Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer

Abstract

The invention is a Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer in which swimming pool water circulates from a swimming pool into an induction tank which contains calcium hypochlorite tablets. The tablets dissolve while sitting on a tray positioned just under the water level in the tank. The tank's tray has holes it that are sized to allow the calcium hypochlorite tablets to proceed past the tray and back into the swimming pool when they have sufficiently dissolved, leaving the tank through a gravity-fed outlet pipe affixed to the tank at one end, with the other end of the outlet pipe affixed to the recirculation pipes leading back to the swimming pool.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

None.

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

None.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Swimming pool chemical mixing devices.

2. Background Art

Granular chemicals such as soda ash and calcium hypochlorite are mixed to the water in swimming pools to control biological growth of algae and adjust water pH, among other reasons. These chemicals are sometimes distributed by hand directly into a pool, but for large or commercial pools, more automated and reproducible methods are helpful.

The added chlorine creates a buffer retarding the growth of algae and other biological growth, causing the biomass to settle out of the water as sediment. Swimming pool water is filtered multiple times a day to keep the water clean.

Chemical distribution systems that mix chemicals into the water often struggle with sludge buildup as the solid chemicals are dissolved. To avoid the creation of sludge, chemicals are added in small tablets designed to dissolve efficiently as they circulate in an in-line piping system. However, the tablets still can create sludge over time.

A multitude of automatic chemical mixers exist, some of them monitoring the pH and presence of biomass in the water and adjusting the rate of chemical addition to maintain the most desirable concentration of chemicals. These are often complicated systems which fail in ways that can render the pool unusable for days while the correct balance is restored.

Current approaches require swimming pool operators to either continually monitor the water, or have a high maintenance system that performs these tasks without human interaction. The swimming pool industry needs a non-electric chemical mixing apparatus which efficiently assists the dissolution of solid additives to swimming pools.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed is an apparatus in which chemicals are placed in a mixing bowl that is constructed so water flows over chemicals in tablet form, which slowly decrease in size as they dissolve, until they drop through a screen and join the water flow. The funnel-shaped bowl assists in properly mixing the chemicals with the water without waste or sludge build-up.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is an orthogonal view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the invention with section cut lines for FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the invention's induction tank along the lines shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As represented in the figures, the invention is a Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer (“Mixer”) 11, in which swimming pool water circulates from a swimming pool through an Inlet Pipe 11 and into an Induction Tank 21 where the water dissolves Calcium Hypochlorite Tablets 47, and then leaves the Tank 21 through an Outlet Pipe 27 as it is circulates back into the swimming pool.

While in operation, water flow through the Mixer 11 is controlled automatically by a Flow Valve 51, which is attached to a Float 53. When the water level in the Tank 21 lowers, the Float 53 also lowers, and eventually causes the Flow Valve 51 to open. As water flows into the Tank 11, the Float 53 rises and closes the Flow Valve 51.

As currently configured, the Mixer 11 includes other optional water flow controls, including an Inlet Valve 25 that is in the Inlet Pipe 23, and an Outlet Valve 29 that is in the Outlet Pipe 27. Water flowing through the Inlet Pipe 23 into the Tank 21 is under pressure from a circulation pump. Though the entire system could be pressurized, the current embodiment relies on a gravity feed from the Tank 21 back to a serviced pool.

All construction of the Mixer 11 is configured to reduce sludge buildup. The Induction Tank 21 is shaped and constructed with a funnel-shaped bottom such that chemical residue is unlikely to attach itself to the wall or floor of the Tank 21. The Inlet Valve 25 releases the pressurized water flow so the water is aimed to flow along the cylindrical wall and mix the Tank's contents as the water drains out.

To operate the Mixer 11, a user places Calcium Hypochlorite Tablets 47 into the Tank 21. A Float Pocket 41 is a holding container mounted on the interior side wall of the Tank 21, as shown in the figures. The Float Pocket 41 allows the pressurized water coming into the tank through the Flow Valve 51 to immediately wash over the Tank Contents and maintain water speed by aiming the water flow so it agitates the water in the Tank and forces it to swirl in one direction.

The Mixer 11 is configured to reduce sludge buildup. The Induction Tank 21 is constructed with a funnel-shaped bottom such that chemical residue is unlikely to attach itself to the vertical wall or angled floor surface of the Tank 21. The Inlet Valve 25 releases the pressurized water flow so the water is aimed to flow along the cylindrical wall and mix the Tank's contents as the water drains out.

A Tray 43 is mounted horizontally in the Induction Tank 21 so that undissolved Calcium Hypochlorite Tablets 47 sit on the Tray 43 until they have sufficiently dissolved and can fit through the Tray Holes 45. The Tray 43 height in the Tank 21 is adjustable, so if a user desires to feed Tablets 47 into the water more quickly, the Tray 43 can be lowered deeper into the Tank's water, dissolving more Tablets 47 synchronously.

To operate the Mixer 11, a user places a mass of Tablets 47 into the Tank 21. As shown in FIG. 3, the Tray 43 is positioned just below the Water Level 55 in the Tank 21, so only the bottom portion of the Tablets 47 in the Tank are affected by the water and begin to dissolve. The remainder of the Tablets 47 remain dry, until those which are on or near the Tray 43 and in the water dissolve sufficiently and are swept through the Tray Holes 45. By controlling the relative level of the Tray 43 and Water Level 55 within the Tank 21 using the Flow Valve Float 53, the feed rate of Tablets 47 into the pool water can be controlled.

