Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Submerged cleaners with ambient flow guides
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-09-25
Spisich, Mark (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Submerged cleaners with ambient flow guides
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292969
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a pool cleaner.
The specification of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/915,685, U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,557, inter alia describes a pool cleaning device with a unitary one piece body. A number of advantages are associated with a body of this kind.
The aforementioned specification also discloses that a flotation component can be embedded in the body.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention is concerned, in the first instance, with a pool cleaner body which lends itself to facilitating the manufacture thereof as an integral structure.
Inherent in the nature of an integral pool cleaner body is the incorporation of a flotation device in the body. The applicant has discovered that this feature can be utilised to produce important benefits and hence a second aspect of the invention relates to characteristics of the flotation means which allow such benefits to be produced.
To achieve the aforementioned and other objects the invention provides a pool cleaner which includes a body, at least one passage which extends through the body with an inlet to the passage and an outlet from the passage at respective opposed ends of the passage, the passage having a minimum cross-sectional area at a position selected from the inlet, the outlet, and a location between the inlet and the outlet, the cross-sectional area of the passage in each direction extending away from the said selected position towards each respective end of the passage monotonically increasing in magnitude.
“Monotonic”, as used herein, indicates that the cross-sectional area of the passage at any location is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the passage at a preceding adjacent location, moving away from the position of minimum cross-sectional area. Thus, although the cross-sectional area may not increase along its length, in the indicated direction, it does not decrease. This enables the passage to be formed using a single core which does not have any undercut sections or steps which could impede withdrawal of the core from the passage.
Preferably the said position of minimum cross-sectional area is at the outlet. This enables a single core to be used for forming the passage, as opposed to two cores which are movable together in opposite directions to a moulding position.
The pool cleaner may include a partition which divides the passage into first and second adjacent sub- passages. This however depends on the nature of the cleaner.
The partition, when used, may be formed integrally with the remainder of the body. This may be done by appropriately shaping the core. Preferably though the partition is formed separately from the body and is engaged with formations in the body thereby to divide the passage into the said first and second adjacent sub-passages.
The pool cleaner may include a chamber adjacent the inlet which is in communication with the passage, a fluid-flow interrupting device of any appropriate kind in the chamber, and a closure member with at least one aperture which is releasably engaged with the body to enclose the device in the chamber.
The cleaner may include flotation means which may be elongate, extending in the general direction of the passage, and which has a length which is in excess of 25% of the length of the body, and which is preferably of the order of 50% of such length.
In a variation of the invention the flotation means comprises a plurality of flotation components which are respectively positioned at spaced intervals from each other in an array which extends in the general direction of the passage between the inlet and the outlet.
The flotation means may be formed separately and may then be embedded in the body during manufacture of the body. According to a preferred aspect of the invention however the flotation means is formed integrally with the body by foaming material from which the body is made during manufacture of the body.
As used herein “foaming” includes any mechanism or technique whereby the material of the body is directly caused to foam, by means of chemical action, or the material is foamed by the introduction of a foaming agent of any appropriate kind or is aerated, for example by the injection of a suitable gas, including air.
The flotation means is preferably located on what in use is an upper side of the body, on one side of the passage, and biasing means which may be in the form of a body section is then located on a lower side of the body on a directly opposing side of the passage.
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patent: 5706540 (1998-01-01), Niewiarowski
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patent: 476413 (1992-03-01), None
patent: 559477 (1993-09-01), None
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patent: 2430494 (1980-03-01), None
Oak Nominees (PTY) LTD
Spisich Mark
Young & Thompson
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