EP2235296B1 - Submerged-surface cleaning apparatus with angled filtration system - Google Patents

Submerged-surface cleaning apparatus with angled filtration system Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2235296B1
EP2235296B1 EP08865322A EP08865322A EP2235296B1 EP 2235296 B1 EP2235296 B1 EP 2235296B1 EP 08865322 A EP08865322 A EP 08865322A EP 08865322 A EP08865322 A EP 08865322A EP 2235296 B1 EP2235296 B1 EP 2235296B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
filtering
liquid
hollow body
filtering device
liquid outlet
Prior art date
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Active
Application number
EP08865322A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP2235296A2 (en
Inventor
Philippe Pichon
Emmanuel Mastio
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Zodiac Pool Care Europe SAS
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Zodiac Pool Care Europe SAS
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Publication date
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Publication of EP2235296A2 publication Critical patent/EP2235296A2/en
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
    • E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
    • E04H4/14—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
    • E04H4/16—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for specially adapted for cleaning
    • E04H4/1654—Self-propelled cleaners

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a surface cleaner device immersed in a liquid, in particular a swimming pool.
  • the hydraulic circuit extends into the filter chamber vertically upwards, and at the front and rear of a pump motor which is arranged vertically, generally in the center of the hollow body . It is considered that this provision promotes the efficiency of the pump by minimizing pressure losses and optimizing the flow and filtration.
  • an access hatch to the filtration device must be provided for the dismantling of the latter for cleaning.
  • the access hatch to the filtration device must be located at the base of the hollow body, the liquid inlets then necessarily being equipped with non-return devices such as valves.
  • this provision is not convenient for the user who must previously reverse the device, which can damage it and otherwise cause unpleasant unwanted flow.
  • the hydraulic circuit must present a particularly tortuous path (see for example US 6,409,916 ), expensive to manufacture, difficult to clean, and introducing significant pressure losses in the circuit, which requires in particular to oversize the pump motor.
  • the invention therefore aims to provide a submerged surface cleaner device whose performance / cost ratio is greatly improved over that of previous devices. More particularly, the invention aims to provide such a device whose cost can be substantially lowered, for equivalent performance, or even greater than those of known devices.
  • the invention also aims at providing such an apparatus that may have an access hatch located on the top, but with a filtering device of improved efficiency, having a large debris storage volume and a simple hydraulic circuit and inducing low load losses.
  • a filtering device having at least one filtering and debris recovery volume converging from a liquid inlet to a liquid outlet makes it possible to ensure filtration of the essentially tangential type of the liquid circulating in the filtering device between this entrance and this exit.
  • a filtering device of an apparatus according to the invention is free from any filtering wall normal to the direction of the flow of liquid.
  • each volume of filtration and recovery of debris is exclusively delimited by filter walls, that is to say walls mainly formed of bodies permeable to water and impervious to debris. Since all the walls defining the filtration volume and the debris recovery are filtering and each wall is arranged so that it provides essentially tangential filtration of the liquid, a filtering device of an apparatus according to the invention limits in particular effective clogging of all the walls of the filter device.
  • the filtering device comprises a single front opening in communication with a single debris filtration and recovery volume and a single rear liquid outlet.
  • At least one liquid outlet out of the hollow body, said rear outlet, is shifted rearwardly, in the longitudinal direction, of each liquid inlet with which it is in communication via the hydraulic circuit.
  • This arrangement makes it possible to design the apparatus so as to recover directly, without loss of load, at least a portion of the residual hydraulic energy in the output stream to participate in driving the apparatus.
  • an apparatus can be provided with a pump motor - in particular an electric pump motor - and a drive device - notably comprising at least one electric drive motor - which the power is reduced, and therefore consumption and reduced costs.
  • a pump motor in particular an electric pump motor - and a drive device - notably comprising at least one electric drive motor - which the power is reduced, and therefore consumption and reduced costs.
  • This also results in a lower overall volume and a lower weight of the apparatus which, in addition to the economy achieved, is an important advantage for the user, particularly in terms of handling, transport and storage of the apparatus. .
  • the volume of filtration and debris recovery is arranged immediately downstream of a front opening of the filter device.
  • the front opening of the filtering device is arranged immediately downstream of the liquid inlet in the hollow body of the apparatus.
  • the filtering device extends from an end portion arranged in the vicinity of the base of the body of the apparatus to a rear end portion arranged in the vicinity of the opposite of the base of said body.
  • the filtering device extends integrally between each liquid inlet and each liquid outlet.
  • each volume of filtration and debris recovery is arranged immediately downstream of a front opening of the filter device.
  • Each volume of filtration and debris recovery extends to the rear of the opening and under this opening.
  • Such a volume of filtration and recovery of debris may, for example, be defined by a flexible or rigid debris filtration and recovery bag, a housing, a cassette, or any equivalent means.
  • the only condition is that the structure defines a volume which has, when the pumping device is active, a decreasing transverse cross section from the front to the rear so as to form a converging filter chamber circulating between this front opening and this liquid outlet.
  • the volume has such a convergence when the pumping device is inactive.
  • the structure delimiting the volume of filtration and recovery of debris is rigid and has such a convergence, including when the pumping device is inactive.
  • each front opening of the filtering device is arranged facing an upper end of a liquid inlet duct extending from at least one liquid inlet.
  • liquid inlet duct having a rear wall, said non-return wall, extending transversely between said liquid inlet and said front opening, in front of said filtration volume and debris recovery.
  • Such a rear transverse wall serves as a non-return wall and prevents debris out of the filtration volume and recovery of debris by a liquid inlet to return to the immersed surface through the front opening.
  • This non-return wall extends in a generally vertical plane between an area behind the liquid inlet and the upper front opening of the filtration and debris recovery volume.
  • this non-return wall extends over a major part of the height of the inlet duct, in particular over more than 75% of the height of the inlet duct.
  • Such a volume of filtration and recovery of debris has, for example, a general shape of cone or half-cone.
  • the axis along which this cone or this half-cone extends is substantially parallel to the plane of the immersed surface on which the apparatus according to the invention moves.
  • each volume of filtration and recovery of debris is delimited by a lower filtering wall inclined in a direction not perpendicular to the direction connecting the front opening of the filtering device and the liquid outlet out of the hollow body with which this volume of filtration and debris recovery is in communication.
  • this pocket has a lower wall inclined backwards and upwards from a bottom portion of the debris recovery bag in a direction not perpendicular to the direction connecting the front opening of the filter device and the liquid outlet out of the hollow body with which this volume of filtration and debris recovery is in communication.
  • Such a wall having an orientation that is not perpendicular to the direction connecting the front opening of the filtering device and the liquid outlet makes it possible to guarantee that the general orientation of the liquid flowing between this front opening and this liquid outlet does not pass through this wall.
  • frontally in a normal direction, but on the contrary with an incident direction according to, for example, an angle of between 20 ° and 70 ° relative to the wall, which makes it possible to limit the phenomena of clogging debris on this wall lower inclined.
  • such an inclined lower wall provides a space between the base of the hollow body and this wall so that it is possible to arrange the apparatus of the apparatus such as one or more drive motors of the housing. on the immersed surface.
  • This inclined lower wall may have any type of inclination that is not perpendicular to at least one direction - in particular each direction - connecting a front opening of the filtering device and a liquid outlet - particularly each liquid outlet - out of the hollow body.
  • this filtering bottom wall has an inclination, with respect to the longitudinal direction, between 15 ° and 60 °.
  • each volume of filtration and recovery of debris is delimited further by a generally horizontal upper wall extending from a front opening towards the rear and connected to said filtering bottom wall by a portion extreme rear extreme curve.
  • each volume of filtration and recovery of the debris is delimited by a rigid frame and a filter web extending into openings formed by the rigid frame.
  • Such a structure forms a rigid bag of filtration and recovery of debris.
  • the hydraulic circuit comprises at least one axial pumping helix disposed downstream of the filtering device so as to generate a flow of liquid in a liquid outlet, said axial pumping propeller being coupled to a driving motor disposed under a rear portion of the filter device.
  • the pumping motor is preferably arranged under the inclined lower wall of the filtration and debris collection bag.
  • Such an arrangement confers on an apparatus according to the invention a compactness that significantly reduces the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the apparatus, which contributes to reducing the hydraulic drag of the apparatus.
  • said axial pumping propeller is disposed in a cylindrical fairing forming the liquid outlet.
  • the axial pumping helix and said cylindrical fairing are oriented so as to generate a flow of liquid in a direction making with said longitudinal direction, a non-zero angle and different from 90 °.
  • An apparatus comprises an access hatch of the filtering device, arranged on an upper wall of the hollow body and adapted to allow the disassembly and extraction of the filter device from the hollow body for cleaning.
  • the filtering device comprises ribs extending laterally on each side of the device. filtering and having a shape and dimensions shaped and conjugated to the shape and dimensions of integral grooves of the hollow body so as to allow the sliding of the filter device along the grooves to extract the filtering device of the hollow body by said trap door; 'access.
  • the extraction of the filtering device of the hollow body by the upper hatch results from a displacement in translation of the filtering device along the grooves of the hollow body.
  • a user can easily remove the filter device from the hollow body for example to clean it.
  • the invention further relates to an apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface characterized in combination by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below.
  • An apparatus comprises a hollow body 1 and rolling bodies 2, 3, 4 for guiding and driving the hollow body 1 on a surface immersed in at least one privileged direction of advancement and in a main direction of advancement, said longitudinal direction, parallel to the immersed surface.
  • This hollow body 1 is formed mainly of a concave casing delimiting a main enclosure.
  • This concave casing is for example made by molding or rotational molding.
  • This housing is preferably made of a thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, PMMA or any equivalent material.
  • This hollow body 1 has a central chamber adapted to receive a filtration chamber.
  • This central chamber is delimited by a lower wall extending in a substantially horizontal plane; by sidewalls extending generally in vertical planes; by a front wall 37 extending generally in a vertical plane, orthogonal to the planes of the vertical side walls; and a rear wall 38 extending generally in a vertical plane orthogonal to the planes of the vertical side walls.
  • the lower wall has an opening extending transversely adjacent the wall 37 before such that liquid can enter the central chamber through this lower transverse opening. This opening forms an inlet 9 of liquid in the hollow body 1.
  • the rear wall 38 includes a cylindrical opening forming a liquid outlet 10 out of the hollow body 1.
  • This liquid outlet 10 formed in the rear wall 38 of the casing is longitudinally offset from the inlet 9 liquid in the bottom wall.
  • this liquid outlet 10 is arranged in the upper part of the casing so that it is also vertically offset from the inlet 9 of liquid.
