Swimming pool vacuum hose attachment with relief port for spot cleaning and system incorporating the same

Abstract

A spot cleaning device for a swimming pool cleaning system having a vacuum source and a vacuum hose having an end portion forming a vacuum inlet. The device includes a releasable connector for releasably mounting it on the pole and has a hollow body to which the vacuum hose is coupled and an inlet port which communicates with the inlet port of the vacuum hose. A vacuum relief port is provided in the hollow body adjacent the inlet port. The device is arranged to be positioned adjacent material, e.g., leaves, mud, algae, stones, etc., to be removed from the pool so that when the vacuum source is operated suction at the inlet port pulls that material directly into the inlet port without creating a cloud of debris, and with the vacuum relief port preventing the device from becoming hung up or stuck to a surface of the pool.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/972,948, filed on Oct. 25, 2004, entitled Swimming Pool Vacuum Hose Attachment for Spot Cleaning, whose disclosure is incorporated by reference herein.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

“Not Applicable”

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK

“Not Applicable”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to cleaning devices, and more particularly to devices for spot cleaning swimming pools and other chambers containing water or other liquids.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,474 (Woodard) there is disclosed a vacuum head for a swimming pool cleaning system. The head is of the bristle-type for use particularly on vinyl liners, and the like, and comprises a wide, substantially shallow structure including an elongated top, walls and an outlet oriented upwardly from the top and communicating with the generally hollow interior of the head. The upright outlet forms a first connection for attachment of a vacuum hose to the head. A second hose of a diameter smaller than that of the first hose may be detachably positioned over an adapter member which is removably fitted within the first hose connection. Suction control in the form of at least one water by-pass valve is provided in the head top, enabling water sucked into the head interior to be selectively released therefrom, thereby preventing an excessively high suction force in the head intake area and such a force resulting from too great a build-up of vacuum within the cleaning system. Fixedly secured to the head top inner surface are a pair of axially opposed stabilizing weights and a connection for attachment of a handle or pole is provided at the top outer surface.

Other patents relating to devices for cleaning swimming pools are: U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,474 (Randall), U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,320 (Linda) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,086 (Goode).

While the aforementioned prior art devices may be suitable for their intended purposes they nevertheless leave something to be desired from one or more of the standpoints of simplicity of construction, ease of use and effectiveness. For example, some of such prior art devices when used to vacuum up finely dispersable debris, e.g., a dead algae pile, frequently create a cloud of such debris since the vacuum action is itself dispersed. To overcome that drawback of the prior art, persons cleaning pools have sometimes resorted to using the pole of a conventional pool vacuum head system, without the vacuum head, by merely attaching the distal end of the pole to the open distal end of the conventional vacuum hose via tape, e.g., duct tape. While such an arrangement enables effective spot vacuuming, the use of tape is undesirable and does not provide an elegant solution, e.g., untaping and retaping is messy, and time consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of this invention a spot cleaning vacuum head is provided for a swimming pool cleaning system including a vacuum source and a vacuum hose. The vacuum hose is coupled to the vacuum source and has a free end. The spot cleaning vacuum head comprises a body having a free end. The body comprises a releasable connector, a tubular section, an outlet port and an inlet port. The tubular section includes a sidewall having a longitudinal axis. The tubular section terminates in an opening having a periphery defining the inlet port. The inlet port forms the free end of the body and is in fluid communication with the outlet port. The outlet port is arranged to be releasably coupled to the free end of the vacuum hose. The releasable connector comprises a projecting member extending away from the tubular section. The projecting member is arranged to be releasably secured to an end portion of an elongated pole to mount the spot cleaning vacuum head on the pole, whereupon the spot cleaning vacuum head can be moved by manipulation of the pole into position within a swimming pool so that the free end of the body is below the surface of water within the pool and immediately adjacent material desired to be removed. The spot cleaning vacuum head is arranged so that when the vacuum source is operated suction is created at the inlet port to pull the material directly into the inlet port, thereby resulting in the spot cleaning of the swimming pool. The tubular section includes a vacuum relief port, e.g., a V-shaped notch, a window, at least one aperture etc., located adjacent the inlet port. The vacuum relief port serves to prevent the spot cleaning vacuum head from becoming stuck on a surface, e.g., the bottom or a side wall, of the pool during the operation of the swimming pool cleaning system in the event that the periphery of the inlet port engages a surface of the pool to form a seal therebetween.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one exemplary preferred embodiment of a spot cleaning vacuum head constructed in accordance with this invention shown connected to a conventional vacuum hose and a conventional vacuum pole in the process of vacuuming debris, e.g., leaves, from the bottom of a filled swimming pool;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the spot cleaning vacuum head in the process of vacuuming a pile of dead algae from the bottom of the filled swimming pool, without disrupting the algae pile so as to create a cloud of dead algae;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the embodiment of the spot cleaning vacuum head shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded front elevation view of the spot cleaning vacuum head shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing how the components of the spot cleaning vacuum head are connected together and to the conventional vacuum hose;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view, partially in section, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged end view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an alternative preferred embodiment of a spot cleaning vacuum head constructed in accordance with the subject invention;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of still another alternative preferred embodiment of a spot cleaning vacuum head constructed in accordance with the subject invention; and

