Debris bag for a swimming pool cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A debris bag for a swimming pool cleaning device includes a body having a debris collection cavity, an upper end and a lower end. The lower end engages the pool cleaner to receive debris from the pool ejected by the cleaner into the bag. The debris bag also includes a float coupled to the body. The float is positioned outside of and adjacent to the debris collection region of the bag so as to be separate from the lower end.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 282,223 filed on Oct. 25, 2002 and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 335,288 filed Nov. 30, 2001 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 590,725 filed Jul. 23, 2004. The entire disclosures of the foregoing three applications are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to swimming pool cleaning apparatus and a debris bag used in connection therewith. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,090,219 and 6,365,039 and International Patent Publication No. WO 99 / 33582 disclose swimming pool cleaners adapted to rise proximate to a water surface of a pool for removing floating debris therefrom and to descend proximate to a wall surface of the pool for removing debris therefrom (see also U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,039,886 and 6,387,250 and International Patent Publication N...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] The present invention is also directed to a pool cleaner debris bag including an enhanced means for opening and closing a bag access opening and for orienting the bag to avoid impeding the movement of a cleaner body. More particularly, a debris bag in accordance with the invention is formed of flexible water permeable material, e.g., mesh, enveloping an interior volume or cavity. A bag entrance opening is formed in the material and configured for removable attachment to an outlet port on the cleaner body. Debris from the outlet port passes through the bag entrance opening into a bag interior cavity. A bag access opening is also provided which is closed during normal cleaning operation but which can be opened by the user to access and discard debris from the interior cavity. Thereafter, the access opening can be closed and the bag entrance opening reinstalled on the cleaner body to resume normal cleaning operation.

[0008] In accordance with a significant feature of the invention, a bag closure means for selectively opening and closing the bag access opening comprises a clamp member having first and second opposed edges adapted to clamp against opposed layers of bag material to seal the bag access opening. The opposed bag layers are preferably beaded along their edges to assist in retaining the clamp member against the bag material. The closure means is configured to be sufficiently buoyant so that when immersed in water, the bag access opening is elevated above the bag entrance opening. The desired buoyancy can be readily achieved by proper selection of the structure and materials of the clamp member and / or beaded bag edges.

[0010] In accordance with a further significant feature of one preferred embodiment of the invention, the bag is configured to permit relatively heavy debris to fall from the outflow path between the bag's entrance and access openings into a lower pouch portion of the bag. More particularly, one preferred bag embodiment in accordance with the invention includes a pouch for collecting heavy debris such as sand and pebbles. The pouch lower end is preferably configured to be retained close to the cleaner body near or below the cleaner's center of gravity, to constrain the pouch from swinging relative to the body which could otherwise compromise the stability of the body as it travels through the pool.

Problems solved by technology

These cleaners utilize fairly complicated and / or complex mechanisms for controlling their water surface cleaning and wall surface cleaning operations.

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