Rotatable Indicator for Spa Tub Filter Cartridge Replacement
A skimmer assembly has an upper housing and a lower housing. The lower housing contains a removable filter cartridge and the upper housing contains a floating cylindrical weir and a floating rotatable member atop the floating weir. The walls of the upper housing are curved and the water entrance includes a vertical slot which allows water to enter in a column, hit the curved wall and cause a whirlpool which causes the rotatable member to spin. The preferred embodiment includes a disposable annular filter disc removably attached to the rotatable member.
1 . In a skimmer assembly for a spa tub/pool having a housing with a weir gate, the housing being shaped and the weir gate being arranged so that water entering the housing forms a whirlpool, the skimmer also having a replaceable filter cartridge which slows the flow of water through it as it accumulates dirt, the improvement comprising a filter replacement indicator,
said indicator situated over the filter cartridge and being sufficiently buoyant to float on water, and having a hub and a plurality of arms extending outward from said hub, said indicator being caused to rotate by the whirlpool when water is drawn through the filter cartridge.
2 . The improvement of claim 1 , wherein:
said buoyancy is provided by an air spaced defined in a portion of said indicator.
3 . The improvement of claim 1 , wherein:
said arms of said indicator are radially arranged about said hub.
4 . The improvement of claim 1 , wherein:
at least some of said arms terminate in a fin.
5 . The improvement of claim 1 , wherein:
each arm terminates with an upper fin and a lower fin.
6 . The improvement of claim 2 , wherein:
said plurality of arms is at least four arms.
7 . The improvement of claim 1 , further comprising:
a replaceable annular filter element, said filter element defining a central hole dimensioned to receive said hub and having an overall diameter extending substantially the length of said arms.
8 . The improvement of claim 1 , wherein:
said indicator is not coupled to said filter cartridge.
9 . A pool/spa skimmer, comprising:
a housing;
a first member mounted relative to said housing and defining at least one lateral vertical gap between said housing and said first member;
an indicator inside said housing that is sufficiently buoyant to float on water;
a pump coupled to said housing, wherein
when said pump is activated, water enters from the pool/spa through said at least one lateral gap and into said housing causing said indicator to rotate.
10 . The skimmer according to claim 9 , wherein:
said indicator includes a central hub with a plurality of extending arms.
11 . The skimmer according to claim 10 , wherein:
said arms terminate with fins.
12 . The skimmer according to claim 10 , wherein:
each of said arms terminates with an upper fin and a lower fin.
13 . The skimmer according claim 12 , further comprising:
a replaceable annular filter, said filter defining a hole dimensioned to receive said hub and having an overall diameter extending to said lower fins.
14 . The skimmer according to claim 13 , wherein:
said annular filter has a plurality of radial ribs.
15 . The skimmer according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a cylindrical weir arranged beneath said indicator.
16 . The skimmer according to claim 15 , wherein:
said cylindrical weir has a stationary part and a floating part.
17 . The skimmer according to claim 16 , wherein:
said floating part is concentric with and slidable relative to said stationary part.
18 . The skimmer according to claim 17 , wherein:
said stationary part has an upper inward flange and said floating part has a lower outward flanges, said flanges cooperating to limit upward movement of said floating part.
19 . The skimmer according to claim 18 , wherein:
said indicator includes a substantially cylindrical hub with a plurality of radially extending arms, said hub being arranged substantially concentric with and within said floating part.
20 . A filter cartridge replacement indicator for a pool or spa filter, comprising:
a buoyant structure that floats on water, said structure adapted to rotate in a whirlpool current, wherein when the whirlpool current is at a first speed through a relatively cleaner filter cartridge the structure will rotate at a faster speed and when the whirlpool current is at a second relatively slower second speed through a relatively dirtier filter cartridge the structure will rotate at a slower speed; and
means for referencing said structure over said filter cartridge.
21 . An indicator according to claim 20 , further comprising:
a replaceable filter element coupled to said buoyant structure.