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of yet another alternative preferred embodiment of a spot cleaning vacuum head constructed in accordance with the subject invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the various figures of the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is shown at 20 in FIG. 1 a spot cleaning vacuum head constructed in accordance with one exemplary preferred embodiment of this invention. The spot cleaning vacuum head 20 is arranged for use with a conventional swimming pool vacuuming system including a source of vacuum (not shown), a flexible, e.g., corrugated, plastic vacuum hose 22 and a conventional elongated pole 24. The vacuum hose 22 includes a proximal end, not shown, which is arranged to be releasably secured to the vacuum source and to some vessel or receptacle (not shown) for collecting debris that has been removed from the pool. The distal end of the hose 22 is in the form of a female connector or collar 22A. Such collars are conventional circular tubular members whose distal or free end is of either 1½ inch (38.6 mm) inside diameter or 1¼ inch (31.5 mm) inside diameter. The pole 24 is also a conventional device like that used to releasably mount a conventional swimming pool vacuum head thereon. The pole is an elongated linear member, formed of any suitable material, such as a plastic (PVC) or aluminum. The pole is preferably tubular, i.e., includes a circular sidewall, in the interest of being light in weight, yet rigid and strong.

The distal end of the pole includes at least one aperture extending through the sidewall of the pole for receipt of a spring biased extending member or finger (to be described later) of the spot cleaning vacuum head 20 to releasably mount the head on the pole (as shown in FIG. 1, and as will be described in detail later). In fact, in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of this invention, there are two pairs of spring biased members or fingers forming a portion of the spot cleaning vacuum head. Such an embodiment makes use of a pole having a distal end which includes two pair of diametrically aligned apertures spaced longitudinally apart and located in the distal end portion of the pole. In particular, one pair of apertures 24A and 24B (FIG. 5) is located close to the distal end of the pole 24 and a second pair of apertures 24C and 24D (FIG. 5) is spaced slightly proximally of the first pair of apertures 24A and 24B.

The spot cleaning vacuum head 20 basically comprises a hollow body 26 formed of any suitable material, e.g., PVC piping, and has a free end 28. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the body 26 includes a releasable connector 30, a first tubular section 32 and a second tubular section 34. As will be described later, the tubular sections are axially aligned along a longitudinal axis 36 (FIG. 4). The first tubular section 32 has an outlet port 38. The second tubular section has an inlet port 40 (FIG. 6). The second tubular section includes a sidewall having a longitudinal axis extending coincident with the longitudinal axis 36 and terminating in an opening at the free end 28 that forms the inlet port 40. The inlet port 40 is located at the free (distal) end of the body 36 to enable the vacuum head to create a concentrated and directed vacuum, e.g., a “spot” vacuum, to the debris to be removed from the pool.

The second tubular section 34 also includes a sidewall having a longitudinal axis extending coincident with the longitudinal axis 36 and terminating in an opening that forms the outlet port 38. The outlet port 38 is in fluid communication with the inlet port 40 through the hollow interior of the body 36 of the spot cleaning vacuum head 20. The outside diameter of the portion of the second tubular section forming the outlet port is either 1½ inch (38.6 mm) or 1¼ inch (31.5 mm). This enables it be readily releasably received in the collar 22A of the vacuum hose 22 as shown in FIGS. 1-3 to mount the spot cleaning vacuum head 20 on the vacuum hose 22. A circular ridge extends about the periphery of the second section 34 adjacent the outlet port 38 to form a good seal when the portion of the second tubular section forming the outlet port is connected to the vacuum hose 22.

