Pool Skimmer With Floating Louvre Basket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pool skimming infrastructure is ineffective when submerged by as little as 1-2 inches of water or when the water level drops below the skimmer, leading to reduced debris capture efficiency and requiring manual recovery of sunken debris.
Innovation Solution
An improved skimmer system with a base-basket and a moving section featuring louvres that float-travel along a vertical axis, ensuring effective skimming across varying water levels, combined with retention bosses and bevels for enhanced debris capture and water flow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional skimmer is used, then it is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but it becomes ineffective when water level changes (submerged or dropped below skimmer level)
Solution Approach 1:
The basket is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to float vertically in response to water level changes. The basket can move up and down within the skimmer opening, maintaining its skimming function across varying water levels. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the structure adaptable to different conditions while preserving its core function.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable basket is nested within the skimmer opening structure, allowing it to move freely within the defined space. The basket fits inside the skimmer opening like a nested component, enabling vertical movement while remaining contained within the overall structure. This nesting approach allows adaptability without requiring a complete redesign of the skimmer system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the skimmer basket is made movable to adapt to water level changes, then water level adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The basket uses its own buoyancy to automatically float and move vertically in response to water level changes, without requiring external actuators, motors, or control mechanisms. The system serves itself by utilizing the natural floating property of the basket, achieving adaptability through a passive, self-regulating mechanism that minimizes added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical opening in the skimmer housing acts as an intermediary space that guides and constrains the basket's movement. This intermediate structure allows the basket to move freely vertically while preventing lateral displacement, providing a simple mechanical guide that enables adaptability without complex control systems.
3Productivity
If a conventional fixed skimmer is used, then the device complexity is low, but productivity (debris capture rate) decreases when water levels fluctuate
Solution Approach 1:
The movable basket continuously adjusts its position to maintain optimal skimming depth regardless of water level fluctuations. By dynamically tracking the water surface, the basket ensures consistent debris capture capability, preventing debris from escaping over the top or being missed when the water level changes. This dynamic positioning maintains high productivity across varying conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket automatically adjusts its position using buoyancy forces, eliminating the need for external control systems, sensors, or actuators. This self-regulating mechanism maintains optimal skimming performance while adding minimal structural complexity, thereby preserving high debris capture rates without proportionally increasing device complexity.
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 maintains high debris capture efficiency regardless of water level changes, preventing debris from escaping and improving skimming performance compared to conventional systems, which are often rendered ineffective by minor water level fluctuations.
Implementation Method 1
a movable portion (508) defined by two or more louvres (506) that float-travel along a vertical axis
Data Source
AI summary
An improved skimmer system is disclosed, as well as method of use and manufacture. The skimmer system comprises a base-basket and a moving section, where the moving section has two or more louvres defined therein. During use, the base-basket will likely remain stationary, but the moving section will float-travel along a vertical axis defined by the louvres. The skimmer system enables effective skimming regardless of potential changes in level of the pool water. The louvres within the moving section correspond with a plurality of slots within the base-basket. During installation of the system, a user would first position the base-basket within the bottom of any (existing) circular opening which normally houses a pool skimmer. Then, the user takes the movable section and loads it in on top of the base-basket.