric motor 28 operates at least one pump, which generates a water jet and thus a propulsion based on the recoil principle by sucking water 14 and discharging it through an outlet.

For a better overview, some of the aforementioned components in Fig. 5 are again shown in a perspective and a quarter-sectional view.

Claims (15)

1. Floating surface skimmer (2) comprising a floating body (8) and a capture device (4) for absorbing and collecting impurities floating on a water surface (12), wherein the capture device (4) comprises a catching lip (10), a collecting portion (20) for collecting captured impurities, and an ascent (6) connected to the collecting portion (20) and the floating body (8),
   characterized in that
   the collecting portion (20) is connected to the catching lip (10) and the ascent (6) is connected to the collecting portion (20) such that along a path from the outer edge of the catching lip (10) via the collecting portion (20) into the ascent (6) the surface skimmer (2) comprises a surface profile which firstly increases, then declines and subsequently increases again, and wherein the capture device (4) is partially permeable to water.
2. The surface skimmer according to claim 1, wherein the collecting portion (20) is connected to the catching lip (10) and the ascent (6) is connected to the collecting portion (20), and wherein the catching lip (10) in an upwardly curved zone breaks through the water surface (12), the collecting portion (20) comprises a downwardly curved zone below the water surface (12), and the ascent (6) leads out of the collecting portion (20) up until a height above the water surface (12), preferably at least 10 mm above the water surface (12).
3. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface skimmer (2) floats freely.
4. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface skimmer (2) comprises a drive system suitable for propelling the surface skimmer, preferably with at least one propeller and/or at least one water jet.
5. The surface skimmer according to claim 4, wherein the movement of water (14) caused by the drive system leads to wave formation on the water surface (12), wherein the wave formation is sufficient for insects to notice the water surface (12) as such.
6. The surface skimmer according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the drive system is configured for propulsion in several directions.
7. The surface skimmer according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the drive system autonomously alters the direction of propulsion at equal and/or randomly determined time intervals.
8. The surface skimmer according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the surface skimmer (2) comprises a detection system for detecting obstacles, and wherein the drive system autonomously alters the direction of propulsion when detecting an obstacle such that the surface skimmer (2) moves away from the obstacle.
9. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface skimmer (2) comprises a space for receiving a rechargeable or non-rechargeable storage for electrical energy, and wherein the surface skimmer (2) comprises electrical contacts suitable for connecting the storage for electrical energy.
10. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface skimmer comprises at least one solar panel (22).
11. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface skimmer (2) comprises at least one container (24) for collecting and dispensing chemicals (26).
12. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface skimmer (2) comprises at least one device for monitoring the water quality and/or the water temperature.
13. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface skimmer (2) comprises at least one device for displaying the degree of water quality and/or the water temperature.
14. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the capture device (4) comprises at least one, preferably at least two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight struts (16) and at least one net (18) stretched over the struts (16).
15. The surface skimmer according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ascent (6) comprises an incline of 0% to 70%, preferably 1% to 66%, more preferably 10% to 60%, more preferably 2% to 45%, more preferably 3% to 30%, particularly preferably 4% to 15%.

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