The distal end of the first tubular section 32 forming the inlet port is preferably formed of a resilient or soft material, e.g., it is rubberized. This forms an atraumatic tip for the spot cleaning vacuum head to minimize the chance that the vacuum head will damage the pool liner if it is used to clean an above ground pool. To further ensure that the tip will not damage the pool liner, the free distal end of the second section contiguous with the inlet port 40 preferably includes an annular bead 44 extending thereabout as shown in FIG. 6. As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art the distal end of the tip can be beaded, like shown, and be rubberized or otherwise formed of a soft, atraumatic material, or maybe formed of the same material as that forming the tubular section 32. In fact, the distal end of the second tubular section at the inlet may not be beaded and/or formed of an atraumatic material if desired.

Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the details of the releasable connector 30 will now be described. That connector is in the form of a projecting member extending outward from the body 26. In particular, the projecting member includes a first portion 46 and a second portion 48. The first portion 46 extends outward in a radial direction from the sidewall making up the body 26 and is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 36. The first portion 46 of the projecting member 30 is fixedly secured to the body 26. The second portion of the connector 30 is of an elongated, cylindrical shape and extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 36. In the interest of weight the first 46 and second 48 portions of the connector 30 are hollow, e.g., tubular members. The outside diameter of the second portion 48 of the connector 30 is just slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the hollow distal end of the pole 24.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the second portion 48 of the connector 30 includes two conventional butterfly-like, spring-biased locking members 50 and 52 located therein. The locking member 50 basically comprises a pair of projecting fingers 50A and 50B fixedly mounted on respective ones of a pair of legs of a V-shaped spring 50C. Preferably the fingers 50A and 50B and the V-shaped spring are formed as an integral unit of any suitable material, e.g., plastic or metal.

The fingers 50A and 50B are biased by the spring 50C to extend outward through the sidewall of the second portion 48 of the connector 30 for releasable location within the apertures 24A and 24B, respectively, in the pole 24 when spot vacuum head 20 is mounted on the pole 24. The locking member 52 is constructed similarly to locking member 50. Thus, it basically comprises a pair of projecting fingers 52C and 52D fixedly mounted on respective ones of a pair of legs of a V-shaped spring 52E. The fingers 52C and 52D are biased by the spring 52E to extend outward through the sidewall of the second portion 48 of the connector 30 for releasable location within the apertures 24C and 24D, respectively, when spot vacuum head 20 is mounted on the pole 24.

The securement of the spot cleaning vacuum head onto the pole is achieved by inserting the second portion 48 of the connector 30 into the hollow distal end of the pole 24, whereupon the domed ends of the fingers 52C and 52D of the locking member 52 rides over the free distal edge of the pole to cause the fingers to move inward and to remain in that inward position as the free end of the sidewall of the pole passes over them. Continued movement of the second portion 48 of the connector 30 into the pole 24 causes the fingers 50A and 50B of the locking member 50 to retract in the same way as they pass the free distal edge of the pole. When the fingers 52C and 52D of the locking member 52 to reach the diametrically aligned apertures 24C and 24D, as the fingers 50A and 50B to reach the diametrically aligned apertures 24A and 24B, the fingers snap-fit into their respective apertures, thereby releasably securing the spot cleaning vacuum head 20 on the pole 24.

Once the vacuum head is so mounted and connected to the vacuum hose 22, as discussed above, it is ready to spot clean any portion of the pool. To that end, the user grasps the proximal end of the pole 24 and submerses the distal end on which the spot cleaning vacuum head 20 is mounted into the water in the pool so that the inlet port 40 is located immediately adjacent the debris or other material to be removed. In FIG. 1 debris is shown in the form of leaves 10 located on the floor of a pool 12. With the inlet port 40 of the vacuum head being located immediately adjacent, when the vacuum source is turned on the vacuum produced thereby is coupled through the hose and the hollow interior of the vacuum head 20, so that a confined and axially directed vacuum is created at the inlet port 40. This action pulls the leaves 10 directly into the inlet port, from whence they are carried through the interior of the vacuum head and the vacuum hose 24 for collection. The directed vacuum at the inlet port also tends to minimize the tendency of the leaves from billowing to form a cloud of dispersed leaves. The formation of a cloud of dispersed leaves is obviously undesirable, since it will require further vacuuming to remove them. In FIG. 2, the spot cleaning vacuum head 20 is shown being used to remove a pile of dead algae 14 which has accumulated on the floor of the pool. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the ability of the spot cleaning vacuum head of this invention to direct the vacuum to its distally located inlet 28, is particularly useful for spot cleaning of algae or other readily disposable materials, since it is quite easy to create a cloud of dead algae or other dispersable materials if a more diffused vacuum head, like those of the prior art is used.

