EP3283711A2 - Autonomous pool cleaning robot - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a pool cleaning robot (1) comprising a water jet electrohydraulic motorized propulsion/pump unit (31, 34, 35), and a waste-collecting body (2) which comprises a battery (32) for powering said unit, the unit and the battery being contained inside a rotary and sealed turret (3), external to the body (2) of the robot. The robot advantageously comprises an automatic direction reversing device comprising a vane (5) secured to the turret comprising a first end stop (52) and second end stops (41, 42).

Description

 AUTONOMOUS SWIMMING POOL CLEANING ROBOT

Field of the invention

 The present invention relates to an autonomous pool cleaning robot.

 Technological background

 for the cleaning of swimming pools and other basins, there are hydraulic robots that work with the energy of the filtration group of the pool. These robots are connected by a floating pipe of 8 to 12 m either at the discharge or at the suction of the filtration pump.

 These robots only work properly if the filtration system is of sufficient power. They reduce the performance of the original filtration and the handling and storage of pipes is impractical.

 To avoid these drawbacks it appeared electric robots independent of the filtration and powered by a floating electrical cable. The main advantage of this type of robot, delivered with a low-voltage safety transformer, is their ease of installation since they are connected to a standard electrical outlet. These autonomous robots have the advantage of working immediately and without adjustments which constitutes a certain selling point.

A robot of this type, but powered by cable, is described by FIGS. 5A and 5B of the document FR 2 896 005. According to this design, a locking member of the rotation of the turret on which the cable is connected, fixed to the front of the rotating turret is activated by moving the robot. One of the main hazards encountered on electric robots in general is the entanglement of the cable, a phenomenon which can, however, be limited by a programming of the robot paths, which nevertheless requires traction motors with sophisticated control electronics and / or rotating connection connecting the electric cable to the robot or to the robot's power supply.

 The disadvantages of this type of robot are the handling of the floating cable generally 8 to 18 m depending on the size of the pool and the apprehension of some users with respect to the use of electricity in the water.

 To overcome these drawbacks develop wireless robots running on battery.

 These robots are either powered by a floating battery as known from EP 1 122 382 A1, or by rechargeable onboard batteries out of water as known for example from EP 1 689 957 A1 or rechargeable in water by induction such as described in EP 2 669 450 A1.

 These robots are often adaptations of electrical models to cable and their cost is higher than that of the basic models from which they come.

 In addition, electric robots are indeed poorly suited to battery operation because some use a programmable or programmed electronic guidance system with a gyroscope, inclination sensors, wall sensors and several motors: a motor pump for suction and one or two traction motors. This multiplication of equipment consumes energy and involves high capacity batteries.

Other robots of simpler design use a single engine with a water jet propulsion whose direction is reversed by a timer as for example known from EP 2 484 847 A1 or EP 1 022 411 A1. In this case the robot which has a random displacement can remain motionless against a wall waiting for the reversal of direction during a significant duration of its cycle. This operation is therefore energy consuming which again implies a high capacity battery.

 To alleviate this problem, the system provided in document FR 2 896 005 A1 providing for a cable electrical robot for which the movement of the robot is not able to cause the blocking of the turret in a systematic manner because this displacement does not occur. product that after blocking the latter so that the jet of propulsion can sometimes rotate permanently and in this case the robot does not move.

 Another known principle of the aforementioned document FR 2 896 005

Al proposes a robot powered by a floating cable propelled by a rotating jet whose reversal of direction occurs when a tilting bell releases a stop.

 This design leads to a bulky apparatus since the rotating jet is entirely embedded in this bell.

 This type of device has a strong hydrodynamic resistance to displacement that would involve a powerful pump and therefore a battery of high capacity.

The invention proposes to remedy these various drawbacks by proposing a robot powered by a battery, of simple design with a single motor and without on-board electronics, with a low hydrodynamic resistance and provided with a system promoting a reversal of the direction of movement. instant. Brief description of the invention

 To this end, the present invention proposes a pool cleaning robot comprising, according to a first aspect of the invention, a power unit / electro-hydraulic pump with a water jet, and a waste recovery body that includes a battery pack. said group, the group and the battery being contained in a rotating turret and sealed outside the body of the robot.