  • This central chamber, this liquid inlet 9 and this liquid outlet 10 form a filtration chamber 8.
  • This filtration chamber 8 further comprises a hydraulic circuit adapted to ensure a flow of liquid between the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid through a filtering device 11.
  • the transverse opening in the bottom wall of the housing forms the liquid inlet 9 of the apparatus and the cylindrical opening in the rear wall of the apparatus forms the liquid outlet of the apparatus.
  • the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid are centered on a same longitudinal vertical plane of the apparatus.
  • the central chamber of the hollow body 1 is adapted to receive a filtering device 11.
  • the filtering device 11 is arranged between the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid.
  • this filtering device 11 comprises an opening 54 before in communication with the inlet 9 of liquid and a volume 55 of filtration and recovery of debris.
  • This volume 55 filtration and recovery of debris is delimited by a pocket 55 rigid.
  • this volume may be delimited by a flexible bag, a housing, a cassette and any other equivalent device.
  • This pocket 55 extends between the opening 54 before and the outlet 10 of liquid.
  • a filtering device 11 further comprises a liquid inlet conduit 15 extending from the liquid inlet 9 to the opening 54 before connected to the bag 55 for filtering and collecting debris.
  • the front opening 54 is arranged facing the upper end of this liquid inlet duct 15 extending from the inlet 9 of liquid.
  • This liquid inlet conduit 15 has a rear wall, called a non-return wall 16, arranged between the liquid inlet and the bag 55 for filtering and recovering debris.
  • This pocket 55 for filtering and recovering debris is formed of a rigid frame 26 and a filtering sheet - in particular a filtering fabric - extending into openings formed by this framework. It thus includes, as represented on the figure 4 , walls 56, 57, 58, 59 filtering and rigid.
  • the filtering device 11 is therefore self-supporting and can be easily manipulated by a user.
  • the bag 55 for filtering and recovering debris has a decreasing transverse cross-section from the front opening 54 to the liquid outlet 10 so as to form a convergent filtration chamber of the tangential type of the liquid circulating between the opening 54 before and the outlet 10 of liquid.
  • the bag 55 for filtering and recovering debris has a bottom filter wall 56 inclined backwards and upwards from a bottom portion of the bag 55.
  • This inclined lower wall 56 forms with the longitudinal direction an angle, which in the example shown is of the order of 45 °.
  • This filter bag 55 further comprises a generally horizontal upper wall 57 and extending rearwardly from the opening 54 before.
  • This filtering upper wall 57 is connected to the filtering lower wall 56 by a portion 61 upper extreme rear curve.
  • the rearwardly curved portion 61 has a minimum transverse cross-section, whereas the portion of the pocket 55 opposite this curved portion 61, that is to say, at the level of the opening 54 before, has a cross section. transverse straight maximum.
  • the filtration pocket 55 has a decreasing transverse cross section from the front opening 54 to the rearwardly curved portion 61, that is to say towards the rear exit.
  • the filtration pocket 55 has a transverse cross section having the shape of a right triangle, the inclined lower wall 56 forming the hypotenuse.
  • the apparatus also comprises a hatch 6 for access to this filtering device.
  • This access hatch 6 forms an upper wall of the hollow body 1 and covers the latter.
  • this hatch 6 is formed on the top of the apparatus so that a user of the apparatus can easily open the hatch 6 and extract the filter device 11.
  • the access hatch 6 is articulated to the body 1 of the apparatus by hinges 23 arranged at the rear of the apparatus.
  • the filtering device 11 is a device mounted in the central chamber 1 of the hollow body 1 in the manner of a drawer.
  • the rigid frame 26 of the filtering device 11 further has two ribs 25 extending laterally on each side of the filtering device 11. These ribs 25 have shapes and dimensions shaped and conjugate to the shapes and dimensions of grooves 24 integral with the hollow body 1. These grooves 24 integral with the hollow body 1 extend vertically along the inner faces of the vertical side walls of the hollow body 1.
  • the ribs 25 of the filtering device 11 are therefore adapted to cooperate with the grooves 24 of the hollow body 1 of the apparatus.
  • the extraction of the filtering device 11, as shown in FIG. figure 5 results from a displacement in translation of the filtering device 11 along the grooves 24 of the hollow body 1.
  • a user can easily remove the filtering device 11 from the hollow body 1 for example to clean it.
  • a user can easily reintroduce the filtering device 11 into the hollow body 1 by orienting the filtering device 11 so that the ribs 25 of the filtering device 11 are facing the grooves 24 of the filtering device 11. hollow body, then sliding the filtering device 11 into the hollow body 1.
  • the filtering device 11 further comprises a handle 28 formed on an upper portion of the filtering device 11 so as to facilitate the handling of the filtering device 11.
  • a user can easily assemble / disassemble the filtering device 11 via this handle 28 when the device is out of the liquid and rests on a horizontal surface.
  • an apparatus comprises a motorized liquid pumping device comprising an electric pumping motor 12 having a rotary motor shaft 13 coupled to a pumping propeller 14 interposed in the hydraulic circuit so as to generate a flow of liquid therebetween the inlet 9 of liquid and the liquid outlet 10.
  • the liquid outlet 10 is directly opposite the pumping propeller so that the liquid flows out of the liquid outlet 10 in a direction corresponding to the flow of liquid generated by the pumping propeller, this flow having a speed oriented along the axis 51 of rotation of the propeller 14.
  • the pumping propeller 14 has an orientation for generating a liquid flow with a horizontal component to the rear.
  • the pumping propeller 14 interposed in the hydraulic circuit between the liquid inlet 9 and the liquid outlet 10 has an inclined axis of rotation making, with said longitudinal direction and with the theoretical rolling plane 50, an angle ⁇ different from 90 °.
  • This propeller 14 is rotated by the electric pumping motor 12 which preferably has a rotating motor shaft 13 parallel to the axis of rotation of the propeller 14.
  • the electric pumping motor 12 is arranged under the hydraulic circuit, entirely outside this hydraulic circuit which entirely bypasses the pump motor 12 from above.
  • the rotary shaft 13 of the pump motor 12 passes through an inclined lower wall defining the hydraulic circuit.
  • the seal is provided by an O-ring 18.
  • the figure 6 comprises a representation of the circulation of liquid in the hollow body 1 of the apparatus.
  • This circulation is schematically represented on the figure 6 by the arrows 66.
  • Liquid enters the hollow body 1 through the inlet 9 of liquid arranged under the apparatus. This liquid passes into the liquid inlet duct 15 to reach the filtering device 11.
  • This filtering device 11 passes the liquid through the filter cloth and retains the solid debris. The filtered liquid then reaches the liquid outlet 10 and is ejected at the rear of the apparatus, in the basin from which it comes.
  • the liquid outlet 10 facing the pumping propeller 14 the liquid flows out of the apparatus through this outlet with a speed V oriented along the axis 51 of the pumping propeller 14 and having a component longitudinally rearward which induces by reaction forces, whose resultant has a longitudinal component of forward drive which participates in driving the apparatus on the immersed surface.
  • the orientation of the hydraulic reaction force created by this output flow, and therefore the amplitude of its longitudinal component, depend on the inclination ⁇ , with respect to the theoretical rolling plane 50, of the axis 51 of rotation. of the propeller and the liquid outlet.
  • this inclination ⁇ is between 15 ° and 45 °.
  • the electric pumping motor is arranged under the hydraulic circuit, entirely outside this hydraulic circuit, so that the filtering device 11 of the hydraulic circuit can be removed from the apparatus by the top of the hydraulic circuit. the apparatus as previously mentioned without being hindered by the pumping motor.
  • Only the pumping propeller 14 is arranged in the hydraulic circuit so as to ensure the flow of liquid.
  • This pumping propeller 14 is arranged at the rear of the apparatus, close to the liquid outlet 10. In other words, the pump propeller 14 and the liquid outlet 10 form the end portion of the hydraulic circuit.
  • the rolling members for guiding and driving the apparatus comprise a front axle comprising front driving wheels, one on each side, and a rear axle comprising 3 non-drive rear wheels, one on each side.
  • the apparatus comprises brushes 4 arranged at the front of the apparatus. These brushes 4 are intended to ensure a brushing of the immersed surface and to move the brushed debris towards the rear of the apparatus towards the inlet 9 of liquid arranged under the apparatus.
  • the apparatus further comprises at least one electric motor for driving the front 2-wheel drive wheels.
  • the apparatus comprises two drive motors, one on each side, respectively for the independent drive of each of the front wheels.
  • each front wheel 2 has an internal toothing 5 cooperating with a pinion driven by the corresponding drive motor 20.
  • Electric motors 20 drive and 12 pumping can be of any known type. According to a preferred embodiment, these electric motors are low voltage motors. They can be powered by a power supply external to the device via an electric cable, not shown in the figures, which is connected to the device at an input zone 19 of the electrical cable in the apparatus, as shown on the figure 1 .
  • the apparatus comprises two coaxial front brushes 4.
  • Each brush 4 is adapted to be rotated about an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
  • Each brush 4 comprises a plurality of fins 41 extending radially from a brush shaft forming the axis of rotation of the brush 4.
  • the fins 41 are for example made of rubber made of a resistant plastic material.
  • the brushes 4 are preferably also rotated from at least one electric drive motor 2 of the front wheels 2 via a gear system.
  • the rolling members consist of front 2-wheel, non-driving rear 3 and brush 4 which participate in driving and guiding the device on the immersed surface.
  • the rolling members 2, 3, 4 have areas intended to come into contact with the immersed surface which are coplanar and define a theoretical rolling plane 50.
  • the longitudinal direction of advancement of the apparatus is parallel to this theoretical plane of rolling.
  • the front wheels 2 preferably have a diameter of between 100 mm and 500 mm, in particular between 150 mm and 250 mm. According to the embodiment of the figures, the front wheels 2 have a diameter of the order of 200mm. In this way, these front wheels 2 facilitate the crossing of obstacles and have improved motor skills.
  • their peripheral tread is formed or coated with a non-slip material.
  • the front wheels 2 and the brushes 4 constitute forward driving members 2, 4 which extend projecting forwardly relative to the other components of the apparatus, in particular the hollow body, so as to form the forward end of the apparatus and come first into contact with an obstacle encountered during the forward movement.
  • the apparatus also comprises a maneuvering handle 7 allowing a user to wear the device to immerse in a liquid and out of the latter.
  • This handle 7 is preferably arranged opposite the outlet 10 of liquid so that when the hollow body 1 is suspended by this handle, the apparatus switches spontaneously under the effect of gravity in a position in which the outlet 10 liquid is located under the inlet 9 of liquid, which allows a drain of the device.
  • the appliance is moved from the cleaning position to the emptying position, the debris sucked by the appliance is held in the filtering device and is not likely to come out of the appliance.
  • the filtering device 11 may have an upper wall forming the upper wall of the housing of the apparatus, so that a user can seize the device 11 directly. filtering and extracting the device
  • the design and design of the device, including its hydraulic circuit are subject to infinite variants.
  • the invention applies to a bidirectional apparatus capable of retrograde movement.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Filtration Of Liquid (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)
  • Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
  • Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)
  • Separation Using Semi-Permeable Membranes (AREA)
  • Acyclic And Carbocyclic Compounds In Medicinal Compositions (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

Detailed is a device for cleaning an immersed surface including a body and members for driving the body over the immersed surface, a filtration chamber which is provided in the body and which has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a hydraulic circuit for flow of liquid between the inlet and the outlet through a filtering device, wherein the filtering device includes an opening which is in communication with the liquid inlet and, for filtering and recovering debris, a space which is delimited by filtering walls and which extends towards the liquid outlet, the space having a regular cross-section which decreases from the opening towards the liquid outlet in order to form a convergent chamber for tangential filtration of the liquid.

