Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
  • E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
  • E04H4/14—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
  • E04H4/16—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for specially adapted for cleaning
  • E04H4/1654—Self-propelled cleaners

Definitions

• the invention relates to a submerged surface cleaner rolling apparatus comprising:
• rolling bodies having areas of contact with the submerged surface defining a rolling plane of the hollow body on the immersed surface
• At least one driving motor of at least one rolling member called a driving wheel, so as to form a driving device capable of driving, via this rolling member (s); ) engine (s), the hollow body moving on the immersed surface at least in one direction of travel and in a main direction of travel, referred to as the longitudinal direction,
• a front axle carrying at least one front wheel member mounted with respect to said rotary hollow body around a transverse shaft, each front wheel member having an outer symmetrical face of revolution about this transverse shaft so as to roll on the immersed surface, at least one forward rolling member projecting forwardly with respect to the hollow body so as to first abut against any obstacle encountered by the apparatus during its forward movement,
• a hydraulic circuit comprising: at least one liquid inlet in the hollow body located at the base of said body,
• At least one liquid outlet out of the hollow body located at a distance from the base of said hollow body, of which at least one rearward directed liquid outlet, called the rear outlet, a filtration chamber formed in said hollow body, .
• a motorized pumping assembly adapted to ensure a circulation of liquid between each inlet and each outlet through a filtering device mounted in the filtration chamber,
• said hydraulic circuit being adapted to create a stream of liquid which escapes from each rear outlet with a longitudinal component of speed, so as to create by reaction forces whose resultant, called hydraulic reaction force, has a longitudinal component of drive forward non-zero.
• WO 0250388 discloses a self-propelled rolling apparatus comprising electric motors for driving side tracks and rolling members front and rear engines formed of rollers.
• the motorized pumping assembly is arranged vertically, generally in the center of the hollow body, and the suction created at the lower water inlet tends to press the apparatus onto the immersed surface.
• Such a device is satisfactory and allows in particular to cross the feet of vertical or inclined walls, to go up along the vertical or inclined walls of the pool for their cleaning. He is also able to climb the steps of a submerged staircase.
• a submerged surface-cleaning device must, in order to be able to go up along the vertical walls and / or to cross stair treads, be provided with motor driven rolling bodies. both at the front and back of the device, and even side tracks to prevent blocking the passage of noses steps.
• Such a device is nevertheless relatively heavy, energy consumer and expensive to purchase and use.
• the object of the invention is therefore generally to provide a submerged surface-cleaning apparatus which has the same advantages as the apparatus of WO 0250388, in particular for cleaning the inclined or vertical walls of the swimming pool and underwater stairs, without requiring neither side tracks nor rear drive units, with reduced purchase and operating costs, better performance and lower weight.
• the invention aims to provide a submerged surface cleaner rolling apparatus whose performance / cost ratio is improved over that of previous devices. More particularly, the invention aims to provide such a device whose cost can be substantially lowered, for equivalent performance, or even greater than those of known devices.
• the invention relates to a submerged surface cleaner rolling apparatus comprising: - a hollow body,
• rolling bodies having areas of contact with the submerged surface defining a rolling plane of the hollow body on the immersed surface
• a driving motor of at least one rolling member called a driving wheel
• a driving wheel so as to form a driving device capable of driving, via this rolling member (s); ) engine (s), the hollow body moving on the immersed surface at least in one direction of travel and in a main direction of travel, referred to as the longitudinal direction, - a front axle carrying at least one front wheel-mounted vehicle relative to said rotating hollow body around a transverse shaft, each front roller member having an outer symmetrical face of revolution around the transverse shaft so as to roll on the immersed surface, at least one forward rolling member projecting towards the before the hollow body so as to come first abutting against any obstacle encountered by the apparatus during its forward movement, a hydraulic circuit comprising:
• At least one liquid outlet outside the hollow body located at a distance from the base of said hollow body, of which at least one rearward directed liquid outlet, called the rear outlet,
• a filtration chamber formed in said hollow body
• a motorized pumping assembly adapted to ensure a circulation of liquid between each inlet and each outlet through a filtering device mounted in the filtration chamber
• said hydraulic circuit being adapted to create a stream of liquid which escapes from each rear outlet with a longitudinal component of speed, so as to create by reaction forces whose resultant, called hydraulic reaction force, has a longitudinal component of driving the apparatus forward non-zero, characterized in that:
• At least one front wheel member of the front axle is a member (2) driving engine forward coupled to at least one drive motor to be rotated by the latter,
• the apparatus being driven in displacement on the immersed surface only by one or more member (s) rolling (s) before engine (s) (that is to say it is without any other running gear, and in particular when a rear axle is provided, that each rear wheel and the rear axle is not driven and is not coupled to a drive motor),
• said front obstacle may be formed of a wall orthogonal to the wall, said rolling wall, of the immersed surface on which the apparatus rests, and having a junction zone with this rolling wall having a radius of curvature. less than the radius of the running surface of the rolling member before the engine.