 The group preferably comprises an electric motor and a turbine, coupled to the electric motor by means of coupling, suction of water entering the body through a mouth under the robot and passing through a filter and discharge of this water through an ejection nozzle leading to the turret.

 The turret advantageously comprises a sealed access cap to the battery.

 According to an advantageous embodiment, the nozzle is positioned to discharge the water sucked in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom of the pool to propel the robot by means of the nozzle.

 The turret is advantageously mounted on the body of the robot by a rotary connection which comprises an annular collar on the body around a receiving hole of an annular base of the turret.

 According to a particular embodiment, the rotary connection comprises clawing lugs of the turret on the body.

 The suction turbine is preferably centrifugal turbine type and has an inlet at the interface between the turret and the body.

According to a particular embodiment, the inlet of the turbine to the body / turret interface is provided with a horn profile. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the motor is a power motor less than or equal to 50 W.

 According to a second aspect of the invention, the invention provides a robot comprising an automatic direction reversal device comprising a pallet secured to the turret having a first stop and second stops.

 The pallet is advantageously articulated on an axis carrying said first stop, which acts as a retractable abutment and comprises, on a side opposite to the first abutment with respect to the axis, an enlarged part which will allow the pallet to turn around the axis, to lower the pallet under the action of the hydrodynamic thrust caused by the rotation of the turret and the movement of the robot that applies to the pallet.

 The rise of the pallet is obtained either because of its robot buoyancy stopped, or turret in rotation by the force exerted between the stops under the effect of the rotary torque of the turret.

 The axis of reception of the pallet is preferably fixed in the lower part of the turret so that, when the pallet tilts towards the horizontal due to a rotational movement of the turret or a movement of the robot, the first abutment abuts against one of the second stops and so that the first stopper escapes the second stops when the pallet is in a vertical position robot and turret stopped.

According to a particular embodiment, the second stops are movable, an offset of one or both stops at an angle to the body of the robot relative to the axis of displacement defined by the wheels to more or less off-axis flow of water out of the nozzle relative to the axis of displacement defined by the orientation of the wheels and to curve more or less the trajectory of the robot.

 The nozzle is advantageously eccentric on the turret so that the thrust force is exerted along an axis at an angle with a main axis of the robot defined by the orientation of the robot wheels.

 According to a particular embodiment, the robot comprises a circular body in the middle of which the turret is centered.

 The robot may in particular comprise three wheels pointing in parallel directions.

 Alternatively, the robot may comprise two wheels and a roller.

 To avoid blocking the robot on a slope break of the bottom of the basin, the bottom of the robot may include at least one relief positioned in the axis of movement of the robot under the robot.

 The wheel or the front roller can also be mounted on a pivoting axle.

 According to a particular embodiment, the robot may comprise a floating solar panel for recharging the battery connected to the powertrain by an electric cable length slightly greater than the depth of the pool.

 Brief description of the drawings

 Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings which represent:

 in Figure 1: a sectional side view of a robot according to a first aspect of the invention;

in Figure 2: a top view of the robot of Figure i; in FIG. 3: a perspective view of a robot turret according to the invention;

 in Figure 4: the turret of Figure 3 in a view from below;

 in Figure 5: a perspective view from above of a robot body according to a particular embodiment;

 in Figures 6A, 6B: top views of displacement of a robot according to the invention;

 in FIGS. 7A, 7B: side views of a turret according to an embodiment of the invention according to two phases of operation;

 in FIG. 8: a view from below of a robot variant of the invention;

 in FIG. 9: a side view of a robot embodiment of the invention on a sloping pool bottom.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

 According to FIG. 1, a first aspect of the robot 1 of the present invention is to comprise an electrohydraulic power unit / pump 31, 34, 35 with water jet and its supply battery 32 contained in a rotating turret 3 and sealed, outside the body 2 of the robot which for its part contains the debris collection device in the form of a filter 21 above a tray provided with a water inlet opening 24 in the robot.

