Title of Invention: An assembly of a self-propelled skimmer body for cleaning the water surface of large artificial lakes and large water bodies.

Technical Field

[1] The present invention discloses an innovative device assembly of an automatic skimmer that cleans surfaces of huge artificial lagoons and big water bodies. The skimmer is remotely controlled. It is provided with a sensor to avoid obstacles such as, for example, walls, boats or jet skis; a rear basket to collect waists and debris and forewings to direct and collect floating debris. The new device can easily move and maneuver. The storage space is designed to be large enough to contain larger amounts of floating debris, which makes it suitable to operate on a big water structures.

[2] Moreover, the present invention discloses a skimmer that can move straightly forward / backward, in trajectory lines and circulate in all directions; therefore, the skimmer can maneuver easily to collect scattered floating debris in short time. The skimmer is operated by rechargeable batteries, so no electrical supplies or cables are needed.

Background Art

[3] Maintaining water bodies, whether small like swimming pools or big like huge artificial lagoons, require excessive efforts, starting from preserving the quality of water to regular cleaning of waists and collecting floating debris (leaves, dead bugs and any other pollutants). Cleaning process is important because waists and debris sink inside the said water body, making cleaning process difficult, and the remaining floating debris cause actual pollution and optical pollution.

[4] Floating debris can be removed manually by a plastic net with a long handle made of aluminum (usually 7 m length). A worker, standing by the side of a pool, grabs the said net and tries to collect the floating debris. This way is only used to clean small sized pools. As for large pools, only the sides are reachable, as the handle is short to cover large area.

[5] Fixed skimmers are widely used to clean various types of swimming pools. Fixed skimmers are a box provided with an opening and attached to walls (edges) of a pool. The level of water reaches the middle of the opening. The box of the skimmer is provided with a basket where debris is collected and is connected to a pool pump. The skimmer scraps off the water surface by air streams and water waves resulting from swimmers move and pump sucking when operated. The Egyptian Code (Code no., 301 , year 1999. p. 90-91 ) stipulates that “the number of skimmers arranged in swimming pools is counted based on at least one unit per 46.5 m ² , (500 square feet) of water surface of public pools, and one unit per 74.5 m ² (800 square feet) of water surface of private pools”. Manufacturer recommends installing one skimmer per each 25 m ² of water surface.

[6] Concerning the number of distributed fixed skimmers, the aforementioned code stipulates that “skimmers should be distributed over water surface in a manner allows perfect skimming of water surface, and preferably, a skimmer is installed at each side of the pool. Upon positioning the skimmers, shape of pool and wind direction should be taking into consideration”.

[7] In case of non-entertainment water, such as waterway, canals, and ponds in gardens and parks as well as lakes of golf courses, they are not provided with skimmers and there is no other way for cleaning except manual cleaning, which is, expensive, and effort and time consuming.

[8] Background art literatures include various techniques for cleaning surface of artificial lagoons to remove debris and floating waists. US application (US7101475B1 ) discloses a skimmer for swimming pools is operated independently by solar energy via forward impeller. Motion and navigation are improved by using horizontal shock absorber wheels that change the direction of the skimmer, beside transverse paddle wheels and shock absorber wheels that help to avoid obstacles and remove blockage. Additional improvements include anti-corrosive containers, electronic medium, disposable filter medium, warning flag of pool entrance and a warning flag of expected blockage with debris and floating waists, modification for improving skimmer motion, preventing reverse wash of debris, electronic control circuits and intermittent function during night. Fig (1 ) shows a photo of this skimmer size and plastic material it is made of. It is clear that the said skimmer is used only for small swimming pools but not suitable for huge lagoons or waterway and other big water structures. Therefore, the subject matter of cited application is different from the subject matter of the present invention.

[9] US document (US7037038B1 ) discloses a floating skimmer to clean water swimming pools surfaces. It consists of a container mounted on two structures between them a net where debris and waists are collected. At each end of the basket, there are hinge leaves allow debris to enter the basket and hold them inside. Each container is provided with a covered motor. The said skimmer can move both forward and backward. It is provided with sensors on each container to rotate and reverse the skimmer when contacts the pool skimmer box. It is possible to control skimmer entering into the pool skimmer inlet that is located on the side wall of the swimming pool to empty the basket in the pool stream flowing into the pool skimmer box. In other words, the skimmer is remotely controlled to collect debris and waists on swimming pool surface. When the small basket is full, it is directed to the skimmer mounted on the pool wall, where it is emptied and then returns to continue cleaning.

