US 12,292,751 B2
Bypass mechanism for automatic pool cleaners
Hendrikus Johannes van der Meijden, Glen Austin (ZA)
Assigned to ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC, Carlsbad, CA (US)
Filed by ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC, Carlsbad, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/370,572.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/061,484, filed on Aug. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0043467 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. G05D 7/06 (2006.01); C02F 1/00 (2023.01); F04D 15/00 (2006.01); F16K 1/20 (2006.01); C02F 103/42 (2006.01); E04H 4/16 (2006.01); F04D 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 7/0635 (2013.01) [C02F 1/008 (2013.01); F04D 15/0027 (2013.01); F16K 1/2007 (2013.01); C02F 2103/42 (2013.01); C02F 2201/005 (2013.01); E04H 4/1654 (2013.01); F04D 1/00 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bypass mechanism for regulating operation of an automatic pool cleaner, wherein the bypass mechanism is configured such that:
(1) responsive to a lapse of a cycle corresponding to a predetermined period of time, and regardless of a state of a pump, the bypass mechanism prevents the pump of a swimming pool or spa from operating the automatic pool cleaner; and
(2) responsive to the pump being de-energized after the lapse of the cycle, the bypass mechanism resets to allow the pump to operate the automatic pool cleaner to begin a new cycle corresponding to the predetermined period of time,
wherein the bypass mechanism is configured such that when the pump is de-energized before the predetermined period of time has lapsed:
a flap for an inlet remains in a closed position until the pump is re-energized;
when the pump is re-energized, (1) the flap remains in the closed position until the predetermined period of time has lapsed, and (2) the flap moves to an open position once the predetermined period of time has lapsed; and
the flap returns to the closed position when the pump is de-energized, which resets the bypass mechanism to begin the new cycle corresponding to the predetermined period of time.