 The group comprises an electric motor 31, reduction gears 34 and a turbine 35 whose function is to suck the water that enters through the mouth 24 and passes through the filter 21 and discharge by an ejection nozzle 36 coming out of the turret 3.

This design has the advantage of not reducing the useful volume of debris collection in the main body the robot by the presence of a battery or a motor and locate the electrical connections between the battery and the group only in the turret which avoids using rotating electrical connections.

 To access the battery and change it for example, the turret comprises a waterproof cap 33 screwed or clipped.

 The powertrain / pump thus collects the debris through the filter 21 in the main body and discharges the water sucked in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom of the pool to propel the robot through the nozzle 36.

 The turret 3 is mounted on the body 2 of the robot by a rotary connection here made by an annular flange 25 on the body 2 around a receiving hole of an annular base 37 of the turret. As represented in FIG. 3, this rotary connection may simply comprise clipping lugs 38 snap-fitting under the annular flange 25, which allows a standard exchange of the turret by the user without requiring the disconnection of a frequent source electrical connection. sealing problems.

 According to FIG. 4, under the turret, at the interface between the turret and the body is an inlet 39 of the suction turbine 35 of the centrifugal turbine type and the invention makes it possible to have a short hydraulic circuit between the turbine and the propelling nozzle 36 at the turbine outlet. The inlet 39 is here provided with a horn profile 39a favoring the suction

The turret has easy access to the battery by the plug 33 which allows charging and replacement by the user is to increase the autonomy with the use of an additional battery or to change a battery at the end of life. This optimization of the design makes it possible to realize energy-saving robots with a limited power motor of 50 W against 150 to 200 W for the known electric robots, a battery of limited capacity and a reduced cost compared to the robots with battery known to date which causes a reduction in the weight of the powertrain / pump to 2 Kg against 6 to 10 kg for traditional robots.

 According to Figure 2, the robot comprises a circular body in the middle of which the turret 3 is centered. The robot comprises three wheels pointing in parallel directions a front wheel 22 in the direction of displacement shown in Figure 2 and two rear wheels 23. The wheels are here positioned at 120 ° on the body.

 The nozzle 36 is slightly off-set with respect to a straight line passing through the front wheel 22 and the center of the turret 3 to give the robot a lateral thrust component which will be explained later. Similarly, the output axis of the nozzle is eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the turret.

 According to a second aspect of the invention, the robot is provided with an automatic direction reversing device comprising a pallet secured to the turret and studs 41, 42 on the body of the robot as shown in particular in FIG.

 The inversion device is designed to be lightweight, offer little resistance to robot advancement and be low inertia. This device is designed to release the rotation of the turret and block it in an opposite direction as soon as the movement of the robot stops to prevent any blockage of the latter against a wall.

To do this, the device is designed so that the locking of the rotation of the turret is implemented by the rotation of the turret itself and not by the moving the robot which leads to a very reliable self-locking system.

 According to FIGS. 7A, 7B in particular, the locking device comprises a lateral pallet 5 articulated on an axis 53 and carrying a first stop 52 which acts as a retractable stop.

 On one side opposite to the first stop 52 relative to the axis 53, the pallet comprises an enlarged portion 50 and possibly curved which will allow the pallet to turn about the axis 53, or, because of its buoyancy bring up the enlarged part 50 of the pallet to the stop of the robot, or moving robot, down under the action of the hydrodynamic thrust caused by the movement of the robot that is applied to the pallet. The enlarged portion behaves like a lever moving the first stop 52 about the axis 53.

 The axis of reception of the pallet is fixed in the lower part of the turret so that, when the pallet tilts towards the horizontal because of a rotary displacement of the turret or a movement of the robot, the first stop 52 comes into abutment against one of a pair of second stops 41, 42 shown in plan views in FIGS.

6B and side in Figures 7A, 7B.

 By against the first stop and the axis are positioned so that the first stop escapes the second stops when the pallet is in the robot vertical position and turret stopped.

As represented in FIG. 6A, the turret provided with the powertrain / pump unit is subjected to a force in rotation by the permanent torque created by the eccentric delivery of the nozzle 36. In front of an obstacle such as the wall M, the pallet rises, the first stop escapes a second stop and the turret starts to turn.

