Rechargeable robotic pool cleaning apparatus

A rechargeable autonomous robotic pool cleaning apparatus for cleaning the bottom wall surface of a contained body of water, the apparatus comprising:

• a body structure having front, rear, top, bottom and side portions, a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis;
• a first water jet pump housed within said body structure, said first pump including an impeller for generating a first jet stream of water when activated, said first pump being positioned adjacent to a first discharge duct member, said first discharge duct member being vertically oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the body structure and parallel to its vertical axis for directing the first jet stream of water vertically upward relative to the body structure;
• a flexible one-way exhaust valve positioned and located adjacent the terminal end portion of said first duct member;
• a second water jet pump housed within said body structure, said second pump including an impeller for generating a second jet stream of water when activated, said second pump being positioned adjacent to a second discharge duct member, said second discharge duct member being angularly oriented relative to the vertical axis of the body structure for directing the second jet stream of water at an outflow angle relative to the vertical axis of the body structure and towards the front portion of the body structure;
• a first baffle member associated with said second discharge duct member, said first baffle member directing the second jet stream of water at a specific angle relative to the vertical axis of the body structure as the second jet stream of water exits the second discharge duct, said first baffle member being selectively adjustable so as to alter the outflow direction of the second jet stream of water relative to the vertical axis of the body structure;
• a first pivotally mounted flap valve positioned and located adjacent the terminal end portion of said second duct member, said first flap valve being selectively rotatable;
• a third water jet pump housed within said body structure, said third pump including an impeller for generating a third jet stream of water when activated, said third pump being positioned adjacent to a third discharge duct member, said third discharge duct member being angularly oriented relative to the vertical axis of the body structure for directing the third jet stream of water at an outflow angle relative to the vertical axis of the body structure and towards the rear portion of the body structure;
• a second baffle member associated with said third discharge duct member, said second baffle member directing the third jet stream of water at a specific angle relative to the vertical axis of the body structure as the third jet stream of water exits the third discharge duct member, said second baffle member being selectively adjustable so as to alter the outflow direction of the third jet stream of water relative to the vertical axis of the body structure;
• a second pivotally mounted flap valve positioned and located adjacent the terminal end portion of said third discharge duct member, said second flap valve being selectively rotatable;
• a removable filter assembly slidably insertable into said body structure for collecting debris from the bottom wall surface of the contained body of water, said filter assembly forming the bottom portion of said body structure;
• at least three duckbill valves associated with said filter assembly, each duckbill valve having an inlet portion adjacent the bottom portion of said body structure for receiving water from the contained body of water and each duckbill valve having an outlet portion positioned in said filter assembly, said filter assembly filtering debris from the water received by said duckbill valves as water passes through the filter assembly;
• a pair of freely rotating front wheels and a pair of freely rotating rear wheels associated with said body structure;
• a rechargeable power source housed within the body structure for providing power to said first, second and third water jet pumps;
• electronics housed within said body structure and electronically connected to the rechargeable power source and to said first, second and third water jet pumps for controlling the operating of the pumps, the electronics including at least one main controller, memory for storing at least one operating program for controlling the operation of the first, second and third pumps for moving the apparatus both vertically and horizontally in the contained body of water, and a charging controller coupled to the power source and to a charging input port for externally charging the power source;
• said first water jet pump, when activated, causing water to be drawn into said filter assembly through said at least three duckbill valves, causing water to exit the filter assembly and causing said first jet stream of water to exit through the first discharge duct member thereby providing a downward thrust force pushing the apparatus downward toward the bottom wall surface of the contained body of water;
• said second water jet pump, when activated, causing water to be drawn into the filter assembly through the at least three duckbill valves, causing water to exit the filter assembly, and causing said second jet stream of water to exit through the second discharge duct member thereby providing at least a rearward thrust component pushing the apparatus in a rearward direction;
• said third water jet pump, when activated, causing water to be drawn into the filter assembly through said at least three duckbill valves, causing water to exit the filter assembly, and causing said third jet stream of water to exit through the third discharge duct valve thereby providing at least a forward thrust component pushing the apparatus in a forward direction;
• said apparatus being buoyant so as to float at the surface of the water when said first, second and third pumps are not activated, said apparatus, when submerged, automatically returning to the surface of the water when said first, second and third pumps are not activated;
• said at least one main controller activating said at least one operating program form propelling the apparatus in both a vertical direction to descend to the bottom wall surface of the contained body of water and in a horizontal direction along the bottom wall surface and the water surface.

A method for submerging a robotic pool cleaning apparatus for cleaning the bottom surface of a contained body of water, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one water jet pump on the pool cleaning apparatus, the at least one water jet pump including an impeller for generating a jet stream of water when activated, said at least one water jet pump being positioned adjacent to a discharge duct member, said discharge duct member being oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the body structure for directing the jet stream of water in an upward direction so as to provide at least a downward thrust component when the at least one water jet pump is activated;
• providing a one-way flexible exhaust valve positioned adjacent the terminal end portion of the discharge duct member, the one-way valve including a top recess for retaining water;
• turning on the at least one water jet pump for a predetermined period of time;
• turning off the at least one water jet pump for a predetermined period of time;
• and
• pulsing the at least one water jet pump on and off for predetermined periods of time to propel the pool cleaning apparatus downward towards the bottom surface of the contained body of water, the top recess of the one-way flexible exhaust valve retaining water during the pulsing of the at least one water jet pump thereby aiding in pushing the pool cleaning apparatus to the bottom surface of the contained body of water.