Pool Cleaner Charging Contacts With Corrosion and Wetness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) face corrosion issues with their electrical contacts due to pool chemistry and contents, leading to compromised charging efficiency, safety hazards, and reduced battery life, primarily caused by water exposure and environmental factors.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating corrosion-mitigating features such as titanium or electrically conductive plastics in the electrical contacts, along with surface treatments and a charging control system that detects water presence to prevent charging until the contacts are dry, thereby minimizing corrosion and ensuring safe and efficient charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electrical contacts are used in APC charging systems, then the device complexity remains low, but the electrical contacts suffer corrosion due to pool chemistry and water exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining titanium (a corrosion-resistant metal) with electrically conductive plastic materials in the electrical contacts. This composite approach provides both corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters of the electrical contacts by using titanium or electrically conductive plastics instead of conventional metals. This parameter change (material composition) enhances corrosion resistance while maintaining electrical functionality, addressing the technical contradiction.
2Productivity
If electrical contacts remain wet during charging, then charging can proceed continuously, but corrosion is exacerbated and electrical shock hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a charging control system that monitors the wetness condition of electrical contacts and provides feedback control. The system detects whether contacts are wet and automatically adjusts charging operation accordingly, preventing charging when wet to avoid corrosion and shock hazards while resuming when dry to maintain productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the charging control system detect and respond to wet conditions before charging begins or continues. The system proactively prevents charging when contacts are wet, addressing the harmful effects before they can occur, then enables charging when conditions are safe.
3Reliability
If corrosion-resistant materials like titanium are used in electrical contacts, then corrosion resistance improves, but manufacturing cost and material availability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials combining titanium with electrically conductive plastics. This approach leverages the corrosion resistance of titanium while using plastics that are easier and cheaper to manufacture than pure metal contacts, partially offsetting the manufacturing challenges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using corrosion-resistant materials (titanium or conductive plastics) specifically in the electrical contact portions that are exposed to pool chemistry, while other parts of the APC can use conventional materials. This targeted approach provides necessary corrosion resistance without requiring all components to be made from expensive or difficult-to-manufacture materials.
Data Source
AI summary
Charging systems and devices for automatic swimming pool cleaners may include one or more electrical contacts with corrosion mitigation features. Such electrical contacts may be on the automatic swimming pool cleaner and/or the charging system. The corrosion mitigation features may include a material of the electrical contacts and/or a surface treatment of the electrical contacts. Charging or recharging of the automatic swimming pool cleaner using the charging systems may be controlled based on a detection of water on the one or more electrical contacts.