Patents Assigned to Zodiac Pool Care Europe
  • Publication number: 20250067074
    Abstract: A swimming pool cleaning system includes a pool cleaning robot, a floating device, a control unit, and a camera. The floating device is separated from the pool cleaning robot and includes an onboard power source for providing power to the pool cleaning robot. The camera is separated from the pool cleaning robot and is adapted to provide video data and/or image data to the control unit. The control unit may identify a location in a pool based on the video data and/or image data from the camera and generate moving instructions for controlling movement of the pool cleaning robot based on the identified location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventor: Philippe Pichon
  • Publication number: 20250052084
    Abstract: Concepts relating to automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) are detailed. Some concepts may involve communication with APCs either in or out of the water of swimming pools or spas, while other concepts may concern battery charging or management or other operational aspects of cleaner usage in a pool or spa, among others. Many of the concepts may be applicable to avoid need for a robotic APC to be wired to an external control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Arnaud Lancry, Simon Duffaut, Louis Favie, Mehdi Chafik, Remi Deloche, Arnaud Besnier
  • Publication number: 20250027329
    Abstract: An automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) for swimming pools and spas may be used to monitor and/or determine a waterline level of the swimming pool or spa. Optionally, the determined waterline level may be provided on a user interface of an external device such as but not limited to a control box or a user device. An alert may be provided to a pool owner or other user based on the waterline level relative to a threshold waterline level. Optionally, at least one piece of equipment associated with the swimming pool or spa may be controlled based on the determined waterline level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventor: Simon Duffaut
  • Publication number: 20240401359
    Abstract: Automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) may include separate chassis and bodies. Such constructions may facilitate assembly and disassembly of certain components of the APCs, with or without using tools. APCs with separate chassis and bodies may enable quick and easy access to motor assemblies of the APC, and bodies of the APCs may be readily interchanged on a common chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Arnaud Besnier, Louis Favie, Pierre Mazet, Remi Deloche
  • Patent number: 12139931
    Abstract: An automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) for swimming pools and spas may be used to monitor and/or determine a waterline level of the swimming pool or spa. Optionally, the determined waterline level may be provided on a user interface of an external device such as but not limited to a control box or a user device. An alert may be provided to a pool owner or other user based on the waterline level relative to a threshold waterline level. Optionally, at least one piece of equipment associated with the swimming pool or spa may be controlled based on the determined waterline level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventor: Simon Duffaut
  • Publication number: 20240317094
    Abstract: A docking station for a pool cleaner includes at least one inductive element for charging the pool cleaner. A docking station for a pool cleaner may include means for guiding the pool cleaner to the docking station using light-based communication. In certain embodiments, the docking station for a pool cleaner may include means for engaging and/or supporting the pool cleaner at a waterline of a swimming pool or spa. A docking station for a pool cleaner a may enclose a pool cleaner within a receiving area in certain embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Simon Duffaut, Mehdi Chafik, Arnaud Besnier, Louis Favie
  • Publication number: 20240318452
    Abstract: A pool cleaner for a swimming pool or spa includes a pump with a flow outlet for directing a flow of water from the pump. The flow outlet includes a plurality of flow guides defining flow paths for the water, and, in some cases, the plurality of flow guides may guide the flow of water along a non-linear path. In certain cases, a height of the plurality of flow guides is less than a height of the flow outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Arnaud Lancry, Arnaud Besnier
  • Patent number: 12084884
    Abstract: A device for extraction of a swimming pool cleaning robot from water or for putting the swimming pool cleaning robot into water includes a support frame and a plate. The plate can be deployed relative to the support frame beyond the support frame and below the support frame. Deployment of the plate relative to the support frame may be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Philippe Pichon, Simon Duffaut, Philippe Blanc-Tailleur
  • Patent number: 12084885
    Abstract: Automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) may include separate chassis and bodies. Such constructions may facilitate assembly and disassembly of certain components of the APCs, with or without using tools. APCs with separate chassis and bodies may enable quick and easy access to motor assemblies of the APC, and bodies of the APCs may be readily interchanged on a common chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Arnaud Besnier, Louis Favie, Pierre Mazet, Remi Deloche
  • Publication number: 20240279953
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for counteracting, e.g., drift of automatic swimming pool cleaners are detailed. In particular, a drifting cleaner may recover its movement by altering traction speed of the motive element(s) on one side of its body. Such alteration may occur when the cleaner is travelling along a generally horizontally-oriented pool bottom, climbing up or down a wall, or otherwise moving within a pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Florent Dallet, Simon Duffaut