Description

L'invention concerne un appareil nettoyeur de surface immergée dans un liquide, en particulier de piscine.The invention relates to a surface cleaner device immersed in a liquid, in particular a swimming pool.

Certains appareils nettoyeurs de piscine connus comprenant:

  • un corps creux et des organes de guidage et d'entraînement dudit corps sur la surface immergée dans un sens d'avancement privilégié et selon une direction principale d'avancement, dite direction longitudinale,
  • une chambre de filtration ménagée dans ledit corps creux et présentant :
    • . au moins une entrée de liquide dans le corps creux située à la base et à l'avant dudit corps creux,
    • . au moins une sortie de liquide hors du corps creux située à distance de la base dudit corps creux,
    • . un circuit hydraulique adapté pour assurer une circulation de liquide entre chaque entrée et chaque sortie à travers un dispositif de filtrage logé dans la chambre de filtration, sous l'effet d'un dispositif de pompage.
Some known pool cleaner devices including:
  • a hollow body and guiding and driving members of said body on the submerged surface in a preferred direction of advancement and in a main direction of advancement, referred to as the longitudinal direction,
  • a filtration chamber formed in said hollow body and having:
    • . at least one liquid inlet in the hollow body located at the base and at the front of said hollow body,
    • . at least one liquid outlet out of the hollow body located at a distance from the base of said hollow body,
    • . a hydraulic circuit adapted to ensure a circulation of liquid between each inlet and each outlet through a filtering device housed in the filtration chamber, under the effect of a pumping device.

Dans ces appareils connus (cf. par exemple FR 2 567 552 , WO 0 250 388 , FR 2 869 058 , ...), le circuit hydraulique s'étend dans la chambre de filtration verticalement de bas en haut, et à l'avant et à l'arrière d'un moteur de pompage qui est disposé verticalement, généralement au centre du corps creux. Il est considéré en effet que cette disposition favorise l'efficacité de la pompe en minimisant les pertes de charge et en optimisant le débit et la filtration.In these known devices (see for example FR 2 567 552 , WO 0 250 388 , FR 2 869 058 , ...), the hydraulic circuit extends into the filter chamber vertically upwards, and at the front and rear of a pump motor which is arranged vertically, generally in the center of the hollow body . It is considered that this provision promotes the efficiency of the pump by minimizing pressure losses and optimizing the flow and filtration.

Or, les inventeurs ont maintenant déterminé que cette disposition est en fait extrêmement défavorable du point de vue des performances de l'appareil. En effet, elle induit un encombrement vertical relativement important, qui se traduit en particulier par une résistance hydraulique à l'avancement plus élevée, et donc une consommation énergétique plus importante, un poids et un encombrement plus importants, et donc, finalement, à performances équivalentes, un coût élevé.However, the inventors have now determined that this arrangement is actually extremely unfavorable from the point of view of the performance of the device. Indeed, it induces a relatively large vertical space, which is reflected in particular by a higher hydraulic resistance to progress, and therefore a higher energy consumption, a weight and a larger footprint, and therefore, ultimately, performance equivalent, a high cost.

En outre, une trappe d'accès au dispositif de filtration doit être prévue pour permettre le démontage de ce dernier en vue de son nettoyage. Dans les appareils antérieurs susmentionnés, la trappe d'accès au dispositif de filtration doit être située à la base du corps creux, les entrées de liquide étant alors nécessairement équipées de dispositifs anti-retour tels que des clapets. Or, cette disposition n'est pas commode pour l'utilisateur qui doit préalablement renverser l'appareil, ce qui peut l'endommager et par ailleurs provoquer des écoulements intempestifs désagréables. À défaut, si la trappe d'accès est disposée au-dessus de l'appareil, le circuit hydraulique doit alors présenter un cheminement particulièrement tortueux (cf. par exemple US 6 409 916 ), coûteux à la fabrication, difficile à nettoyer, et introduisant des pertes de charges importantes dans le circuit, ce qui impose notamment de surdimensionner le moteur de pompage.In addition, an access hatch to the filtration device must be provided for the dismantling of the latter for cleaning. In the aforementioned prior devices, the access hatch to the filtration device must be located at the base of the hollow body, the liquid inlets then necessarily being equipped with non-return devices such as valves. However, this provision is not convenient for the user who must previously reverse the device, which can damage it and otherwise cause unpleasant unwanted flow. Otherwise, if the access door is placed above the appliance, the hydraulic circuit must present a particularly tortuous path (see for example US 6,409,916 ), expensive to manufacture, difficult to clean, and introducing significant pressure losses in the circuit, which requires in particular to oversize the pump motor.

De surcroît, dans les appareils antérieurs, le dispositif de filtrage, même lorsqu'il est de grand volume, peut se colmater relativement rapidement du fait de quelques débris volumineux tels que des feuilles mortes, ce qui impose des nettoyages fréquents du dispositif de filtrage. Un autre appareil nettoyeur de surface immergée qui comprend les caractéristiques du préambule de la revendication 1 est décrit dans le document EP0483470 .In addition, in prior devices, the filter device, even when it is large, can clog relatively quickly due to some large debris such as dead leaves, which requires frequent cleaning of the filter device. Another submerged surface cleaner apparatus which includes the features of the preamble of claim 1 is described in the document EP0483470 .

Dans ce contexte, l'invention vise donc à proposer un appareil nettoyeur de surface immergée dont le rapport performances/coût est grandement amélioré par rapport à celui des appareils antérieurs. Plus particulièrement, l'invention vise à proposer un tel appareil dont le coût peut être sensiblement abaissé, pour des performances équivalentes, voire supérieures à celles des appareils connus.In this context, the invention therefore aims to provide a submerged surface cleaner device whose performance / cost ratio is greatly improved over that of previous devices. More particularly, the invention aims to provide such a device whose cost can be substantially lowered, for equivalent performance, or even greater than those of known devices.

L'invention vise également à proposer un tel appareil pouvant présenter une trappe d'accès située sur le dessus, mais avec un dispositif de filtration d'efficacité améliorée, présentant un grand volume de stockage des débris et un circuit hydraulique simple et induisant de faibles pertes de charge.The invention also aims at providing such an apparatus that may have an access hatch located on the top, but with a filtering device of improved efficiency, having a large debris storage volume and a simple hydraulic circuit and inducing low load losses.

Pour ce faire, l'invention concerne un appareil nettoyeur de surface immergée comprenant:

  • un corps creux et des organes de guidage et d'entraînement dudit corps sur la surface immergée dans un sens d'avancement privilégié et selon une direction principale d'avancement, dite direction longitudinale,
  • une chambre de filtration ménagée dans ledit corps creux et présentant :
    • . au moins une entrée de liquide dans le corps creux située à la base et à l'avant dudit corps creux,
    • . au moins une sortie de liquide hors du corps creux, située à distance de la base du corps creux,
    • . un circuit hydraulique adapté pour assurer une circulation de liquide entre chaque entrée et chaque sortie à travers un dispositif de filtrage logé dans la chambre de filtration, sous l'effet d'un dispositif de pompage,
  • une trappe d'accès au dispositif de filtrage, ménagée sur une paroi supérieure du corps creux et adaptée pour permettre le démontage et l'extraction du dispositif de filtrage hors du corps creux en vue de son nettoyage, caractérisé en ce que ledit dispositif de filtrage comprend au moins une ouverture avant en communication avec au moins une entrée de liquide et au moins un volume de filtration et de récupération des débris délimité par des parois filtrantes qui s'étend longitudinalement vers au moins une sortie de liquide, ce volume de filtration et de récupération des débris présentant une section droite transversale décroissante de cette ouverture avant vers cette sortie de liquide de façon à former, au moins lorsque ledit dispositif de pompage est actif, une enceinte convergente de filtration du liquide circulant entre cette ouverture avant et cette sortie de liquide.
To do this, the invention relates to a submerged surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
  • a hollow body and guiding and driving members of said body on the submerged surface in a preferred direction of advancement and in a main direction of advancement, referred to as the longitudinal direction,
  • a filtration chamber formed in said hollow body and having:
    • . at least one liquid inlet in the hollow body located at the base and at the front of said hollow body,
    • . at least one liquid outlet out of the hollow body, located at a distance from the base of the hollow body,
    • . a hydraulic circuit adapted to ensure a circulation of liquid between each inlet and each outlet through a filtering device housed in the filtration chamber, under the effect of a pumping device,
  • an access hatch for the filtration device, arranged on an upper wall of the hollow body and adapted to allow the disassembly and extraction of the filter device from the hollow body for the purpose of cleaning, characterized in that said filtering device comprises at least one front opening in communication with at least one liquid inlet and at least one filtration and debris recovery volume delimited by filtering walls which extends longitudinally towards at least one liquid outlet, this volume of filtration and for recovering debris having a decreasing transverse cross-section from this front opening towards this liquid outlet so as to form, at least when said pumping device is active, a converging chamber for filtering the liquid flowing between this front opening and this outlet of liquid.

Les inventeurs ont en effet constaté que cet agencement particulier permet en pratique à la fois de conserver les performances d'aspiration, tout en diminuant considérablement son encombrement vertical, et donc sa traînée hydraulique, et avec un dispositif de filtration particulièrement efficace, de grand volume de stockage des débris et sans perte de charge nuisible.The inventors have indeed found that this particular arrangement allows in practice both to maintain the suction performance, while significantly reducing its vertical size, and therefore its hydraulic drag, and with a particularly effective filtration device, large volume debris storage and without loss of harmful load.

En outre, un dispositif de filtrage présentant au moins un volume de filtration et de récupération des débris convergent d'une entrée de liquide vers une sortie de liquide permet d'assurer une filtration du type essentiellement tangentielle du liquide circulant dans le dispositif de filtrage entre cette entrée et cette sortie. Une telle filtration principalement tangentielle limite le colmatage par des débris obstruants (tels que des feuilles mortes) sur les parois filtrantes du dispositif, ce qui garantit, y compris après une longue période de fonctionnement, une bonne aspiration et un bon filtrage.In addition, a filtering device having at least one filtering and debris recovery volume converging from a liquid inlet to a liquid outlet makes it possible to ensure filtration of the essentially tangential type of the liquid circulating in the filtering device between this entrance and this exit. Such mainly tangential filtration limits clogging by clogging debris (such as dead leaves) on the filter walls of the device, which ensures, even after a long period of operation, good suction and good filtering.

Un dispositif de filtrage d'un appareil selon l'invention est exempt de toute paroi filtrante normale à la direction du flux de liquide. En outre, chaque volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est exclusivement délimité par des parois filtrantes, c'est-à-dire des parois principalement formées d'organes perméables à l'eau et imperméables aux débris. Toutes les parois qui délimitent le volume de filtration et de récupération des débris étant filtrantes et chaque paroi étant agencée de sorte qu'elle assure une filtration essentiellement tangentielle du liquide, un dispositif de filtrage d'un appareil selon l'invention limite de manière particulièrement performante le colmatage de toutes les parois du dispositif filtrant.A filtering device of an apparatus according to the invention is free from any filtering wall normal to the direction of the flow of liquid. In addition, each volume of filtration and recovery of debris is exclusively delimited by filter walls, that is to say walls mainly formed of bodies permeable to water and impervious to debris. Since all the walls defining the filtration volume and the debris recovery are filtering and each wall is arranged so that it provides essentially tangential filtration of the liquid, a filtering device of an apparatus according to the invention limits in particular effective clogging of all the walls of the filter device.