• said front obstacle is a vertical wall against which the apparatus comes into contact, while it rolls on a horizontal rolling wall, this vertical wall being connected to said horizontal rolling wall with a radius of curvature less than the radius. of the rolling surface of the rolling member before the engine.
• the motor before the rolling member comes into contact with the vertical wall in a contact zone which is in the same horizontal plane as the rotation shaft of the front engine member.
• the longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force makes it possible to press the rolling members before the engines in contact with a vertical wall encountered at the end of a trajectory on a horizontal bottom wall or slightly inclined , with sufficient application force so that these rolling members before engine roll without sliding on this vertical wall, so that the front of the device rises along the vertical wall under the effect of the drive of its rolling members before engine relative to the vertical wall.
• said component longitudinal direction of said hydraulic reaction force resulting from the reaction of the liquid stream exiting from each rear outlet is applied in a center of thrust situated at a distance from the rolling plane which is greater than the distance between said rolling plane and the center , referred to as the apparent center of gravity of the apparatus, where the result of the weight and force Archimedes (centroid between the center of gravity and the center of application of the Archimedes' thrust) applies, so as to create a bearing torque of each rolling member before the motor on the rolling wall, the value of this bearing torque being adapted so as not to prevent the rise of the front part of the apparatus on an obstacle before-in particular a vertical wall- under the effect of each front engine member.
• Archimedes centroid between the center of gravity and the center of application of the Archimedes' thrust
• the longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force makes it possible to press the rolling members before the engines in contact with a front obstacle such as a vertical wall encountered at the end of a trajectory on a wall. horizontal bottom or slightly inclined, so that the front of the device rises on this obstacle before -notance along the vertical wall.
• the value of said support torque is adapted so as not to prevent the rise of the front part of the apparatus on an obstacle before - in particular a vertical wall - under the effect of each front engine member.
• the longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force when the rolling members before engines are detached from the immersed surface and no longer allow to drive the device, for example during the passage of a nosing, the longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force generates a bearing torque which makes it possible to tilt the device in the direction of the return of contact of its rolling members before engines with the immersed surface. In particular, this makes it possible to guarantee the passage of stair noses in all circumstances and regardless of the size of the steps.
• said hydraulic circuit is adapted so that the value of the longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force is able, on its own, to drive the apparatus forward and upwards. while its longitudinal direction forms with the horizontal an angle between 0 ° and 85 ° - especially preferably for any angle between 0 ° and 90 ° -.
• the term "apparent weight” refers to the resultant, oriented downwards (the apparatus being denser than the liquid and heavier than the volume of liquid that it displaces), between the weight (generated by gravity) and the strength of Archimedes. This apparent weight applies to the apparent center of gravity, which is the center of gravity between the center of gravity where the weight and the center of application of Archimedes force apply.
• said hydraulic circuit is adapted so that the value of said support torque maintains the apparatus with its rolling members in contact with the vertical wall against this reversal torque.
• the bearing torque created by the longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force makes it possible to keep each member before the engine in contact with the vertical wall, so that the apparatus is driven upwards on the one hand by each member before engine, on the other hand by said longitudinal component of the hydraulic drive force.
• the hydraulic circuit is adapted so that the value of said support torque is greater than that of the reversal torque created by the sole apparent weight of the apparatus immersed in the liquid when the latter rolls. on a vertical wall. In this way, the possible contribution of suction to the maintenance of the device in contact with a vertical wall is not necessary for this maintenance.
• an apparatus according to the invention can be provided with a power drive device much lower, and therefore consumption and reduced costs. This also results in a lower overall volume and a lower weight of the apparatus which, in addition to the economy achieved, is an important advantage for the user, particularly in terms of handling, transport and storage of the apparatus. .
• the invention is more particularly applicable to certain embodiments of a submerged surface cleaner rolling apparatus as indicated hereinafter.
