Pool Cleaner Wheel Drive Axle and Roller Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pool cleaning methods require significant manual effort and are inefficient, as they often fail to effectively navigate and clean pool surfaces, especially with debris that evades filtration systems.
Innovation Solution
A drive system for a pool cleaner featuring a motor-connected axle that rotates a roller assembly and a wheel drive assembly with angled gear teeth, allowing for improved navigation and debris removal, including a wheel assembly with a wheel hub cap and interchangeable trim for enhanced cleaning capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional pool cleaning methods are used, then manual effort is required, but cleaning efficiency is low and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The pool cleaner is designed to autonomously navigate and clean pool surfaces without requiring manual operation. The device self-propels using wheel drive assemblies with motors, automatically traverses the pool floor and walls, and performs cleaning functions independently, eliminating the need for users to manually operate cleaning equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical cleaning operations with an automated mechanical system. Motors drive the wheel assemblies and cleaning mechanisms, substituting human physical effort with electrically-powered mechanical systems that automatically perform navigation, propulsion, and cleaning functions
2Ease of operation
If automated pool cleaning devices are used, then navigation is improved, but traversal effectiveness on pool surfaces needs enhancement
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel drive assemblies are designed with dynamic characteristics that allow the cleaner to adapt to different pool surface conditions. The motors can adjust rotation speed and torque to effectively traverse the pool floor, transition to vertical wall surfaces, and maintain stable movement across varying terrains, enhancing traversal reliability
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the cleaner have specialized features optimized for specific functions: wheel drive assemblies with motors for propulsion on the pool floor, cleaning mechanisms with brushes or rollers for surface cleaning, and design features that enable effective traversal and attachment to various pool surface types
3Device complexity
If simple wheel assemblies are used, then device complexity is low, but cleaning adaptability and effectiveness are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel assemblies serve multiple functions: they provide propulsion by rotating on the pool floor, enable the cleaner to climb and traverse vertical wall surfaces, and support cleaning operations. The motors integrated into the wheel assemblies allow for variable speed control and torque adjustment, making the same structural components adaptable to different operational requirements across various pool surface conditions
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 system facilitates efficient and effective cleaning of pool surfaces by improving navigation and debris removal, reducing manual effort and enhancing maintenance efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a motor operatively connected relative to an axle for driving rotation of the axle
Implementation Method 2
a drive gear that defines a first plurality of gear teeth for interacting with a second plurality of gear teeth defined by the idler gear
Implementation Method 3
the second plurality of gear teeth for interacting with a third plurality of gear teeth around a cylindrical flange of the wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A drive system for a pool cleaner is disclosed, the drive system including a motor operatively connected relative to an axle for driving rotation of the axle. The axel in turn is connected to and drives the rotation of (i) a roller assembly including a roller for cleaning a target surface and (ii) a wheel drive assembly engaged with an idler gear for driving a wheel. Notably the axis of rotation of the roller assembly is different than the axis of rotation of the wheel. Thus, the wheel drive assembly may drive the wheel by interacting with a surface of a cylindrical flange of the wheel.