  • Publication number: 20240271450
    Abstract: An automatic swimming pool cleaner for a swimming pool or spa may include a housing and a plurality of battery packs supported on and/or within the housing. The automatic swimming pool cleaner may be operable with a single battery pack or with plurality of battery packs. The onboard power supply of the automatic swimming pool cleaner may be controlled without the automatic swimming pool cleaner needing recharging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventor: Simon Duffaut
  • Publication number: 20240272647
    Abstract: Automatic swimming pool cleaners for swimming pools and spas may automatically schedule, defined, and/or plan a future cleaning cycle for the automatic swimming pool cleaner. The automatic swimming pool cleaner itself may plan the future cleaning cycle without receiving a cleaning order from a user and/or may allow for the pool system to keep the pool or spa clean by itself without relying on an order from the user as traditionally required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventor: Simon Duffaut
  • Publication number: 20240271443
    Abstract: A manual or handheld scrubber device for swimming pools or spas may be used for waterline cleaning and/or deep cleaning of a surface of the swimming pool or spa. The manual or handheld scrubber device include one or more of (i) a pad support that may carry a plurality of types of pads, (ii) an onboard power source, and/or (iii) activation of a motor causing movement of the pad based on the application of a force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventor: Arnaud Besnier
  • Publication number: 20240271445
    Abstract: A cleaning system includes a remotely operated vehicle configured as an automatic swimming pool cleaner and/or as a supplement to an automatic swimming pool cleaner. The remotely operated vehicle may be capable of moving through an entire volume of a swimming pool or sup with up to six degrees of freedom. The remotely operated vehicle may support and/or perform a variety of functions or purposes related to or associated with the automatic swimming pool cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Simon Duffaut, Mehdi Chafik, Arnaud Besnier, Louis Favie, Quentin Lutrand
  • Publication number: 20240271448
    Abstract: Cordless automatic swimming pool cleaners may include cable extensions and associated systems and methods. The cable extensions described herein may facilitate both electrical power transmission as well as data transmission to and from the automatic swimming pool cleaner. The cable extensions may be selectively connected to an electrical connector on the cordless automatic swimming pool cleaner such that the cable extensions may be connected to or detached from the cordless automatic swimming pool cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2024
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Jordane Lacombe, Simon Duffaut
  • Patent number: 12031351
    Abstract: An automatic swimming pool cleaner having a body can be caused to travel laterally along a surface of a swimming pool by varying a characteristic of operation of at least one motive element. For example, a first motive element (such as a brush and/or wheel on one side of the body) can be driven at a different speed and/or in a different direction than a second motive (such as a brush and/or wheel on the opposite side of the body) element to cause the automatic pool cleaner to move laterally along the surface of the swimming pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: E. Keith McQueen, Simon Duffaut, Benoit Florimond
  • Patent number: 12000169
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for counteracting, e.g., drift of automatic swimming pool cleaners are detailed. In particular, a drifting cleaner may recover its movement by altering traction speed of the motive element(s) on one side of its body. Such alteration may occur when the cleaner is travelling along a generally horizontally-oriented pool bottom, climbing up or down a wall, or otherwise moving within a pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Florent Dallet, Simon Duffaut
  • Publication number: 20240093522
    Abstract: A docking system for an automatic swimming pool cleaner includes a dock and an underwater-facing camera. The underwater-facing camera ay be provided to monitor the automatic swimming pool cleaner underwater. A method of controlling an automatic swimming pool cleaner may include using information obtained from a camera on a dock of a docking system to control the automatic swimming pool cleaner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Hendrikus Johannes van der Meijden, RĂ©mi Deloche, Dustin Borg, Mehdi Chafik, Mark Bauckman, E. Keith McQueen
  • Publication number: 20240093521
    Abstract: A docking system for an automatic swimming pool cleaner includes a dock and a sensor. The sensor may obtain information about the automatic swimming pool cleaner and/or for controlling the APC or other equipment for a swimming pool or spa. A method includes controlling an automatic swimming pool cleaner based on information obtained by a sensor on a dock of a docking system. A pool system may include a light source on a pool light and/or a user device, and the automatic swimming pool cleaner may be controlled based on a light-based signal from the pool light and/or the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventor: Simon Duffaut
  • Publication number: 20240068257
    Abstract: Pool equipment for a swimming pool or spa may include a sealable cavity, and the sealable cavity may allow a flow of water through the cavity and maintain the cavity with water when the flow of water is disrupted or halted. Optionally, a probe and/or a water treatment feature may be within the cavity. The cavity may be within a body cavity defined by a body of the pool equipment or outside of the body cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Arnaud Besnier, Quentin Lutrand