Pool Cleaner Caddy Removable Wheel Assembly Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swimming pool cleaners face issues with filter clogging, reduced suction performance, and operational inefficiencies due to traditional filter elements and obstacles during cleaning, leading to incomplete pool cleaning and maintenance challenges.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a swimming pool cleaner with a hydrocyclonic particle separator assembly and a drive system featuring six driven brushed rollers, which includes a canister subassembly with cyclone containers and a filtering medium to efficiently separate debris and improve navigation over pool surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional filter elements (bags, mesh, baskets) are used in the pool cleaner, then debris can be trapped, but the filter elements quickly become clogged or occluded, reducing suction performance and requiring frequent cleaning or replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the filtering function from traditional filter elements and implements a hydrocyclonic particle separator assembly that separates debris from water using centrifugal force. This extraction eliminates the clogging issue inherent in traditional filters while maintaining debris removal capability, thereby resolving the contradiction between filter reliability and cleaning efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical filtration system (bags, mesh, baskets) with a hydrocyclonic separation system that uses fluid dynamics and centrifugal force. This substitution eliminates the physical barriers that cause clogging while maintaining effective debris separation, thus resolving the contradiction between filter reliability and cleaning efficiency.
2Productivity
If the pool cleaner encounters obstacles (lights, drains) during cleaning, then cleaning can be performed, but the cleaner gets stuck, resulting in only partial pool cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements six driven brushed rollers that can function both for propulsion and for overcoming obstacles. The rollers can rotate in different directions and at different speeds, enabling the cleaner to navigate around obstacles or back over them, thus maintaining both cleaning coverage and cleaning completion reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamically controllable rollers that can adjust their rotation speed and direction based on terrain requirements. This dynamic control allows the cleaner to adapt to obstacles by reversing, pausing, or changing direction, ensuring complete cleaning coverage without getting stuck.
3Reliability
If filter elements are cleaned or replaced frequently to prevent clogging, then suction performance is maintained, but maintenance time and user handling of debris increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the debris-water separation function from traditional filters and implements hydrocyclonic separation. This eliminates the need for frequent filter cleaning or replacement since the hydrocyclonic system doesn't clog, thereby maintaining suction performance while significantly reducing maintenance time and user handling of debris.
4Reliability
If the cleaner uses a pump system to circulate water through a filter assembly, then debris is captured, but the filter assembly becomes clogged prior to the debris retention area being completely full
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pump-filter assembly mechanical system with a hydrocyclonic separation system. This substitution allows continuous operational productivity because the hydrocyclonic system separates debris without the clogging issues that plague traditional filter assemblies, while maintaining effective debris capture.
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
The solution enhances debris separation and filtration efficiency, reduces filter clogging, and enables better traversal over pool surfaces, ensuring more comprehensive cleaning and extended filter life with reduced maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
Fluid being pulled through the canister subassembly and intake enters the canister body at the tangential inlet forming a cyclonic flow (e.g., a first cyclonic flow) about a first axis within the canister body
Implementation Method 2
The large debris being separated from the flow through cyclonic action and contact with the canister body
Implementation Method 3
a filtering medium (which can be, for example, a coarsely perforated surface or mesh)
Implementation Method 4
The fluid turbine subassembly is positioned within the canister subassembly and configured to permit acceleration of fluid through the central outlet of the canister subassembly and pulling of fluid through the entirety of the canister subassembly and the intake
Implementation Method 5
The fluid (e.g., the now once-filtered debris-laden fluid) enters the one or more cyclone containers at the respective tangential inlet, forming a cyclonic flow (e.g., a second cyclonic flow) about a second axis within each cyclone container. The second cyclonic flow includes once-filtered debris laden fluid having small debris that is separated from the fluid through contact with the cyclone container body
Implementation Method 6
A motor housing includes a pump motor operatively connected to an impeller for same
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners that remove debris from water using a plurality of cyclonic flows, or that include a removable impeller subassembly, a check valve for a debris canister, a particle separator assembly having a handle that locks to the pool cleaner, a modular roller drive gear box, or a roller latch that secures a roller to the pool cleaner. Exemplary embodiments are also directed to the check valve and the roller latch themselves. Exemplary embodiments are directed to a filter medium for pool cleaners that includes embossments providing flow channels for water, and to roller assemblies for pool cleaners. Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners including alternative pump motor engagements. Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners power supplies that include a potted and contoured power board assembly, and to kickstands therefor. Exemplary embodiments are directed to a pool cleaner caddy, and removable wheels therefor.