 In the absence of an obstacle according to FIG. 6B, offsetting and off-centering of the turret with the device in abutment creates a curved trajectory for the robot, the thrust force exerted along an axis D1 making an angle α with the main axis D defined by the orientation of the wheels of the robot. It is the same when the robot moves in reverse when the turret has rotated 180 ° and the first stop is in contact with the second second stop.

 As seen above, when the robot moves the pallet is pushed from the position of Figure 7B by the flow of water caused by the displacement to a horizontal position shown in Figure 7A for which the first stop 52 is retained one of second stops 41, 42 carried by the robot body and positioned on an axis perpendicular to the axis of displacement relative to the center of the turret which blocks the rotation of the turret.

 When the robot is stopped, the absence of water flow allows the pallet with a density lower than the density of the water to go back to the vertical position of FIG. 7B, which frees the stops and allows free movement. rotation of the powertrain / pump carrier turret.

From the beginning of this rotation, and before the movement resumes, the hydrodynamic thrust created by the rotation of the turret 3 acts on the pallet 5 which tilts towards the horizontal position which positions the first stop 52 in an interference position with the second stop 41, 42 secured to the body of the robot the contact between the two abutments provoking the stopping of the rotation. In this position, the displacement of the group is then substantially in the axis of the wheels and the robot moves in a first direction. The lever effect on the pallet 5 caused by the rotation is then replaced instantly by the one related to the displacement which maintains the blocking of the stops.

 When the robot encounters an obstacle, a wall or other hydrodynamic thrust disappears and the turret torque creates, through the contact between the first stop 52 and one of the second stops 41, 42, an effect lever F due to the distance d between the axis 53 and the end of the stop 52 which tilts the pallet forward as shown by the arrow in FIG 7A which releases the first stop 52 of the second stop 41 allowing the resumption of the rotational movement and tilting of the pallet rearward and pre-positions the first stop to meet the second second stop 42 diametrically opposite.

 The rotation of the group stops in contact with the second stop, the discharge is then in the axis of the wheels and the robot then moves in a direction substantially opposite to the first (forward / reverse).

 In the case where the robot has three wheels whose axes are fixed and parallel the change of trajectory of the robot is ensured by shifting of the robot during the rotation of the turret, robot in contact with a wall according to the example of offset of Figure 6A. Indeed, during the rotation of the turret, the propulsion jet passes through a position perpendicular to the axis of the wheels which causes the shifting of at least one wheel of the robot.

Furthermore according to the example of Figure 5 where the second stops 41, 42 are movable, for example on a rotating annular plate, and protrude through grooves 43, an offset of one or both abutments at an angle β on the robot body with respect to the axis of displacement defined by the wheels makes it possible to more or less offset the flow of water leaving the nozzle relative to the axis of displacement defined by the orientation of the wheels and to curve more or less the trajectory of the robot to adapt it to particular shaped pools and avoid repetitive courses.

 Instead of grooves it is possible to realize several positioning points of the second stops as housing for these stops on the upper surface of the body 2.

 The misalignment of the nozzle with respect to the direction of the wheels also makes it possible to reduce the displacement speed at equivalent suction power for greater efficiency of the robot.

 According to a particular embodiment of FIG. 8 seen from below of the robot, the front wheel of the robot can be replaced by a roller 22a offering a greater contact surface with the bottom of the basin to limit the lateral sliding of the robot during rotation of the turret.

 In this figure are represented brushes 61 on either side of the mouth 24 suction of waste.

 Reliefs 60, 60 'made according to the example by ribs on the bottom of the body 2 form a kind of sliding pads positioned in the axis of displacement to limit, as shown in Figure 9 the contact surface between the part bottom of the robot and the bottom of the pool at a stop of change of slope and remove the risk of blockage on this stop.

According to complementary or alternative embodiments, the wheel or the front roller can be mounted on a pivoting axle, lateral deflectors can be fixed on the main body of the robot to provide resistance to lateral movement of the robot and reduce the shifting, Charging the battery can be done by a floating solar panel connected to the powertrain by an electric cable length slightly greater than the depth of the pool. A battery charge control that starts the robot as soon as the charge is optimal.

