Self-propelled robotic swimming pool cleaner with extendible arms for climbing out of a swiiming pool

Abstract

A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner for cleaning a swimming pool having a bottom surface, and a vertical sidewall terminating at a deck. The cleaner includes an interior chamber with a water pump and a filter. Water beneath the cleaner is drawn through an inlet and flows into the interior chamber, and filtered water is discharged through an outlet. Rotationally-mounted supports support and guide the cleaner along a pool surface. An electric motor mounted in the interior chamber is configured to move the cleaner on the pool surface. An arm assembly includes a first arm member having a distal end which is selectively extendible beyond a front end of the housing. A support member projecting from the distal end is configured to extend over and directly contact the deck to support the cleaner while the pool cleaner advances up the vertical sidewall of the pool.

1 . A method of extracting a self-propelled robotic pool cleaner from a swimming pool, the robotic pool cleaner configured to ascend a generally vertical sidewall of the swimming pool, the cleaner comprising a housing including a front end and an upper portion disposed over a lower portion to define an interior chamber, the lower portion including a water inlet and the housing having a water discharge port for discharging filtered water, rotationally-mounted supports for supporting and guiding the cleaner on a pool surface, a filter assembly for filtering water drawn through the water inlet, and an electric motor mounted in the interior chamber and configured to move the cleaner on the pool surface, the method comprising the steps of:
 advancing the cleaner to ascend the sidewall of the pool and generating a first signal when a portion of the front end of the cleaner is in proximity of the waterline on the sidewall of the pool;   extending a first arm assembly a predetermined distance from the front end of the housing in response to the first signal; and   providing a support member from the first arm assembly to a position above the deck, the support member being configured to support the cleaner directly from a deck surface of the pool.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of extending the first arm assembly comprises extending a distal end of said first arm assembly beyond the waterline of the pool. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 positioning the support member over the deck surface; and   retracting the first arm assembly while maintaining the support member at its position over the deck surface to thereby provide support for the cleaner along the sidewall.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of extending the first arm assembly further comprises extending the first arm assembly laterally outward from a side portion of the cleaner prior to extending the first arm assembly beyond the front end of the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of providing a support member comprises positioning a second arm member from the first arm assembly in a direction towards the sidewall of the pool. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of positioning the second arm member comprises the steps of:
 moving the second arm member relative to the first arm assembly in the direction of the advancing cleaner; and   rotating the second arm member from the first arm assembly over the deck surface about the pool.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 retracting the first arm assembly in a rearward direction; and   maintaining the second arm member over the deck surface.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the steps of:
 rotating one or more of the rotatably-mounted supports to ascend the sidewall of the pool; 
 maintaining, by the second arm member, a downwardly directed force on the deck surface until the cleaner is extracted from the pool; and 
 retracting first arm assembly and second arm member once the cleaner is extracted from the pool. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of moving the cleaner to a predetermined location outside of the pool. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising performing a pool cleaning operation on a bottom surface of the swimming pool prior to the step of causing the cleaner to ascend a sidewall of the pool. 
     
     
         11 . A robotic pool cleaner for cleaning a swimming pool having a bottom surface; a sidewall having a lower portion adjoining at the bottom surface of the pool and an upper portion terminating at a deck extending generally horizontally about the pool, the pool cleaner comprising:
 a housing including an upper portion disposed over a lower portion to define an interior chamber, the lower portion including a water inlet, and a water discharge port in the housing for discharging filtered water;   rotationally-mounted supports for supporting and guiding the cleaner on the pool surface;   a filter assembly for filtering water drawn through the water inlet;   a first electric motor mounted in the interior chamber and configured to move the cleaner on a pool surface;   a first arm assembly having a distal end which is selectively extendible from the housing a predetermined distance beyond a front portion of the housing, the first arm assembly comprising:   an elongated rail configured for movement with respect to the housing; and   a second electric drive motor that controls the movement of the elongated rail, the elongated rail including a plurality of teeth arranged along a length of the rail, the elongated rail having a longitudinal axis extending substantially normal with respect to the front portion of the housing, the second electric drive motor including a drive gear that rotatably interfaces with the plurality of rail teeth to move the elongated rail in the direction of its longitudinal axis; wherein the first arm assembly is configured to support the cleaner directly from the deck while the pool cleaner is positioned on the sidewall of the swimming pool.   
     
     
         12 . The pool cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the housing has a longitudinal axis that is substantially normal to the front portion, and the first arm assembly is configured for movement normal to the longitudinal axis of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The pool cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the housing has a longitudinal axis extending substantially normal through the front portion, and the first arm assembly moves in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The pool cleaner of  claim 11  further comprising a side plate mounted on a side of the housing, the side plate including an elongated channel configured to receive the first arm assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The pool cleaner of  claim 11 , further comprising a second arm member that is attached to and configured to move along the first arm assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The pool cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the second arm member is rotatable attached to a third electric drive motor which is movably mounted on the elongated rail. 
     
     
         19 . The pool cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the second arm member rotates approximately ninety degrees with respect to the first arm assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The pool cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the second arm member pivots approximately ninety degrees with respect to the first arm assembly upon contacting a projecting stop on the elongated rail. 
     
     
         21 . The pool cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein a third electric drive motor is configured to move the first arm assembly laterally with respect to the elongated channel.