Drive controls principally for automatic swimming pool cleaners

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. 20 24 21 97 75 16 S ep 2 02 4 A B S T R A C T 2 0 2 4 2 1 9 7 7 5 1 6 S e p 2 0 2 4

Description

Some embodiments of the present disclosure seek to provide systems and methods of counteracting lateral such drift. Especially useful when an APC is climbing (up) a generally vertically-oriented wall, some embodiments of the present disclosure also may be employed with the APC is travelling along a generally horizontally-oriented pool bottom, climbing down a wall, or otherwise moving within a pool. In particular, some embodiments of the present disclosure may allow a drifting cleaner to recover its upward movement along a wall by altering traction speed of the track or wheels on one side of the body of the APC. This concept is illustrated schematically in the FIGURE. Shown therein is generally vertical wall 10 of a swimming pool together with APC 14. Also depicted in the FIGURE in dotted lines is vertical line 18. If appropriate, APC 14 may be controllable electronically and include at least one orientation sensor such as (but not necessarily) an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or otherwise. At times, APC 14 may be commanded or configured to climb from a floor or bottom of the pool to its waterline 22 in order to clean wall 10, especially in the region adjacent waterline 22. Such instruction to APC 14 may be to climb vertically along vertical line 18, for example. 2024219775   16 Sep 2024 Further illustrated in the FIGURE in dotted lines are (nominally) left line 26 and (nominally) right line 30, each forming an angle with vertical line 18. These lines 26 and 30 may exemplify angular drift limits permissible while APC 14 climbs wall 10. Angles formed with respect to vertical line 18 by lines 26 and 30 need not be limited to any particular values, but normally will be greater than 0° and less than +90°. Under the example conditions depicted in the FIGURE, APC 14 is climbing vertical wall 10 initially along path Pl. This path Pl is angled relative to vertical line 18, illustrating that APC 14 is drifting from the vertical line 18. As the orientation sensor detects that path Pl has equaled or exceeded the drift limit established by the angle between lines 18 and 30, a controller of the APC 14 may signal its drive mechanism to change the traction speed of the motive elements on either the left or the right side of the body of the cleaner 14 so that the speeds are unbalanced. For example, consistent with the FIGURE, speed of the (nominally) right motive means 34 of the APC 14 may be increased so as to turn the body of APC 14 leftward to follow a path P2 closer to vertical line 18. Alternatively, speed of the (nominally) left motive means 38 may be decreased to cause APC 14 to follow path P2. When the orientation sensor senses that APC 14 has returned to a more vertical path, the controller may instruct the drive mechanism to balance the traction speeds of motive means 34 and 38 and allow APC 14 to follow path P3. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the unbalanced traction speeds discussed herein may be achieved in any suitable manner. In some versions of APC 14, more than one drive motor may be employed, with the motors operating at different speeds to drive wheels or tracks at different velocities. In other versions of APC 14, a single motor may be geared differently as connected to different tracks or wheels so as to 2024219775   16 Sep 2024 produce different traction speeds. Other techniques recognizable by skilled persons alternatively or additionally may be utilized. Although the FIGURE schematically illustrates APC 14 climbing up wall 10, systems and methods of the present disclosure could be used when APC 14 is climbing down wall 10 or moving in some other manner with the swimming pool. In such cases other or additional orientation sensors may be needed. Nonetheless, upon detection of a drift or other change of intended course, a sensor and controller of APC 14 may unbalance the left and right traction speeds of the motive means of the cleaner to implement a course correction. Exemplary concepts and combinations of features of the present disclosure may include: A. A method of causing an automatic swimming pool cleaner having a body to counteract a deviation from an intended course. B. A method according to statement A. in which counteraction of the deviation from the intended course occurs by driving a first motive element on a first side of the body at a different speed than a second motive element on a second side of the body opposite the first side. C. An automatic swimming pool cleaner comprising a body, an orientation sensor, a controller, at least one drive mechanism, a first motive element on a first side of the body, and a second motive element on a second side of the body opposite the first side; and in which the at least one drive mechanism is configured 2024219775   16 Sep 2024 to drive the first motive element at a different speed than the second motive element upon command of the controller when the orientation sensor senses that the body is oriented in a manner other than planned. These examples are not intended to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or restrictive in any way, and the invention is not limited to these example embodiments but rather encompasses all possible modifications and variations within the scope of any claims ultimately drafted and issued in connection with the invention (and their equivalents). For avoidance of doubt, any combination of features not physically impossible or expressly identified as non-combinable herein may be within the scope of the invention. The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Additionally, the word “pool” and phrase “swimming pool” as used herein may include vessels such as spas and hot tubs within their definitions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:receiving or identifying a target region within a swimming pool for an automatic swimming pool cleaner;causing the automatic swimming pool cleaner to advance towards the target region by driving first and second motive elements of the automatic swimming pool cleaner, wherein causing the automatic swimming pool cleaner to advance comprises driving the first and second motive elements in an unbalanced manner to counteract a deviation from the target region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target region is a region adjacent a waterline of the swimming pool.

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein causing the automatic swimming pool cleaner to advance comprises driving the first and second motive elements in the unbalanced manner responsive to an orientation sensor of the automatic swimming pool cleaner detecting a drift limit relative to the target region.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the drift limit is defined relative to a vertical line.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the drift limit is from -90° to 90° relative to thevertical line.2024219775   16 Sep 20246. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein causing the automatic swimming pool cleaner to advance comprises causing the automatic swimming pool cleaner to climb vertically.

7. An automatic swimming pool cleaner comprising:a body;first and second motive elements; anda controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive or identify a target region within a swimming pool for the automatic swimming pool cleaner and cause the automatic swimming pool cleaner to advance towards the target region by driving the first and second motive elements of the automatic swimming pool cleaner, wherein causing the automatic swimming pool cleaner to advance comprises driving the first and second motive elements in an unbalanced manner to counteract a deviation from the target region.

8. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 7, wherein the first and second motive elements are on opposite sides of the body.

9. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the first and second motive elements comprise tracks or wheels.

10. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of any one of claims 7 to 9, further comprising at least one drive mechanism, wherein the controller is configured to drive the first and second motive elements by signaling the at least one drive mechanism.2024219775   16 Sep 202411. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the controller is configured to receive or identify the target region at a region adjacent a waterline of the swimming pool.

12. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the controller is configured to drive the first and second motive elements in the unbalanced manner responsive to an orientation sensor of the automatic swimming pool cleaner detecting a drift limit relative to the target region.

13. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the drift limit is defined relative to a vertical line.

14. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of any one of claims 7 to 13, further comprising at least one orientation sensor on the automatic swimming pool cleaner and configured to detect a path of the automatic swimming pool cleaner relative to the target region.

15. The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 14, wherein the at least one orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer or a gyroscope.

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