Portable Swimming Pool Skimmer

Abstract

Portable swimming pool skimmers and methods for cleaning and maintaining a swimming pool are provided. The skimmers are carriable and self-contained and they do not rely on a swimming pool's main pumping system. They comprise filtration components that remove trash and debris from swimming pool water and an electric pump that discharges the filtered water into the swimming pool in order to circulate the water and aid in the cleaning.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable swimming pool skimmer for cleaning swimming pool water in a swimming pool that has a pump system, the portable swimming pool skimmer comprising;
 (a) a housing, the housing comprising an interior, the interior comprising a first interior portion and a second interior portion, the first interior portion at least partially separated from the second interior portion by a dividing wall, the first interior portion and the second interior portion each having a bottom area;   (b) the first interior portion comprising one or more filtration components and a filtration component bracket that holds each of the one or more filtration components in place, the first interior portion further comprising an outside opening that permits swimming pool water to enter into the first interior portion;   (c) the second interior portion comprising an electric water pump that pumps swimming pool water from the bottom area of the second interior portion through a water outlet and into the swimming pool;   (d) one or more floats that are attached to the housing to float the portable swimming pool skimmer in the swimming pool;   (e) wherein the swimming pool water enters the outside opening of the first interior portion and into the first interior portion, and then the swimming pool water flows through the one or more filtration components and into the bottom area of the first interior portion, and then the swimming pool water flows past the dividing wall and into the second interior portion, and then the swimming pool water flows through the pump and through the water outlet and into the swimming pool;   (f) wherein the water outlet is positioned so as to cause circulation of the swimming pool water in the swimming pool; and   (g) wherein the portable swimming pool skimmer can be moved by one or two adults and it does not use the swimming pool's pump system.   
     
     
         2 . A method of cleaning and maintaining a swimming pool that has a pump system and which swimming pool contains swimming pool water containing trash and debris, the method comprising:
 (a) collecting the swimming pool water containing trash and debris from the swimming pool into a portable swimming pool skimmer, wherein the portable swimming pool skimmer can be carried by one person and it floats in the swimming pool, and wherein the portable swimming pool skimmer is self-contained and it does not use the swimming pool's pump system;   (b) filtering the trash and debris from the swimming pool water using one or more filtration components contained in the portable swimming pool skimmer;   (c) discharging the filtered swimming pool water from the portable swimming pool skimmer through a water outlet and back into the swimming pool using an electric water pump; and   (d) circulating the water in the swimming pool by positioning the water outlet to create a water current in the swimming pool and moving the swimming pool water towards the portable swimming pool skimmer for collecting.