Valve arrangement for an automatic pool cleaner

Abstract

A pool cleaner, including a valve chamber ( 4 ) having an inlet and two outlet orifices and a valve ( 7 ) within the valve chamber. The valve continuously oscillates between first and second positions due to water flow through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet orifices. A bias means ( 8 ), in the form of resilient projections on the valve ( 17 ), the valve being offset in the chamber or a stiff projection from the valve ( 13 ) contacting the wall of the valve chamber. The bias means applies an eccentric influence on the valve such that the operator does not need to initiate oscillation of the valve.

The claims defining the invention are as follows:  
     
         1 . A pool cleaner, including a valve chamber having an inlet and two outlet orifices, a valve within the valve chamber adapted to continuously oscillate between a first and a second position due to a water flow through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet orifices and a biassed means adapted to apply an eccentric influence on the valve wherein at initiation of the water flow the biassed means influences the valve towards the first position so as to commence the oscillation.  
     
     
         2 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 1  wherein the eccentric influence is a force applied to the valve by the biassed means.  
     
     
         3 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 1  wherein the eccentric influence is a positioning of the valve offset from a centre line of the chamber, said valve held in said offset position by the biassed means.  
     
     
         4 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the biassed means includes an elastic resilient member.  
     
     
         5 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 4  wherein the elastic resilient member connects the valve to the valve chamber and the eccentric influence is an axial elastic force applied by said elastic resilient member.  
     
     
         6 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 4  wherein the elastic resilient member is a relatively stiff projection extending from the valve and oriented so as to contact a wall of the valve chamber so as to impart a force to the valve through a flexural stiffness of the projection.  
     
     
         7 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 4  wherein the elastic resilient member is a projection extending from a wall of the valve chamber and oriented so as to contact the valve and so impart a force to the valve through a flexural stiffness of the projection.  
     
     
         8 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 7  wherein the projection makes contact with the valve within a recess of the valve into which the projection projects.  
     
     
         9 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 2  wherein the biassed means includes an asymmetric weight distribution of the valve, and the eccentric influence is an imbalance of forces due to the asymmetric weight distribution.  
     
     
         10 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 9  wherein the asymmetric weight distribution includes a void in the valve, said void placed offset from a centre line of the valve.  
     
     
         11 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 9  wherein the asymmetric weight distribution includes the inclusion of a weight or a portion of higher relative density within the valve placed offset from a centre line of the valve.  
     
     
         12 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 3  wherein the biassed means includes means to hold the valve in a position offset from a centre line of the valve chamber until initiation of the water flow.  
     
     
         13 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 1  wherein the biassed means includes a positioning of the inlet orifice such that the water flow flows into the valve chamber along an axis offset from a centre line of the valve chamber.  
     
     
         14 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 13  wherein the inlet orifice is located within a demountable plate selectively removable from the valve chamber.  
     
     
         15 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 2  wherein the biassing means includes a pivoting projection connecting the valve to the valve chamber wall such that oscillation of the valve is about the pivoting projection.  
     
     
         16 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 15  wherein a longitudinal axis of the pivoting projection is parallel to, but not co-linear with, a centre line of the valve such that movement of the valve creates an eccentric influence on the valve in the direction of the offset.  
     
     
         17 . A pool cleaner according to  claim 15  wherein the pivoting projection projects from a peripheral point on the centre line of the valve, and a longitudinal axis of the pivoting projection is at an angle to the centre line of the valve.