VERSATILE VACUUM CLEANER FOR CLEANING SWIMMING POOLS

Abstract

A submersible vacuum cleaner for cleaning an artificial basin such as a swimming pool, the vacuum cleaner including a main body, a suction turbine or impeller coupled to an electric motor, a battery, a suction mouth, a pre-filter ensuring a first filtering, and a discharge outlet. The vacuum cleaner including a connector, which can be attached on the discharge outlet to connect thereto a hose for evacuating the sucked water out of the basin, and a removable filtering element which can be attached on the discharge outlet to ensure a second filtering finer than the first filtering. The discharge outlet being designed so as to receive, one at a time, the hose or the filtering element.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to French Patent Application No. FR2211915, filed on Nov. 16, 2022, in the French Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field

The present disclosure relates to the field of devices for maintaining swimming pools and the same, in particular submersible vacuum cleaners, and relates more particularly to a multifunction modular vacuum cleaner for cleaning swimming pools.

Brief Description of Related Developments

To clean swimming pools, there are many vacuum cleaners so-called standalone to the extent that they are powered by an embedded battery.

These vacuum cleaners are often characterised by basic parameters, in particular the autonomy, the power, the weight, the filtering fineness, etc.

Despite their great diversity, these vacuum cleaners are sometimes unable to properly eliminate very fine debris.

The very fine and volatile debris can accumulate in large amounts on the bottoms of swimming pools especially after a sandstorm episode (for example, a cloud of Sahara's sand) or a flocculation which creates a deposit of algae. This problem is often encountered when putting the swimming pools back into service after the wintering period.

Conventional standalone vacuum cleaners used for routine maintenance can suck in the very fine deposits but their filters reject fine particles that cloud the water of the swimming pool and softly deposit again afterwards.

Standalone vacuum cleaners provided with very fine filters of the pleated cartridge type, such as that one described in the patent FR3095827 in the name of the Applicant, can capture this type of deposits but the pleated filters are quickly clogged when large amounts of deposits have to be eliminated. Indeed, this involves multiple washings throughout the operation. Moreover, according to the patent FR 3095827, the fine filter(s) should be manufactured in a special way to fit into the body of the cleaner, which might pose problems related to cost and availability in the different retail networks.

The fine deposits may also be sucked in with a cleaner connected to the suction inlet of the filtering unit of the swimming pool, but they are not stopped by sand filters and return back into the swimming pool to cloud the water. As regards swimming pools with cartridge filtering, this operation would very quickly clog the filter, which makes the suction ineffective very quickly.

The only effective solution to permanently eliminate large amounts of volatile deposits consists in sucking the bottom and evacuating the loaded water directly into the sewer.

Two ways for draining into the sewer are currently available for this operation:

• • 1. Using the filtering pump of the swimming pool.

This solution is practised only for swimming pools equipped with a sand filtering system equipped with a valve with a drain position. In the case of a cartridge filtering, the discharge hose should be disconnected off the pump before the filter and connected to the sewer. In both cases, since these pumps operate at high flow rates of several m³/h, this operation results in draining a very large amount of water into the sewer.

• • 2. Using a gravity siphon.

This method can function only if there is a point for discharging the siphon located under the water level in the swimming pool. In this case, the effectiveness depends on the difference between the water level in the swimming pool and the level of the discharge point. For a proper operation, this difference should be in the range of 0.5 to 1 m which is not always possible. This operation at a low flow rate is very long and consumes a large amount of water.

Thus, the current systems are not universal and require very large amounts of water during operation thereof.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure aims to overcome all or part of the drawbacks of the prior art set out hereinbefore by providing a standalone and universal solution to permanently eliminate large amounts of fine and volatile deposits from a standalone vacuum cleaner that can also be used for routine maintenance. This versatile appliance has also a certain economic interest.

To this end, an object of the present disclosure is a submersible vacuum cleaner for cleaning an artificial basin such as a swimming pool, comprising a main body, a suction turbine or impeller coupled to an electric motor, a battery, a suction mouth, an optional pre-filter ensuring a first filtering, and a discharge outlet. This vacuum cleaner is remarkable in that it includes a connector, allowing connecting a hose to the discharge outlet to evacuate the sucked water out of the basin, and a removable filtering element which can be attached on the discharge outlet to ensure a second filtering finer than the first filtering, and in that said discharge outlet is designed so as to receive, one at a time, the hose or the filtering element.

Thus, this vacuum cleaner becomes versatile and ensures:

• • a conventional filtering when no hose or filtering element is attached on the discharge outlet;
  • a finer complementary filtering when the filtering element is attached on the discharge outlet; and
  • a direct discharge into the sewer of the sucked water which contains the unfiltered fine particles in suspension.