[10] It is clear that, the skimmer of the cited document is different from the skimmer of the present invention in that it cannot be used to clean the surface of huge lagoons and big water structures because due to the absence of skimmer box by the sides of those water structures.

[11] US document (US4900432) discloses a skimmer for swimming pool operated via solar energy. It is a raft collects waste inside central chamber by a paddle wheel. The paddle wheel drives the skimmer forward. The skimmer is provided with a separate drive motor that redirects the skimmer upon hitting an object. The main disadvantage of this device is that the said skimmer may easily stick at any corner of the pool because the paddle wheels and drive motor move in a single direction. Reversing paddle wheels may drive the skimmer away from the obstacle to the waist's chamber. [12] As mentioned in the previously cited documents, the collected amount of waists and debris is limited as the container is inside the skimmer itself. Therefore, the skimmer is not suitable for cleaning huge lagoons or water bodies because the skimmer is to be dragged outside the said lagoon to empty the waists container.

[13] Australian document no. (AU723519B2) and US document (US6074553) reveal a water skimmer consists of a hollow floating body provided with a passage along the skimmer body from debris collecting opening at the front to discharge opening at the rear part. The skimmer moves by a drive unit located in the lower part of the body. The debris container, which is a net bag, is placed outside the body on the rear part of the body as an extension of discharge outlet, so it is enabled to collect floating debris passing through the said passage. The skimmer is provided with a drive mechanism that senses any obstacle may hinder the skimmer and redirects the skimmer via propulsion module.

[14] Although the significant improvements, the skimmer does not efficiently cover the whole surface of a water structure due to the lack of reversed motion, consequently, the debris bag interlocks the propeller fan.

[15]US document no.; (US2007/0235380) reveals a skimmer to collect floating waists over water surface. The skimmer consists of a floating part, front part, rear part and a duct collects waists and debris passing from the front part along the floating body to rear part. The invention includes a drive system to strongly move the floating body through water towards front part. Drive system consists of two electrical engines arranged inside the skimmer body. A rotary shaft is connected to each engine, wherein its distal end is outside the skimmer body and is provided with a fan. The rotary shafts rotate with whether equal or different speeds, therefore the skimmer can move over the water in either straight or curved movement. The skimmer also includes a nylon bag attached to waists collecting duct at the rear part to collect debris from the front end of said duct.

[16] Disadvantageously, the said skimmer does not include sensors to prevent hitting obstacles, such as a swimming pool walls or water skis. Instead, the device is provided with rubber wheels to protect the skimmer against, for example, hitting side walls of pools, making the skimmer maneuvers to safely avoid the obstacles causing no damages to either the skimmer or the surface. [17] Therefore, the present invention is directed to provide solutions to the aforementioned problems and disadvantages. It should be noted that all cited documents whether patents or non-patent literature are mentioned by way of reference and none of them could be considered a part of the present invention state of art as their subject matters are away from the subject matter of the present invention and the techniques included therein are not suitable for huge lagoons and the larger amount as the present invention provides as will be described.

Summary of Invention

[18] The present invention relates to an assembly of automatic skimmer to clean water surface of huge artificial lagoons and water structures. The skimmer body consists of three main parts. First part is motion device located in the middle of the skimmer body, and is responsible for moving and maneuvering the skimmer. Second part includes debris collecting assembly and is located in the rear part. Third part includes a front collecting and directing assembly and is located in the front part of the skimmer body. The skimmer of the present invention is remotely controlled. It is provided with sensors to avoid obstacles. It also includes rear storage basket for debris storage, and front forewings to collect and direct scattered floating debris. The skimmer of the present invention characterizes in that it can easily move and maneuver, and large stockpiling space, which is convenient for large water structures.

Technical Problem

[19] The principal problem the present invention targets, is maintaining the quality of water by removing floating debris over the surface of huge water bodies. Cleaning huge lagoons requires using a large number of fixed skimmers, for example, the area of the artificial lagoon of the central park areas inside the New Administrative Capital is about 90,000 m ² , and its circumference is about 2000 m, and according to Egyptian Code, cleaning such lagoon requires 1936 skimmers distributed on its outer boundaries. Such large number of skimmers requires a huge network of pipes which raises the costs of construction and daily operation.

