Liquid purification or separation – Processes – Chemical treatment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2002-03-19
Simmons, David A. (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Processes
Chemical treatment
C210S167150, C210S206000, C210S242100, C210S416200, C422S037000, C422S265000, C422S278000, C015S001700, C137S268000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06358425
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a pool apparatus and more specifically to a pool apparatus that simultaneously removes debris from the water and purifies the water in a portion of the water passing through the pool apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pool cleaning systems for removing debris from the bottom of spas and pools are known in the art, as are inline systems for killing bacteria in spas and pools. The two systems operate independently with respect to one another. The pool cleaning system has a mobile suction apparatus for collecting debris that has fallen or blown into the pool. To remove debris from the pool, one moves a water intake head around the bottom of the pool to suck water and debris into the pool cleaner where the debris is removed from the water. The water is then returned to the pool. On the other hand, the bacteria killing system is generally a stationary device that circulates pool water through a dispersal valve containing a bacteria killing material such as chlorine or the like. The water passing through the bacteria killing system kills the bacteria that pass therethrough. The water is then returned to the pool. Thus, one system removes debris that falls into the water and requires a mobile intake head to reach all areas of the pool, while the other system kills harmful bacteria that are present in the water utilizing a stationary device that sucks water from one area of the pool. As the debris usually settles to the bottom of the pool the water containing debris does not usually enter the bacteria killing system thus avoiding the problem of clogging the bacteria killing system with debris. Both systems are necessary to maintain the water in a spa or pool in a sanitary condition; however, the systems are kept separate because the debris in the water could quickly clog the pathways through the bacteria killing material thus rendering the bacteria killing material ineffective. One device that both sanitizes and cleans is shown in the Moni U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,074 but Moni does not draw water for cleaning and for sanitizing from the same source.
In contrast to the prior art pool cleaning devices that only remove debris, or the bacteria killing systems that only kill bacteria, the present invention provides a pool cleaning device that not only cleans the pool of debris but simultaneously purifies water in a portion of the uncleaned water passing through the pool cleaning device by separating the stream of water passing therethrough into two streams. A first stream that carries the heavier debris that normally settles out of the water through the housing and a second stream that is substantially free of debris that is directed through a water purification material to thereby simultaneously purify the water and remove debris from water drawn from various locations in the pool.
The present invention has been found particularly useful in addressing the problem of inadequate water circulation through an off-site water purification systems such as a bacteria killing system. That is, because of the geometric configuration of certain pools, the pool may contain “dead spots” where water in the pool does not circulate through the bacteria killing system. Consequently, there may be pockets of pool water with higher bacteria concentrations than other parts of the pool simply because the water from one or more portions of the pool does not circulate through the bacteria killing system. Unfortunately, the presence or location of these dead regions are not easy to detect. The present invention addresses the problem of inadequate water circulation in dead pockets of water by providing a pool cleaner with an off-line bacteria killing system that kills bacteria in a portion of the water passing through the pool cleaning apparatus. With the present invention, which is generally moved throughout the bottom of the pool, the intake head comes into contact with the regions of the pool that contain dead pockets of water that would not normally circulate through an inline dispersal valve. The pool cleaning apparatus not only removes debris but it also draws water from the dead pockets with a portion of the water from the dead pockets being sent through the pool cleaner off-line bacteria killing canister to kill bacteria therein. The remaining portion of the water carrying the debris is sent to a collector where the debris is removed from the water. Consequently, the use of the pool cleaner of the present invention simultaneously allows one to remove debris and to purify water by bringing water from different parts of the pool into contact with the bacteria killing chemicals or minerals thus minimizing dead spots where bacteria might grow.
If the water contains a large amount of debris, the embodiment shown in FIGS.
4
and
FIG. 5
is particularly well suited to both clean and sanitize the pool as the debris can flow unimpeded through housing for the off-line water purification receptacle until it is collected in the off-site filter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,364 discloses a debris cleaner having a collector located at the intake of the cleaner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,470 discloses a combined skimmer and filter for a swimming pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,843 discloses a pool vacuum system for cleaning a pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,052 discloses a pool cleaning apparatus to direct water into remote portions of the pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,362 discloses a liquid filter using an open cell elastomer foam body.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,634 discloses a filter for an aquarium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,245 discloses a system for purifying a body of water such as a swimming pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,485 discloses a vacuum filter for swimming pools.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,295 discloses a chlorinator and filter for treating water during the initial filling of a pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,751 discloses an external aquarium filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,883 discloses a device for separating two components in a body of fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,048 discloses a vacuum filter system using replaceable cartridges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,783 discloses an attachment for a swimming pool to direct water therethrough to kill algae.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,833 discloses a valve assembly that results in a pulsating flow in a swimming pool cleaner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,931 discloses a valve for periodically opening and closing a flow path.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,393 discloses a pool cleaning apparatus using sweep hoses to place small particles in suspension.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,906 discloses a water purification system using a cathode and anode.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,541 discloses an inline debris trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,496 discloses a suction cleaning device for cleaning a pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,579 discloses a method and apparatus for removing sediment from a pool that directs jets of water through the pool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,585 discloses a debris cleaning apparatus for a spa.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,446 discloses a pool cleaning unit having a cartridge for flow of water there through.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,673 discloses a top mounted aquarium filter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,455 discloses a fluidized bed filter system for fish tanks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,335 discloses a system for purifying and clarifying water using ultraviolet radiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,135 discloses a pool cleaner with a mast attachment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention comprises a pool apparatus that simultaneously removes debris from the water and purifies water in a portion of the water passing through the pool apparatus with the pool apparatus having an intake head for drawing water and debris from all regions of the pool and directing the water and debris to a housing capable of directing a first stream of water with debris into an off-site pool cleaner where the debris is collected while directing a second stream of water without debris through a water purification receptacle to ensure that all areas covered by the pool cleaner receive water purification action. If the water contains
Jacobson & Johnson
Prince Fred
Simmons David A.
LandOfFree
Pool cleaning and sanitizing apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pool cleaning and sanitizing apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pool cleaning and sanitizing apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2880046