Pool cleaning robot

Abstract

A pool cleaning robot for cleaning a surface of a swimming pool, said robot comprising: a main housing; main wheels being configured for propelling the robot; an auxiliary brushwheel disposed between said main wheels and configured for being rotated by the robot about an axis of rotation; and at least one inlet being formed in a bottom panel of the housing between said main wheels and being configured for intake of water and debris, wherein said main wheels are configured for being rotated by the robot at a first angular velocity, and said auxiliary brushwheel is configured for being rotated by the robot at a second angular velocity which is greater than the first angular velocity.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A pool cleaning robot for cleaning a surface of a swimming pool, said robot comprising: a main housing; main wheels being configured for propelling the robot and for rotating at a first angular velocity; an auxiliary brushwheel disposed between said main wheels; and at least one inlet being formed in a bottom panel of the housing between said main wheels and being configured for intake of water and debris; wherein said robot is configured for rotating said auxiliary brushwheel about an axis of rotation at a second angular velocity which is substantially greater than the first angular velocity; wherein said second angular velocity is at least substantially twice that of the first angular velocity. 
     
     
         2 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 1 , comprising two auxiliary brushwheels configured to rotate independently of one another. 
     
     
         3 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 2 , wherein said two auxiliary brushwheels are arranged co-axially with one another. 
     
     
         4 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 2 , comprising two of said inlets, each of said inlets being associated with one of said two auxiliary brushwheels and being closer thereto along a majority of its length. 
     
     
         5 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 1 , wherein said main wheels are disposed at opposite ends of a bottom panel of said housing, each of said main wheels being in the form of a brush spanning along a majority of the width of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 1 , wherein said wheels carry a pair of continuous tracks spanning between edges thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 6 , wherein said auxiliary brushwheel is driven by a transmission gear, said robot further comprising a drive gear configured to engage one of said continuous tracks and to engage said transmission gear. 
     
     
         8 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 1 , being designed such that motion thereof is independent of the rotation of the auxiliary brushwheel. 
     
     
         9 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 1 , wherein said auxiliary brushwheel comprises a plurality of bristles, each bristle comprising a shaft and a head, said shaft being flexible enough so that rotations of the auxiliary brushwheel do not substantially affect the movement of the robot, said head being designed to dislodge debris from the surface. 
     
     
         10 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 9 , wherein each of said heads projects laterally from said bristle in a direction which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the auxiliary brushwheel. 
     
     
         11 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 1  wherein said auxiliary brushwheel is disposed, at least in use, at a position sufficiently raised from a planar surface disposed below the robot such that motion of the robot on the planar surface is independent of the rotation of the auxiliary brushwheel. 
     
     
         12 . A pool cleaning robot for cleaning a surface of a swimming pool, said robot comprising: a main housing; main wheels being configured for propelling the robot and for rotating at a first direction and at a first angular velocity; an auxiliary brushwheel disposed between said main wheels; and at least one inlet being formed in a bottom panel of the housing between said main wheels and being configured for intake of water and debris; wherein said robot is configured for rotating said auxiliary brushwheel about an axis of rotation at the first direction and at a second angular velocity which is substantially greater than the first angular velocity. 
     
     
         13 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 12 , comprising two of said inlets, each of said inlets being associated with one of said auxiliary brushwheel and being closer thereto along a majority of its length. 
     
     
         14 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 12 , wherein said main wheels are disposed at opposite ends of a bottom panel of said housing, each of said main wheels being in the form of a brush spanning along a majority of the width of the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 12 , wherein said wheels carry a pair of continuous tracks spanning between edges thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 15 , wherein said auxiliary brushwheel is driven by a transmission gear, said robot further comprising a drive gear configured to engage one of said continuous tracks and to engage said transmission gear. 
     
     
         17 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 12 , being designed such that motion thereof is independent of the rotation of the auxiliary brushwheel. 
     
     
         18 . A pool cleaning robot for cleaning a surface of a swimming pool, said robot comprising: a main housing; main wheels being configured for propelling the robot and for rotating at a first angular velocity; an auxiliary brushwheel disposed between said main wheels; and at least one inlet being formed in a bottom panel of the housing between said main wheels and being configured for intake of water and debris; wherein said robot is configured for rotating said auxiliary brushwheel about an axis of rotation at a second angular velocity which is substantially greater than the first angular velocity; wherein said auxiliary brushwheel is disposed, at least in use, at a position sufficiently raised from a planar surface disposed below the robot such that motion of the robot on the planar surface is independent of the rotation of the at least one auxiliary brushwheel. 
     
     
         19 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 18 , wherein said auxiliary brushwheel comprises a plurality of bristles, each bristle comprising a shaft and a head, said shaft being flexible enough so that rotations of the auxiliary brushwheels do not substantially affect the movement of the robot, said head being designed to dislodge debris from the surface. 
     
     
         20 . The pool cleaning robot according to  claim 19 , wherein each of said heads projects laterally from said bristle in a direction which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the auxiliary brushwheel.