Granted Patent B2

US 10,619,371 · App. 15/738,995 · Granted Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

Claims (64)

1. A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner for cleaning floor and wall surfaces of a swimming pool comprising:

a housing including a lower portion having an inlet and an upper portion having an outlet, the lower and upper portions defining an internal chamber therebetween;

a filter mounted in the internal chamber;

a water pump mounted in said internal chamber for suctioning pool water in through said inlet and discharging filtered water through said outlet;

rotationally-mounted elements mounted to said housing for supporting and guiding said cleaner along a floor or wall surface of the pool with said lower portion of said housing facing the surface being traversed;

an arm assembly having a proximal portion pivotally mounted to said housing and a distal portion extending forward of said housing in a forward direction of travel of the cleaner; said arm assembly resiliently biased from said housing downward toward and surface being traversed;

a rotary brush assembly mounted at said distal portion of the arm assembly for cleaning a surface being traversed; and

at least one electric motor coupled to at least one of said water pump, the rotationally-mounted elements and the rotary brush assembly.

2. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 wherein said biased arm assembly is configured to be deflectable upward upon encountering an obstacle on a pool surface.

3. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 2 further comprising a resiliently bendable coupling between said proximal portion of said arm assembly and said housing.

4. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 further comprising an on-board programmable micro-controller having a processor and memory for storing executable programs for operating said cleaner.

5. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein said housing has a front portion, said arm assembly having a proximal end attached at said front portion, and said rotary brush assembly and said rotationally-mounted elements being configured to drive said cleaner on a submerged pool surface.

6. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein said rotationally-mounted elements rotate about a first axis of rotation and said rotary brush assembly comprises a cylindrical brush that rotates about a second axis of rotation that is spaced apart from and parallel to said first axis of rotation.

7. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein said arm assembly is curved in the shape of an arch.

8. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 7 , wherein said arch defines a concave curve.

9. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein said arm assembly proximal portion is resiliently hinged to said housing such that said rotary brush assembly is normally biased to maintain contact with a surface of the pool, and will pivot from its normal biasing in a direction away from the pool surface upon encountering an obstacle on the pool surface.

10. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein said arm assembly proximal portion is resiliently bendable, such that said rotary brush assembly is normally biased to maintain contact with a surface of the pool, and will pivot from its normal biasing in a direction away from the pool surface upon encountering an obstacle on the pool surface.

11. The robotic pool cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein said rotationally-mounted elements comprise wheels.

12. A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner for cleaning floor and wall surfaces of a swimming pool comprising:

a housing including a lower portion having an inlet and an upper portion having an outlet, the lower and upper portions defining an internal chamber therebetween;

a filter mounted in the internal chamber;

a water pump mounted in said internal chamber for suctioning pool water in through said inlet and discharging filtered water through said outlet;

rotationally-mounted elements mounted to said housing for supporting and guiding said cleaner along a floor or wall surface of the pool with said lower portion of said housing facing the surface being traversed;

an arm assembly having a proximal portion pivotally mounted to said housing and a distal portion extending outward from said housing; said arm assembly resiliently biased from said housing downward toward and surface being traversed;

a rotary brush assembly mounted at said distal portion of the arm assembly for cleaning a surface being traversed;

at least one electric motor coupled to at least one of said water pump, the rotationally-mounted elements and the rotary brush assembly; and

a resiliently bendable coupling between said proximal portion of said arm assembly and said housing.

13. A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner for cleaning floor and wall surfaces of a swimming pool comprising:

a housing including a lower portion having an inlet and an upper portion having an outlet, the lower and upper portions defining an internal chamber therebetween;

a filter mounted in the internal chamber;

a water pump mounted in said internal chamber for suctioning pool water in through said inlet and discharging filtered water through said outlet;

rotationally-mounted elements mounted to said housing for supporting and guiding said cleaner along a floor or wall surface of the pool with said lower portion of said housing facing the surface being traversed;

an arm assembly having a proximal portion pivotally mounted to said housing and a distal portion extending outward from said housing; said arm assembly resiliently biased from said housing downward toward and surface being traversed;

a rotary brush assembly mounted at said distal portion of the arm assembly for cleaning a surface being traversed; and

at least one electric motor coupled to at least one of said water pump, the rotationally-mounted elements and the rotary brush assembly; and

wherein said rotary brush assembly drives said cleaner up and over a sidewall of the pool when said inlet is positioned above the waterline of the pool water.

14. A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner for cleaning floor and wall surfaces of a swimming pool comprising:

a housing including a lower portion having an inlet and an upper portion having an outlet, the lower and upper portions defining an internal chamber therebetween;

a filter mounted in the internal chamber;

a water pump mounted in said internal chamber for suctioning pool water in through said inlet and discharging filtered water through said outlet;

rotationally-mounted elements mounted to said housing for supporting and guiding said cleaner along a floor or wall surface of the pool with said lower portion of said housing facing the surface being traversed;

an arm assembly having a proximal portion pivotally mounted to said housing and a distal portion extending outward from said housing; said arm assembly resiliently biased from said housing downward toward and surface being traversed;

a rotary brush assembly mounted at said distal portion of the arm assembly for cleaning a surface being traversed; and

a single electric motor mounted in said internal chamber and mechanically connected to the water pump, the rotationally-mounted elements and the rotary brush assembly.

15. A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner for cleaning floor and wall surfaces of a swimming pool comprising:

a housing including a lower portion having an inlet and an upper portion having an outlet, the lower and upper portions defining an internal chamber therebetween;

a filter mounted in the internal chamber;

a water pump mounted in said internal chamber for suctioning pool water in through said inlet and discharging filtered water through said outlet;

rotationally-mounted elements mounted to said housing for supporting and guiding said cleaner along a floor or wall surface of the pool with said lower portion of said housing facing the surface being traversed;

an arm assembly having a proximal portion pivotally mounted to said housing and a distal portion extending outward from said housing; said arm assembly resiliently biased from said housing downward toward and surface being traversed;

a rotary brush assembly mounted at said distal portion of the arm assembly for cleaning a surface being traversed; and

at least one electric motor coupled to at least one of said water pump, the rotationally-mounted elements and the rotary brush assembly; and

wherein said at least one electric motor is mechanically connected to the rotary brush assembly via a driveshaft extending through said arm assembly.

16. The pool cleaner according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one electric motor comprises two electric motors, a first of which being coupled to the water pump and a second of which being coupled to the rotary brush assembly.

17. The pool cleaner according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one electric motor comprises three electric motors, a first of which being coupled to the water pump, a second of which being coupled to the rotationally-mounted elements, and a third of which being coupled to the rotary brush assembly.

18. A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner for cleaning floor and wall surfaces of a swimming pool comprising:

a housing including a lower portion having an inlet and an upper portion having an outlet, the lower and upper portions defining an internal chamber therebetween;

a filter mounted in the internal chamber;

a water pump mounted in said internal chamber for suctioning pool water in through said inlet and discharging filtered water through said outlet;

rotationally-mounted elements mounted to said housing for supporting and guiding said cleaner along a floor or wall surface of the pool with said lower portion of said housing facing the surface being traversed;

an arm assembly having a proximal portion pivotally mounted to said housing and a distal portion extending outward from said housing; said arm assembly resiliently biased from said housing downward toward and surface being traversed;

a rotary brush assembly mounted at said distal portion of the arm assembly for cleaning a surface being traversed; and

at least one electric motor coupled to at least one of said water pump, the rotationally-mounted elements and the rotary brush assembly; and

wherein the arm assembly includes ballast positioned either along a bottom or at the distal end of the arm assembly.

Assignments (6)