Zodiac Pool Care Europe

Simon Duffaut

Philippe Pichon

Louis Favie

Arnaud Lancry

Florent Dallet

Philippe Blanc-Tailleur

E Keith McQueen

Philippe Blanc Tailleur

Remi Deloche

Eugene Keith McQueen

Arnaud Besnier

Benoit Florimond

Skye Svenningsen

Techniques and methods for wirelessly communicating with equipment such as, but not necessarily limited to, automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) are detailed. An accelerometer or other sensor on-board an APC may recognize such communications. In some cases, varying operation of a motor or other feedback generator of the APC may provide sonic or other feedback in response to the communications.

Concepts and methods for communicating with equipment such as automatic swimming pool cleaners via accelerometers or other sensors, motors, or both

A swimming pool cleaner may include at least one light source within its body. The light source may be positioned to project light onto or into (or both onto and into) an on-board filter of the cleaner, facilitating visual examination of the cleanliness of the in situ filter. A transparent region of the body may permit viewing of the on-board filter from outside the body.

Swimming pool cleaner with illuminated debris filter

An automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) may include a sensor for detecting adjacency of a pool wall or other object. Following such detection, the APC may reorient itself so as to re-approach the wall (or other object) in a manner better suited for cleaning the area. The reorientation may occur through, for example, changing speeds of motors on-board the APC, directions of travel of the cleaner, or both.

Systems and methods of operating automatic swimming pool cleaners, especially when approaching walls or other objects

An automatic swimming pool cleaner (APC) for swimming pools and spas may be used to monitor and/or determine a waterline level of the swimming pool or spa. Optionally, the determined waterline level may be provided on a user interface of an external device such as but not limited to a control box or a user device. An alert may be provided to a pool owner or other user based on the waterline level relative to a threshold waterline level. Optionally, at least one piece of equipment associated with the swimming pool or spa may be controlled based on the determined waterline level.

Systems and methods of monitoring a waterline level of a swimming pool or spa

A device for extraction of a swimming pool cleaning robot from water or for putting the swimming pool cleaning robot into water includes a support frame and a plate. The plate can be deployed relative to the support frame beyond the support frame and below the support frame. Deployment of the plate relative to the support frame may be controlled.

Device for extraction of a swimming pool cleaning device

An automatic swimming pool cleaner having a body can be caused to travel laterally along a surface of a swimming pool by varying a characteristic of operation of at least one motive element. For example, a first motive element (such as a brush and/or wheel on one side of the body) can be driven at a different speed and/or in a different direction than a second motive (such as a brush and/or wheel on the opposite side of the body) element to cause the automatic pool cleaner to move laterally along the surface of the swimming pool.

Systems and methods of effecting lateral movement of a cleaning device along a waterline of a vessel or otherwise within the vessel

Apparatus and methods for counteracting, e.g., drift of automatic swimming pool cleaners are detailed. In particular, a drifting cleaner may recover its movement by altering traction speed of the motive element(s) on one side of its body. Such alteration may occur when the cleaner is travelling along a generally horizontally-oriented pool bottom, climbing up or down a wall, or otherwise moving within a pool.

Drive controls principally for automatic swimming pool cleaners

A swimming pool cleaner may operate within a pool during a cleaning cycle. The duration of the cleaning cycle may be tailored, or optimized, for the pool by determining a maximum length of time between, for example, a rotation of the cleaner and when it next detects a wall of the pool during a designated interval. As another example, deducing information relating to rotation speed of the cleaner also may be useful in determining the tailored cleaning cycle.

Systems and methods of operating automatic swimming pool cleaners with enhanced cycle times

A swimming pool cleaner may include motive elements intentionally driven in an unbalanced manner. This unbalanced driving may allow a cleaner to maintain contact with ('hug') walls of a pool, allowing the cleaner to, e.g., obtain information allowing mapping of the pool perimeter.

Systems and methods of operating automatic swimming pool cleaners

Swimming pool cleaners may operate autonomously within pools and spas. The cleaners need not include any external hoses or cords, and their bodies may be oriented at pool waterlines so as to make their on-board filters readily accessible for removal. The cleaners may dock at docking stations for various purposes, including (but not limited to) for charging any on-board battery and communicating electronically with the docking station or other external equipment.

Autonomous cleaning systems principally for swimming pools

Devices for extracting cleaning robots from swimming pools include support frames and plates which can be deployed beyond and below the support frames. The support frames may be supported on rims of the swimming pools.

Growing community of inventors

Castelginest, France

Simon Duffaut