U.S. patent application number 14/440433 was filed with the patent office on 2016-10-13 for brush for apparatus for cleaning surfaces immersed in a liquid.
The applicant listed for this patent is ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE. Invention is credited to Philippe Blanc Tailleur, Philippe Pichon.
Application Number | 20160298349 14/440433 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50976902 |
Filed Date | 2016-10-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160298349 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Blanc Tailleur; Philippe ;
et al. |
October 13, 2016 |
BRUSH FOR APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SURFACES IMMERSED IN A LIQUID
Abstract
The invention concerns a brush (16) adapted to be rotated around
an axis (13) for apparatus for cleaning a surface immersed in a
liquid. The brush (16) comprises at least two brush (16) surfaces
(15) of different mechanical characteristics, arranged in different
angular positions of the brush (16) around said axis (13).
Inventors: |
Blanc Tailleur; Philippe;
(Toulouse, FR) ; Pichon; Philippe; (Villeneuve de
Rivlere, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ZODIAC POOL CARE EUROPE |
Paris |
|
FR |
|
|
Family ID: |
50976902 |
Appl. No.: |
14/440433 |
Filed: |
April 3, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
April 3, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR2015/050873 |
371 Date: |
May 4, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46D 3/00 20130101; A46B
13/005 20130101; E04H 4/1654 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E04H 4/16 20060101
E04H004/16; A46B 13/00 20060101 A46B013/00; A46D 3/00 20060101
A46D003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 4, 2014 |
FR |
1453007 |
Claims
1. Brush adapted to be rotated around an axis for an apparatus for
cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, wherein said brush
comprises at least two brush surfaces of different mechanical
characteristics, arranged in different angular positions of the
brush around said axis.
2. Brush according to claim 1, wherein the brush surfaces, that are
joined together beforehand, and form a windable strip which has a
length "L," suitable for covering a rotary shaft of predetermined
diameter "D" oriented along the axis, when this windable strip is
wound Onto the rotary shaft by assembly means.
3. Brush according to claim 2, wherein the assembly means are of
tenon/mortise type.
4. Brush according to claim 1, wherein the brush surfaces are
rectangular strips.
5. Brush according to claim 4, wherein the rectangular strips
extend along the axis of the rotary shaft carrying said brush.
6. Brush according to claim 4, wherein the rectangular strips have
the same width.
7. Brush according to claim 4, wherein at least two rectangular
strips have different widths.
8. Brush according to claim 1, wherein at least two brush surfaces
have different hardnesses.
9. Brush according to claim 1, having at least one PVC brush
surface and at least one elastomer brush surface.
10. Brush according to claim 1, having at least one PVC brush
surface and at least one bristle brush.
11. Brush according to claim 2, wherein the assembly means that
assemble two ends of lengths L' of the windable strip other than
the lengths L are reversible.
12. Tubular brush according to claim 1, which is adapted to be
inserted over the rotary shaft adapted to carry said brush
(16).
13. Swimming pool cleaning apparatus including a brush according to
claim 1.
14. Method for manufacturing a brush for an apparatus for cleaning
a surface immersed in a liquid according to claim 1, including the
steps of: assembling brush surfaces that form a windable strip,
assemble ends of lengths L' of the windable strip other than the
lengths L so as to form a tube by way of assembly means.
15. Method for manufacturing a brush according to claim 11, having
a step prior to the assembling of the ends of lengths L' of the
windable strip, when the assembly means that join said ends are
reversible, said prior step consisting in placing the windable
strip around the rotary shaft such that the lengths L are wound
around said rotary shaft.
Description
[0001] The field of the invention is the field of accessories for
swimming pools. To be more precise, the invention concerns a brush
for apparatus for cleaning surfaces immersed in a liquid such as
for example a swimming pool cleaning robot, a tubular brush, a
cleaning apparatus including such a brush, and a method of
manufacturing such a brush.
PRIOR ART
[0002] The invention concerns a brush for apparatus for cleaning
surfaces immersed in a liquid, such as a surface formed by the
walls of a pool, notably of a swimming pool. It is notably a
question of a brush for a mobile swimming pool cleaning robot.
[0003] FIG. 1 represents one example of a mobile swimming pool
cleaning robot 10 that exists already. Said robot 10 includes a
body, movement means 11 comprising for example wheels or
caterpillar tracks, and a rotary shaft 12 carrying a brush 16. Said
brush 16 being positioned so as to come into contact with the
surfaces of the pool to be cleaned.
[0004] In an embodiment conforming to patent application U.S. Pat.
No. 6,212,725, the brush 16 includes a plurality of cylindrical
disks 14 mounted on a rotary shaft 12. Each cylindrical disk 14
includes a central opening corresponding in size and shape to the
cross section of the rotary shaft 12, onto which said cylindrical
disks 14 are threaded.