The current embodiment of the invention uses 3/16″ holes, but the hole size can and should be modified to reflect the size of the tablets. The keys to managing the water treatment rate include the flow of water through the Mixer 11 and the depth of the Tray 43 under the water within the Tank 43.

As seen in the figures, current construction of the Mixer includes a tripod-type of Tank Stand 31. This stand can be constructed any number of ways, but the importance of the Stand 31 is to ensure that water flows out of the Mixer 11 to the served swimming pool by a gravity fed Outlet Pipe 27 and Outlet Valve 29.

Current construction of the Mixer also includes a lid (not shown on the figures), which is not necessary to the invention, but disclosed here only because the current construction includes a lid. The lid is necessary if a configuration required the entire system to operate under pressure. In such a configuration, the Flow Valve 53 would be eliminated, and water flow would be continuous and limited by the Inlet Valve 25 and Outlet Valve 29.

One of the advantages to this construction is the ease of use, in that the invention needs no power and is installed merely by putting the invention in line with the recirculation water system. A user can put a large number of Calcium Hypochlorite Tablets 47 into the Mixer 11, with confidence that the device will operate properly without supervision, keeping the proper chemical flow into the pool.

The foregoing specification reflects the current construction, however several other construction possibilities exist. For example, the shape of the Tank 21 is not necessarily cylindrical. The Tray 43 could be constructed as a slotted plate or a wire strainer. Thus, the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but can be employed in various equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer 11 for a swimming pool, comprising:

a. an Inlet Pipe 23, with one end attached to a pressurized source, and the other end passing through a wall of an Induction Tank 21 and connected to a Flow Valve 51 within the Tank 21, as described below;

b. an Outlet Pipe 27, which is mounted at the bottom of the Induction Tank 21, and carries gravity-fed water from the Tank 21 back to a swimming pool or other commercial water fixture.

c. an Induction Tank 21, a container to which an Inlet Pipe 23 and Outlet Pipe 27 are attached, such that pressurized water enters the container through the Inlet Pipe and Flow Valve 51 attached to an interior side of the Tank 21, and the Outlet Pipe 27 is mounted at the bottommost portion of the Tank 21;

d. a Tray 43 which is mounted horizontally in the Tank 21 and covers the entirely of the plane of the Tray 43 within the Tank 21, constructed with Strain Holes 45 that are spaced throughout the Tray's surface, the Strain Holes 25 sized so that their diameter is substantially smaller than commercially chemical tablets used to treat swimming pools.

e. a Flow Valve 51 mounted on an interior side of the Tank 21, and connected to the Inlet Pipe 23, so that when the Flow Valve 51 is open, pressurized water is released and sprays along the Tank's vertical wall, agitating water in the Tank;

f. a Flow Valve Float 53, which is attached to the Flow Valve 51, opening and closing the Flow Valve 51 based on a pre-adjusted and desired water level in the Induction Tank 21. The Float 53 moves with the changing water level, When the water level lowers to a pre-set point, water is released into the Tank until a second pre-set water level is reached. The Float 53 is set so that the water level within the Tank 21 is sufficient to cover the Tray 43 and a lower portion of the Tray's contents.

g. a Tank Stand 31, which holds the Induction Tank upright and vertically high enough above the water level of the served swimming pool so that water in the Tank will gravity-feed to pool.

2. A Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer 11 as described in claim 1, further comprising an Inlet Valve 25 that controls flow through the Inlet Pipe 23.

3. A Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer 11 as described in claim 1, further comprising an Outlet Valve 29 that controls flow through the Outlet Pipe 29.

4. A Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer 11 as described in claim 1, with the additional limitation that the Induction Tank 21 is shaped as a vertically-oriented cylindrical-shaped container with a funnel-shaped bottom and substantially vertical walls.

5. A Swimming Pool Chemical Mixer 11 as described in claim 1, with the additional limitation that the height of the Tray 43 within the Tank 21 is user-adjustable.

6. A method for treating swimming pool water, comprising:

a) maintaining water at a specific level within a container;

b) mounting a tray constructed with a pattern of small holes in the container, such that the tray separates the container into an upper portion and a lower portion, and fixed in the container so that it is submerged just below the water within a container;

c) placing chemicals in tablet form on the tray, such that some of the chemicals on the tray are beneath the water, and other tablets are above the water;

d) releasing water into the container from an inlet pipe into the container in such a way to agitate water already in the container and in which the tablets sit;

e) releasing water from the container into an outlet pipe into the swimming pool, allowing the partially dissolved chemical tablets to travel from the upper portion of the container into the lower portion and then to join the water flow when the tablets have dissolved sufficiently so they fall through a tray hole.

7. The method for treating swimming pool water as in claim 5, with the added step of

f) maintaining water at a specific level within the container by the use of a float and control valve that releases water from a pressurized inlet pipe into the container when the water level in the container decreases to a point where the tray is not sufficiently covered.

8. The method for treating swimming pool water as in claim 5, with the added step of

g) maintaining the flow of water through the container by the use of valves on the water supply to and from the container's inlet and outlet pipes.