 To eliminate the risks associated with a leakage, the motor can drive the turbine by magnetic coupling instead of a gear train.

 The invention is not limited to the example shown and in particular the pallet automatic direction reversal device 5 and stops can be applied to other types of robots such as hydraulic robots.

Claims

R E V E N D I C A T IO N S 1 - Robot (1) for pool cleaning comprising an electro-hydraulic powertrain / pump (31, 34, 35) with a water jet, and a waste recovery body (2) characterized in that it comprises a battery (32) for supplying said group, the group and the battery being contained in a rotatable and tight turret (3) external to the body (2) of the robot.  2 - Robot (1) according to claim 1 wherein the group comprises an electric motor (31) and a turbine (35), coupled to the electric motor by coupling means (34), for suction of water entering the body by a mouth (24) under the robot and passing through a filter (21) and discharge of this water by an ejection nozzle (36) opening from the turret (3).  3 - Robot (1) according to claim 1 or 2 for which the turret comprises a sealed cap (33) for access to the battery.  4 - Robot (1) according to claim 2 wherein the nozzle is positioned to discharge the water sucked in a direction substantially parallel to the bottom of the pool to propel the robot by means of the nozzle (36).  5 - Robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the turret (3) is mounted on the body (2) of the robot by a rotary connection which comprises an annular flange (25) on the body (2) around a receiving hole of an annular base (37) of the turret. 6 - Robot (1) according to claim 5 wherein the rotary connection comprises clipping lugs (38) of the turret on the body. 7 - Robot (1) according to claim 2 or 4 wherein the suction turbine (35) is centrifugal turbine type and has an inlet at the interface between the turret and the body.  8 - Robot (1) according to claim 7 for which the inlet 39 is here provided with a horn profile (39a).  9 - Robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims for which the motor is a power motor less than or equal to 50 W.  10 - Robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims comprising an automatic direction reversal device comprising a pallet (5) integral with the turret having a first stop (52) and second stops (41, 42).  11 - Robot (1) according to claim 10 for which the pallet (5) is articulated on an axis (53) carrying said first stop (52) which acts as a retractable stop and comprises, on a side opposite to the first stop (52) relative to the axis (53), an enlarged portion (50) which will allow the pallet to rotate about the axis (53) to lower the pallet under the action of the thrust hydrodynamic caused rotation of the turret and then by the movement of the robot that applies to the pallet.  12 - Robot (1) according to claim 11 for which the axis of reception of the pallet is fixed in the lower part of the turret so that, when the pallet tilts to the horizontal due to a rotary displacement of the turret or a movement of the robot, the first stop (52) comes into abutment against one of the second stops (41, 42) and so that the first stop escapes the second stops when the pallet is in a vertical robot position and turret stationary. 13 - Robot (1) according to claim 10, 11 or 12 for which the second stops (41, 42) are movable, an offset one or both abutments at an angle (β) on the body of the robot relative to the axis of displacement defined by the wheels to more or less offset the flow of water out of the nozzle relative to the axis of displacement defined by the orientation of the wheels and to curve more or less the trajectory of the robot.  14 - Robot (1) according to any one of claims 2, 4, 7 or 8 for which the nozzle (36) is eccentric on the turret so that the thrust force is exerted along an axis (Dl) making a angle (a) with a main axis (D) of the robot defined by the orientation of the robot wheels.  15 - robot according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a circular body (2) in the middle of which the turret (3) is centered.  16 - Robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims comprising three wheels (22, 23) pointing in parallel directions.  Robot according to claim 1, comprising two wheels and a roller.  18 - Robot (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 15 comprising at least one relief (60, 60 ') positioned in the axis of movement of the robot under the robot.  19 - Robot (1) according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the wheel or the front roller are mounted on a pivoting axle.  20 - Robot (1) according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a floating solar panel recharging the battery connected to the powertrain by an electric cable length slightly greater than the pool depth.