[20] Another problem is the problem of hauling debris, fixed skimmers are buried inside the walls (outer edges) of given water body, and in case of huge lagoons, the distance between center of the water surface and the edge is large to drag debris and waists. Referring to the previous example of the New Administrative Capital, the distance between water surface center and the nearest edge is up to 80 m, so it is not possible to spontaneously drag debris along such a big distance to the opening of the skimmer if knowing that it is given dimensions is 25 x 40 cm.

[21] As known, circumference of huge water structure is large, to be efficiently covered with certain number of skimmers. So, designers distribute skimmers around the outer circumference of the water structure according to the wind direction to help with driving debris to skimmer inlet. Large water structures often has more sophisticated shape than a swimming pool, and considering changes in wind direction, it is difficult to distributed skimmers in a way convenient to collect all floating debris, as in most cases debris moves towards edges and away from skimmers deforming the view of the lagoon.

[22] Another disadvantage of fixed skimmers, is that they are installed on vertical walls (edges), knowing that several large water structures have inclined edges, which makes it difficult to install fixed skimmers.

Solution to Problem

[23] In order to avoid these shortcomings and problems in the installation and operation of fixed skimmers or in the absence of skimmers, the floating mobile skimmer that navigates on the surface of the swimming pool water was invented to devour the floating debris and clean the surface of the water. Available types face difficulties and problems in working in huge artificial lakes and large bodies of water.

[24] Therefore, there is a need to solve this problem to overcome the disadvantages of conventional floating skimmers and providing an inventive skimmer suitable for use with huge lagoons and water bodies.

Advantageous of Invention

[25] The present invention encompasses several advantages that fulfill the target of the invention. The inventive skimmer operates efficiently on huge water structures, which is difficult to be cleaned by conventional skimmers. The inventive skimmer includes a big storage basket to enable cleaning huge areas such as big lagoons and water bodies, as it is able to contain large amounts of debris and waists. It is worth mention that the size of the basket slightly affects the movement of the skimmer assembly because the basket is floating over floaters, so this allow the basket to be bigger than that in any other similar devices.

[26] The collection and direction system is located at the front part of the assembly so as to facilitate collecting scattered debris and reduce maneuver.

[27] The inventive skimmer is operated via a rechargeable battery, so no electrical cables are needed. The skimmer includes ultrasonic sensor to avoid collision with obstacles. The inventive skimmer can move to any direction, for example forward/ backward, trajectories line, rotate and maneuver so, it can easily collect floating debris.

[28] The skimmer consists of two buoys and a bar connected to both of them in order to keep them distant, consequently, storage basket is kept opened and prepared to easily receive debris. The two engines are positioned inside a cylindrical cavity so; the basket does not convolute around them or interfere with the propeller. The spout of the cylindrical cavity is provided with a net to prevent floating debris from interfering with the propeller.

[29] The inventive skimmer helps to reduce the number of manpower required to clean water structures, particularly large areas, and costs of equipment that wear out quickly. The skimmer of the present invention can be used for cleaning both fresh and seawater as the weight of the assembly is adjustable via using lead sheets according to jacking force which differs based on the type of water. This technology saves the costs of installing the fixed skimmers and the piping network attached to them, which reduces the cost of construction, maintenance and operation.

Brief Description of Drawings

[fig. 1] a photo shows the shape and size of the device of US patent no. US7101475B1

[ fig. 2] Scheme shows the method of assembling the parts of the assembly.

[fig. 3] A scheme shows of the assembly after assembling various its parts.

[fig 4] A horizontal projection shows the various parts of the assembly with different dimensions.

[fig. 5] shows front projection of drive system and its various parts and its vertical dimensions. [fig 6] front prospective of the system and its various parts and shows water level.

[fig 7] shows a rear prospective of the system and its various parts and shows water level.

[fig 8] shows detailed perspective the front drive assembly.

[fig 9] A drawing showing a stereoscopic section of the assembly while it was working in the water.

[fig 10] Longitudinal section of the assembly as it moving forward, shows a plastic piece moving around axis allowing debris to enter the basket.

[fig 11] Longitudinal section of the assembly as it moving backward shows a plastic piece moving around axis to block the passage and prevent debris from going out.

