Pool or tank cleaning vehicle with a powered brush

Abstract

A pool cleaning vehicle is described comprising a body mounted on wheels such that it can roll over a surface. The body carries a water inlet port and a water outlet port with the inlet port being located on the bottom of the body. It also has a filter mechanism interposed between the inlet and outlet ports. An electric motor mounted is on the body between the two sides of the body with a shaft extending out of it with a propeller mounted on the shaft. The motor is mounted such that the propeller expels water out of the outlet port. A roller brush extends between the same two sides of the body generally transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle and the roller brush is rotated by the electric motor via a linkage.

1 . A pool cleaning vehicle comprising:
 a body mounted on wheels such that it can roll over a surface, the body carrying at least one water inlet port and two water outlet ports configured to direct water flow in two opposing directions with said at least one water inlet port being located on a bottom of the body and a filter mechanism interposed between said at least one water inlet and said two water outlet ports;   an electric motor mounted on the body between two sides of the body with a first shaft extending from the motor with a propeller mounted on the first shaft, the motor mounted such that the propeller creates suction through said at least one water inlet port to draw water containing dirt and debris and to expel water out of one of the two water outlet ports to propel the vehicle; and   at least one roller brush extending between the two sides of the body generally transverse to a direction of travel of the vehicle, said at least one roller brush being rotated by the electric motor via a linkage.   
     
     
         2 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the wheels is independent of the rotation of the roller brush. 
     
     
         3 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the roller brush comprises a cylindrical shaft carrying a plurality of scraping members and being rotationally affixed to the body such that these scraping members contact the surface over which the vehicle rolls on its wheels. 
     
     
         4 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one roller brush comprises two roller brushes, each provided proximate either of two ends of the vehicle, the roller brushes being transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle and extending between the two sides of the body which are parallel to the direction of travel. 
     
     
         5 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein only one of the roller brushes is driven at a time. 
     
     
         6 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein both of the roller brushes are driven to rotate in a common direction. 
     
     
         7 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage is a gear train with a clutch or one or more drive belts arranged such that, if the rotation of said at least one roller brush is inhibited, slippage occurs which allows the motor to continue rotating. 
     
     
         8 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the wheels are mounted to the body via axles proximate to either ends of the body in the direction of travel and the motor is mounted along a midline of the body in the direction of travel approximately half way between and above the axles. 
     
     
         9 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the filter mechanism comprises longitudinal filters placed in parallel to a centerline of the vehicle, and in parallel to the first shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the longitudinal filters are angled. 
     
     
         11 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein
 a hollow shaft is provided on each of the sides of the vehicle parallel to the direction of travel and   two side arms of a telescoping handle are slidably contained in the two hollow shafts, are joined at their ends which project out of the hollow shafts by a crosspiece, and either carry a locking mechanism which interacts with the hollow shafts or interact with a mechanism mounted one or both of the hollow shafts to prevent the side arms from fully withdrawing from the hollow shafts.   
     
     
         12 . A pool cleaning vehicle comprising:
 a body mounted on wheels such that it can roll over a surface, the body carrying at least one water inlet port and two water outlet ports configured to direct water flow in two opposing directions with said at least one water inlet port being located on a bottom of the body and a filter mechanism interposed between said at least one water inlet and said two water outlet ports;   an electric motor mounted on the body between two sides of the body with a first shaft extending from the motor with a propeller mounted on the first shaft, the motor mounted such that the propeller creates suction through said at least one water inlet port to draw water containing dirt and debris and to expel water out of one of the two water outlet ports to propel the vehicle;   at least one roller brush extending between the two sides of the body generally transverse to a direction of travel of the vehicle, said at least one roller brush being rotated by the electric motor via a linkage; and   a gear box for translating the rotation of the first shaft by some angle and for rotating the brush.   
     
     
         13 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first pulley attached to a second shaft which extends from the gear box and rotates in the direction that water is expelled from the outlet ports; and   a system of pulleys and drive belts which transmits the rotation of the first pulley to the roller brush such that the second shaft can continue to rotate when the rotation of the roller brush is obstructed;   the roller brush extending between the two sides of the body transverse to the direction of travel, carrying a plurality of scraping members and rotationally affixed at its ends to the body such that these scraping members contact the surface over which the vehicle rolls on its wheels.   
     
     
         14 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 13  wherein
 a first belt connects the first pulley to a second pulley mounted on an end of a third shaft which is perpendicular to a direction in which water is expelled from the outlet ports, and the second pulley is midway between the same two sides of the body; 
 the third shaft extends to one of these sides, is rotationally affixed to the body and carries a third pulley; 
 a second belt connects this third pulley to a fourth pulley mounted on the end of a fourth shaft such that this second belt drives the rotation of the roller brush. 
 
     
     
         15 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 13  wherein the roller brush has an axle on which it rotates which protrudes longitudinally out on either ends of that roller brush; and wherein the second belt interacts frictionally with the protruding axle to drive the roller brush. 
     
     
         16 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 13  wherein said at least one inlet port comprises
 two inlet ports, the two inlet ports being on opposite sides of a midline of the body parallel to the first shaft of the electric motor; 
 two filters, each of the filters being interposed between one of the inlet ports and one of the outlet ports; 
 a hollow shaft between each of the filters and a side of the body which is parallel to the midline; and 
 two side arms of a telescoping handle which are slidably contained in the two shafts and which are joined at their ends which project out of the shafts by a crosspiece and carry a locking mechanism which interacts with these shafts or a mechanism mounted on these shafts to prevent the side arms from fully withdrawing from these shafts. 
 
     
     
         17 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 16  wherein the locking mechanism is configured to jointly support the weight of the vehicle in open air such that the vehicle can be suspended in open air by the crosspiece of the telescoping handle. 
     
     
         18 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 16  wherein the telescoping handle projects out of the end of the vehicle where the roller brush is located. 
     
     
         19 . The pool cleaning vehicle of  claim 12  wherein two of the wheels on which the vehicle rolls are each mounted on opposite sides of the vehicle such that the roller brush lies between the two wheels and having a long axis running between the two opposite sides.