[0005] The cylindrical disks 14 are made of a compressed spongy
cellulose material or a similar material.
[0006] This threaded-together brush structure takes a long time to
assemble because the cylindrical disks 14 have to be threaded
around the rotary shaft 12 one after the other.
[0007] Replacing a worn cylindrical disk 14 with a replacement
cylindrical disk 14 placed at the same location on the brush 16
takes a long time. In fact, in a first stage, it is necessary to
remove the worn cylindrical disk 14, by removing all the
cylindrical disks 14 preceding it from one end of the rotary shaft
12. In a second stage, it is necessary to insert the replacement
cylindrical disk 14 around the rotary shaft 12 in place of the worn
cylindrical disk 14. Finally, in a third stage, it is necessary to
replace the cylindrical disks 14 removed to enable the replacement
cylindrical disk 14 to be fitted around the rotary shaft 12, one
after the other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An objective of the present invention is to remedy some or
all of the disadvantages of the prior art solutions, notably those
described above, by proposing a solution that makes it possible to
facilitate the fitting and the replacement of said brush as well as
saving time.
[0009] To this end, and in a first aspect, the invention concerns a
brush adapted to be rotated around an axis for apparatus for
cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid. The brush comprises at
least two brush surfaces with different mechanical characteristics,
arranged in different angular positions of the brush around said
axis.
[0010] To be more precise the invention concerns apparatus for
cleaning swimming pools.
[0011] The brush is a patchwork of brush surfaces with different
characteristics and contiguous with one another. Such features make
it possible to vary the material and/or the shape of the brush
surfaces. The brush has an approximately cylindrical shape.
[0012] Such features make it possible to customize the brush as a
function of the requirements of the surface to be cleaned, for
example by choosing the number and the nature of the brush surfaces
to be assembled. Moreover, forming a single part, the brush is
simple to change when it is worn out.
[0013] In particular embodiments the brush may further have one or
more of the following features, separately or in all technically
possible combinations.
[0014] In particular embodiments of the invention the brush
surfaces are joined together beforehand and form a windable strip
which has a length "L". The windable strip is suitable for covering
a rotary shaft of predetermined diameter "D" oriented along an axis
when the windable strip is wound onto the rotary shaft by assembly
means.
[0015] In particular embodiments of the invention the assembly
means are of tenon/mortise type.
[0016] Such features make it possible to use assembly means that
are simple to use to form the windable strip and to undo it. The
tenon/mortise type assembly means consist of a flexible material
that enables easy manipulation of said assembly means.
[0017] In particular embodiments of the invention the brush
surfaces are rectangular strips. At least two rectangular strips
may have the same width or different widths. The rectangular strips
preferably extend along the axis of the rotary shaft carrying said
brush.
[0018] It is clear that a width of a rectangular strip occupies a
part of the length L of the windable strip.
[0019] Such features make it possible to have use of a brush
including rectangular strips extending along the axis of the rotary
shaft. When the robot advances, the rotation of the brush brings a
succession of rectangular strips into contact with the surface to
be cleaned.
[0020] In particular embodiments of the invention the brush
surfaces have different hardnesses.
[0021] Such features make it possible to alternate the hardness of
the successive surfaces of the brushes on rotation of the brush on
the surface to be cleaned. This makes it possible to alternate the
functionalities of the brush surfaces because strips with different
hardnesses can have different functions.
[0022] In particular embodiments of the invention the windable
strip includes at least one polyvinyl chloride (PVC) brush surface
and at least one elastomer brush surface.
[0023] In particular embodiments of the invention, the windable
strip includes at least one PVC brush surface and at least one
bristle brush surface.
[0024] PVC brushes combine stud brushes and flap brushes. By stud
brush is meant a brush including cylindrical elements having a
diameter varying from approximately 1 to 4 mm. By flap brush is
meant a brush including flaps with a size of approximately 15 to 30
mm and a thickness of approximately 2 mm. Such features makes it
possible to vary in the same brush the categories of brush surfaces
that constitute the windable strip, i.e. this gives the possibility
for example of combining in the same brush PVC brush surfaces and
elastomer brush surfaces and/or PVC brush surfaces and bristle
brush surfaces.
[0025] Previous features taken in combination advantageously allow
to have surfaces of brushes in greater numbers than two, with
distinct respective widths, together with different hardnesses.
Hence such a configuration allows to provide to the brush a
brushing capacity, through a friction force, varying according to
the angular position of the brush on the immersed surface. This
configuration of the brush is also adapted so that the immersed
surface is subjected to a friction force with fixed intensity
during a predetermined time, said predetermined time depending on
the width of the brush surface generating said friction force.
