Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Submerged cleaners with ambient flow guides
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-26
2002-10-15
Chin, Randall E. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Submerged cleaners with ambient flow guides
C015S246000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06463614
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a pool cleaner and to a skirt for use with a pool cleaner.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention provides a pool cleaner which includes a body and at least one member which is secured to the body and which, in use, engages with a submerged surface which is to be cleaned, thereby preventing the body from directly contacting the submerged surface, at least part of the body and the member being rotatable relatively to each other.
Preferably the said relative rotation takes place about an axis which is substantially at right angles to the submerged surface with which the member engages.
In one form of the invention the body includes at least first and second parts which provide the said relative rotation, and the member is secured to the first part.
The first part may be formed with a suction inlet to the body and the member may surround the suction inlet. In a variation of the invention the member is one of a plurality of similar members located at spaced intervals around the suction inlet.
The pool cleaner may include a flexible skirt which is attached to the body and which is rotatable relatively to at least the second part, the skirt, in use, engaging with the said submerged surface.
According to a different embodiment of the invention the member includes a skirt which is rotatable relatively to the body and which, in use, engages with the said submerged surface.
The skirt and the body may include complementary flanges and groove formations which are inter-engageable to rotatable secure the skirt to the body.
The invention also extends to a skirt for use in a pool cleaner of the aforementioned kind which includes a central section and a flexible annular portion around the central section, the central section including a circular formation with at least one flange which extends radially, the central section being formed with an aperture which is within the confines of the circular formation.
At least the annular portion may include a plurality of non-radial formations.
The formations may take on any suitable shape and may for example extend generally from the central section across the flexible annular portion.
The formations, in one form of the invention, are generally in the shape of an elongate “S”, or are elongate sinusoidal.
The periphery of the annular portion may be formed with a plurality of arcuate segments. The segments may, for example, be substantially convex and may be interspersed with concave segments. In a general sense the periphery may be formed with a sinusoidal formation.
The non-radial formations are preferably in the form of ribs which are raised and which extend from a generally planar surface of the annular portion.
Both sides of the annular portion may be substantially similarly formed or, in one embodiment, one side of the annular portion may include the aforementioned non-radial formations and the other side of the annular portion may be substantially smooth.
The central section may include a plurality of raised formations around the aperture. These formations may be in the nature of spaced wear resistant pads.
The invention also provides a skirt for a pool cleaner which includes a body which is made from flexible material and which, at least on one side, has a plurality of nonradial formations.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4152802 (1979-05-01), Chauvier
patent: 4807318 (1989-02-01), Kallenbach
patent: 5014382 (1991-05-01), Kallenbach
patent: 5418995 (1995-05-01), Rice
patent: 5421054 (1995-06-01), Dawson
patent: 5433985 (1995-07-01), Atkins
patent: 5617606 (1997-04-01), Scott, II
patent: 6311353 (2001-11-01), Phillipson
patent: 0556029 (1993-08-01), None
patent: 95/12732 (1995-05-01), None
Chin Randall E.
Mocani (Pty) LTD
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