Pool cleaning vehicle having algorithm for moving
Disclosed herein is using a combination of pump and drive motor activation and deactivation the vehicle can be turned and programmed to avoid vertical and other obstacles.
1. A pool cleaning vehicle having a drive mechanism for traveling around the underwater surface of the pool, the vehicle comprising:
a platform having an interior with lines of longitudinal and transverse symmetry, the platform interior being covered;
a ballast mounted in the interior of the covered platform, and offset from the lines of symmetry;
a pump means for creating a downward sucking force also mounted in the interior, the pump includes a delay means which activates the pump after a predetermined period of inactivity;
means for activating and de-activating the pump; and the vehicle, including the ballast, having a predetermined mass and that mass being slightly greater than the amount of displacement of the vehicle; and
an inclination sensor and wherein upon reaching a predetermined angle the sensor de-activates the pump.
2. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the ballast is weighted toward the rear of the vehicle.
3. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the ballast is weighted toward the right side of the vehicle.
4. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the drive mechanism includes drive wheels and a motor means for moving the drive wheels and wherein the vehicle is a rear drive vehicle and the pump and the motor comprise the ballast.
5. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the delay means has first and second periods of inactivity before reactivation of the pump.
6. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the delay means has multiple, periods of inactivity before reactivation of the pump.
7. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the delay means has multiple periods of inactivity before reactivation of the pump and wherein the periods of inactivity are randomly chosen.
8. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle upon pump de-activation, the vehicle has an initial upward movement and then a slow descending motion.
9. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle includes programming means for determining movement of the vehicle.
10. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes the ability to make turns and wherein the turning of the vehicle is randomly selected.
11. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle drops to the lowest point of a pool, slowly because the displacement of the vehicle is only slightly less than the mass of the vehicle.
12. The pool cleaning vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a single motor to power the drive mechanism.
13. A pool cleaning vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a micro processor for determining movement of the vehicle.