• the apparatus being driven in displacement on the immersed surface only by one or more member (s) rolling (s) before engine (s), and by said longitudinal component the hydraulic reaction force.
• an apparatus according to the invention can be driven solely by said longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force and by means of its front axle engine.
• the only motor rolling members of the apparatus according to the invention are constituted by one or more member (s) rolling (s) before engine (s), any other rolling member of the apparatus being non-motor, it that is to say freely rotatably mounted relative to the hollow body.
• an apparatus according to the invention is preferably of the so-called unidirectional type, that is to say driven mainly in the longitudinal direction in a privileged direction of advancement in which it realizes the recovery of debris. and filtering, although nothing prevents such an apparatus can be also endowed with a possibility of displacement in the retrograde direction, for example to clear obstacles.
• said rolling members and drive motor (s) are adapted to drive the apparatus in displacement in the longitudinal direction mainly in a preferred drive direction.
• an apparatus of the so-called bidirectional type that is to say capable of being driven in the longitudinal direction as well in one direction or the other and to achieve the recovery of the debris and the filtering in either of these two senses.
• the characteristics mentioned above can be satisfied in each direction or only in one of the two training directions.
• only the front axle that is to say the axle oriented forward with respect to the direction of travel in progress, is motor.
• an apparatus according to the invention may have two axles opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction, each axle being alternately motor, that is to say driven by one or more motor (s) in the direction of travel in which said axle is oriented towards the front.
• An apparatus according to the invention can be provided with different kinds of rolling members, the number and type (wheels, transverse rollers, half rollers ...) do not matter. Nevertheless, an apparatus according to the invention may advantageously be free of side tracks. Its rolling members may advantageously consist in particular only of a front axle engine and a rear axle non-motor. In any case, the rolling members define a (theoretical) rolling plane, that is to say are adapted to present contact areas with the submerged surface which are coplanar.
• the apparatus according to the invention comprises a front axle engine equipped with two front-wheel drive wheels, one on each side, and a non-driving rear axle, for example with a wheel or rear wheel freely mounted. pivoting about a vertical axis and freely rotatable about a horizontal axis, or two non-driving rear wheels, one on each side, the device being supported on four wheels.
• a front axle engine equipped with two front-wheel drive wheels, one on each side, and a non-driving rear axle, for example with a wheel or rear wheel freely mounted. pivoting about a vertical axis and freely rotatable about a horizontal axis, or two non-driving rear wheels, one on each side, the device being supported on four wheels.
• an apparatus according to the invention is guided on a surface immersed by the front axle engine and a non-driving rear axle comprising two rear wheels free in rotation, one on each side.
• Each front wheel has a diameter preferably greater than 10 cm. Preferably, the diameter of each
• each front wheel is between 15 cm and 30 cm.
• At least one roller or a cleaning brush may advantageously be provided, rotatably mounted between the two front-wheel wheels, preferably driven in the same direction of rotation as the front-wheel-drive wheels and at a rotation speed superior to that of the front wheels.
• Other alternative embodiments are possible and compatible with the invention.
• the longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force may be sufficient for the sole purpose of moving the apparatus, when the front axle motor is in contact with a wall of the immersed surface, the speed of movement of the apparatus is determined and imposed by the rotational drive speed of the rolling members before the engines, and not by said longitudinal component of the hydraulic reaction force.
• the invention applies in particular advantageously to a device of the drive type by electric motor (s).
• an apparatus comprises two independent electric motors, one being coupled to at least one rolling member disposed on one side of the apparatus, while the other is coupled to at least one rolling member disposed on the other side of the apparatus, so that the independent control of these two electric motors also makes it possible to direct the apparatus during its movements on the submerged surface.
• the hydraulic circuit is adapted so that the stream of liquid leaving each rear outlet forms with the longitudinal direction a non-zero angle ⁇ less than 45 °, so that the said hydraulic reaction force resulting the reaction of the liquid stream exiting from each rear outlet has a component, called application component, orthogonal to said longitudinal component, said application component being oriented towards the rolling plane and of value less than that of the longitudinal component .
• This application component tends to maintain the apparatus according to the invention, and more particularly the rear axle, in contact with the wall of the immersed surface.
• an apparatus further comprises at least one -in particular one and only one-electric pumping motor coupled to at least one -particularly one and only one-axial pumping propeller interposed in the hydraulic circuit, and a cable power supply of the device from a control box and a power source external to the immersed surface.
