Patents Assigned to ZODIAC
  • 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: 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: 20240254796
    Abstract: Described are apparatus, systems, and methods of improving cleaning of, e.g., stairs of swimming pools. Automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) capable of autonomous movement within water-containing vessels may be utilized to provide enhanced cleaning of sections of the vessels containing stairs or other angled surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Hendrikus Johannes van der Meijden, Abian van der Meijden, Dustin Borg
  • 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: 20240176355
    Abstract: A pool cleaning system for cleaning debris from a submerged surface of a swimming pool includes a self-propelled pool cleaner having rotatably-mounted supports for supporting and guiding the cleaner on the pool surface; an electric motor for enabling the rotation of the rotatably-mounted supports on the pool surface; at least one camera to capture imagery of the pool surface; a controller, in electronic communication with the at least one camera, to determine a cleanliness characteristic of the pool surface on which the cleaner has passed based on the camera imagery and generate a control signal to direct movement of the cleaner based on the cleanliness characteristic of the pool surface, and a portable electronic device configured to present a graphic on a display, the graphic depicting the submerged surface of the pool and those portions of the surface that remain uncleaned as the cleaner traverses the pool surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Kameshwar Durvasula, William Londono Correa
  • Patent number: 11994391
    Abstract: Augmented (virtual) reality techniques are described for assisting in determining characteristics of swimming pools and spas. Such pools and spas may, for example, be mapped at least as to their general sizes and shapes. The mapped and other information may be available for display and may be furnished to an automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) to improve its operational efficiency in cleaning the pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Hendrikus Johannes van der Meijden, E. Keith McQueen, Phillip Newman, Richard E. Mills
  • Publication number: 20240141669
    Abstract: A method of controlling an automatic swimming pool cleaner includes comparing characteristics of at least two similar electromechanical devices of the automatic swimming pool cleaner to establish a normal relationship between the at least two similar electromechanical devices. The method includes identifying abnormal behavior of the automatic swimming pool cleaner based on a divergence from the normal relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: E. Keith McQueen, Mike Reeves, Mehdi Chafik
  • 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: 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, Rémi Deloche, Dustin Borg, Mehdi Chafik, Mark Bauckman, E. Keith McQueen
  • Publication number: 20240068258
    Abstract: A water sensing system for an automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) may include one or more water sensing probes on or proximate to the APC. In some embodiments, the at least one water sensing probe may be inside the APC, outside the APC, and/or proximate to but spaced apart from the APC, such as but not limited to on cabling of the APC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Arnaud Besnier, Louis Favié, Quentin Lutrand
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20240052663
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pool cleaning apparatus including: a cleaning unit (100), at least one hydraulic system for circulating a liquid between at least one liquid inlet (103) and at least one liquid outlet (104) and through a filtration device of the cleaning unit (100), a pump suitable for forcing the circulation of water between the liquid inlet (103) and the liquid outlet (104) and through the filtration device, drive and guide means for moving the cleaning unit, and means for controlling said drive and guide means. The pool cleaning apparatus includes at least one debris detection means placed in the hydraulic system of the cleaning unit (100).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE
    Inventors: Thierry Michelon, Philippe Pichon
  • Publication number: 20240044162
    Abstract: A debris control system for a swimming pool or spa may receive environmental data for the swimming pool or spa, predict debris conditions in the swimming pool or spa based on the received environmental data, and generate a control response based on the predicted debris conditions. A skimming system for a swimming pool or spa may include an actuated weir door. A method of creating a cleaning effect in a swimming pool or spa includes actuating a weir door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Darin Eames, Dindo Uy, Mark J. Bauckman, Robert Warren Stiles, JR.
  • Publication number: 20240044164
    Abstract: Described are apparatus, systems, and methods of improving cleaning of, e.g., stairs of swimming pools. Automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) capable of autonomous movement within water-containing vessels may be utilized to provide enhanced cleaning of sections of the vessels containing stairs or other angled surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Hendrikus Johannes van der Meijden, Abian van der Meijden, Dustin Borg
  • Publication number: 20240044161
    Abstract: A control system for a swimming pool or spa may detect a water level of the swimming pool or spa. The water level may be detected based on information from an APC, information from an environmental sensor, and/or information from an optical sensor. In various embodiments, the control system may determine or estimate a cause of water displacement based on the received information from the APC, environmental sensors, and/or optical sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Darin Eames, Dindo Uy, Mark J. Bauckman, Robert Warren Stiles Jr.
  • Publication number: 20240044163
    Abstract: A pool cover for a swimming pool or spa may provide a changeable or adjustable visual indication. A method of controlling the pool cover may include controlling a visual indicator on the pool cover. A pool cover for a swimming pool or spa may include a surface water sensor for detecting at least one characteristic of water accumulated on the pool cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Darin Eames, Dindo Uy, Mark J. Bauckman, Robert Warren Stiles, JR.
  • Publication number: 20240045384
    Abstract: A method of operating a swimming pool or spa includes controlling equipment for a swimming pool or spa based on a predicted future state of the swimming pool or spa. A method of controlling equipment for a swimming pool or spa may include receiving a scheduled future use for the swimming pool or spa, predicting a future state of the swimming pool or spa based on the scheduled future use, and controlling the equipment to perform cleaning or other action based on the predicted future state. A method of operating a swimming pool or spa includes receiving an indication of a cleaning trigger event, generating a first alert based on the received indication, generating a cleaning response by equipment for the swimming pool or spa, and generating a second alert based on a state of the swimming pool or spa meeting or exceeding a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Darin Eames, Dindo Uy, Mark J. Bauckman, Robert Warren Stiles, JR.