In FIG. 7 there is shown an alternative embodiment 120 of a vacuum device of this invention. That device is basically similar to the device 20 shown in FIG. 1, except that it includes a vacuum relief port 160 (to be described later), to ensure that the vacuum head does not become attached or otherwise “stuck” on the surface of the bottom wall or side wall of the pool, if the periphery of the inlet port engages that surface so as to form a vacuum seal therebetween. The device 120 is arranged to be used with the vacuum hose 22, like that described above, and with a pole 124. The pole 124 is a conventional device like pole 24 described above, except that it includes only one pair of opposed holes 124A and 124B for receipt of a pair of spring biased extending members or fingers (to be described later) of the spot cleaning vacuum head 120 to releasably mount the head on the pole 124.

The spot cleaning vacuum head 120 basically comprises a hollow body 126 formed of any suitable material, e.g., PVC piping, and has three slightly conically shaped sections. The lowermost section is designated by reference number 132 and has a lower circular peripheral free edge 128 forming the inlet opening to the vacuum head. The uppermost section is designated by the reference number 134 and terminates at its upper end in a circular opening defining the outlet port 138. The intermediate section of the tubular member 126 joins the sections 132 and 134. All of the tubular sections are axially aligned along a common longitudinal central axis. The inlet port enables the vacuum head to create a concentrated and directed vacuum, e.g., a “spot” vacuum, to the debris to be removed from the pool. The outlet port 138 is in fluid communication with the inlet port 128 through the hollow interior of the body 126 of the spot cleaning vacuum head 120. The outside diameter of the portion of the tubular section 134 forming the outlet port is either 1½ inch (38.6 mm) or 1¼ inch (31.5 mm). This enables it be readily releasably received in the collar 22A of the vacuum hose 22 to mount the spot cleaning vacuum head 20 on the vacuum hose 22. A circular ridge, not shown, may be provided to extend about the periphery of the section 134 adjacent the outlet port 138 to form a good seal when the portion of the second tubular section forming the outlet port is connected to the vacuum hose 22.

The peripheral portion of section 132 forming the inlet port is may be formed of a resilient or soft material, e.g., be rubberized, to form an atraumatic tip for the spot cleaning vacuum head to minimize the chance that the vacuum head will damage the pool liner if it is used to clean an above ground pool. To further ensure that the tip will not damage the pool liner, the free distal end of the second section contiguous with the inlet port 138 may include an annular bead extending thereabout similar to that of the embodiment of FIG. 1. As should be appreciated by those skilled in the art the distal end of the tip can be beaded and be rubberized or otherwise formed of a soft, atraumatic material, or may be formed of the same material as that forming the tubular section 132. In fact, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the distal end of the tubular section 132 at the inlet 138 is not be beaded and/or formed of an atraumatic material.

The vacuum head 120 is arranged to be mounted on the pole 124 by means of a releasable connector 130. That connector is in the form of a projecting member extending radially outward from the body 126 and terminates in a portion 148 that extends generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the tubular body 126. The portion 148 of the connector 130 is of an elongated, semi-circular trough shape. The outside diameter of the portion 148 is just slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the hollow distal end of the pole 124. The portion 148 of the connector 30 includes one conventional butterfly-like, spring-biased locking member 150. The locking member 150 basically comprises a pair of projecting fingers 150A and 150B fixedly mounted on respective ones of a pair of legs of a V-shaped spring 150C. Preferably the fingers 150A and 150B and the V-shaped spring are formed as an integral unit of any suitable material, e.g., plastic or metal. The fingers 150A and 150B are biased by the spring 150C to extend outward through the sidewall of the portion 148 of the connector 130 for releasably location within the apertures 124A and 124B, respectively, in the pole 124 when spot vacuum head 120 is mounted on the pole 124.