Thus, the brush is advantageously configurable according to all
possibilities in terms of geometry and hardness of the brush
surfaces in order to have an optimal cleaning of the immersed
surface.
[0026] In particular embodiments of the invention the assembly
means that assemble two ends of the windable strip of length L
other than the lengths L are reversible.
[0027] Such features make it possible to fix the windable strip to
the rotary shaft and to detach it easily. This also makes it
possible to facilitate changing the brush.
[0028] A second aspect of the invention concerns a tubular brush
adapted to be inserted over a rotary shaft adapted to carry said
brush.
[0029] Such features make it possible to insert around the rotary
shaft adapted to carry a brush the tubular brush already consisting
of brush surfaces assembled beforehand.
[0030] A third aspect of the invention concerns swimming pool
cleaning apparatus including the brush described above.
[0031] Such features make it possible to have use of apparatus
including a brush consisting of brush surfaces that can be
customized in terms of shape, quantity and nature of brushes for
improved adaptation to the surfaces to be cleaned and improved
efficacy of said brush.
[0032] A fourth aspect of the invention concerns a method of
manufacturing a brush for apparatus for cleaning a swimming pool in
accordance with any one of the preceding embodiments including
steps of: [0033] assembling brush surfaces that form a windable
strip, [0034] assembling ends of lengths L' of the windable strip
other than the lengths L of the windable strip so as to form a
tube.
[0035] Such features make it possible to manufacture a brush that
can be customized by virtue of the very numerous possibilities of
assembling brush surfaces. The tube so formed can be inserted
around the rotary shaft that is adapted to carry said brush.
[0036] In particular embodiments the method includes a step prior
to the assembly of the ends of length L' when the assembly means
that join said ends are reversible, consisting in placing the
windable strip around the rotary shaft such that the lengths L are
wound around said rotary shaft.
[0037] Such features make it possible, if the rotary shaft of the
robot is not accessible to slide the tube around the rotary shaft,
to pass the windable strip made up of the assembly of brush
surfaces around the rotary shaft and then to assemble it. The
lengths L correspond to D*.PI. which corresponds to the
circumference of the rotary shaft of diameter D.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] The invention will be better understood after reading the
following description given by way of nonlimiting example and with
reference to the figures, which show:
[0039] FIG. 1 (already cited): an example of a prior art swimming
pool cleaning robot,
[0040] FIGS. 2, 3: views of examples of windable strip,
[0041] FIGS. 4 and 5: examples of tubes formed of at least two
brush surfaces joined together.
[0042] In these figures, references that are identical from one
figure to another designate identical or analogous elements. For
reasons of clarity, the elements in the figures are not represented
to scale unless otherwise indicated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0043] Various means may be employed to clean the surfaces of a
pool such as a swimming pool, notably a mobile cleaning robot.
[0044] Such a robot includes a body, movement means and a rotary
shaft carrying a brush 16. In the present example the brush 16 is
an approximately cylindrical brush. Said brush 16 being positioned
so as to come into contact with the surfaces of the pool to be
cleaned.
[0045] The brush 16 that is the subject matter of the invention
comprises surfaces 15 of brushes 16 assembled to form a windable
strip. Said surfaces 15 of brushes 16 are for example assembled by
gluing them together, by slightly heating the ends of the surfaces
15 of brushes 16 to bond them together, or by any other means
enabling the surfaces 15 of brushes 16 to be joined together.
[0046] FIG. 2 is a preferred embodiment of the windable strip. In
this embodiment, the windable strip has a rectangular shape
including two parallel lengths L and two lengths L'. Said windable
strip comprises six surfaces 15 of brushes 16 of respective widths
I1 to I6 which in this preferred embodiment are in the form of
rectangular strips extending longitudinally relative to the axis 13
of the rotary shaft 12. In this embodiment, a rectangular strip has
a width I1 included in the length L of the windable strip. This
width I1 is equivalent to a width I3 of another rectangular strip
of the windable strip of the FIG. 2 embodiment. In this same
embodiment, another rectangular strip has a width I2 different from
the width I1.
[0047] In this nonlimiting embodiment of the invention the windable
strip is made up of alternating rectangular strips that have
different hardnesses. In fact, the FIG. 2 embodiment includes two
rectangular strips of equivalent hardness and of equivalent width
I1 and I3. The FIG. 2 embodiment also includes a rectangular strip
of width I5 less than the widths I1 and I3 but of equivalent
hardness to the rectangular strips of widths I1 and I3. The
windable strip from FIG. 2 also includes two rectangular strips of
widths I2 and I4 and equivalent hardness. The windable strip
includes another rectangular strip of width I6 having a hardness
different from the hardnesses of the strips of widths I1, I2 and
I5.