In contrast with conventional vacuum cleaners which discharge the filtered water directly into the basin, the versatile vacuum cleaner according to the disclosure is configured so as to be able to discharge the sucked water, loaded with fine particles out of the basin via any flexible hose. Hence, it allows reducing water consumption in comparison with the use of the filtering unit and, unlike a siphon, it can be used regardless of the configuration of the terrain surrounding the basin.

According to an advantageous aspect, the connector is removable and the discharge outlet is designed so as to receive, one at a time, said connector or the filtering element.

Hence, the vacuum cleaner may be commercialised as a kit with different connectors and filtering elements.

According to a particular aspect, the filtering element is a pleated cartridge.

According to a particular aspect, the connector includes a base, which can be attached on a neck of a discharge pipe crossing the discharge outlet, and a fitting allowing connecting the hose.

According to an advantageous aspect, the discharge outlet is eccentric with respect to the axis of the main body, in order to enable a facilitated configuration of the different functions of the vacuum cleaner.

Advantageously, the vacuum cleaner further comprises a grill for protecting the suction turbine or impeller.

According to a particular aspect, the vacuum cleaner further includes a locking lever to rigidly hold the filtering element on the discharge outlet.

According to one aspect, the filtering element is placed in a protective grill or cage.

The basic concepts of the disclosure that having just been set out hereinabove in their most elementary form, other details and features will arise more clearly upon reading the following description with reference to the appended drawings, giving as a non-limiting example an aspect of a versatile vacuum cleaner, in accordance with the principles of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The figures are given for illustrative purposes for a better understanding of the disclosure yet without limiting its scope. The different elements may be schematically illustrated and are not necessarily plotted to scale. In all figures, identical or equivalent elements bear the same reference numerals.

Thus, there is illustrated in:

FIG. 1: a perspective front view of a vacuum cleaner according to an aspect of the disclosure;

FIG. 2: a perspective rear view of the vacuum cleaner;

FIG. 3: a front view of the vacuum cleaner;

FIG. 4: a longitudinal section, according to the section plane A-A, of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5: a side view of the vacuum cleaner equipped with a . . . according to a first configuration of the disclosure;

FIG. 6: a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7: a front view of the vacuum cleaner according to the first configuration;

FIG. 8: a longitudinal section, according to the section plane A-A, of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be noted that some technical elements that are well known to a person skilled in the art are described herein in order to avoid any insufficiency or ambiguity in understanding of the present disclosure.

In the aspect described hereinafter, reference is made to a versatile and standalone vacuum cleaner, primarily intended for the elimination of fine debris on the bottoms of swimming pools. This non-limiting example is given for a better understanding of the disclosure and does not exclude the use of the vacuum cleaner to clean other types of basins.

In the present description, the expression “vacuum cleaner” refers to an automatic appliance for cleaning swimming pools, having an elongate shape and intended o be handled by a user.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a versatile vacuum cleaner 100, including a debris collection compartment 10, a sealed functional case 20, topping said compartment and containing suction and electric power supply means, a suction mouth 30 at the lower end of the debris compartment 10, intended to be flush with the surface to be cleaned, and a pre-filter 40 placed inside the debris compartment 10 wherein only the grill of which is visible in the figures.

Advantageously, the vacuum cleaner 100 includes a versatile discharge outlet 50, which could be connected either to a hose for draining into the sewer the water loaded with fine particles having passed throughout the pre-filter 40, or to a filtering cartridge ensuring a finer filtering than that of the pre-filter 40 as this will be described later on.

The debris collection compartment 10 defines a useful volume in which sucked debris blocked by the pre-filter fitted therein 40 can be amassed.

The walls of the debris compartment 10 may be transparent to enable the user to inspect the filling level of said debris compartment to clean it.

The debris compartment 10 may have any shape, for example frustoconical, with a circular or elliptical base, or pyramidal with a rectangular or polygonal base, said shape converging towards the suction mouth 30 to increase the velocity of the water sucked at the inlet.

Furthermore, the suction mouth 30 includes a valve 31 which opens under the effect of suction and closes in the absence of suction to prevent debris from falling in the water of the basin.

The debris compartment 10, at its end opposite to the suction mouth 30, is tightly and removably connected to the functional case 20 by means of a locking lever 60.

According to the aspect of FIG. 4, the functional case 20 defines an internal volume containing the suction and electric power supply means.

For example, these suction and electric power supply means comprise a turbine or an impeller 21, coupled to an electric motor 22, and a power supply battery 23 allowing supplying the electrical energy necessary to the motor 22. The battery 23 is rechargeable and may be fixed or removable, thereby ensuring autonomy of the vacuum cleaner 100.

The functional case 20 further includes an ON/OFF button, and may be possibly equipped with other electronic components, known to a person skilled in the art, such as a power supply controller, a power regulator with a control knob, light indicators of the state-of-charge of the battery, etc.

