Swimming pool pressure cleaner including automatic timing mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745767-B2
Application number	US-201414487846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A fluid distribution system for an underwater pool cleaner comprises an inlet body having an inlet for receiving a supply of pressurized fluid, a valve assembly body in fluid communication with the inlet of the inlet body and including a plurality of fluid outlets, a first one of the outlets provides fluid for propelling the underwater pool cleaner in a forward direction and a second one of the outlets provides fluid for propelling the underwater pool cleaner in a reverse direction, and a valve subassembly including a cam wheel that is fluidicly driven by the supply of pressurized fluid and periodically switches the supply of pressurized fluid from the first one of the outlets to the second one of the outlets to periodically change direction of propulsion of the underwater pool cleaner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid distribution system for an underwater pool cleaner, comprising:
an inlet body having an inlet for receiving a supply of pressurized fluid;
a valve assembly body in fluid communication with said inlet of said inlet body and including a plurality of fluid outlets, a first one of said outlets for providing fluid for propelling the underwater pool cleaner in a forward direction and a second one of said outlets for providing fluid for propelling the underwater pool cleaner in a reverse direction; and
a valve subassembly including a turbine rotatably driven by the supply of pressurized fluid and a cam wheel including a first cam track and a second cam track, the cam wheel being operatively engaged with the turbine such that the cam wheel is rotatably driven by the turbine and periodically switching the supply of pressurized fluid from said first one of said outlets to said second one of said outlets to periodically change direction of propulsion of the underwater pool cleaner.

2. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the valve subassembly further comprises a rocker seal including a first sealing member, a second sealing member, and a cam post, the rocker seal being pivotally mounted adjacent the cam wheel and the valve assembly body with the cam post being engageable with the first and second cam tracks, and the rocker seal being pivotal between a first position and a second position,
wherein (i) when the cam post is engaged with the first cam track the rocker seal is placed in the first position where the first sealing member prevents fluid from flowing through said second one of said outlets, and (ii) when the cam post is engaged with the second cam track the rocker seal is placed in the second position where the second sealing member prevents fluid from flowing through said first one of said outlets.

3. The fluid distribution system of claim 2 , further comprising a gear reduction stack positioned between the turbine and the cam wheel, the gear reduction stack being engaged with the turbine and the cam wheel, wherein the gear reduction stack transfers a first number of rotations of the turbine into a second number of rotations of the cam wheel.

4. The fluid distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the inlet body includes an outlet that provides pressurized fluid to rotationally drive the turbine.

5. The fluid distribution system of claim 2 , wherein said first cam track has a first length and said second cam track has a second length, said first length being longer than said second length.

6. The fluid distribution system of claim 5 , wherein the first cam track is associated with a first operation of the underwater pool cleaner and the second cam track is associated with a second operation of the underwater pool cleaner, the first length determining the amount of time that the first operation is to be operative and the second length determining the amount of time that the second operation is to be operative.

7. The fluid distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second cam tracks extend radially outward from the cam wheel and along a portion of a circumference thereof.

8. The fluid distribution system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second valve assembly body including an inlet, a first fluid outlet, and a second fluid outlet, and defining a valve chamber, wherein the inlet of said second valve body is positioned adjacent said first one of said outlets of said valve assembly body;
a valve seal including a sealing member, the valve seal positioned within the valve chamber of the second valve assembly body and being rotatable between a first position wherein the valve seal sealing member is adjacent the first fluid outlet of the second valve assembly body and a second position wherein the valve seal sealing member is adjacent the second fluid outlet of the second valve assembly body; and
a rotatable lever arm engaged with the valve seal for rotating the valve seal about a rotational axis,
wherein (i) when the valve seal is in the first position the valve seal prevents fluid from flowing through the first fluid outlet of the second valve assembly body, and (ii) when the valve seal is in the second position the valve seal prevents fluid from flowing through the second fluid outlet of the second valve assembly body.

9. The fluid distribution system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid distribution system is connected with a water jet propulsion system of the underwater pool cleaner.

10. The fluid distribution system of claim 9 , wherein the first fluid outlet of the second valve assembly body is in fluidic communication with a forward thrust jet nozzle of the underwater pool cleaner to propel the underwater pool cleaner in a first direction underwater, the second fluid outlet of the second valve assembly body is in fluidic communication with a top mode jet nozzle of the underwater pool cleaner to propel the underwater pool cleaner along a pool water surface, and said second one of said fluid outlets of the first valve assembly body is in fluidic communication with a reverse thrust jet nozzle of the underwater pool cleaner to propel the underwater pool cleaner in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

11. The fluid distribution system of claim 8 , wherein the first outlet of the second valve assembly body is in fluidic communication with a suction system of the underwater pool cleaner.

12. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the inlet body is in fluidic communication with a pump external to the underwater pool cleaner, the supply of pressurized fluid being provided by the pump.

13. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution system is connected with a water jet propulsion system of the underwater pool cleaner.

14. The fluid distribution system of claim 13 , wherein said first one of said outlets is in fluidic communication with a forward thrust jet nozzle of the underwater pool cleaner to propel the underwater pool cleaner in a first direction, and said second one of said outlets is in fluidic communication with a reverse thrust jet nozzle of the underwater pool cleaner to propel the underwater pool cleaner in a second direction that is different than the first direction.

15. The fluid distribution system of claim 1 , wherein said first one of said outlets is in fluidic communication with a suction system of the underwater pool cleaner.

16. An underwater pool cleaner comprising:
a housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening;
a pressurized fluid inlet connected with a source of pressurized fluid;
a bottom mode forward thrust jet nozzle;
a reverse/spinout mode jet nozzle;
a suction tube extending between the inlet opening and the outlet opening;
a suction jet ring positioned within the suction tube and including one or more suction jet nozzles; and
an automatic timing valve positioned in the housing and in fluidic communication with the bottom mode forward thrust jet nozzle, the top mode forward thrust jet nozzle, the reverse/spinout mode jet nozzle, and the suction jet ring, the automatic timing valve including:
a) an inlet body having an inlet in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid inlet for receiving a supply of pressurized fluid;
b) a valve assembly body in fluid communication with said inlet of said inlet body and including a plurality of fluid outlets, a first one of said outlets in fluid communication with the bottom mode forward thrust jet nozzle and the suction jet ring, said first one of said outlets for providing fluid for propelling the

Assignees

• Hayward Ind Inc

Inventors

• Renaud Benoit Joseph
• Hardy David John
• Parcell Jason Wayne
• Teuscher Scott

Classifications

• E04H4/1663

  the propulsion resulting from an intermittent interruption of the waterflow through the cleaner · CPC title

• E04H4/1672 Primary

  Connections to the pool water circulation system · CPC title