• Such an electric pump motor does not act as a drive motor, that is to say, is not coupled to a motor drive member.
• the characteristics of this electric pumping motor and the associated pumping propeller constituting said motorized pumping assembly, are chosen so that the hydraulic circuit delivers the hydraulic reaction force and the bearing torque as mentioned above. .
• an apparatus comprises an axial pumping propeller disposed immediately upstream of a rear outlet, this axial pumping propeller having an axis of rotation inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction at an angle ⁇ of lower value. at 5 ° to that of the angle ⁇ formed, with respect to the longitudinal direction, by the stream of liquid leaving the rear outlet.
• the axis of the helix is at least substantially parallel to the direction of the liquid stream exiting the rear outlet (which means that the angle ⁇ is of the same order of magnitude as the angle ⁇ ).
• the length of the front part of the apparatus extending between its apparent center of gravity Ga and its forward end portion is less than 35 cm, in particular of the order of 20 cm to 30 cm. .
• the invention also relates to a submerged surface-cleaning apparatus characterized in combination by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic section through a vertical longitudinal plane of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of part of the apparatus of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the displacement of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 4 at the foot of vertical wall
• FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the displacement of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 4 during the climb
• a submerged staircase is a schematic view showing the displacement of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 4 during the climb.
• each part of the cleaning apparatus is described as arranged when the apparatus is in normal movement on a horizontal submerged surface in one direction. privileged advancement.
• An apparatus comprises a hollow body 1 and rolling bodies 2, 3, 4 for guiding and driving the hollow body 1 on a surface immersed in at least one privileged direction of advancement and in a main direction of advancement, said longitudinal direction, parallel to the immersed surface when the apparatus is in normal displacement of cleaning on this immersed surface.
• This hollow body 1 is formed mainly of a concave casing delimiting a main enclosure.
• This concave casing is for example made by molding or rotational molding.
• This housing is preferably made of a thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, ABS, PMMA or any equivalent material.
• a handle 7 located at the front of the device allows a user to wear, especially to extract a pool or immerse in a pool.
• This hollow body 1 has a central chamber adapted to form a filtration chamber 8.
• This central chamber is delimited by a lower wall extending in a substantially horizontal plane; by sidewalls extending generally in vertical planes; by a front wall extending generally in a vertical plane, orthogonal to the planes of the vertical side walls; and by a rear wall extending generally in a plane vertically orthogonal to the planes of the vertical side walls.
• the bottom wall has an opening extending transversely in the vicinity of the front wall so that liquid can enter the central chamber through this lower transverse opening.
• the rear wall comprises a cylindrical opening.
• the cylindrical opening in the rear wall of the housing is longitudinally offset from the lower transverse opening in the bottom wall.
• this cylindrical opening is arranged in the upper part of the casing so that it is also vertically offset from the transverse lower opening.
• this hollow body 1 comprises a filtration chamber 8 having an inlet 9 of liquid situated at the base of the hollow body 1, ie in the lower part of the apparatus, a liquid outlet 10 disposed opposite the base of the body 1, that is to say in the upper part of the apparatus, and a hydraulic circuit adapted to ensure a flow of liquid between the inlet 9 of liquid and the liquid outlet 10 through a filtering device 11.
• the transverse opening in the bottom wall of the housing forms the liquid inlet 9 of the apparatus and the cylindrical opening in the rear wall of the apparatus forms the liquid outlet of the apparatus.
• the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid are offset longitudinally, but both centered on the same longitudinal vertical plane of the apparatus.
• the central chamber of the hollow body 1 is adapted to receive the filtering device 11.
• the filtering device 11 is arranged between the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid.
• This filtering device 11 can be of any known type. It is preferably removably mounted in the hollow body 1, although the invention is applicable to an apparatus whose filtering device would be irremovable.
• the filtering device 11 comprises a rigid armature and a filter cloth carried by this rigid armature. Such a device 11 filtering is self-supporting and can be easily manipulated by a user.
• the apparatus also comprises a hatch 6 for access to this filter device 11.
• This access hatch 6 forms an upper wall of the hollow body 1 and covers the latter. In the embodiment shown, this hatch 6 is formed on the top of the device so that a user of the device can easily open the hatch 6 and extract the filter device 11.
• the access hatch 6 is articulated to the body 1 of the apparatus by hinges 23 arranged at the rear of the apparatus.
