Automated cleaning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10550594-B2
Application number	US-201715492336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A submersible automated cleaning device includes a device body having a filter canister mounted within the device body. A plurality of filter cassettes is releasably mounted within the filter canister, each filter cassette having a filter bag and a float bag. A cartridge is mounted to the device body configured to release a gas into one of the float bags to inflate the float bag. A controller is configured to activate the cartridge to release the gas into the float bag in response to detecting that the filter bag is full and to release the filter cassette from the filter canister upon inflation of the float bag. A method for removing the floating debris bag includes capturing and removing the floating cassette by a drone. A cassette collection method includes activating a pool skimmer pump and detecting that the cassette has reached the pool skimmer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A submersible automated cleaning device comprising:
a device body configured to move along the bottom of a pool;
a filter canister mounted within the device body,
a plurality of filter cassettes releasably mounted within the filter canister, each filter cassette having a filter bag and a float bag, the filter bag being configured to permit debris to enter the filter bag;
a cartridge mounted to the device body configured to release a gas into the float bag of one of the plurality of filter cassettes to inflate the float bag; and
a controller configured to activate the cartridge to release the gas into the float bag in response to detecting that the filter bag is full and to release the filter cassette from the filter canister upon inflation of the float bag.

2. The submersible automated cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the filter bag concentrically surrounds the float bag.

3. The submersible automated cleaning device of claim 1 , further including a vacuum pump mounted within the device body, the vacuum pump being in fluid communication with an inlet valve of the filter bag; a filter bag sensor mounted to the device body for sensing that the filter bag of one of the plurality of filter cassettes is full; and a float bag sensor mounted to the device body for sensing that the float bag of one of the plurality of filter cassettes is fully inflated.

4. The submersible automated cleaning device of claim 3 , wherein the canister is rotatable to selectively position each filter bag at a debris collection position, and wherein the controller is configured to activate the vacuum pump in response to a signal from a sensor detecting that a filter cassette is in the debris collection position and to rotate the canister in response to a signal that a filter cassette has been released.

5. The submersible automated cleaning device of claim 3 , wherein a portion of the float bag is configured to cover the inlet valve during inflation to prevent debris from entering the filter bag.

6. The submersible automated cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on depth of water and weight of debris, the amount of gas to be released into the float bag from the cartridge so that the float bag will have sufficient buoyancy force for the float bag to float to the top of the water.

7. The submersible automated cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the float bag has a transmitter for sending a signal upon reaching the top of the water.

8. The submersible automated cleaning device of claim 7 , wherein the signal is one of light, sound and an electronic message.

9. A pool floating debris bag collection system comprising:
a submersible automated cleaning device having a floating debris bag, the submersible automated cleaning device being configured to selectively release the floating debris bag into the pool water, the floating debris bag having a transmitter for releasing a signal upon reaching the top of the water;
a receiver attached to a pool skimmer for activating a pool skimmer pump in response to the signal from the floating debris bag; and
a sensor attached to the pool skimmer for detecting that the floating debris bag has reached the pool skimmer and sending an alert in response to the detection.

10. The pool floating debris bag collection system of claim 9 , further including a pick-up mechanism configured to automatically remove the floating debris bag from the water in response to the detection.

11. The pool floating debris bag collection system of claim 9 , wherein the submersible automated cleaning device comprises:
a device body configured to move along the bottom of a pool;
a filter canister mounted within the device body,
a plurality of filter cassettes releasably mounted within the filter canister, each filter cassette having a filter bag and a float bag, the filter bag being configured to permit debris to enter the filter bag;
a cartridge mounted to the device body configured to release a gas into the float bag of one of the plurality of filter cassettes to inflate the float bag;
and
a controller configured to activate the cartridge to release the gas into the float bag in response to detecting that the filter bag is full and to release the filter cassette from the filter canister upon inflation of the float bag.

12. The pool floating debris bag collection system of claim 11 , further including a vacuum pump mounted within the device body, the vacuum pump being in fluid communication with an inlet valve of the filter bag; a filter bag sensor mounted to the device body for sensing that the filter bag of one of the plurality of filter cassettes is full; and a float bag sensor mounted to the device body for sensing that the float bag of one of the plurality of filter cassettes is fully inflated.

13. The pool floating debris bag collection system of claim 12 , wherein the filter bag concentrically surrounds the float bag and wherein a portion of the float bag is configured to cover the inlet valve during inflation to prevent debris from entering the filter bag.

14. The pool floating debris bag collection system of claim 12 , wherein the canister is rotatable to selectively position each filter bag at a debris collection position, and wherein the controller is configured to activate the vacuum pump in response to a signal from a sensor detecting that a filter cassette is in the debris collection position and to rotate the canister in response to a signal that a filter cassette has been released.

15. The pool floating debris bag collection system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine, based on depth of water and weight of debris, the amount of gas to be released into the float bag from the cartridge so that the float bag will have sufficient buoyancy force for the float bag to float to the top of the water.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Lection David B
• Rakshit Sarbajit K
• Stevens Mark B
• Wilson John D

Classifications

• C02F1/001

  Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00) · CPC title

• C02F2201/006

  Cartridges · CPC title

• C02F2201/008

  Mobile apparatus and plants, e.g. mounted on a vehicle · CPC title

• B64D1/22

  Taking-up articles from earth's surface · CPC title

• C02F2103/42

  from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools · CPC title