En outre, il semblerait qu'un tel volume de récupération convergent d'une entrée de liquide -notamment de chaque entrée de liquide- vers une sortie de liquide -notamment vers chaque sortie de liquide- entraîne aussi un tourbillonnement du liquide circulant dans ce volume de filtration et de récupération des débris, ce qui contribue également à assurer un décolmatage continu des parois délimitant ce volume ayant pour effet de restituer aux différentes parois délimitant ce volume leur perméabilité initiale.In addition, it would appear that such a converging recovery volume of a liquid inlet - in particular of each liquid inlet - to a liquid outlet - especially to each liquid outlet - also causes a swirling of the liquid flowing in this volume. filtration and recovery of debris, which also contributes to ensuring continuous unclogging of the walls defining the volume having the effect of restoring to the various walls delimiting this volume their initial permeability.

Selon une variante avantageuse de l'invention, le dispositif de filtrage comprend une ouverture avant unique en communication avec un volume de filtration et de récupération des débris unique et une sortie de liquide arrière unique.According to an advantageous variant of the invention, the filtering device comprises a single front opening in communication with a single debris filtration and recovery volume and a single rear liquid outlet.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, au moins une sortie de liquide hors du corps creux, dite sortie arrière, est décalée vers l'arrière, selon la direction longitudinale, de chaque entrée de liquide avec laquelle elle est en communication via le circuit hydraulique.Advantageously and according to the invention, at least one liquid outlet out of the hollow body, said rear outlet, is shifted rearwardly, in the longitudinal direction, of each liquid inlet with which it is in communication via the hydraulic circuit.

Cet agencement permet de concevoir l'appareil de façon à récupérer directement, sans perte de charge, au moins une partie de l'énergie hydraulique résiduelle dans le flux de sortie pour participer à l'entraînement de l'appareil.This arrangement makes it possible to design the apparatus so as to recover directly, without loss of load, at least a portion of the residual hydraulic energy in the output stream to participate in driving the apparatus.

En conséquence, à performances d'aspiration et de nettoyage équivalentes, un appareil selon l'invention peut être doté d'un moteur de pompage -notamment un moteur électrique de pompage- et d'un dispositif d'entraînement -notamment comprenant au moins un moteur électrique d'entraînement- dont la puissance est réduite, et donc de consommation et de coûts réduits. Il en résulte également un volume général et un poids plus faibles de l'appareil ce qui, outre l'économie réalisée, est un avantage important pour l'utilisateur, notamment en termes de manipulations, de transport, et de stockage de l'appareil.Consequently, with equivalent suction and cleaning performance, an apparatus according to the invention can be provided with a pump motor - in particular an electric pump motor - and a drive device - notably comprising at least one electric drive motor - which the power is reduced, and therefore consumption and reduced costs. This also results in a lower overall volume and a lower weight of the apparatus which, in addition to the economy achieved, is an important advantage for the user, particularly in terms of handling, transport and storage of the apparatus. .

De préférence, le volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est agencé immédiatement à l'aval d'une ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage.Preferably, the volume of filtration and debris recovery is arranged immediately downstream of a front opening of the filter device.

Selon une première variante de l'invention, l'ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage est agencée immédiatement à l'aval de l'entrée de liquide dans le corps creux de l'appareil. Selon cette variante, le dispositif de filtrage s'étend d'une portion extrême avant agencée au voisinage de la base du corps de l'appareil à une portion extrême arrière agencée au voisinage de l'opposé de la base dudit corps. Selon une telle variante, le dispositif de filtrage s'étend intégralement entre chaque entrée de liquide et chaque sortie de liquide.According to a first variant of the invention, the front opening of the filtering device is arranged immediately downstream of the liquid inlet in the hollow body of the apparatus. According to this variant, the filtering device extends from an end portion arranged in the vicinity of the base of the body of the apparatus to a rear end portion arranged in the vicinity of the opposite of the base of said body. According to such a variant, the filtering device extends integrally between each liquid inlet and each liquid outlet.

Selon une autre variante, avantageusement et selon l'invention, chaque volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est agencé immédiatement à l'aval d'une ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage. Chaque volume de filtration et de récupération des débris s'étend vers l'arrière de l'ouverture et sous cette ouverture.According to another variant, advantageously and according to the invention, each volume of filtration and debris recovery is arranged immediately downstream of a front opening of the filter device. Each volume of filtration and debris recovery extends to the rear of the opening and under this opening.

Un tel volume de filtration et de récupération des débris peut, par exemple, être délimité par une poche de filtration et de récupération des débris, souple ou rigide, par un boîtier, par une cassette, ou tout moyen équivalent. La seule condition est que la structure définisse un volume qui présente, lorsque le dispositif de pompage est actif, une section droite transversale décroissante de l'avant vers l'arrière de façon à former une enceinte convergente de filtration circulant entre cette ouverture avant et cette sortie de liquide. En particulier, il n'est pas nécessaire que le volume présente une telle convergence, lorsque le dispositif de pompage est inactif. Néanmoins, avantageusement, la structure délimitant le volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est rigide et présente une telle convergence, y compris lorsque le dispositif de pompage est inactif.Such a volume of filtration and recovery of debris may, for example, be defined by a flexible or rigid debris filtration and recovery bag, a housing, a cassette, or any equivalent means. The only condition is that the structure defines a volume which has, when the pumping device is active, a decreasing transverse cross section from the front to the rear so as to form a converging filter chamber circulating between this front opening and this liquid outlet. In particular, it is not necessary that the volume has such a convergence when the pumping device is inactive. Nevertheless, advantageously, the structure delimiting the volume of filtration and recovery of debris is rigid and has such a convergence, including when the pumping device is inactive.

Dans le cas où ce volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est délimité par une poche de filtration, agencée immédiatement à l'aval de l'ouverture avant, les débris ayant pénétrés dans la poche de récupération des débris par l'ouverture avant supérieure de la poche sont, en cas de coupure du dispositif de pompage, confinés par gravité naturelle dans le fond de la poche.In the case where this volume of filtration and recovery of debris is delimited by a filtration bag, arranged immediately downstream of the front opening, the debris having entered the pocket of debris recovery through the upper front opening of the pocket are, in case of interruption of the pumping device, confined by natural gravity in the bottom of the pocket.

En particulier, avantageusement et selon l'invention, chaque ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage est ménagée en regard d'une extrémité supérieure d'un conduit d'entrée de liquide s'étendant à partir d'au moins une entrée de liquide, ce conduit d'entrée de liquide présentant une paroi arrière, dite paroi anti-retour, s'étendant transversalement entre ladite entrée de liquide et ladite ouverture avant, à l'avant dudit volume de filtration et de récupération des débris.In particular, advantageously and according to the invention, each front opening of the filtering device is arranged facing an upper end of a liquid inlet duct extending from at least one liquid inlet. liquid inlet duct having a rear wall, said non-return wall, extending transversely between said liquid inlet and said front opening, in front of said filtration volume and debris recovery.

Une telle paroi transversale arrière fait office de paroi anti-retour et interdit aux débris de sortir du volume de filtration et de récupération des débris par une entrée de liquide pour retourner vers la surface immergée par l'ouverture avant. Cette paroi anti-retour s'étend dans un plan globalement vertical entre une zone en arrière de l'entrée de liquide et de l'ouverture avant supérieure du volume de filtration et de récupération des débris. De préférence, cette paroi anti-retour s'étend sur une majeure partie de la hauteur du conduit d'entrée, notamment sur plus de 75% de la hauteur du conduit d'entrée.Such a rear transverse wall serves as a non-return wall and prevents debris out of the filtration volume and recovery of debris by a liquid inlet to return to the immersed surface through the front opening. This non-return wall extends in a generally vertical plane between an area behind the liquid inlet and the upper front opening of the filtration and debris recovery volume. Preferably, this non-return wall extends over a major part of the height of the inlet duct, in particular over more than 75% of the height of the inlet duct.

Le volume de filtration et de récupération des débris étant convergent entre une ouverture avant et une sortie, la hauteur de ce volume, au voisinage de l'ouverture avant est maximale alors que la hauteur de ce volume au niveau de la portion extrême arrière est minimale. Un tel volume de filtration et de récupération des débris présente, par exemple, une forme générale de cône ou de demi-cône. Dans ce cas, l'axe le long duquel s'étend ce cône ou ce demi-cône est sensiblement parallèle au plan de la surface immergée sur lequel l'appareil selon l'invention se déplace.Since the volume of filtration and recovery of debris is convergent between a front opening and an outlet, the height of this volume, in the vicinity of the front opening is maximum while the height of this volume at the rear end portion is minimal . Such a volume of filtration and recovery of debris has, for example, a general shape of cone or half-cone. In this case, the axis along which this cone or this half-cone extends is substantially parallel to the plane of the immersed surface on which the apparatus according to the invention moves.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, chaque volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est délimité par une paroi inférieure filtrante inclinée selon une direction non perpendiculaire à la direction reliant l'ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage et la sortie de liquide hors du corps creux avec lesquels ce volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est en communication.Advantageously and according to the invention, each volume of filtration and recovery of debris is delimited by a lower filtering wall inclined in a direction not perpendicular to the direction connecting the front opening of the filtering device and the liquid outlet out of the hollow body with which this volume of filtration and debris recovery is in communication.

Dans le cas où ce volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est délimité par une poche de filtration, cette poche présente une paroi inférieure inclinée vers l'arrière et vers le haut depuis une portion de fond de la poche de récupération de débris selon une direction non perpendiculaire à la direction reliant l'ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage et la sortie de liquide hors du corps creux avec lesquels ce volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est en communication.In the event that this volume of filtration and recovery of debris is delimited by a filtration bag, this pocket has a lower wall inclined backwards and upwards from a bottom portion of the debris recovery bag in a direction not perpendicular to the direction connecting the front opening of the filter device and the liquid outlet out of the hollow body with which this volume of filtration and debris recovery is in communication.

Une telle paroi présentant une orientation non perpendiculaire à la direction reliant l'ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage et la sortie de liquide permet de garantir que l'orientation générale du liquide circulant entre cette ouverture avant et cette sortie de liquide ne traverse pas cette paroi de manière frontale, selon une direction normale, mais au contraire avec une direction incidente selon, par exemple, un angle compris entre 20° et 70° par rapport à la paroi, ce qui permet de limiter les phénomènes de colmatage des débris sur cette paroi inférieure inclinée.Such a wall having an orientation that is not perpendicular to the direction connecting the front opening of the filtering device and the liquid outlet makes it possible to guarantee that the general orientation of the liquid flowing between this front opening and this liquid outlet does not pass through this wall. frontally, in a normal direction, but on the contrary with an incident direction according to, for example, an angle of between 20 ° and 70 ° relative to the wall, which makes it possible to limit the phenomena of clogging debris on this wall lower inclined.

