Swimming Pool Filtration Unit Segmentation for Electrical Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile swimming pool filtration and maintenance units face challenges with electrical supply safety and structural integration, requiring expensive and fragile safety devices, and pose installation and safety issues due to the need for permanent connections and flexible conduits.

Innovation Solution

A modular filtration and maintenance unit design with two distinct parts, one immersed in the pool and the other outside, connected by a low-profile pipe conduit system that allows for safe electrical supply routing and reduced structural impact, featuring a flow multiplier device and a buoyant contaminant basket for efficient filtration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the drive motor is placed inside the filtration unit in the pool, then the unit can be compact and integrated, but electrical safety becomes a serious concern with expensive and fragile safety devices required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintegration of motor and filtration unitVSAvoidelectrical safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two separate parts: a filtration unit with flow multiplier device placed inside the pool, and a pump with motor placed outside the pool. These parts are connected via flexible hoses, allowing the motor to be isolated from water while maintaining functional integration. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by achieving both compact design and electrical safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Flexible hoses act as intermediaries connecting the filtration unit and pump across the pool boundary. These hoses allow water and air flow while enabling the motor to remain outside the water environment, thus maintaining electrical safety without compromising system integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If permanent connections are made in the pool structure for water circulation pipes, then the connection is stable and reliable, but the installation becomes expensive and requires structural modifications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidinstallation cost and complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses flexible, movable connections (hoses) instead of fixed permanent pipes. These dynamic connections can be easily installed and removed without structural modifications, reducing installation cost and complexity while maintaining sufficient connection stability for the application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If flexible conduits are used for water circulation connections, then installation is easier and no structural modification is needed, but safety and aging problems arise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation easeVSAvoidsafety and durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses air circulation instead of water circulation through flexible conduits. An air blower creates air currents that achieve the same cooling and drying effects without requiring water-tight flexible hoses, thereby eliminating safety and aging problems while maintaining installation ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

4Productivity

If the flow multiplier device is placed inside the pool, then it can directly treat pool water, but the connecting device height increases creating a significant obstacle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirect water treatment efficiencyVSAvoidconnecting device height
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system separates the water treatment function (flow multiplier inside pool) from the power source (pump outside pool), connecting them via horizontal hose routing along the pool edge rather than vertical stacking. This dimensional rearrangement reduces the height obstacle while maintaining direct water treatment capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

Enhances safety and integration by reducing the apparent size and weight of the filtration unit, allowing for easier installation, removal, and transport while maintaining effective filtration performance with a low-profile connecting device and efficient contaminant retention.

Implementation Method 1

a flow multiplier device which comprises an ejector which projects a stream of pressurized water into a convergent followed by a conduit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEjector effect: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

a second part being intended to be arranged, in plan view, at outside the perimeter of the swimming pool and to transmit water under pressure to the first part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPump: Pump

Data Source

PatentEP1902187B1Filtering and maintenance unit for swimming pool, and retaining basket
Publication Date: 2010.12.01 QUEIREL JOEL
  • EP1902187B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1902187B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP1902187B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention concerns filtering of swimming pool water. It concerns a filtering and maintenance unit for swimming pool comprising a housing which delimits, in a first part (16), a first volume directly connected to the swimming pool water and a second volume connected to the first only via a filtering cartridge (40) of a filtering assembly borne by a support between at least one water inlet and at least one water outlet, and the first part of the housing (16) includes a conduit (44) which connects the lower part of the cartridge (40) to the outside of the lower part of the first housing part (16), such that the inside of the cartridge receives the water from the surface and the swimming pool water at a level much lower than the surface.