[0048] The surfaces 15 of brushes 16 of the windable strip of the
FIG. 2 nonlimiting embodiment of the invention include only
elastomer surfaces 15 of brushes 16 but they have different
hardnesses.
[0049] The lengths L of the windable strip have a dimension equal
to .PI.*D where D is the diameter of the rotary shaft 12 over which
the brush 16 is inserted.
[0050] The windable strip forms a tube by joining the end of the
rectangular strip of width I1 not joined to the rectangular strip
of length I2 to the end of the rectangular strip of width I6 not
joined to the rectangular strip of width I5. Said ends are joined
together by means of different assembly means 17. Reversible
assembly means 17 for joining these ends exist in the form of
flexible tenon/mortise type means as can be seen in FIG. 4. By
tenon is meant a male part of a construction part intended to be
inserted into a female part of another part, called the mortise.
Joining by nesting a tenon in a mortise makes it possible to hold
two parts together.
[0051] Other assembly means 17 that may be used include
self-gripping strips. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, a self-gripping
strip would be installed at the end of the rectangular strip of
width I1 not joined to the rectangular strip of width I2 and to the
end of the rectangular strip of width I6 not joined to the
rectangular strip of width I5. The two self-gripping strips are
fixed to the rectangular strips so that they can be assembled to
form a tube. Velcro.RTM. strips are one example of self-gripping
strips. The reversible assembly means 17 correspond to strip
assembly means 17 enabling them to be assembled and separated
easily without using tools.
[0052] Non-reversible assembly means 17 may be used to assemble two
surfaces 15 of brushes 16. For example, the ends of the rectangular
strips of width I1 and I6 not joined to the rectangular strips of
widths I2 and I5 may be slightly heated so that the materials of
the rectangular strips of widths I1 and I6 are softened and bond
together on cooling when the two ends are in contact.
[0053] The windable strip from FIG. 2 forms a tube like that from
the FIG. 5 embodiment. However, the FIG. 5 tube comprises another
example of assembling surfaces 15 of brushes 16. In fact, the tube
from FIG. 5 comprises at least four surfaces 15 of brushes 16 all
of different hardnesses and widths. Moreover, the tube comprises
surfaces 15 of brushes 16 in PVC, in foam and in thermoplastic
elastomer (TPE). The tube may also include a surface 15 of brushes
16 in elastomer of flexible PVC TPE.
[0054] Other examples of windable strips are represented in FIG. 3.
The FIG. 3 embodiment includes widths L corresponding to .PI.*D
with D corresponding to the diameter of the rotary shaft 12 over
which the brush 16 is inserted. The FIG. 3 embodiment includes
surfaces 15 of brushes 16 in the form of rectangular strips not
perpendicular or parallel to the axis 13 and a surface 15 of
brushes 16 of non-geometric shape.
[0055] The method of manufacturing this brush 16 comprises a first
step of assembling surfaces 15 of brushes 16. This produces a
windable strip that has at least two lengths L equivalent to .PI.*D
where D corresponds to the diameter of the rotary shaft 12 over
which the brush 16 will be inserted.
[0056] Two ends of length L' of the windable strip that do not
correspond to the lengths L are assembled by assembly means 17.
[0057] If the assembly means 17 are non-reversible, then the two
ends of the windable strip are assembled and form a tube that
slides on the rotary shaft 12 of the robot 10. The rotary shaft 12
of the robot 10 being accessible for the tube to slide on.
[0058] If the assembly means 17 are reversible, then a user places
the windable strip around the rotary shaft 12 so that the lengths L
surround the rotary shaft 12. Said user then assembles the ends of
the windable strip using reversible assembly means 17 such as
tenon/mortise type means.
[0059] Changing the brush 16 when worn is simple. If the means 17
for assembling the ends of the windable strip are reversible, a
user detaches the assembly means 17 in order to separate the ends.
Said user then winds around the rotary shaft 12 a new windable
strip including reversible assembly means 17 that he fixes.
[0060] If the assembly means 17 are non-reversible, the rotary
shaft 12 is accessible for sliding along the rotary shaft the tube
formed by assembling the ends of the windable strip. Thus if the
tube is worn, a user removes it from the accessible rotary shaft 12
and adds a new one.
[0061] The foregoing description clearly shows that by virtue of
its various features and the advantages thereof the present
invention achieves the objectives set for it. In particular, the
brush 16 that is the subject matter of the invention makes it
possible to combine the use of surfaces 15 of brushes 16 where the
characteristics of said surfaces 15 of brushes 16 are different
from one another in order to associate different functionalities.
Manufacturing and changing the brush 16 are also simple to carry
out.
* * * * *