Robotic pool cleaner

Abstract

A robotic pool cleaner includes a chassis having a suction port and a discharge port with wheels supporting the chassis. A pump motor and drive motors are positioned within a watertight motor housing, and a pump housing is secured adjacent to the motor housing. An impeller is positioned within the pump housing and is coupled to the pump motor. The cleaner includes a pressure equalization chamber having a diaphragm to equalize the pressure within the motor housing and the ambient pressure. The cleaner includes a debris chamber removably attached to the top portion of the chassis and divided by a raised tunnel structure formed therein, where the debris chamber is coupled to the suction port and the raised tunnel structure is configured to slide over the pump housing. The impeller vacuums pool water through the suction port, through the debris chamber, and out through the discharge port.

1 . A robotic pool cleaner comprising:
 a chassis having a bottom portion and a top portion, the bottom portion having at least one suction port and the top portion having at least one discharge port;   a plurality of wheels or tracks supporting the chassis;   a motor housing secured within the chassis having a watertight seal;   a pump motor positioned within the motor housing;   a pump housing secured adjacent to the motor housing and having a first free end and a second opposing end coupled to the at least one discharge port, the pump housing having an aperture configured to assist with priming;   an impeller positioned proximal to the first free end of the pump housing and coupled to the pump motor;   a pressure equalization chamber having a diaphragm dividing the pressure equalization chamber into an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion in communication with an interior of the motor housing and the exterior portion in communication with an exterior of the chassis; and   a debris chamber removably attached to the top portion of the chassis, the debris chamber coupled to the at least one suction port and configured to slide over the pump housing;   wherein the impeller is configured to vacuum pool water entrained with debris through the at least one suction port, through the debris chamber, and out through the at least one discharge port.   
     
     
         2 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of drive motors within the motor housing and coupled to the plurality of wheels or tracks. 
     
     
         3 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump housing extension coupled to the first free end of the pump housing to create a space between the impeller and the first free end. 
     
     
         4 . The robotic pump cleaner of  claim 2 , further comprising a programmable controller configured with program instructions to perform mapping routines of a pool surface. 
     
     
         5 . The robotic pump cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the programmable controller is further configured with program instructions to perform an automatic pump down of the debris chamber when the robotic pool cleaner is removed from a pool. 
     
     
         6 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a chassis attitude and movement profile inconsistent with wall climbing during a normal cleaning operation to activate the program instructions for the automatic pump down. 
     
     
         7 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , further comprising a battery pack having a plurality of battery cells, and a programmable controller configured with programming instructions to apply power from battery cells to selectively operate the plurality of drive motors and the pump motor. 
     
     
         8 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of roller brushes secured to a bottom of the chassis and configured to be driven by the plurality of drive motors. 
     
     
         9 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the debris chamber has a plurality of mesh screens configured to filter debris from the pool water. 
     
     
         10 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the pump motor is centrally positioned between a first drive motor and a second drive motor that extend in opposing directions from the pump motor in a T-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the debris chamber is removably attached the chassis by a plurality of side latches. 
     
     
         12 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the debris chamber comprises a debris chamber cover and a debris chamber base, the debris chamber cover including a handle having a base release button positioned on a rear face of the debris chamber handle that is accessible only when the debris chamber is removed from the chassis. 
     
     
         13 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the debris chamber base having a cover engagement arm extending upwardly from a rear wall from the debris chamber base to releasably engage with the base release button located on the rear face of the debris chamber handle. 
     
     
         14 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein each wheel comprises an external-toothed spur gear that is engaged with either a rear transfer gear or a forward transfer gear mounted to a respective side of the chassis, and a rotatably mounted intermediate gear engages both the rear and forward transfer gears to transfer rotational motion of a same speed and direction from a rear wheel or track to a respective front wheel or track. 
     
     
         15 . A robotic pool cleaner comprising:
 a chassis having a bottom portion and a top portion, the bottom portion having at least one suction port and the top portion having at least one discharge port;   a plurality of front wheels or tracks and rear wheels or tracks supporting the chassis;   a plurality of drive motors coupled to the plurality of wheels or tracks;   a pump motor;   a motor housing secured within the chassis having a watertight seal around the plurality of drive motors and the pump motor positioned within the motor housing;   a pump housing secured adjacent to the motor housing and having a first free end and a second opposing end coupled to the at least one discharge port, the pump housing having an aperture configured to assist with priming;   an impeller positioned proximal to the first free end of the pump housing and coupled to the pump motor; and   a debris chamber removably attached to the top portion of the chassis, the debris chamber coupled to the at least one suction port;   wherein the impeller is configured to vacuum pool water through the at least one suction port, through the debris chamber, and out through the at least one discharge port.   
     
     
         16 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 15 , further comprising a pressure equalization chamber having a diaphragm dividing the pressure equalization chamber into an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion in communication with an interior of the motor housing and the exterior portion in communication with an exterior of the chassis. 
     
     
         17 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 15 , further comprising a pump housing extension coupled to the first free end of the pump housing to create a space between the impeller and the first free end to promote prime upon start-up. 
     
     
         18 . The robotic pump cleaner of  claim 15 , further comprising a programmable controller configured with program instructions to perform an automatic pump down of the debris chamber when the robotic pool cleaner is removed from a pool. 
     
     
         19 . The robotic pool cleaner of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a chassis attitude and movement profile inconsistent with wall climbing during a normal cleaning operation to activate the program instructions for the automatic pump down. 
     
     
         20 . A robotic pool cleaner comprising:
 a chassis having a bottom portion and a top portion, the bottom portion having at least one suction port and the top portion having at least one discharge port;   a debris chamber removably attached to the top portion of the chassis, the debris chamber coupled to the at least one suction port;   a pump motor configured to be powered electrically;   a motor housing secured within the chassis having a watertight seal around the pump motor;   an impeller coupled to the pump motor, the impeller in communication with the debris chamber and is configured to vacuum pool water through the at least one suction port, through the debris chamber, and out through the at least one discharge port; and   a pressure equalization chamber having a diaphragm dividing the pressure equalization chamber into an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion in communication with an interior of the motor housing and the exterior portion in communication with an exterior of the chassis.