• the rigid armature further has two ribs extending laterally on each side of the filtering device 11.
• These ribs have shapes and dimensions shaped and conjugated to the shapes and dimensions of grooves integral with the hollow body 1.
• These grooves integral with the hollow body 1 extend vertically along the inner faces of the vertical side walls of the hollow body 1.
• the ribs of the filtering device 11 are therefore adapted to cooperate with the grooves of the hollow body 1 of the apparatus.
• the extraction of the filtering device 11 results from a displacement in translation of the filtering device 11 along the grooves of the hollow body 1.
• a user can easily remove the filtering device 11 from the hollow body 1 for example to clean it.
• the filtering device 11 further comprises a handle 28 formed on an upper portion of the filtering device 11 so as to facilitate the handling of the filtering device 11.
• the rolling members for guiding and driving the apparatus comprise a front axle comprising front-wheel 2, one on each side, and a rear axle comprising rear wheels 3 motives, one on each side.
• the apparatus comprises brushes 4 arranged at the front of the apparatus. These brushes 4 are intended to ensure a brushing of the immersed surface and to move the brushed debris towards the rear of the apparatus towards the inlet 9 of liquid arranged under the apparatus.
• the apparatus further comprises at least one electric motor for driving the front wheels 2 powered by electric power via the cable 19 connected to the body 1.
• the apparatus comprises two driving motors 20a, 20b, a motor on each side, respectively for the independent drive of each of the front wheels 2.
• each front wheel 2 has an internal toothing 5 cooperating with a drive gear 45 driven by the corresponding drive motor 20a, 20b via a pinion 44 rotatably connected to the corresponding motor shaft 20a, 20b and an intermediate pinion 21 driven by the pinion 44 of the motor, the drive pinion 45 and the intermediate pinion 21 being both coupled to the same shaft 22 mounted fixed rotating relative to the body 1.
• the apparatus comprises two coaxial front brushes 4.
• Each brush 4 is adapted to be rotated about an axis extending in a direction, said transverse direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
• Each brush 4 comprises a plurality of fins 41 extending radially from a brush shaft forming the axis of rotation of the brush 4.
• the fins 41 are for example made of rubber or a resistant plastic material.
• the brushes 4 are preferably also rotated in the same direction as the front wheels 2, from at least one electric motor 20, 20a, 20b driving the front wheels 2 via a gear system.
• the internal toothing of each wheel 2 before driving cooperates with a pinion 42 fixed to one end of the shaft of a brush 4 so that a rotation of the wheel 2 leads through of the toothing 5 and pinion 42, the rotation of the shaft of the brush 4, and therefore the rotation of the brush 4, in the same direction but with a higher angular speed of rotation.
• the brush 4 is thus caused to slide on the immersed surface and sweep it immediately upstream of the entrance 9.
• the rolling members consist of the front wheels 2 driving, rear wheels 3 non-driving and brushes 4 which participate somewhat in driving and guiding the apparatus on the immersed surface.
• the longitudinal drive resulting from the rotation of the brushes 4 is negligible, that is to say that the speed of the apparatus remains the same, regardless of the rotational speed 4.
• the invention also applies to the case of an apparatus in which at least one front driving brush or at least one front motor roller drives the apparatus longitudinally forward, that is to say acts as a rolling member before engine.
• the rolling members 2, 3, 4 have areas intended to come into contact with the immersed surface which are coplanar and define a theoretical rolling plane 50.
• the longitudinal direction of advancement of the apparatus is parallel to this theoretical plane of rolling.
• the front wheels 2 preferably have a diameter greater than 10 cm and less than 50 cm, in particular between 15 cm and 30 cm -1.
• their peripheral tread 61 is formed or coated with a non-slip material preferably compatible with all surface states of the submerged surface that can be encountered, that is to say with all the materials constituting this immersed surface. (concrete, tiles, liner, ).
• the front wheels 2 and the brushes 4 constitute front rolling members 2, 4 which protrude forwardly relative to the other components of the apparatus, in particular the hollow body, so as to form the front end part. of the apparatus and coming first in contact with an obstacle encountered during the forward movement, for example a vertical wall as shown in FIG. 5.
• the front 2-wheel wheels come into contact with a first obstacle formed by a wall 53 orthogonal to the wall, said rolling wall 52, of the submerged surface coinciding with the rolling plane 50, according to a contact zone 54 which is located in the same horizontal plane as the rotation shaft 60 of these front wheels 2.