En outre, une telle paroi inférieure inclinée ménage un espace entre la base du corps creux et cette paroi de telle sorte qu'il est possible d'y agencer des organes de l'appareil tel qu'un ou plusieurs moteurs d'entraînement de l'appareil sur la surface immergée.In addition, such an inclined lower wall provides a space between the base of the hollow body and this wall so that it is possible to arrange the apparatus of the apparatus such as one or more drive motors of the housing. on the immersed surface.

Cette paroi inférieure inclinée peut présenter tous types d'inclinaison non perpendiculaire à au moins une direction -notamment chaque direction- reliant une ouverture avant du dispositif de filtrage et une sortie de liquide -notamment chaque sortie de liquide- hors du corps creux.This inclined lower wall may have any type of inclination that is not perpendicular to at least one direction - in particular each direction - connecting a front opening of the filtering device and a liquid outlet - particularly each liquid outlet - out of the hollow body.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, cette paroi inférieure filtrante présente une inclinaison, par rapport à la direction longitudinale, comprise entre 15° et 60°.Advantageously and according to the invention, this filtering bottom wall has an inclination, with respect to the longitudinal direction, between 15 ° and 60 °.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, chaque volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est délimité en outre par une paroi supérieure globalement horizontale s'étendant à partir d'une ouverture avant vers l'arrière et reliée à ladite paroi inférieure filtrante par une portion courbe extrême arrière supérieure.Advantageously and according to the invention, each volume of filtration and recovery of debris is delimited further by a generally horizontal upper wall extending from a front opening towards the rear and connected to said filtering bottom wall by a portion extreme rear extreme curve.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, chaque volume de filtration et de récupération des débris est délimité par une ossature rigide et une nappe filtrante s'étendant dans des ouvertures ménagées par l'ossature rigide.Advantageously and according to the invention, each volume of filtration and recovery of the debris is delimited by a rigid frame and a filter web extending into openings formed by the rigid frame.

Une telle structure forme une poche rigide de filtration et de récupération des débris.Such a structure forms a rigid bag of filtration and recovery of debris.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, le circuit hydraulique comprend au moins une hélice de pompage axial disposée à l'aval du dispositif de filtrage de façon à générer un débit de liquide dans une sortie de liquide, ladite hélice de pompage axial étant accouplée à un moteur d'entraînement disposé sous une portion arrière du dispositif de filtration.Advantageously and according to the invention, the hydraulic circuit comprises at least one axial pumping helix disposed downstream of the filtering device so as to generate a flow of liquid in a liquid outlet, said axial pumping propeller being coupled to a driving motor disposed under a rear portion of the filter device.

Le moteur de pompage est de préférence agencé sous la paroi inférieure inclinée de la poche de filtration et de récupération des débris.The pumping motor is preferably arranged under the inclined lower wall of the filtration and debris collection bag.

Un tel agencement confère à un appareil selon l'invention une compacité permettant de réduire notablement l'encombrement vertical et horizontal de l'appareil, ce qui contribue à réduire la traînée hydraulique de l'appareil.Such an arrangement confers on an apparatus according to the invention a compactness that significantly reduces the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the apparatus, which contributes to reducing the hydraulic drag of the apparatus.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, ladite hélice de pompage axial est disposée dans un carénage cylindrique formant la sortie de liquide.Advantageously and according to the invention, said axial pumping propeller is disposed in a cylindrical fairing forming the liquid outlet.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, l'hélice de pompage axial et ledit carénage cylindrique sont orientés de façon à générer un débit de liquide selon une direction faisant avec ladite direction longitudinale, un angle non nul et différent de 90°.Advantageously and according to the invention, the axial pumping helix and said cylindrical fairing are oriented so as to generate a flow of liquid in a direction making with said longitudinal direction, a non-zero angle and different from 90 °.

Un appareil selon l'invention comprend une trappe d'accès au dispositif de filtrage, ménagée sur une paroi supérieure du corps creux et adaptée pour permettre le démontage et l'extraction du dispositif de filtrage hors du corps creux en vue de son nettoyage.An apparatus according to the invention comprises an access hatch of the filtering device, arranged on an upper wall of the hollow body and adapted to allow the disassembly and extraction of the filter device from the hollow body for cleaning.

Cela permet un démontage aisé et rapide du dispositif de filtrage depuis la paroi supérieure du corps creux, alors que l'appareil repose sur une surface horizontale en position normale correspondant à sa position de nettoyage. Il est donc aisé avec un appareil selon l'invention de procéder à l'extraction du dispositif de filtrage, en vue par exemple de procéder au nettoyage de ce dernier. Ce démontage n'impose pas de retourner l'appareil de bas en haut.This allows easy and quick disassembly of the filter device from the top wall of the hollow body, while the device rests on a horizontal surface in normal position corresponding to its cleaning position. It is therefore easy with an apparatus according to the invention to carry out the extraction of the filtering device, for example to clean the latter. This disassembly does not require turning the device up and down.

Avantageusement et selon l'invention, le dispositif de filtrage comprend des nervures s'étendant latéralement de chaque côté du dispositif de filtrage et présentant une forme et des dimensions conformées et conjuguées à la forme et aux dimensions de rainures solidaires du corps creux de façon à permettre le coulissement du dispositif de filtrage le long des rainures pour extraire le dispositif de filtrage du corps creux par ladite trappe d'accès.Advantageously and according to the invention, the filtering device comprises ribs extending laterally on each side of the device. filtering and having a shape and dimensions shaped and conjugated to the shape and dimensions of integral grooves of the hollow body so as to allow the sliding of the filter device along the grooves to extract the filtering device of the hollow body by said trap door; 'access.

Ainsi, l'extraction du dispositif de filtrage du corps creux par la trappe supérieure résulte d'un déplacement en translation du dispositif de filtrage le long des rainures du corps creux. Un utilisateur peut donc aisément retirer le dispositif de filtrage du corps creux en vue par exemple de procéder à son nettoyage. Une fois le dispositif de filtrage nettoyé, un utilisateur peut sans difficultés réintroduire le dispositif de filtrage dans le corps creux en orientant le dispositif de filtrage de sorte que les nervures du dispositif de filtrage soient en regard des rainures du corps creux, puis en coulissant le dispositif de filtrage dans le corps creux.Thus, the extraction of the filtering device of the hollow body by the upper hatch results from a displacement in translation of the filtering device along the grooves of the hollow body. A user can easily remove the filter device from the hollow body for example to clean it. Once the filtering device has been cleaned, a user can without difficulty reintroduce the filtering device into the hollow body by orienting the filtering device so that the ribs of the filtering device are opposite the grooves of the hollow body, and then sliding the filtering device in the hollow body.

L'invention concerne en outre un appareil nettoyeur d'une surface immergée caractérisé en combinaison par tout ou partie des caractéristiques mentionnées ci-dessus ou ci-après.The invention further relates to an apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface characterized in combination by all or some of the characteristics mentioned above or below.

D'autres caractéristiques, buts et avantages de l'invention apparaîtront à la lecture de la description suivante qui présente à titre d'exemple non limitatif un mode de réalisation de l'invention, en référence aux dessins annexés ; sur ces dessins :

  • la figure 1 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un appareil nettoyeur selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention,
  • la figure 2 est une vue schématique arrière d'un appareil nettoyeur selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention,
  • la figure 3 est une vue schématique en coupe d'un appareil nettoyeur selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention,
  • la figure 4 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un dispositif de filtrage selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention,
  • la figure 5 est une vue schématique en perspective d'un appareil selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention présentant la trappe ouverte et le dispositif de filtrage extrait de l'appareil depuis cette trappe ouverte,
  • la figure 6 est une vue schématique en coupe simplifiée de la figure 3 représentant l'appareil en fonctionnement sur une surface immergée.
Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description which, by way of nonlimiting example, shows one embodiment of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings; in these drawings:
  • the figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention,
  • the figure 2 is a schematic rear view of a cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention,
  • the figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of a cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention,
  • the figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a filtering device according to one embodiment of the invention,
  • the figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention having the open hatch and the filter device extracted from the apparatus from this open hatch,
  • the figure 6 is a schematic view in simplified section of the figure 3 representing the apparatus in operation on a submerged surface.

Sur les figures, les échelles et les proportions ne sont pas strictement respectées et ce, à des fins d'illustration et de clarté.Figures, scales and proportions are not strictly adhered to for the purpose of illustration and clarity.

Dans toute la description détaillée qui suit en référence aux figures, sauf indication contraire, chaque pièce de l'appareil nettoyeur est décrite tel qu'elle est agencée lorsque l'appareil est en déplacement normal sur une surface immergée horizontale selon un sens privilégié d'avancement, par rapport auquel l'avant et l'arrière sont définis.Throughout the detailed description which follows with reference to the figures, unless otherwise indicated, each part of the cleaning apparatus is described as it is arranged when the apparatus is in normal displacement on a horizontal immersed surface in a preferred sense of advancement, with respect to which front and rear are defined.

Un appareil selon l'invention comprend un corps 1 creux et des organes 2, 3, 4 roulants de guidage et d'entraînement du corps 1 creux sur une surface immergée dans au moins un sens privilégié d'avancement et selon une direction principale d'avancement, dite direction longitudinale, parallèle à la surface immergée.An apparatus according to the invention comprises a hollow body 1 and rolling bodies 2, 3, 4 for guiding and driving the hollow body 1 on a surface immersed in at least one privileged direction of advancement and in a main direction of advancement, said longitudinal direction, parallel to the immersed surface.

Ce corps 1 creux est formé principalement d'un carter concave délimitant une enceinte principale. Ce carter concave est par exemple réalisé par moulage ou rotomoulage. Ce carter est de préférence réalisé en un matériau thermoplastique, tel que le polyéthylène, le polypropylène, l'ABS, le PMMA ou tout matériau équivalent.This hollow body 1 is formed mainly of a concave casing delimiting a main enclosure. This concave casing is for example made by molding or rotational molding. This housing is preferably made of a thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, PMMA or any equivalent material.

Ce corps 1 creux présente une enceinte centrale adaptée pour recevoir une chambre de filtration. Cette enceinte 35 centrale est délimitée par une paroi inférieure s'étendant dans un plan sensiblement horizontal ; par des parois latérales s'étendant globalement dans des plans verticaux ; par une paroi 37 avant s'étendant globalement dans un plan vertical, orthogonale aux plans des parois latérales verticales ; et par une paroi 38 arrière s'étendant globalement dans un plan vertical orthogonal aux plans des parois latérales verticales.This hollow body 1 has a central chamber adapted to receive a filtration chamber. This central chamber is delimited by a lower wall extending in a substantially horizontal plane; by sidewalls extending generally in vertical planes; by a front wall 37 extending generally in a vertical plane, orthogonal to the planes of the vertical side walls; and a rear wall 38 extending generally in a vertical plane orthogonal to the planes of the vertical side walls.

