WO2004042173A1

WO2004042173A1 - Swimming pool maintenance apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2004042173A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/004977
Authority: WO
Inventors: Helge Jochen Schneider
Original assignee: Intergrated Pool Products (Proprietary) Limited
Priority date: 2002-11-06
Filing date: 2003-11-06
Publication date: 2004-05-21
Also published as: AU2003276513A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a swimming pool maintenance apparatus which combines the actions of a surface skimmer and a chlorinator. The apparatus includes a housing (12) which can be mounted in the pool and which is served by a float-controlled weir (50) over which surface water can flow into the housing. There is an inlet (26, 38) which is connectable to a return flow inlet (62) of the pool and which leads to a nozzle (42). An outlet (44, 32, 46) is arranged to receive from the nozzle a flow of water and to direct the water into the pool. This generates pressure conditions in the housing which draw surface water from the pool over the weir for entrainment in the flow from the nozzle. A leaf trap (60) is arranged such that at least the surface water must flow through it, and there is an electrolytic chlorination unit (70) located in the housing to purify water directed to the pool through the outlet.

Description

"SWIMMING POOL MAINTENANCE APPARATUS"

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a swimming pool maintenance apparatus.

In order to maintain a swimming pool in a clean and aesthetically pleasing state it is desirable to remove floating debris, including leaves, grass and so on, from the surface of the pool. In order to keep the pool water clear and clean it is also desirable to control algae which would otherwise make the water green. Commonly used algaecides are chlorine-based.

The present invention seeks to provide an apparatus for performing these functions. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a swimming pool maintenance apparatus comprising the combination of a surface skimmer and chlorinator, the apparatus including a housing mountable in the pool, a float-controlled weir over which surface water can flow into the housing, an inlet which is connectable to a return flow inlet of the pool and which leads to a nozzle, an outlet arranged to receive from the nozzle a flow of water and to direct the water into the pool, such that pressure conditions are generated in the housing which draw surface water from the pool over the weir for entrainment in the flow from the nozzle, a leaf trap through which at least the surface water must flow, and an electrolytic chlorination unit located in the housing to purify water directed to the pool through the outlet.

In the preferred embodiment the inlet includes an inlet opening and an inlet chamber leading from the inlet opening to the nozzle, and the outlet includes a receiver for receiving the flow of water from the nozzle, an outlet opening venting into the pool and an outlet chamber leading from the receiver to the outlet opening. It is also preferred that there be an inlet spigot which communicates with the inlet opening and which is connectable rigidly to a return flow inlet of the swimming pool to support the housing in the pool.

In order to generate required pressure conditions to draw surface water over the weir the receiver should be spaced from the nozzle in the housing.

In the preferred embodiment, the leaf trap includes a porous basket located removably in the housing below the weir through which water drawn over the weir is obliged to flow. Conveniently the basket is located removably in the housing between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber.

Other features of the apparatus are defined in the appended claims. A second aspect of the invention provides a swimming pool maintenance installation including an apparatus as summarized above and wiring extending from an external power source to apply an electrical potential across the terminals of the chlorination unit.

A third aspect of the invention provides a method of installing the swimming pool maintenance apparatus which includes the step of connecting the inlet of the housing to a return flow inlet of the pool and leading wiring from the chlorination unit to an external electrical power source through the return flow inlet and through external pipework extending from the pool filtration unit to the return flow inlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic cross-section at the line 1-1 in Figure

2 and illustrates components of a swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-section at the line 2-2 in Figure

1; and

Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic cross-section at the line 3-3 in Figure

1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings show a swimming pool maintenance apparatus 10 according to the invention. The apparatus 10 has a generally rectangular moulded plastics housing 12 having a front wall 14, a rear wall 16, side walls 18 and 19 and a bottom wall 20. Internal walls 22 and 24 define an inlet chamber 26. Internal walls 28 and 30 define an outlet chamber 32. The internal walls 24 and 30 partially define a chlorination unit chamber 34. The internal walls 22 and 28 form opposite sides of a leaf trap chamber 36.

The rear wall 16 is formed with a pressure ^' inlet 38 surrounded by a rearwardly projecting spigot 40 and opening into the inlet chamber 26. A nozzle 42 projects from the internal wall 22 towards an aligned flow receiver 44 which projects from the internal wall 28 and which leads into the outlet chamber 32. An outlet 46, aligned with the nozzle and flow receiver, is formed in the side wall 19 and is surrounded by a short spigot 48.

The top and the upper front part of the housing 12 is open. The apparatus includes a flap-type weir 50 having a lower section 52 the side edges of which can slide up and down in channels 54 formed by side regions of the front wall 14 and an upper section 56 which is hinged to the lower section and which carries a float 58. The weir accordingly completes the front wall of the housing.

Located in the housing 12 above the nozzle 42 and flow receiver 44 is a leaf trap in the form of a porous basket 60 which extends upwardly to an open mouth and which fits snugly into the housing between the front and rear walls 14 and 16 and the internal walls 22 and 28.