• said wall 53 orthogonal to the rolling wall 52 has a junction zone 55 with the latter having a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the tread surface 61 of the front wheels 2 (the portion 56 of the tread surface 61 of the front wheels 2 extending between this zone of contact 54 and the contact zone 57 of the front wheels 2 with the rolling wall 52 no longer in contact with the immersed surface).
• An apparatus comprises a motorized liquid pumping device comprising an electric pump motor 12 having a rotary motor shaft 13 coupled to an axial pumping propeller 14 driven in rotation by the motor 12 about an axis 51.
• motor 12 is supplied with electricity by a power cable 19 connected to the body 1 of the device and connected to the outside of the basin to a power supply box.
• the propeller 14 is interposed in the hydraulic circuit so as to generate there a flow of liquid between the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid.
• the liquid outlet 10 is directly opposite the pumping propeller so that the liquid flows out of the liquid outlet 10 in a direction corresponding to the flow of liquid generated by the pumping propeller, this flow having a
• the fluid outlet 10 is located at the rear of the hollow body and is oriented so that the liquid flow flows out of the outlet 10 of liquid with the speed of rotation of the propeller 14.
• a rearwardly upwardly inclined speed with respect to the longitudinal direction and the rolling plane 50 at an angle of inclination ⁇ greater than 0 ° is less than 90 °, preferably less than 45 °, in particular the order of 30 °.
• the liquid outlet 10 is formed of a section of a cylinder of revolution forming a fairing for the propeller 14 and determining the direction of the liquid stream.
• the orientation of the axis of this cylinder section thus determines the value of the inclination angle ⁇ of the liquid stream at the outlet 10.
• Other embodiments are possible, for example with deflector members allowing orienting the liquid stream in a predetermined direction fixed or even adjustable by the user.
• the pump propeller 14 also has an orientation for generating a liquid flow with a horizontal component to the rear.
• the pump propeller 14 has an inclined axis of rotation making, with said longitudinal direction and with the theoretical plane of rolling, an angle ⁇ different from 0 ° and 90 °.
• the angle ⁇ is less than 45 °, in particular is of the order of 30 °.
• the angle of inclination ⁇ of the axis of the pumping propeller 14 corresponds at least substantially to the inclination angle ⁇ of the liquid stream directed by the rear liquid outlet.
• the difference between these two angles ⁇ and ⁇ is less than 5 °, on one side or the other.
• This propeller 14 is rotated by the pumping motor 12, which preferably has a rotating motor shaft 13 parallel to the axis of rotation of the propeller 14.
• the pump motor 12 is disposed under the hydraulic circuit, entirely outside this hydraulic circuit which completely bypasses the pump motor 12 from above.
• the rotary shaft 13 of the pump motor 12 passes through an inclined lower wall delimiting the hydraulic circuit.
• the seal is provided by an O-ring 18.
• the filtering device 11 of the hydraulic circuit can be removed from the apparatus from the top of the apparatus as previously mentioned, without being impeded by the pump motor 12.
• Only the pump propeller 14 (and not the pumping motor 12) is arranged in the hydraulic circuit so as to ensure the flow of liquid.
• This pumping propeller 14 is arranged at the rear of the apparatus, close to the liquid outlet 10. In other words, the pump propeller 14 and the liquid outlet 10 form the end portion of the hydraulic circuit.
• FIG 3 shows a representation by arrows of the liquid flow in the hollow body 1 of the apparatus.
• Liquid enters the hollow body 1 through the liquid inlet 9 arranged under the apparatus.
• This liquid passes into a liquid inlet column 15 to reach the filtering device 11.
• the liquid intake column 15 has an upper opening opening into the filtering device 11, at the upper end of a partition wall 16. rear of this intake column.
• This filtering device 11 passes the liquid through the filter cloth and retains the solid debris.
• the filtered liquid then reaches the liquid outlet 10 and is ejected at the rear of the apparatus, in the basin from which it comes.
• the liquid outlet 10 facing the pumping propeller 14, the liquid flows out of the apparatus through this outlet 10 with a speed V oriented at least substantially along the axis 51 of the pumping propeller 14.
• the resultant of which, referred to as the hydraulic reaction force Fe has a longitudinal forward drive component FQI which participates in the training of the device on the immersed surface.
