Magnetic Pool Cleaning Nozzle Control for Safe Aspiration Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current swimming pool maintenance systems pose safety risks due to accidental human errors in reversing aspiration flows and lack of operator vigilance during maintenance, particularly when activating and deactivating cleaning nozzles, which can lead to dangerous aspiration flows exposing bathers to physical harm or drowning.
Innovation Solution
An automatic magnetic contact activation mechanism that remotely controls a three-way hydraulic valve using a magnetic switch triggered by the insertion or removal of the aspiration brush tube, allowing safe and controlled activation/deactivation of cleaning nozzles without the operator needing to leave the pool edge, ensuring the operator's presence and preventing accidental exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operator manually activates/deactivates cleaning nozzles by going to the utility room, then the aspiration flows can be controlled, but the operator must leave the pool edge reducing vigilance and increasing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning brush tube automatically activates/deactivates the cleaning nozzles through magnetic coupling with the nozzle, eliminating the need for operator intervention in the utility room. The system serves itself by using the presence of the cleaning brush to control the aspiration flow automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical operation of valves in the utility room is replaced by a magnetic activation system. The magnetic coupling between the cleaning brush tube and nozzle triggers an electromagnetic mechanism that automatically controls the three-way valve, substituting mechanical manual operation with an automated electromagnetic system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the operator frequently trips to the utility room to reverse aspiration flows, then the cleaning operations can be adjusted, but the maintenance time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically reverses aspiration flows by using the cleaning brush tube's magnetic coupling with the nozzle to trigger the electromagnetic activation. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for operator trips to the utility room, saving time while maintaining the adaptability to reverse flows when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic activation system is pre-configured to automatically reverse aspiration flows at the appropriate moments during cleaning operations. The system anticipates the need for flow reversal and executes it automatically based on the presence and position of the cleaning brush tube, eliminating delays associated with manual intervention.
3Reliability
If cleaning nozzles are deactivated during bathing, then safety is improved, but the system cannot respond quickly to cleaning needs
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning nozzles remain in a safe default state during bathing but can be instantly activated when the cleaning brush tube magnetically couples with the nozzle. The system automatically transitions from safe standby to active cleaning mode immediately upon detection of the cleaning brush, providing both safety and rapid response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains cleaning nozzles in a deactivated state during bathing to prevent harmful aspiration flows. The magnetic activation system is prepared in advance to immediately counteract this safe state when cleaning is needed, allowing rapid transition while maintaining safety as the default condition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution prevents accidental aspiration flows by ensuring the operator's constant supervision and reduces maintenance time by eliminating the need for frequent trips to the utility room, enhancing safety and efficiency during cleaning operations.
Implementation Method 1
The magnetic activation system (101) consists of a hydraulic fitting made by way of example but not limited to ABS material (Acrylonitrile - Butadiene - Styrol). Said fitting is characterized by a female-male hydraulic coupling comprising a fixed part comprising a hydraulic fitting (102) equipped with a contact or magnetic switch (103) and a corresponding movable part comprising a hydraulic fitting (104) characterized by a magnet (105) intended to excite said contact or magnetic switch (103) if said contact is inserted in the corresponding seat of said hydraulic fitting (102).
Implementation Method 2
The magnet (105) mounted in the hydraulic fitting (104) of the movable part excites the electrical contact installed in the hydraulic fitting (102) of the submerged fixed part contained in the cleaning aspiration nozzle (208). The electrical contact is excited in absolute safety thanks to the magnetic approach. Said contact feeds, through a low-voltage wiring (215), a coil which closes the circuit in the electrical control panel (209) and operates the electromechanical actuator (214) of the three-way hydraulic valve (100).
Implementation Method 3
The three-way hydraulic valve (100) is activated to connect the aspiration manifold (210) with the aspiration and cleaning duct (208); simultaneously, said three-way hydraulic valve (100) interrupts the aspiration flow of the ducts connected to the skimmers or the compensation tank (212).
Data Source
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AI summary
The proposed invention relates to a safety system which can be conveniently used in the cleaning of swimming pools but also in equivalent structures such as silos, tanks and similar systems. Said system avoids and prevents accidental errors by the operator responsible for maintaining a swimming pool and allows the constant physical presence of said operator (and therefore his effective supervision) near the edge of a swimming pool or similar system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for the safe control and implementation of the pumps connected to the aspiration ducts of the submerged nozzles used for cleaning a swimming pool and the nozzles used for the normal recirculation and filtration of water; said system preventing the possibility of accidental aspirations and accidents involving third parties who are also inadvertently located at the swimming pool during the maintenance steps. The proposed system allows the safe conduct of manual cleaning operations of swimming pools suitably provided with one or more cleaning aspiration nozzles; said system being constituted by a magnetic contact activation mechanism excitable by inserting the piping of a bottom aspiration brush into a corresponding cleaning/aspiration nozzle installed on the side walls of the swimming pool. Said magnetic activation mechanism remotely controls a suitable three-way valve positioned in the utility room of the swimming pool; said three-way valve allowing the automatic reversal of the activation and deactivation flows of the cleaning nozzles and the switching between these cleaning nozzles and those aspiration nozzles normally used for water filtering and recirculation. Said inversion consisting more precisely in opening the valve dedicated to cleaning and simultaneously closing the ducts coming from the skimmer/compensation tank nozzles and vice versa.