In use, the pressure inlet 38 is connected to the return flow inlet, i.e. the inlet to the pool for water pumped back into the pool from the pool filtration unit (not shown). In the illustrated case (see Figure 3) the connection is achieved by jamming the spigot 40 into the return flow inlet 62. In other embodiments, more sophisticated connections may be used. It is however preferred that the manner of connection is such that the housing 12 is supported in the pool solely by a rigid connection to the return flow inlet. As a less preferred alternative, it would also be possible to connect the pressure inlet 38 to the return flow inlet using a flexible conduit which does not support the housing in the pool. In this case it is necessary to mount the housing in the pool in some other way. It is for instance envisaged that this could be achieved by means of a hook and loop fastening system, such as that sold under the name VELCRO. In this example, one component of the fastening system is fixed to the wall of the swimming pool, for instance by means of a suitable adhesive, and the other component is fixed to the rear wall of the housing 12, enabling the housing to be attached to the wall of the pool in a releasable manner.

Mounting of the housing is such that the major part of the housing is submerged in the pool water. The float 58, together with the ability of the weir 50 to slide up and down ensures that the upper edge of the weir 50 is adjacent the water surface 66 irrespective of normal fluctuations in water level in the pool.

Water pumped through the return flow inlet 62 enters the inlet chamber 26 and leaves it through the nozzle 42. The jet of water that issues from the nozzle is collected by the flow receiver 44 which directs the water flow into the outlet chamber 32, from where it flows back into the swimming pool via the outlet 46. The pressure conditions developed by the jet cause water to be drawn over the weir 50 from the surface of the pool. The surface water passes through the basket 62, is entrained in the jet of water passing from the nozzle to the flow receiver and is thereafter directed back into the swimming pool via the outlet 46. Debris carried by the surface water, such as floating leaves, grass cuttings or the like, is captured in the basket 62 which can be removed periodically from the housing for emptying.

An electrolysis unit 70 is located in the chlorination unit chamber 34. This unit has a porous housing 72 in which anode and cathode terminals (not shown) are mounted. A DC electrical potential is applied across the terminals from an external power source (not shown) by means of wires 74 which pass upwardly from the unit through the internal wall 24, through the inlet chamber 26, through the pressure inlet 38, through the return flow inlet 62 and through a pipe 76 leading from the pool filtration unit to the return flow inlet. The wires are accordingly concealed from view. Typically electrical power is supplied through the wires from the electrical power source driving the pool filtration unit.

The unit 70 is exposed to water which swirls around the inside of the housing beneath the nozzle 42 and flow receiver 44. The pool water contains dissolved salt (NaCI) which is electrolysed by the unit to generate chlorine gas at the anode. This gas is dissolved in the water flow which is returned to the pool as described above. In the pool, the dissolved chlorine serves an algaecidal function.

The chlorination unit 70 may, for instance, have the features and control systems of a chlorinator as described in the specification of the applicant's South African patent 99/7445 to which reference should be made for the details.

It will accordingly be understood that the illustrated apparatus acts as a combination surface skimmer and chlorinator, and operates both to remove floating debris from the surface of the pool and to chlorinate the water. Both these functions are achieved by a single, compact apparatus.

Many modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For instance it would be possible to collect floating debris in an external net, as indicated by the numeral 80 in Figure 1 , attached to the outlet 46, instead of in an internal basket as described above. In this case not only surface water but also water returned from the filtration unit must pass through the external net. Also, although the concealed wiring described above is a preferred feature it would also be possible for exposed wiring to extend from the chlorination unit up the wall of the pool and over the coping which normally surrounds the swimming pool for eventual routing to the filtration unit.

Claims

1.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus comprising the combination of a surface skimmer and chlorinator, the apparatus including a housing mountable in the pool, a float-controlled weir over which surface Water can flow into the housing, an inlet which is connectable to a return flow inlet of the pool and which leads to a nozzle, an outlet arranged to receive from the nozzle a flow of water and to direct the water into the pool, such that pressure conditions are generated in the housing which draw surface water from the pool over the weir for entrainment in the flow from the nozzle, a leaf trap through which at least the surface water must flow, and an electrolytic chlorination unit located in the housing to purify water directed to the pool through the outlet.

2.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the inlet includes an inlet opening and an inlet chamber leading from the inlet opening to the nozzle, and the outlet includes a receiver for receiving the flow of water from the nozzle, an outlet opening venting into the pool and an outlet chamber leading from the receiver to the outlet opening.

3.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to claim 2 and comprising an inlet spigot which communicates with the inlet opening and which is connectable rigidly to a return flow inlet of the swimming pool to support the housing in the pool.

4.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the receiver is spaced from the nozzle in the housing.

5.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the leaf trap includes a porous basket located removably in the housing below the weir through which water drawn over the weir is obliged to flow.

6.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the leaf trap includes a porous basket located removably in the housing between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber.

7.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the leaf trap is attached externally to the housing to receive water directed into the swimming pool through the outlet opening.

8.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the electrolytic chlorination unit is located in the housing below the nozzle.

9.

A swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the electrolytic chlorination unit includes spaced apart cathode and anode terminals across which, in use, an electrical potential can be applied to cause electrolysis of salt-containing pool water and thereby generate chlorine for absorption by water flowing through the housing.

10.

A swimming pool maintenance installation including an apparatus according to claim 9 and wiring extending from an external power source to apply an electrical potential across the terminals of the chlorination unit.

11.

A method of installing a swimming pool maintenance apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the method including the step of connecting the inlet of the housing to a return flow inlet of the pool and leading wiring from the chlorination unit to an external electrical power source through the return flow inlet and through external pipework extending from the pool filtration unit to the return flow inlet.