• the orientation of the hydraulic reaction force Fe created by this output flow, and therefore the amplitude of its longitudinal component FQI, depend on the inclination ⁇ , with respect to the theoretical plane of rolling, the speed of the current of liquid exiting the liquid outlet 10.
• this inclination ⁇ is between 15 ° and 45 °, for example of the order of 30 °.
• the rolling plane 50 is the theoretical plane defined by the contact zones of the rolling members 2, 3, 4 with the submerged surface. This rolling plane 50 is horizontal when the immersed surface is flat horizontal. The rolling plane 50 is also parallel to said longitudinal direction.
• the hydraulic reaction force Fe and thus also its longitudinal driving component FQI, are exerted at a theoretical point of application, called center of thrust C, whose position, fixed with respect to the apparatus, may be determined in a manner well known per se, in particular by design and / or analysis of the geometry of the hydraulic circuit and / or by calculation and / or by computer simulation and / or by tests carried out on a unit of apparatus in operation.
• the apparatus has a center of gravity G where the weight P and an application center Ca of the buoyancy of Archimedes A apply.
• the resultant of the weight P and the buoyancy of Archimedes A is the weight apparent Pa that applies in a center, said apparent center of gravity Ga, which is the center of gravity of the center of gravity and the application center Ca.
• the apparatus is also subjected to the reaction forces R1 and R2 of the immersed surface on its wheels 2, 3.
• the distance between the center of thrust C and the rolling plane 50 is greater than the distance dg between the apparent center of gravity Ga and the rolling plane 50.
• the longitudinal component FeI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe induces on the apparatus a torque, said support torque, tending to press the rolling members before 2 motors and the brush 4 resting on the immersed surface.
• the hydraulic reaction force Fe also has a component, called Fen application component, normal to the rolling plane 50 also tending to apply to the immersed surface.
• Fen application component a component normal to the rolling plane 50 also tending to apply to the immersed surface.
• liquid suction vacuum created at the inlet 9 of liquid application force S which also tends to maintain the device in contact with the immersed surface.
• the bearing torque induced by the longitudinal component FeI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe must also not be too great, so as to allow the device to pass the wall foot, that is to say allow the lifting of the front part of the apparatus under the effect of the drive M induced by the front wheels 2 when they come into contact with a vertical wall 53.
• This contact is maintained with sufficient effort to allow the front wheels 2 to roll without sliding on the vertical wall 53, thanks to the longitudinal component FeI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe which applies the device against the vertical wall 53, the front wheels 2 coming into contact with the wall vertical 53 according to a contact zone 54 which is located in the horizontal plane of the rotation shaft 60 of the front wheels 2 and in front of the latter, as shown in FIG. 5.
• a contact zone 54 which is located in the horizontal plane of the rotation shaft 60 of the front wheels 2 and in front of the latter, as shown in FIG. 5.
• the apparatus rolling on a horizontal background 52 is driven forward by the rolling members before 2 engines and by the longitudinal component FeI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe. Arriving at the foot of a vertical wall 53, the front rolling members 2 abut against this wall 53.
• the longitudinal component FeI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe pressing the rolling members before 2 motors against the vertical wall 53 at the bottom of the wall, the front rolling members 2 engines run without slide on the latter, and raise the front part of the device until it comes fully against the vertical wall 53, in the vertical position, that is to say with the longitudinal direction oriented vertically.
• the apparent weight Pa of the apparatus In the vertical position, the apparent weight Pa of the apparatus generates a reversal torque tending to take off its front axle from the vertical wall.
• the longitudinal component FeI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe must be adapted so that the value of said bearing torque generated by this longitudinal component FQI is greater than that of this total reversal torque. In this way, the front wheels 2 are held against the vertical wall 53 with sufficient force to allow the front wheels 2 to drive the aircraft forward with a drive force M.
• the value of said support torque is greater than that of the reversal torque created by the sole apparent weight Pa of the apparatus immersed in the liquid when the latter rolls on a vertical wall.
• the value of the support torque must also not be too great for one hand, not to prevent the passage of the wall foot as described above, and, secondly, not to cause it only unintentional detachment of the rear axle when the device rolls on a vertical wall or on a horizontal wall or other.
• a first parameter consists of a design of the shape of the end part of the hydraulic circuit inducing a corresponding appropriate position of the center of thrust C, in particular optimal values of the distance of and the difference between the distances of and dg.
