Battery powered automatic swimming pool cleaners and associated components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022220761-A1
Application number	US-202217573855-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 12, 2022
Priority date	Jan 14, 2021
Publication date	Jul 14, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

An automatic swimming pool cleaner may include a modular battery block attachable to a component of the automatic swimming pool cleaner. The modular battery block may include at least one battery or other source of electrical power that is accessible from externally of the chassis. A venting system or arrangement may be included for venting the modular battery block, such as venting gas produced by at least one battery. Supplying electrical power to an automatic swimming pool cleaner having a chassis and an motor may include (i) attaching a modular battery block to the chassis so as to form an integrated device, and (ii) causing an electrical connection within the integrated device between the motor and at least one battery of the modular battery block.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A modular battery block configured for attachment to a chassis of an automatic swimming pool cleaner.

2 . The modular battery block of claim 1 , wherein the modular battery block is configured to form an external surface when assembled with the chassis of the automatic swimming pool cleaner.

3 . The modular battery block of claim 1 , further comprising a housing and at least one source of electrical power within the housing.

4 . The modular battery block of claim 1 , further comprising at least one snap fit connector for selectively connecting the modular battery block with the automatic swimming pool cleaner.

5 . An automatic swimming pool cleaner (i) comprising a chassis and (ii) powered by at least one battery attached to the chassis, wherein the at least one battery is accessible from externally of the chassis.

6 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 5 , wherein the chassis defines an interior cavity and a recess external to the interior cavity, and wherein the battery is attached to at least the recess.

7 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 6 , further comprising a battery block housing the at least one battery, wherein the battery block is attached to the recess.

8 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 5 , further comprising a battery block housing the at least one battery, wherein the battery block is at least partially external to the chassis and defines an external surface of the automatic swimming pool cleaner.

9 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 8 , where the chassis defines an interior cavity, and wherein the battery block is external from the interior cavity.

10 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the battery block further comprises a controller and at least one sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the battery block based on information detected by the at least one sensor.

11 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the battery block is indirectly connected to the chassis.

12 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 8 , further comprising a venting system for selectively venting the battery block.

13 . An automatic swimming pool cleaner comprising (i) at least one battery and (ii) a venting system for venting gas produced by the at least one battery.

14 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 13 , further comprising a battery module housing the at least one battery, wherein the battery module comprises at least one venting aperture, and wherein the venting system is configured to control a flow of the gas through the at least one venting aperture.

15 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 14 , wherein the venting system comprises a sealing device and a spring device biasing the sealing device.

16 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 15 , wherein the sealing device comprises a lip seal.

17 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 13 , further comprising a chassis defining an interior cavity, wherein the at least one battery is accessible from externally of the chassis.

18 . A method of controlling a supply of electrical power to an automatic swimming pool cleaner having a chassis and a motor, comprising: (i) attaching a modular battery block to the chassis so as to form an integrated device, and (ii) causing an electrical connection within the integrated device between the motor and at least one battery of the modular battery block.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein attaching the modular battery block comprises connecting the modular battery block at least partially externally to an interior cavity defined by the chassis and such that the modular battery block forms an external surface of the integrated device.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising receiving information from at least one sensor on the modular battery block, and controlling the supply of electrical power based on the information received from the at least one sensor.

Assignees

• Zodiac Pool Care Europe

Inventors

• Lancry Arnaud
• Favie Louis
• Deloche Remi

Classifications

• E04H4/1654 Primary

  Self-propelled cleaners · CPC title