La paroi inférieure présente une ouverture s'étendant transversalement au voisinage de la paroi 37 avant de telle sorte que du liquide peut rentrer dans l'enceinte 35 centrale par cette ouverture inférieure transversale. Cette ouverture forme une entrée 9 de liquide dans le corps 1 creux.The lower wall has an opening extending transversely adjacent the wall 37 before such that liquid can enter the central chamber through this lower transverse opening. This opening forms an inlet 9 of liquid in the hollow body 1.

La paroi 38 arrière comprend une ouverture cylindrique formant une sortie 10 de liquide hors du corps 1 creux. Cette sortie 10 de liquide ménagée dans la paroi 38 arrière du carter est longitudinalement décalée de l'entrée 9 de liquide ménagée dans la paroi inférieure. De plus, cette sortie 10 de liquide est agencée dans la partie haute du carter de telle sorte qu'elle est également verticalement décalée de l'entrée 9 de liquide.The rear wall 38 includes a cylindrical opening forming a liquid outlet 10 out of the hollow body 1. This liquid outlet 10 formed in the rear wall 38 of the casing is longitudinally offset from the inlet 9 liquid in the bottom wall. In addition, this liquid outlet 10 is arranged in the upper part of the casing so that it is also vertically offset from the inlet 9 of liquid.

Cette enceinte 35 centrale, cette entrée 9 de liquide et cette sortie 10 de liquide forment une chambre 8 de filtration. Cette chambre 8 de filtration comprend en outre un circuit hydraulique adapté pour assurer une circulation de liquide entre l'entrée 9 de liquide et la sortie 10 de liquide à travers un dispositif 11 de filtrage.This central chamber, this liquid inlet 9 and this liquid outlet 10 form a filtration chamber 8. This filtration chamber 8 further comprises a hydraulic circuit adapted to ensure a flow of liquid between the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid through a filtering device 11.

L'ouverture transversale ménagée dans la paroi inférieure du carter forme l'entrée 9 de liquide de l'appareil et l'ouverture cylindrique ménagée dans la paroi arrière de l'appareil forme la sortie 10 de liquide de l'appareil.The transverse opening in the bottom wall of the housing forms the liquid inlet 9 of the apparatus and the cylindrical opening in the rear wall of the apparatus forms the liquid outlet of the apparatus.

De préférence, l'entrée 9 de liquide et la sortie 10 de liquide sont centrées sur un même plan longitudinal vertical médian de l'appareil.Preferably, the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid are centered on a same longitudinal vertical plane of the apparatus.

L'enceinte centrale du corps 1 creux est adaptée pour recevoir un dispositif 11 de filtrage. Le dispositif 11 de filtrage est agencé entre l'entrée 9 de liquide et la sortie 10 de liquide.The central chamber of the hollow body 1 is adapted to receive a filtering device 11. The filtering device 11 is arranged between the inlet 9 of liquid and the outlet 10 of liquid.

Selon l'invention, ce dispositif 11 de filtrage comprend une ouverture 54 avant en communication avec l'entrée 9 de liquide et un volume 55 de filtration et de récupération des débris. Ce volume 55 de filtration et de récupération des débris est délimité par une poche 55 rigide. Selon d'autres modes de réalisation, ce volume peut être délimité par une poche souple, un boîtier, une cassette et tout autre dispositif équivalent.According to the invention, this filtering device 11 comprises an opening 54 before in communication with the inlet 9 of liquid and a volume 55 of filtration and recovery of debris. This volume 55 filtration and recovery of debris is delimited by a pocket 55 rigid. According to other embodiments, this volume may be delimited by a flexible bag, a housing, a cassette and any other equivalent device.

Cette poche 55 s'étend entre l'ouverture 54 avant et la sortie 10 de liquide.This pocket 55 extends between the opening 54 before and the outlet 10 of liquid.

Un dispositif 11 de filtrage comprend en outre un conduit 15 d'entrée de liquide s'étendant à partir de l'entrée 9 de liquide jusqu'à l'ouverture 54 avant reliée à la poche 55 de filtration et de récupération des débris. Ainsi, l'ouverture 54 avant est ménagée en regard de l'extrémité supérieure de ce conduit 15 d'entrée de liquide s'étendant à partir de l'entrée 9 de liquide. Ce conduit 15 d'entrée de liquide présente une paroi arrière, dite paroi 16 anti-retour, agencée entre l'entrée de liquide et la poche 55 de filtration et de récupération des débris.A filtering device 11 further comprises a liquid inlet conduit 15 extending from the liquid inlet 9 to the opening 54 before connected to the bag 55 for filtering and collecting debris. Thus, the front opening 54 is arranged facing the upper end of this liquid inlet duct 15 extending from the inlet 9 of liquid. This liquid inlet conduit 15 has a rear wall, called a non-return wall 16, arranged between the liquid inlet and the bag 55 for filtering and recovering debris.

Cette poche 55 de filtration et de récupération des débris est formée d'une ossature 26 rigide et d'une nappe filtrante -notamment un tissu filtrants'étendant dans des ouvertures ménagées par cette ossature. Elle comprend ainsi, tel que représenté sur la figure 4, des parois 56, 57, 58, 59 filtrantes et rigides. Le dispositif 11 de filtrage est donc autoporteur et peut être aisément manipulé par un utilisateur.This pocket 55 for filtering and recovering debris is formed of a rigid frame 26 and a filtering sheet - in particular a filtering fabric - extending into openings formed by this framework. It thus includes, as represented on the figure 4 , walls 56, 57, 58, 59 filtering and rigid. The filtering device 11 is therefore self-supporting and can be easily manipulated by a user.

La poche 55 de filtration et de récupération des débris présente une section droite transversale décroissante de l'ouverture 54 avant vers la sortie 10 de liquide de façon à former une enceinte convergente de filtration du type tangentielle du liquide circulant entre l'ouverture 54 avant et la sortie 10 de liquide.The bag 55 for filtering and recovering debris has a decreasing transverse cross-section from the front opening 54 to the liquid outlet 10 so as to form a convergent filtration chamber of the tangential type of the liquid circulating between the opening 54 before and the outlet 10 of liquid.

Selon le mode de réalisation des figures, la poche 55 de filtration et de récupération des débris présente une paroi 56 inférieure filtrante inclinée vers l'arrière et vers le haut depuis une portion de fond de la poche 55.According to the embodiment of the figures, the bag 55 for filtering and recovering debris has a bottom filter wall 56 inclined backwards and upwards from a bottom portion of the bag 55.

Cette paroi 56 inférieure inclinée forme avec la direction longitudinale un angle, qui dans l'exemple représenté est de l'ordre de 45°.This inclined lower wall 56 forms with the longitudinal direction an angle, which in the example shown is of the order of 45 °.

Cette poche 55 de filtration comprend en outre une paroi 57 supérieure globalement horizontale et s'étendant vers l'arrière à partir de l'ouverture 54 avant. Cette paroi 57 supérieure filtrante est reliée à la paroi 56 inférieure filtrante par une portion 61 courbe extrême arrière supérieure.This filter bag 55 further comprises a generally horizontal upper wall 57 and extending rearwardly from the opening 54 before. This filtering upper wall 57 is connected to the filtering lower wall 56 by a portion 61 upper extreme rear curve.

La portion 61 courbe extrême arrière présente une section droite transversale minimale alors que la portion de la poche 55 à l'opposée de cette portion 61 courbe, c'est-à-dire, au niveau de l'ouverture 54 avant, présente une section droite transversale maximale. Ainsi, la poche 55 de filtration présente une section droite transversale décroissante de l'ouverture 54 avant vers la portion 61 courbe extrême arrière, c'est-à-dire vers la sortie 10 arrière. En d'autres termes, la poche 55 de filtration présente une section droite transversale ayant la forme d'un triangle rectangle, la paroi 56 inférieure inclinée formant l'hypoténuse.The rearwardly curved portion 61 has a minimum transverse cross-section, whereas the portion of the pocket 55 opposite this curved portion 61, that is to say, at the level of the opening 54 before, has a cross section. transverse straight maximum. Thus, the filtration pocket 55 has a decreasing transverse cross section from the front opening 54 to the rearwardly curved portion 61, that is to say towards the rear exit. In other words, the filtration pocket 55 has a transverse cross section having the shape of a right triangle, the inclined lower wall 56 forming the hypotenuse.

L'appareil comprend également une trappe 6 d'accès à ce dispositif de filtrage. Cette trappe 6 d'accès forme une paroi supérieure du corps 1 creux et recouvre ce dernier. Dans le mode de réalisation représenté, cette trappe 6 est ménagée sur le dessus de l'appareil de telle sorte qu'un utilisateur de l'appareil peut aisément procéder à l'ouverture de la trappe 6 et extraire le dispositif 11 de filtrage. De préférence, la trappe 6 d'accès est articulée au corps 1 de l'appareil par des charnières 23 agencées à l'arrière de l'appareil.The apparatus also comprises a hatch 6 for access to this filtering device. This access hatch 6 forms an upper wall of the hollow body 1 and covers the latter. In the embodiment shown, this hatch 6 is formed on the top of the apparatus so that a user of the apparatus can easily open the hatch 6 and extract the filter device 11. Preferably, the access hatch 6 is articulated to the body 1 of the apparatus by hinges 23 arranged at the rear of the apparatus.

De préférence, le dispositif 11 de filtrage est un dispositif monté dans l'enceinte 35 centrale du corps 1 creux à la façon d'un tiroir. Pour ce faire, l'ossature 26 rigide du dispositif 11 de filtrage présente en outre deux nervures 25 s'étendant latéralement de chaque côté du dispositif 11 de filtrage. Ces nervures 25 présentent des formes et dimensions conformées et conjuguées aux formes et dimensions de rainures 24 solidaires du corps 1 creux. Ces rainures 24 solidaires du corps 1 creux s'étendent verticalement le long des faces intérieures des parois latérales verticales du corps 1 creux. Les nervures 25 du dispositif 11 de filtrage sont donc adaptées pour coopérer avec les rainures 24 du corps 1 creux de l'appareil.Preferably, the filtering device 11 is a device mounted in the central chamber 1 of the hollow body 1 in the manner of a drawer. To do this, the rigid frame 26 of the filtering device 11 further has two ribs 25 extending laterally on each side of the filtering device 11. These ribs 25 have shapes and dimensions shaped and conjugate to the shapes and dimensions of grooves 24 integral with the hollow body 1. These grooves 24 integral with the hollow body 1 extend vertically along the inner faces of the vertical side walls of the hollow body 1. The ribs 25 of the filtering device 11 are therefore adapted to cooperate with the grooves 24 of the hollow body 1 of the apparatus.

Ainsi, l'extraction du dispositif 11 de filtrage, tel que représenté sur la figure 5, résulte d'un déplacement en translation du dispositif 11 de filtrage le long des rainures 24 du corps 1 creux. Un utilisateur peut donc aisément retirer le dispositif 11 de filtrage du corps 1 creux en vue par exemple de procéder à son nettoyage. Une fois le dispositif 11 de filtrage nettoyé, un utilisateur peut sans difficultés réintroduire le dispositif 11 de filtrage dans le corps 1 creux en orientant le dispositif 11 de filtrage de sorte que les nervures 25 du dispositif 11 de filtrage soient en regard des rainures 24 du corps creux, puis en coulissant le dispositif 11 de filtrage dans le corps 1 creux.Thus, the extraction of the filtering device 11, as shown in FIG. figure 5 , results from a displacement in translation of the filtering device 11 along the grooves 24 of the hollow body 1. A user can easily remove the filtering device 11 from the hollow body 1 for example to clean it. Once the filtering device 11 has been cleaned, a user can easily reintroduce the filtering device 11 into the hollow body 1 by orienting the filtering device 11 so that the ribs 25 of the filtering device 11 are facing the grooves 24 of the filtering device 11. hollow body, then sliding the filtering device 11 into the hollow body 1.