• Another parameter consists in adjusting the value of the amplitude of the longitudinal component FQI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe. This amplitude value itself depends in part on the flow of liquid ejected by the rear outlet 10. liquid, on the other hand the inclination ⁇ of the flow with respect to the longitudinal direction and the rolling plane 50. A non-zero inclination ⁇ , however, also has the advantage of generating a Fen application component which plates the apparatus against the vertical wall.
• the flow is influenced by the power of the pumping motor, the pumping performance of the propeller, and the hydrodynamic performance of the outlet 10.
• the control of the apparatus when it arrives in water line has not of importance in the context of the present invention and can be carried out in any manner well known per se.
• the longitudinal component FQI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe must be adapted to be able, on its own, to move the apparatus forward and upward while it is immersed, that each member 2 driving the front engine is detached from the immersed surface, and that the device rests with the base of the hollow body in contact on a step nose.
• said longitudinal component FQI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe must be adapted to be able to move the apparatus forward and upwards while the longitudinal direction forms with the horizontal an angle ⁇ between 0 ° and 85 ° -.
• said longitudinal component FQI must alone be able to move the device forward and up for any angle ⁇ between 0 ° and 90 ° (the drive wheels 2 being peeled from the immersed surface).
• the device can cross the steps, as shown in Figure 6, with minimal expenditure of energy.
• a first step when the device encounters a first step, its front portion is lifted in the same manner as at the wall foot as explained above (Apparatus Al Figure 6).
• the front wheels 2 pass the run nose until the bottom wall of the base of the hollow body located immediately behind the front wheels 2 comes into contact with the tread (apparatus A2 figure 6).
• the front wheels 2 then peel off the wall of the surface immersed and are no longer operational to train the aircraft.
• the drive of the apparatus by the single longitudinal component FQI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe must be sufficient so that said corresponding bearing torque causes a tilting of the apparatus, its front part falling on the underlying step (A4 device Figure 6). It should be noted that, in view of the bearing torque, this tilting occurs even before the apparent center of gravity Ga does not exceed the vertical of the step nosing. The front wheels 2 then come into contact with the submerged surface and continue driving the apparatus.
• the position of the apparatus from which the front wheels 2 pass the step nose and detach from the submerged surface is that in which the inclination ⁇ of its longitudinal direction relative to the horizontal is maximum ( ⁇ max).
• the apparatus according to the invention must be adapted so that, in this position and with this maximum inclination ⁇ max, the longitudinal component FQI of the hydraulic reaction force Fe alone ensures that it is driven forward and high. In practice with the majority of the standard steps of swimming pool stairs, this maximum inclination ⁇ max is between 70 ° and 85 °.
• the length of the front part of the apparatus extending between its apparent center of gravity Ga and its front end (which is that of the front wheels 2) must be less than the length a walk.
• the standard length of a step is between 25 cm and 35 cm
• the length of the front part of the apparatus extending between its apparent center of gravity Ga and its forward end portion is less than 35cm - especially of the order of 20 cm to 30cm -.
• the front wheels 2 come into contact with the horizontal part of the step before going up above the subsequent stair nosing. This condition is not however not necessary to allow the advancement and the crossing of the staircase by the apparatus.
• the electric motors may have reduced performance, and the electrical energy consumed in total is minimized.
• the suction performance and the drive are improved.
• the invention makes it possible to design the apparatus with a low height resulting in low hydraulic drag.
• an apparatus according to the invention made with an overall height of 250mm, equipped with an electric pump motor of 80 W of power makes it possible to produce a liquid flow rate of the order of 18 m 3 / h.
• the total power consumed for the operation of this apparatus driven at an average speed of the order of 10 m / min is of the order of 85 W.
• an apparatus according to the invention has an improvement in its performance of the order of 20% compared to a prior comparable apparatus according to WO 0250388.
• the invention can be the subject of numerous variants and applications.
• the design and design of the device, including its hydraulic circuit are subject to infinite variants.
• the invention applies to a bidirectional apparatus capable of retrograde movement during normal cleaning operation.

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• 2007
  • 2007-12-21 FR FR0709003A patent/FR2925558B1/fr active Active
• 2008
  • 2008-12-17 EP EP08863747A patent/EP2235293B1/de active Active
  • 2008-12-17 WO PCT/FR2008/052348 patent/WO2009081044A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2008-12-17 ES ES08863747T patent/ES2368473T3/es active Active
  • 2008-12-17 AT AT08863747T patent/ATE513961T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

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