Description of Embodiments

[30] The present invention discloses an assembly of a skimmer collects floating debris and waists over the surface of water. The assembly consists of three parts; first part is an automated motion system 1 located in the middle of the assembly. It is responsible for moving and maneuvering the said assembly. Second part comprises a system for debris storage 2. This part is located at the rear of the assembly. The third part is the collection and forward guidance group 3. It is located at the front part of the assembly as shown in (figs. 2,3,4).

[31] Considering (figs 2,3,4), The automated motion systeml is responsible of moving the skimmer of the present invention and is considered the most important and sophisticated part of the skimmer. It consists of two parts; upper part 1A includes mechanism of operation and direction, and a lower part 1 B carries out the motion. The upper part 1A is a hollow upside-down U-shaped structure, and consists of the vertical parts 7, 8 and the flat upper part 9. The power supply unit is arranged on the flat upper part 9, and it is a rechargeable lithium battery, control panel to control the motion of the system as well as the antenna 24 that receives signals from remote control device. These parts are reachable via an opening provided in part 9. A distance sensor 14, which is an ultrasonic sensor, is arranged at the front side of the flat part 9. The distance sensor detects obstacles that may interfere with the course of the skimmer by sending signals to the control panel. [32] The lower part 1 B, is a hollow structure formation, and consists of horizontal flat part 4 connects two hollowed cylinder formations 5 and 6 mounted on both left and right sides. Each one of the two formations has a tube - like hollow body to host a cylinder duct with its both front and back ends opened. Inside each duct an insulated electrical engine 12 and 13 are fixed. A turbine-like fan is connected to each engine to move the device. Along the bottom line of the two cylindrical tubes 5 and 6, there is U shaped passage 23, which is formed along the line from beneath the system. The U-shaped passage is provided with holes where longitudinal sheets of lead are fixed to adjust the weight of the skimmer and to balance uplift force (fig. 6).

[33] When the upper part 1A and the lower part 1B are connected, they form together a rectangle shaped passage open from front and back, allowing water and debris to move through it. At the front opening of the passage a piece of plastic 10 is provided with thickness not less than 3 mm, and is fixed from above on a horizontal axis 28 between the two main parts 7 and 8, such a position enables easy rotation around the axis to inside. A metal angle 11 is fixed under the horizontal axis and on the horizontal part 4, and its function is to prevent the plastic piece 10 from rotating around the horizontal axis 28 and gets outside. The plastic piece 10 allows debris to move towards storage net and prevent adverse movement (see figs 10 and 11).

[34] Advantageously, the body of the device is made of reinforced plastic or any other material or metal that is not affected by water. The device is hollowed to generate uplift force to float the device over the water surface.

[35] The present invention discloses an assembly 2 to store debris and located at the rear of the passage. It consists of a storage basket 15 made of nylon with a convenient size, two buoys 16 are attached to its end to keep the basket 15 floating and ready to receive debris. A warring flag 17 is placed over each buoy. Both buoys 16 are connected to one another via a hollow plastic bar 29 to maintain adjusted distance between the two buoys 16 so they do not either come close or go far from each other. The front inlet of the basket is always open due to the reinforced water- resistant plastic or metal frame 25, which is provided at its top part with a ring 26 to facilitate lowering the frame 25 into the passage 27 to position the basket 15 into the device 1 and move it out when it is filled with debris (fig. 7). [36] The present invention discloses the collecting and routing assembly 3, which is placed at the front part of auto motion system 1 (figs 2 and 3). They are two forewings 18 and 19 on shape of two opened arms with an angle 135°, and are positioned on the front part of the cylinder formations 5 and 6. The said assembly collects and routes as large amount of floating scattered debris as possible towards collecting duct inside the skimmer 1. Each forewing comprises a placing plastic ring 20, the latter is provided with a plastic net having its opening not less than 5 x 5 cm, and it prevents debris from getting inside the cylinder tube and reaching the engine fan. A plastic rectangle structure 21 is attached to the ring with an angle 135°, length not less than 21 to 70 cm and width not less than 30 cm and a plastic net is attached thereof with a warning flag 17 placed on its end (fig. 8). The said assembly is adjusted, so the water level reaches the middle of the plastic net 21 and 22 as shown in fig. (9).