Le dispositif 11 de filtrage comprend en outre une poignée 28 ménagée sur une portion supérieure du dispositif 11 de filtrage de manière à faciliter les manipulations du dispositif 11 de filtrage. En particulier, un utilisateur peut aisément monter/démonter le dispositif 11 de filtrage par l'intermédiaire de cette poignée 28 lorsque l'appareil est hors du liquide et repose sur une surface horizontale.The filtering device 11 further comprises a handle 28 formed on an upper portion of the filtering device 11 so as to facilitate the handling of the filtering device 11. In particular, a user can easily assemble / disassemble the filtering device 11 via this handle 28 when the device is out of the liquid and rests on a horizontal surface.

Selon l'invention, un appareil comprend un dispositif motorisé de pompage de liquide comprenant un moteur 12 électrique de pompage présentant un arbre 13 rotatif moteur accouplé à une hélice 14 de pompage interposée dans le circuit hydraulique de façon à y générer un débit de liquide entre l'entrée 9 de liquide et la sortie 10 de liquide. La sortie 10 de liquide est directement en regard de l'hélice de pompage de sorte que le liquide s'écoule hors de la sortie 10 de liquide selon une direction correspondant au débit de liquide généré par l'hélice de pompage, ce débit ayant une vitesse orientée selon l'axe 51 de rotation de l'hélice 14.According to the invention, an apparatus comprises a motorized liquid pumping device comprising an electric pumping motor 12 having a rotary motor shaft 13 coupled to a pumping propeller 14 interposed in the hydraulic circuit so as to generate a flow of liquid therebetween the inlet 9 of liquid and the liquid outlet 10. The liquid outlet 10 is directly opposite the pumping propeller so that the liquid flows out of the liquid outlet 10 in a direction corresponding to the flow of liquid generated by the pumping propeller, this flow having a speed oriented along the axis 51 of rotation of the propeller 14.

L'hélice 14 de pompage présente une orientation permettant de générer un débit de liquide avec une composante horizontale vers l'arrière.The pumping propeller 14 has an orientation for generating a liquid flow with a horizontal component to the rear.

De préférence, l'hélice 14 de pompage interposée dans le circuit hydraulique entre l'entrée 9 de liquide et la sortie 10 de liquide présente un axe de rotation incliné faisant, avec ladite direction longitudinale et avec le plan 50 théorique de roulage, un angle α différent de 90°. Cette hélice 14 est entraînée en rotation par le moteur 12 électrique de pompage qui présente, de préférence, un arbre 13 rotatif moteur parallèle à l'axe de rotation de l'hélice 14.Preferably, the pumping propeller 14 interposed in the hydraulic circuit between the liquid inlet 9 and the liquid outlet 10 has an inclined axis of rotation making, with said longitudinal direction and with the theoretical rolling plane 50, an angle α different from 90 °. This propeller 14 is rotated by the electric pumping motor 12 which preferably has a rotating motor shaft 13 parallel to the axis of rotation of the propeller 14.

Selon l'invention, le moteur 12 électrique de pompage est disposé sous le circuit hydraulique, entièrement à l'extérieur de ce circuit hydraulique qui contourne entièrement le moteur 12 de pompage par le dessus. L'arbre 13 rotatif du moteur 12 de pompage traverse une paroi 30 inférieure inclinée délimitant le circuit hydraulique. L'étanchéité est assurée par un joint 18 torique.According to the invention, the electric pumping motor 12 is arranged under the hydraulic circuit, entirely outside this hydraulic circuit which entirely bypasses the pump motor 12 from above. The rotary shaft 13 of the pump motor 12 passes through an inclined lower wall defining the hydraulic circuit. The seal is provided by an O-ring 18.

La figure 6 comporte une représentation de la circulation de liquide dans le corps 1 creux de l'appareil. Cette circulation est représentée schématiquement sur la figure 6 par les flèches 66. Du liquide entre dans le corps 1 creux par l'entrée 9 de liquide agencée sous l'appareil. Ce liquide passe dans le conduit 15 d'entrée de liquide pour atteindre le dispositif 11 de filtrage. Ce dispositif 11 de filtrage laisse passer le liquide par le tissu filtrant et retient les débris 60 solides. Le liquide filtré atteint alors la sortie de liquide 10 et est éjecté à l'arrière de l'appareil, dans le bassin d'où il provient.The figure 6 comprises a representation of the circulation of liquid in the hollow body 1 of the apparatus. This circulation is schematically represented on the figure 6 by the arrows 66. Liquid enters the hollow body 1 through the inlet 9 of liquid arranged under the apparatus. This liquid passes into the liquid inlet duct 15 to reach the filtering device 11. This filtering device 11 passes the liquid through the filter cloth and retains the solid debris. The filtered liquid then reaches the liquid outlet 10 and is ejected at the rear of the apparatus, in the basin from which it comes.

La sortie 10 de liquide étant en regard de l'hélice 14 de pompage, le liquide s'écoule hors de l'appareil par cette sortie avec une vitesse V orientée selon l'axe 51 de l'hélice 14 de pompage et ayant une composante longitudinale vers l'arrière qui induit par réaction des efforts, dont la résultante présente une composante longitudinale d'entraînement orientée vers l'avant qui participe à l'entraînement de l'appareil sur la surface immergée.The liquid outlet 10 facing the pumping propeller 14, the liquid flows out of the apparatus through this outlet with a speed V oriented along the axis 51 of the pumping propeller 14 and having a component longitudinally rearward which induces by reaction forces, whose resultant has a longitudinal component of forward drive which participates in driving the apparatus on the immersed surface.

L'orientation de l'effort de réaction hydraulique créée par ce flux de sortie, et donc l'amplitude de sa composante longitudinale, dépendent de l'inclinaison α, par rapport au plan 50 théorique de roulage, de l'axe 51 de rotation de l'hélice et de la sortie 10 de liquide. De préférence, cette inclinaison α est comprise entre 15° et 45°.The orientation of the hydraulic reaction force created by this output flow, and therefore the amplitude of its longitudinal component, depend on the inclination α, with respect to the theoretical rolling plane 50, of the axis 51 of rotation. of the propeller and the liquid outlet. Preferably, this inclination α is between 15 ° and 45 °.

Selon l'invention, le moteur électrique de pompage est disposé sous le circuit hydraulique, entièrement à l'extérieur de ce circuit hydraulique, de telle sorte que le dispositif 11 de filtrage du circuit hydraulique peut être retiré de l'appareil par le haut de l'appareil comme précédemment mentionné, sans être gêné par le moteur de pompage. Seule l'hélice 14 de pompage est agencée dans le circuit hydraulique de manière à pouvoir assurer le débit de liquide. Cette hélice 14 de pompage est agencée à l'arrière de l'appareil, à proximité de la sortie 10 de liquide. En d'autres termes, l'hélice 14 de pompage et la sortie 10 de liquide forment la partie terminale du circuit hydraulique.According to the invention, the electric pumping motor is arranged under the hydraulic circuit, entirely outside this hydraulic circuit, so that the filtering device 11 of the hydraulic circuit can be removed from the apparatus by the top of the hydraulic circuit. the apparatus as previously mentioned without being hindered by the pumping motor. Only the pumping propeller 14 is arranged in the hydraulic circuit so as to ensure the flow of liquid. This pumping propeller 14 is arranged at the rear of the apparatus, close to the liquid outlet 10. In other words, the pump propeller 14 and the liquid outlet 10 form the end portion of the hydraulic circuit.

Dans le mode préférentiel de réalisation de l'invention représenté sur les figures, les organes roulants de guidage et d'entraînement de l'appareil comprennent un essieu avant comprenant des roues 2 avants motrices, une de chaque côté, et un essieu arrière comprenant des roues 3 arrières non motrices, une de chaque côté.In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the figures, the rolling members for guiding and driving the apparatus comprise a front axle comprising front driving wheels, one on each side, and a rear axle comprising 3 non-drive rear wheels, one on each side.

En outre, de préférence et tel que représenté sur les figures, l'appareil comprend des brosses 4 agencées à l'avant de l'appareil. Ces brosses 4 sont destinées à assurer un brossage de la surface immergée et à déplacer les débris brossés vers l'arrière de l'appareil en direction de l'entrée 9 de liquide agencée sous l'appareil.In addition, preferably and as shown in the figures, the apparatus comprises brushes 4 arranged at the front of the apparatus. These brushes 4 are intended to ensure a brushing of the immersed surface and to move the brushed debris towards the rear of the apparatus towards the inlet 9 of liquid arranged under the apparatus.

L'appareil comprend en outre au moins un moteur 20 électrique d'entraînement des roues avant 2 motrices. De préférence, l'appareil comprend deux moteurs d'entraînement, un de chaque côté, respectivement pour l'entraînement indépendant de chacune des roues 2 avant. Pour ce faire, chaque roue 2 avant présente une denture 5 interne coopérant avec un pignon entraîné par le moteur 20 d'entraînement correspondant.The apparatus further comprises at least one electric motor for driving the front 2-wheel drive wheels. Preferably, the apparatus comprises two drive motors, one on each side, respectively for the independent drive of each of the front wheels. To do this, each front wheel 2 has an internal toothing 5 cooperating with a pinion driven by the corresponding drive motor 20.

Les moteurs électriques 20 d'entraînement et 12 de pompage peuvent être de tous types connus. Selon un mode préférentiel de réalisation, ces moteurs électriques sont des moteurs basse tension. Ils peuvent être alimentés par une alimentation électrique extérieure à l'appareil par l'intermédiaire d'un câble électrique, non représenté sur les figures, qui est relié à l'appareil au niveau d'une zone 19 d'entrée du câble électrique dans l'appareil, tel que représenté sur la figure 1.Electric motors 20 drive and 12 pumping can be of any known type. According to a preferred embodiment, these electric motors are low voltage motors. They can be powered by a power supply external to the device via an electric cable, not shown in the figures, which is connected to the device at an input zone 19 of the electrical cable in the apparatus, as shown on the figure 1 .

Ces brosses 4 peuvent être de tous types. Selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention, l'appareil comprend deux brosses 4 avant coaxiales. Chaque brosse 4 est adaptée pour être mise en rotation autour d'un axe s'étendant selon une direction perpendiculaire à la direction longitudinale. Chaque brosse 4 comprend une pluralité d'ailettes 41 s'étendant radialement d'un arbre de brosse formant l'axe de rotation de la brosse 4. Les ailettes 41 sont par exemple en caoutchouc en en un matériau plastique résistant.These brushes 4 can be of all types. According to one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises two coaxial front brushes 4. Each brush 4 is adapted to be rotated about an axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Each brush 4 comprises a plurality of fins 41 extending radially from a brush shaft forming the axis of rotation of the brush 4. The fins 41 are for example made of rubber made of a resistant plastic material.