The functional case 20 is topped by a stick head 70 to fix a stick or any other gripping means of the vacuum cleaner 100.

For the purpose of explaining the disclosure, the debris collection compartment 10 as well as the functional case 20 may be considered as forming one single element which will be called “main body” of the vacuum cleaner.

According to the illustrated aspect, the discharge outlet 50 is positioned on an eccentric portion 25 of the main body.

The discharge outlet 50 is designed so as to receive at least two different outlets, in particular a drain hose such as a garden hose and a filtering cartridge, so as to make the vacuum cleaner 100 versatile and multifunction.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show the first configuration in which the discharge outlet 50 is intended to receive a discharge hose to evacuate the sucked water and the fine deposits that have suspended therein out of the basin.

To this end, the discharge outlet 50 is provided with a removable connector 51, according to the illustrated example, allowing attaching a hose directly or via another suitable connector.

According to the illustrated example, the connector 51 includes a hollow base 511 topped by a tubular fitting 512, the whole enabling the passage of water towards the discharge hose.

The connector 51 may be attached to the discharge outlet 50, in particular by clipping or screwing its base 511 onto a neck 551 of a discharge pipe 55.

The discharge pipe connects the suction pipe of the vacuum cleaner 100 to the discharge outlet 50.

For the drain hose to be solidly attached on the fitting 512, the latter includes one or more collars with progressive diameters adapting to conventional garden hoses.

Of course, the attachment form and mode of the connector may differ from the illustrated example.

As indicated hereinabove, the discharge outlet 50 is eccentric with respect to the main body of the vacuum cleaner 100. This facilitates the connection of a hose according to the first configuration, but also allows mounting a filtering cartridge according to a second configuration.

FIGS. 5 to 8 represent the vacuum cleaner 100 according to this second configuration in which the discharge outlet 50 receives a filtering cartridge 52 which ensures a finer filtering than that achieved by the pre-filter 40.

This second filtering level is intended to eliminate the fine debris having passed through the pre-filter 40.

Indeed, the pre-filter 40 is a primary filter with “coarse” meshes which blocks the largest debris and let the finest debris pass, in other words it includes meshes having a suitable diameter to prevent the passage of the debris considered as the largest ones and which make up a major part of the debris, at least of visible debris, but which is not small enough to filter the finest debris. Therefore, the risks of clogging of this primary filter are limited.

According to the illustrated example, the filtering cartridge 52 has a hollow cylindrical shape with a circular section, defining filtering lateral walls characterised by their thickness and their porosity. These filtering walls are suitable for filtering fine particles and may be of different types, preferably a pleated fabric so that the filtering surface of the cartridge is considerably increased.

The filtering cartridge 52 may be attached to the discharge outlet 50 by screwing, clipping or any other quick removable attachment means. Attachment is done at the level of an annular flange of the discharge outlet 50 provided with suitable means such as a thread, clips, etc.

Preferably, the filtering cartridge 52 is placed in a transparent grill or cage allowing inspecting its clogging level for cleaning or replacement thereof.

Hence, the vacuum cleaner 100 thus described is characterised by its universal discharge outlet 50 which confers versatility thereon in operation, namely: a conventional filtering in the absence of a hose connector or of a filtering cartridge; a finer complementary filtering with the filtering cartridge; and a draining of the water into the sewer when said outlet is connected to a hose via the connector.

It arises from the present description that some non-essential elements of the vacuum cleaner could be modified, replaced or suppressed yet without departing from the scope of the disclosure defined by the claims hereinafter.

Claims

1. A submersible vacuum cleaner for cleaning an artificial basin such as a swimming pool, comprising a main body, a suction turbine or impeller coupled to an electric motor, a battery, a suction mouth, a pre-filter ensuring a first filtering, and a discharge outlet, said vacuum cleaner being characterised in that it includes a connector, allowing connecting any hose to the discharge outlet to evacuate the sucked water out of the basin, and a removable filtering element which can be attached on the discharge outlet to ensure a second filtering finer than the first filtering, and in that said discharge outlet is designed so as to receive, one at a time, the hose or the filtering element.

2. The submersible vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the connector is removable and the discharge outlet is designed so as to receive, one at a time, said connector or the filtering element.

3. The submersible vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the filtering element is a pleated cartridge.

4. The submersible vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the connector includes a base, which can be attached on a neck of a discharge pipe crossing the discharge outlet, and a fitting allowing connecting the hose.

5. The submersible vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the discharge outlet is eccentric with respect to the axis of the main body.

6. The submersible vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a grill for protecting the suction turbine or impeller.

7. The submersible vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further including a locking lever to rigidly hold the filtering element on the discharge outlet.

8. The submersible vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the filtering element is placed in a protective grill or cage.