US 12,032,376 B2
Intelligent solar powered pool skimming robot
Milan Simik, Sarasota, FL (US); and Miroslav Kremecek, Kyov (CZ)
Assigned to Skimdevil Pure, LLC, Lakewood Ranch, FL (US)
Filed by Skimdevil Pure, LLC, Lakewood Ranch, FL (US)
Filed on Aug. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/406,010.
Application 17/406,010 is a continuation of application No. 15/164,566, filed on May 25, 2016, granted, now 11,112,799.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/166,100, filed on May 25, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0382485 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05D 1/02 (2020.01); C02F 1/00 (2023.01); E04H 4/12 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); B63B 35/32 (2006.01); C02F 103/42 (2006.01)
CPC G05D 1/0206 (2013.01) [C02F 1/001 (2013.01); C02F 1/008 (2013.01); E04H 4/1263 (2013.01); B63B 35/32 (2013.01); C02F 2103/42 (2013.01); C02F 2201/008 (2013.01); C02F 2201/009 (2013.01); C02F 2209/001 (2013.01); C02F 2209/005 (2013.01); C02F 2209/02 (2013.01); C02F 2209/055 (2013.01); C02F 2209/06 (2013.01); C02F 2209/07 (2013.01); C02F 2209/10 (2013.01); C02F 2209/11 (2013.01); C02F 2303/24 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An autonomous water skimming system, comprising:
a body;
one or more processing units;
two or more paddlewheels coupled to the body, each paddlewheel driven by an independent motor, wherein the independent motors are independently controllable by the one or more processing units to support steering;
two or more distance sensors;
one or more solar cells;
a power supply operable to power the one or more processing units and the independent motors from energy supplied by the one or more solar cells; and
one or more processing modules, wherein the one or more processing units are configured by the one or more processing modules to plan and execute a traversal path across a surface of a body of water in order to collect debris, and a portion of the traversal path is established according to signals associated with the two or more distance sensors;
wherein the signals associated with the two or more distance sensors are processed to indicate a distance from one or more obstacles within the surface of the body of water;
wherein the traversal path comprises a series of movements across the surface of the body of water.