The securement of the spot cleaning vacuum head 120 onto the pole 124 is achieved by inserting the portion 148 of the connector 130 into the hollow distal end of the pole 124, whereupon the domed ends of the fingers 150A and 150B of the locking member ride over the free distal edge of the pole to cause the fingers to move inward and to remain in that inward position as the free end of the sidewall of the pole passes over them. When the fingers 150A and 150B reach the diametrically aligned apertures 124A and 124B the fingers snap-fit into the respective apertures, thereby releasably securing the spot cleaning vacuum head 120 on the pole 124.

Once the vacuum head is so mounted and connected to the vacuum hose 122, as discussed above, it is ready to spot clean any portion of the pool. To that end, the user grasps the proximal end of the pole 124 and submerses the distal end on which the spot cleaning vacuum head 20 is mounted into the water in the pool so that the inlet port 138 is located immediately adjacent the debris or other material to be removed. When the vacuum source is turned on the vacuum produced thereby is coupled through the hose and the hollow interior of the vacuum head, so that a confined and axially directed vacuum is created at the inlet port 138. This action pulls the debris directly into the inlet port, from whence it is are carried through the interior of the vacuum head and the vacuum hose 22 for collection.

In order to ensure that the vacuum head does not become stuck or otherwise immobilized during its use, such as could occur if the periphery of the inlet port 38 (of the embodiment of FIG. 1) or the inlet port 138 (of the embodiment of FIG. 7) engages a portion of the surface of the bottom or sidewall of the pool to form a vacuum seal thereat, the vacuum head of the preferred embodiments of FIGS. 7-9 each includes a vacuum relief port. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 the vacuum relief port basically comprises a generally V-shaped recess or notch 160 in the side wall of the section 132 contiguous with the periphery of the opening or inlet port 138. Thus, if the periphery of the inlet port 138 should engage a surface of the pool in a manner that would otherwise tend to create a vacuum seal thereat, water from the pool could still enter through the V-shaped notch, thereby preventing the formation of a vacuum seal. As such the vacuum head is resistant to becoming stuck or locked up on a surface portion of the bottom or side walls of the pool.

In FIG. 8 there is shown still another alternative embodiment of a spot cleaning vacuum head 220 of the subject invention. The spot cleaning vacuum head 220 is identical in construction to the spot cleaning head 120, except for the construction of the vacuum relief port. Thus, in the interest of brevity the common components of the embodiments 120 and 220 will be given the same reference numbers and the details of their construction and operation will not be reiterated. The vacuum relief port of the vacuum head 220 basically comprises a plurality of holes or apertures 260 extending about at least a portion of the periphery of the tubular section 132. The number, location, size and spacing of the apertures 260 is a matter of choice.

In FIG. 9 there is shown yet another alternative embodiment of a spot cleaning vacuum head 320 of the subject invention. The spot cleaning vacuum head 320 is identical in construction to the spot cleaning heads 120 and 220, except for the construction of the vacuum relief port. Thus, in the interest of brevity the common components of the embodiments 120, 220 and 320 will be given the same reference numbers and the details of their construction and operation will not be reiterated. The vacuum relief port of the vacuum head 320 basically comprises a single aperture or window 360 extending through the tubular section 132 adjacent the inlet opening 128. The window 320 is shown being of generally rectangular shape. That is merely exemplary. Thus, the shape, size and location of the window is also a matter of choice.

As should be appreciated from the discussion above that the subject invention offers the pool owner or cleaner the ability to utilize a conventional hose to effect spot vacuuming of debris or other unwanted materials located below the surface of the water in the pool without creating a cloud of dispersed debris/material and without the danger of the vacuum head being stuck on or to the surface of the bottom or side wall of the pool. Among the debris/materials, the subject invention can be used to pick up are leaves, rocks, mud, dead algae, etc.