[37] The advantage of the present invention is the possibility of remotely control the assembly as in fig. (9). However, before using the skimmer, the water level should be measured first, according to figs (6 and 7), so that it is above the flat part 4 with about only 10 cm. This water level is considered suitable for debris to easily move through the passage of device 1 , because less height (less than 10 cm) may push debris to hit the bottom of passage 4, and higher height (more than 10 cm) may increase the possibility of floating debris hitting the upper part of the passage 9. In both cases the debris will collect in front of the skimmer 1 and does not reach the pilling storage 15.

[38] Due to the hollow cylinder formation, the auto motion part 1 is subject to uplift force value ranges from 110 to 114 kg when the water level is adjusted in right position. The difference of uplift force value results from the difference in density between fresh water and seawater, Therefore, the weight of the device must be equal to the uplifting force in order for the device to remain - and therefore the assembly as a whole - floating in equilibrium. The total weight of the device components is adjusted to 110 kg, which means the device will need about 4 kg extra weight when it is used in seawater and this indicates the importance of lead sheets to deliver water level to correspondence place.

[39] Lead strips are added at the bottom of both cylindrical formations 5 and 6, where they are fixed in the metal passage 23 located below them (fig. 6). The said lead sheets placed under the cylinder formations 5 and 6 should be identical in weight and thickness. They should also be placed along the length of the cylinder tube to avoid the assembly tilting to either side, so the targeted balance of the whole assembly is achieved.

[40] The engine of the said device is fed via a lithium battery not less than 24 volte. It is placed in the power supply system arranged in part 9 of the device 1 . The system comprises at least two electrical engines 12 and 13 (figs 7 and 8). Both engines 12 and 13 are remotely started via pressing ON button in the remote-control device, in such a case, the device 1 moves forwardly pushing the collect and drive assembly 3 and towing the pilling assembly 2 from behind, consequently, the device speed is fully controlled.

[41] Upon moving the assembly forward (fig 10), water rushes inside the passage of the device 1 , between its upper part 1A and lower part 1B from forward backward (opposite direction of the assembly). Water rush rotates the plastic piece 10 around the horizontal axis 28 inwardly (at the direction of water), so floating debris moves over the water surface in the same direction and enters the storage basket 15. Meanwhile, the collect and direct assembly 3 collects scattered floating debris and direct it into the passage inlet.

[42] The distance sensor 14 is operated via remote control device. Its function is to send ultrasonic waves when an obstacle intersects the device course (e.g. Wall, human, a toy ...etc) at a distance not less than 1 .25 m. The distance sensor stops the device and releases an alarm in the remote-control device. The distance sensor is design to avoid only visible floating obstacles on the surface of water. In case the obstacle is a submerged object, the distance sensor is unable detect and avoid it, therefore, detection and avoidance of the obstacle is the duty of the device operator.

[43] The two engines, right engine 5 and left engine 6, easily control the direction of the skimmer body over the water surface as follows:

- Upon starting both engines together, they push the device 1 forward.

- When the right engine 5 stops, the device 1 only rotates clockwise, rotation axis is the right side of the device 1 . - When the left engine 6 stops, the device 1 only rotates counter clockwise, rotation axis is the left side of the device 1.

- It was forbidden to rotate the two motors together, each in the opposite direction of the other, because this leads to the rotation of the device 1 around its axis (the midpoint), and this movement may negatively affect the rear storage basket.

[44] Additionally, the present invention discloses the possibility of backward movement by reversing rotation direction of the two engines 5 and 6 together, and this only used to maneuver the assembly. In this respect, the device moves backward (fig. 11 ). Water rushes into the passage of the device 1 between its two upper 1A and lower 1 B parts from backward forward (in reverse direction to the assembly) carrying collected debris in storage basket. The plastic piece 10 rotates outwardly (in direction of water stream) around the axis 28 due to water rushing outside, so the plastic piece hits lower angle 11 to close the passage inlet preventing debris from getting out the assembly.

[45] The assembly of the present invention should be monitored by a worker to direct it to unclean areas to collect debris and waists, as debris is not scattered all over the water body surface, it is rather gathered in a certain area according to water and wind movement. Said worker is to maneuver the assembly to avoid obstacles until required cleaning is done and storage basket is filled, then the assembly is stopped and the filled basket is taken out from the passage 27 via lifting the frame 25 by the handle 26 and the basket is replaced with an empty one.