En outre, les brosses 4 sont de préférence également entraînées en rotation à partir d'au moins un moteur 20 électrique d'entraînement des roues 2 avant par l'intermédiaire d'un système à engrenages.In addition, the brushes 4 are preferably also rotated from at least one electric drive motor 2 of the front wheels 2 via a gear system.

Ainsi, dans le mode de réalisation représenté, les organes roulants sont constitués des roues avant 2 motrices, des roues 3 arrières non motrices et des brosses 4 qui participent à l'entraînement et au guidage de l'appareil sur la surface immergée. Quoi qu'il en soit, les organes roulants 2, 3, 4 présentent des zones destinées à venir au contact avec la surface immergée qui sont coplanaires et définissent un plan 50 théorique de roulage. La direction longitudinale d'avancement de l'appareil est parallèle à ce plan 50 théorique de roulage.Thus, in the embodiment shown, the rolling members consist of front 2-wheel, non-driving rear 3 and brush 4 which participate in driving and guiding the device on the immersed surface. In any event, the rolling members 2, 3, 4 have areas intended to come into contact with the immersed surface which are coplanar and define a theoretical rolling plane 50. The longitudinal direction of advancement of the apparatus is parallel to this theoretical plane of rolling.

Les roues avant 2 présentent de préférence un diamètre compris entre 100 mm et 500 mm, notamment compris entre 150 mm et 250 mm. Selon le mode de réalisation des figures, les roues avant 2 présentent un diamètre de l'ordre de 200mm. De la sorte, ces roues avant 2 facilitent le franchissement d'obstacles et présentent une motricité améliorée. Avantageusement, leur bande de roulement périphérique est formée ou revêtue d'un matériau antidérapant.The front wheels 2 preferably have a diameter of between 100 mm and 500 mm, in particular between 150 mm and 250 mm. According to the embodiment of the figures, the front wheels 2 have a diameter of the order of 200mm. In this way, these front wheels 2 facilitate the crossing of obstacles and have improved motor skills. Advantageously, their peripheral tread is formed or coated with a non-slip material.

Les roues 2 avant et les brosses 4 constituent des organes roulants avants moteurs 2, 4 qui s'étendent en saillie vers l'avant par rapport aux autres éléments constitutifs de l'appareil, notamment le corps creux, de façon à former la partie extrême avant de l'appareil et à venir en premier en contact avec un obstacle rencontré au cours du déplacement vers l'avant.The front wheels 2 and the brushes 4 constitute forward driving members 2, 4 which extend projecting forwardly relative to the other components of the apparatus, in particular the hollow body, so as to form the forward end of the apparatus and come first into contact with an obstacle encountered during the forward movement.

De plus, selon un mode de réalisation préférentiel de l'invention, l'appareil comprend également une poignée 7 de manoeuvre permettant à un utilisateur de porter l'appareil pour l'immerger dans un liquide et le ressortir de ce dernier. Cette poignée 7 est de préférence agencée à l'opposée de la sortie 10 de liquide de façon que lorsque le corps 1 creux est suspendu par cette poignée, l'appareil bascule spontanément sous l'effet de la gravité dans une position dans laquelle la sortie 10 de liquide est située sous l'entrée 9 de liquide, ce qui permet une vidange de l'appareil. Lors du passage de l'appareil de la position de nettoyage à la position de vidange, les débris aspirés par l'appareil sont maintenus dans le dispositif de filtrage et ne sont pas susceptibles de ressortir de l'appareil.In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus also comprises a maneuvering handle 7 allowing a user to wear the device to immerse in a liquid and out of the latter. This handle 7 is preferably arranged opposite the outlet 10 of liquid so that when the hollow body 1 is suspended by this handle, the apparatus switches spontaneously under the effect of gravity in a position in which the outlet 10 liquid is located under the inlet 9 of liquid, which allows a drain of the device. When the appliance is moved from the cleaning position to the emptying position, the debris sucked by the appliance is held in the filtering device and is not likely to come out of the appliance.

Il va de soi que l'invention peut faire l'objet de nombreuses variantes de réalisation et applications.It goes without saying that the invention can be the subject of many variants and applications.

Par exemple, selon un mode de réalisation non représenté sur les figures, le dispositif 11 de filtrage peut présenter une paroi supérieure formant la paroi supérieure du carter de l'appareil, de telle sorte qu'un utilisateur peut se saisir directement du dispositif 11 de filtrage et procéder à son extraction de l'appareilFor example, according to an embodiment not shown in the figures, the filtering device 11 may have an upper wall forming the upper wall of the housing of the apparatus, so that a user can seize the device 11 directly. filtering and extracting the device

En outre, le dimensionnement et la conception de l'appareil, notamment de son circuit hydraulique sont sujets à des infinités de variantes. En outre l'invention s'applique à un appareil bidirectionnel capable de mouvement rétrograde.In addition, the design and design of the device, including its hydraulic circuit are subject to infinite variants. In addition, the invention applies to a bidirectional apparatus capable of retrograde movement.

Claims (13)

  1. An apparatus for cleaning an immersed surface comprising:
    - a hollow body (1) and members (2, 3, 4) for guiding and actuating said body (1) over the immersed surface in a preferred direction of advance and in a main orientation of advance, referred to as the longitudinal orientation,
    - a filtration chamber (8) arranged in said hollow body (1) and comprising:
    . at least one liquid inlet (9) into the hollow body (1), located at the base and at the front of said hollow body (1),
    . at least one liquid outlet (10) out of the hollow body (1), located remotely from the base of the hollow body (1),
    . a hydraulic circuit configured for providing a circulation of liquid between each inlet (9) and each outlet (10) through a filtering device (11) which is accommodated in the filtration chamber (8), under the action of a pumping device (12, 13, 14),
    - a flap (6) for access to the filtering device (11), which is provided on an upper wall of the hollow body and which is configured for allowing the filtering device (11) to be disassembled and removed from the hollow body (1) in order for it to be cleaned, characterised in that said filtering device (11) comprises at least one front opening (54) which is in communication with at least one liquid inlet (9), and, for filtering and recovering debris, at least one space (55) which is delimited by filtering walls (56, 57, 58, 59) and which extends longitudinally towards at least one liquid outlet (10), this space (55) for filtering and recovering debris having a regular cross-section which decreases from this front opening (54) towards this liquid outlet (10) in order to form, at least when said pumping device (12, 13, 14) is active, a convergent chamber for filtration of the liquid which flows between this front opening (54) and this liquid outlet (10).
  2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one liquid outlet (10) of the hollow body, referred to as the rear outlet, is offset towards the rear, in the longitudinal orientation, from each liquid inlet (9) with which it is in communication via the hydraulic circuit.
  3. An apparatus according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that each space (55) for filtering and recovering debris is arranged immediately downstream of a front opening (54) of the filtering device (11).
  4. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that each space (55) for filtering and recovering debris is delimited by a lower filtering wall (56) which is inclined in an orientation which is non-perpendicular relative to the orientation which connects the front opening (54) of the filtering device (11) and the liquid outlet (10) out of the hollow body (1) with which this space (55) for filtering and recovering debris is in communication.
  5. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterised in that each space (55) for filtering and recovering debris is delimited by an upper wall (57) which is generally horizontal and which extends from a front opening (54) towards the rear and which is connected to said lower filtering wall (56) via an upper rear extreme curved portion (61).
  6. An apparatus according to either claim 4 or claim 5, characterised in that, for each space (55) for filtering and recovering debris, said lower filtering wall (56) has an inclination, relative to the longitudinal orientation, of between 15° and 60°.
  7. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that each front opening (54) of the filtering device (11) is provided opposite an upper end of a liquid inlet conduit (15) which extends from at least one liquid inlet (9), this liquid inlet conduit (15) having a rear wall, referred to as a non-return wall (16), and which extends transversely between said liquid inlet (9) and said front opening (54), at the front of said space (55) for filtering and recovering debris.
  8. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that said space (55) for filtering and recovering debris is delimited by a rigid frame (26) and a filtering sheet which extends into openings provided by the rigid frame (26).
  9. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that tsaid filtering device (11) comprises a single front opening (54) which is in communication with a single space (55) for filtering and recovering debris and a single rear liquid outlet (10).
  10. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the hydraulic circuit comprises at least one axial pumping propeller (14) which is arranged downstream of the filtering device (11) in order to generate a flow of liquid in a liquid outlet (10), said axial pumping propeller (14) being coupled to an actuating motor (12) which is arranged below a rear portion of the filtering device (11).
  11. An apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that said axial pumping propeller (14) is arranged in a cylindrical fairing (48) which forms the liquid outlet (10).
  12. An apparatus according to either claim 10 or claim 11, characterised in that the axial pumping propeller (14) and said cylindrical fairing (48) are orientated so as to generate a liquid flow in an orientation which forms with the longitudinal orientation an angle which is not zero and which is different from 90°.
  13. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that said filtering device (11) comprises ribs (25) which extend laterally at each side of the filtering device (11) and which have a shape and dimensions which correspond to and which complement the shape and dimensions of grooves (24) which are fixedly joined to the hollow body (1) in order to allow the filtering device (11) to slide along the grooves (24) in order to remove the filtering device (11) from the hollow body (1) via said access flap (6).
EP08865322A 2007-12-21 2008-12-18 Submerged-surface cleaning apparatus with angled filtration system Active EP2235296B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0708995A FR2925550B1 (en) 2007-12-21 2007-12-21 IMMERSE SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS WITH INCLINED FILTRATION
PCT/FR2008/052369 WO2009081059A2 (en) 2007-12-21 2008-12-18 Submerged-surface cleaning apparatus with angled filtration system

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2235296A2 EP2235296A2 (en) 2010-10-06
EP2235296B1 true EP2235296B1 (en) 2011-06-22

Family

ID=39768673

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP08865322A Active EP2235296B1 (en) 2007-12-21 2008-12-18 Submerged-surface cleaning apparatus with angled filtration system

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US8393030B2 (en)
EP (1) EP2235296B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE513962T1 (en)
AU (1) AU2008339718B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2709870C (en)
ES (1) ES2368474T3 (en)
FR (1) FR2925550B1 (en)
PT (1) PT2235296E (en)
WO (1) WO2009081059A2 (en)
ZA (1) ZA201005173B (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA201005173B (en) 2011-12-28
ES2368474T3 (en) 2011-11-17
AU2008339718B2 (en) 2014-06-05
FR2925550B1 (en) 2012-10-19
US8393030B2 (en) 2013-03-12
CA2709870C (en) 2016-03-22
ATE513962T1 (en) 2011-07-15
FR2925550A1 (en) 2009-06-26
PT2235296E (en) 2011-09-30
WO2009081059A3 (en) 2009-10-15
US20110005009A1 (en) 2011-01-13
AU2008339718A1 (en) 2009-07-02
CA2709870A1 (en) 2009-07-02
EP2235296A2 (en) 2010-10-06
WO2009081059A2 (en) 2009-07-02

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