# US 8,739,356 B2 · Cleaning system for transparent tank

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- Number: US 8,739,356 B2
- Document ID: US8739356B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/363,379
- Filed: 2012-02-01
- Published: 2013-08-01
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-31
- Assignees: Mark Hausmann
- Applicants: Mark Hausmann
- Inventors: Mark Hausmann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739356B2

## CPC

- B08B 3/04: Cleaning involving contact with liquid
- A01K 63/10: Cleaning bottoms or walls of ponds or receptacles
- B08B 1/12: Brushes
- B08B 1/30: by movement of cleaning members over a surface
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS

## Abstract

An automated cleaning system adapted for installation on a tank with transparent walls, with the kit comprising an outer element, an inner element which is adapted for cleaning the inner surfaces of the walls of the tank and which is magnetically coupled to the outer element, a horizontal guide rail, a horizontal drive means that moves a carriage along the guide rail, a vertical drive means fixed to the carriage that drives a shuttle that is fixed to the outer element, and a programmable motion-control system that can controllably move the inner element.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wall cleaning kit for a tank having two transparent walls that meet at a corner, wherein each wall has an inner and an outer surface, wherein selected parts of those surfaces require cleaning, the kit comprising:
a) an inner element with one side adapted to slide along an inner surface of the tank which is thereby cleaned;
b) an outer element with a side that is adapted to slide along an outer surface of the tank;
c) a horizontal guide rail adapted to be attached to the tank at the top of the walls, wherein the rail passes above the selected parts and comprises a followable track that assumes the form of a double ogee curve when the track travels around the corner;
d) a vertically disposed carriage that is movably attached to the rail, and that extends from the rail to the bottom of the tank, wherein the carriage comprises;
i. a vertical guide rail which is attached to the carriage, and which extends from one end of the carriage to the other;
ii. a shuttle that is slidingly attached to the vertical guide rail;
iii. a horizontal drive means that is adapted to move the carriage along the followable track;
iv. a vertical drive means that is adapted to move the shuttle up and down along the vertical guide rail;
e) a programmable motion-control means that controls the horizontal drive means and the vertical drive means;
wherein;
the inner and outer elements incorporate a plurality of magnetic components on the respective sides of each element which are adapted to slide along the respective surfaces, wherein, when the elements are positioned in pairs opposite each other on a tank wall, a magnetic component in one element is disposed opposite a magnetic component of opposite polarity in the other element of the pair such that an attractive force, which is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the components, is established between each pair of components thereby magnetically coupling the elements together, with the inner element being pressed against the inner surface and the outer element, which is pressed against the outer surface, is separated from the inner element by a distance equal to the thickness of the wall;
the outer element is attached to the shuttle;
the programmable motion-control means is adapted to sequentially cause the steps of:
i. moving the elements across the selected areas of a first wall;
ii. moving the elements to a finishing position wherein the inner element abuts the corner and is thereby blocked from moving further horizontally;
iii. moving the outer element along the curve of the horizontal track, around the corner, to a starting position on a second wall, whereby the attractive force has decreased as the distance between the elements has increased;
iv. pausing until the inner element is moved by the decreased attractive force to a position that is on the second wall opposite the outer element, whereby the elements are recoupled;
v. moving the magnetically coupled elements across the selected areas of the second wall;
whereby the selected areas of the walls are cleaned.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wall cleaning kit of claim 1 wherein the horizontal drive means comprises:
a) a frame;
b) two shafts;
c) two spur gears;
d) a motor comprising an output shaft;
e) a pinion gear;
f) a geared track fixed to the guide rail;
g) a control system adapted to control the rotation of a motor;
wherein the frame is fixed to the carriage,
the motor is fixed to the frame,
the pinion gear is fixed to the output shaft,
each spur gear is mounted rotatably on one shaft,
the shafts are fixed to the frame such that the spur gears mesh with the pinion gear,
the spur gears mesh with the teeth of the geared track, and
the motor is controlled by the control system,
whereby the control system can controllably urge the carriage along the track.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wall cleaning kit of claim 1 wherein the vertical drive means comprises:
a) a frame mounted on the carriage;
b) one shaft;
c) two identical pulleys adapted to positively drive a belt;
d) a motor comprising an output shaft;
e) a belt adapted to be driven positively by a pulley that has an attachment point;
f) a control system adapted to control the rotation of a motor;
wherein the frame is fixed to the carriage,
a first pulley is fixed rotatably on the shaft,
the second pulley is fixed to the output shaft,
the motor is fixed to the frame,
the belt surrounds the pulleys,
the shaft is fixed to the frame such that its axis is parallel to the output shaft, the faces of the pulleys lie in the same plane, the belt is stretched tightly, and the belt is parallel to and proximate to the vertical guide rail,
the shuttle is fixed to the attachment point, and
the motor is controlled by the control system,
whereby the control system can controllably urge the shuttle along the vertical guide rail.