Turbine-Driven Swimming Pool Cleaning Apparatus

Abstract

A swimming pool cleaner is driven along a submerged surface by water and debris flowing past a turbine positioned between an inlet and outlet of the cleaner. Retractable elements carried proximate the inlet form a plenum for water to enhance adherence of the pool cleaner to the submerged pool surface being cleaner. A drive train independently drives each of two wheels for maneuvering the pool cleaner in forward and reverse directions along the submerged surface. A hose connector operable with an outlet port is angled toward the forward direction of movement of the pool cleaner such that a suction hose will be placed slightly ahead of the pool cleaner when climbing a side wall surface to provide a weight for keeping the cleaner below the water surface and thus prevent an undesirable sucking of air at the inlet.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pool cleaner driven by a flow of water therethrough for operation along a submerged surface to be cleaned, the pool cleaner comprising:
 a housing having an inlet port for receiving water and debris therethrough, and an outlet port;   at least two wheels carried by the housing for rolling along a submerged surface to be cleaned, an outer diameter of the at last two wheels defining a perimeter thereof;   a first roller positioned on a bottom portion of the housing forward the inlet port, the first roller including multiple independently moveable first roller portions having a tubular shape defined by an outer surface and an inner surface;   a first axle carried between opposing side wall portions of the housing, the inner surface of the first roller being rotatable about the first axle, an outside dimension of the first axle being smaller than a diameter of the inner surface thereby permitting the independently moveable first roller portions to extend beyond the perimeter and to retract within the perimeter responsive to movement along the submerged surface; and   a second roller positioned at the bottom portion of the housing aft the inlet port and generally opposing the first roller, the second roller extending between the opposing side wall portions, the second roller including multiple independently moveable second roller portions having a tubular shape and which are moveable about a second axle from outside the perimeter for contact with the submerged surface to be cleaned to inside the perimeter thereby permitting the independently moveable second roller portions to roll along uneven portions of the submerged surface to be cleaned;   wherein the first and second rollers, in combination with the opposing side wall portions of the housing, form a plenum for water, the plenum enhancing adherence of the pool cleaner to the submerged surface to be cleaned.   
     
     
         2 . The pool cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first axle is attached to the side wall portions. 
     
     
         3 . The pool cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a forward partition and an aft partition extending between the opposing side wall portions, the forward partition being fixed forward the inlet port and the aft partition fixed aft the inlet port, wherein respective free ends of the forward partition and aft partition extend toward the perimeter and are spaced therefrom. 
     
     
         4 . The pool cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the outer surface of the independently moveable first roller portions is maintained out of contact with the forward partition during movement thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The pool cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein an outer surface of the forward partition has a concave shape extending from the free end thereof toward a forward direction of movement of the pool cleaner. 
     
     
         6 . The pool cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein a turbine is operable to drive a drivetrain connecting the turbine to the at least two wheels, the drivetrain including a reduction gear that controls rotation of a cam that steers the pool cleaner. 
     
     
         7 . The pool cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet port is located within a recess formed on the bottom portion of the housing, the recess extending between the opposing sidewall portions, the recess being defined by a forward partition forward the inlet port and aft partition aft the inlet port.