Submerged Surface Cleaner

Abstract

The invention concerns a suction-type submerged surface cleaner (10) which comprises an injection moulded cleaner head (12) defining internal valve chamber (14). There is a suction inlet (24) to the valve chamber, and an outlet (45) from the valve chamber. A hammer (16) is arranged to oscillate in the valve chamber under the influence of suction flow through the valve chamber from the inlet to the outlet. Contact surfaces (54) of the valve chamber walls (46, 48), which are contacted by the hammer as it oscillates, are provided internally by regions of the valve chamber walls which are reduced locally in thickness compared to other regions of the valve chamber walls. Also, at least some relatively thick regions of the valve chamber walls are formed during moulding with internal cavities to provide buoyancy for the cleaner.

Description

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0001]THIS invention relates to a submerged surface cleaner.[0002]The invention relates in particular to a suction-type submerged surface cleaner, typically for use in cleaning the submerged surfaces of a swimming pool. Suction-type cleaners are well known and have been in widespread use for a number of years.[0003]The most popular suction-type pool cleaners are connected by a flexible hose to a suction point, typically a suction inlet at the weir of the swimming pool. The cleaner operates on the submerged surface and water is sucked through it by the pump of the swimming pool filtration unit. One particularly popular pool cleaner has a valve chamber with an inlet, adjacent the submerged surface, through which a water flow is sucked and accommodating a valve member or hammer which oscillates under the influence of the suction flow and which directs the flow alternately to one or the other of a pair of outlet passages leading away from the valve chamber to ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]a hammer arranged to oscillate in the valve chamber, under the influence of suction flow through the valve chamber from the inlet to the outlet, between respective positions in which opposite faces of the hammer alternately contact internal surfaces of opposing valve chamber walls, thereby to control the flow of liquid through the cleaner head,wherein contact surfaces of the valve chamber walls, which are contacted internally by the said faces of the hammer, are provided internally by regions of the valve chamber walls which are reduced locally in thickness compared to other regions of the valve chamber walls and wherein at least some relatively thick regions of the valve chamber walls are formed during moulding with internal cavities to provide buoyancy for the cleaner.

[0012]The preferred cleaner includes a tubular structure moulded separately from the cleaner head and including outlet passages which extend from the valve chamber outlet in side by side relationship. The tubular structure is connected in sealed manner, e.g. by press-fitting, to the cleaner head. Typically the passages are separated from one another by a dividing wall forming an integral part of the tubular structure, and a lower end of the dividing wall is received in a clevis provided by a retaining member of the cleaner head. The tubular structure may include an external fin formed during moulding with cavities therein to provide buoyancy.

Problems solved by technology

It is believed that the use of external floats or a float encapsulated in the moulded plastic material of the cleaner adds unnecessarily to the complexity and cost of manufacture of the cleaner.

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