While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific examples thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

1. A spot cleaning vacuum head for a swimming pool cleaning system including a vacuum source and a vacuum hose, the vacuum hose being coupled to the vacuum source and having a free end, said spot cleaning vacuum head comprising a body having a free end, said body comprising a releasable connector, a tubular section, an outlet port and an inlet port, said tubular section including a sidewall having a longitudinal axis and terminating in an opening, said opening having a periphery defining said inlet port, said inlet port forming the free end of said body and being in fluid communication with said outlet port, said outlet port being arranged to be releasably coupled to the free end of the vacuum hose, said releasable connector being arranged to be releasably secured to an end portion of an elongated pole to mount said spot cleaning vacuum head on the pole, whereupon said spot cleaning vacuum head can be moved by manipulation of the pole into position within a swimming pool so that said free end of said body is below the surface of water within the pool and immediately adjacent material desired to be removed, said spot cleaning vacuum head being arranged so that when the vacuum source is operated suction is created at said inlet port to pull the material directly into said inlet port, thereby resulting in the spot cleaning of the swimming pool, said tubular section including a vacuum relief port located adjacent said inlet port.

2. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 1 wherein vacuum relief port comprises a recess in said tubular section contiguous with said inlet port.

3. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 2 wherein said recess is generally V-shaped.

4. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 1 wherein said vacuum relief port comprises a window in said tubular section adjacent said inlet port.

5. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 1 wherein vacuum relief port comprises a plurality of apertures in said tubular section adjacent said inlet port.

6. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 1 wherein said tubular sidewall includes a first slightly conically shaped sidewall portion which tapers in diameter from said inlet port towards said outlet port, and a second slightly conically shaped sidewall portion which tapers in diameter to said outlet port from an intermediate location between said inlet port and said outlet port.

7. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 1 wherein the elongated pole includes a hollow end portion adapted t be releasably secured to said spot cleaning vacuum head, and wherein said releasable connector comprises a trough shaped member extending generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said tubular section for receipt within the hollow end portion of the elongated pole.

8. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 1 wherein said releasable connector additionally comprises an intermediate section located between said sidewall of said tubular section and said trough shaped member.

9. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 7 wherein said releasable connector additionally comprises an intermediate section located between said sidewall of said tubular section and said trough shaped member.

10. The spot cleaning vacuum head of claim 9 wherein said spot cleaning vacuum head is an integral unit molded of a plastic material.

11. A swimming pool cleaning system comprising spot cleaning vacuum head, a vacuum hose, and a pole, said vacuum hose being arranged to be coupled to a vacuum source and having a free end, said spot cleaning vacuum head comprising a body having a free end, said body comprising a releasable connector, a tubular section, an outlet port and an inlet port, said tubular section including a sidewall having a longitudinal axis and terminating in an opening, said opening having a periphery defining said inlet port, said inlet port forming the free end of said body and being in fluid communication with said outlet port, said outlet port being arranged to be releasably coupled to said free end of said vacuum hose, said releasable connector being arranged to be releasably secured to an end portion of said elongated pole to mount said spot cleaning vacuum head on said pole, whereupon said spot cleaning vacuum head can be moved by manipulation of said pole into position within a swimming pool so that said free end of said body is below the surface of water within the pool and immediately adjacent material desired to be removed, said spot cleaning vacuum head being arranged so that when the vacuum source is operated suction is created at said inlet port to pull the material directly into said inlet port, thereby resulting in the spot cleaning of the swimming pool, said tubular section including a vacuum relief port located adjacent said inlet port.

12. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 11 wherein vacuum relief port comprises a recess in said tubular section contiguous with said inlet port.

13. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 12 wherein said recess is generally V-shaped.

14. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 10 wherein said vacuum relief port comprises a window in said tubular section adjacent said inlet port.

15. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 10 wherein vacuum relief port comprises a plurality of apertures in said tubular section adjacent said inlet port.

16. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 10 wherein said tubular sidewall includes a first slightly conically shaped sidewall portion which tapers in diameter from said inlet port towards said outlet port, and a second slightly conically shaped sidewall portion which tapers in diameter to said outlet port from an intermediate location between said inlet port and said outlet port.

17. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 10 wherein said elongated pole includes a hollow end portion adapted t be releasably secured to said spot cleaning vacuum head, and wherein said releasable connector comprises a trough shaped member extending generally parallel to said longitudinal axis of said tubular section for receipt within said hollow end portion of said elongated pole.

18. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 10 wherein said releasable connector additionally comprises an intermediate section located between said sidewall of said tubular section and said trough shaped member.

19. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 17 wherein said releasable connector additionally comprises an intermediate section located between said sidewall of said tubular section and said trough shaped member.

20. The swimming pool cleaning system of claim 19 wherein said spot cleaning vacuum head is an integral unit molded of a plastic material.