SWIMMING POOL COVERING SHEET, SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

A pool cover, pool covering apparatus, system and method for covering a pool: A swimming pool cover consisting of two layers, suitably bonded together, with air trapped in gas tight compartments extending across the width of the cover. These features give the cover improved lateral stiffness, low wetted surface area, and a feedback mechanism for centering the cover as it is being rolled up. A pool covering apparatus that consists of: A movable reel assembly that can also be used a seat to store the cover wrapped around a shaft; A float, attached to the cover, to pull the cover onto the pool when the operator by means of a rope pulls it onto the pool; A cranking device to wind up the cover on the shaft in the reel assembly to remove the cover from the pool. The pool is broken down into a plurality of sections, one apparatus serving each section, to allow an easily operated system to cover a large pool and to allow the design features of the cover make it easier to deploy and remove.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to swimming pool covers and covering systems, in particular, an apparatus system and method of use for covering a pool. The invention relates to buoyant light weight swimming pool covers and the apparatus for storing, deploying and retrieving said covers.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

A swimming pool loses most of its heat when water evaporates from its surface. This is true for indoor as well as outdoor pools. Relating to indoor pools, energy is consumed in multiple ways. First, to maintain the temperature of the water that would otherwise decrease because of the evaporation mentioned above, heat energy must be added to the pool. The water evaporating from the pool causes the air inside the structure housing the pool to be humid and uncomfortable. To reduce the humidity inside the structure housing the pool, climate control systems are utilized—thus expending more energy.

Pool covers have been developed to address this. However, the current state of the art relating to pool covers is cumbersome to deploy, remove and store. Automated covers have been, developed, but there are not cost competitive

Deploying pool covers is currently cumbersome, particularly on large pools, which require two people. This is a problem in many commercial pools as only one person is available open the pool. The present invention involves breaking the pool down into manageable sections so that one person can deploy the cover.

Removing the pool cover is also cumbersome. The cover retains a great deal of water because of its large surface area created by the bubble pattern known in the art which comprises a grid of circular bubbles approximately one centimeter in diameter. This makes it difficult to roll, because the retained water accumulates at the bottom of the roll creating resistance to rolling it up on a roller. It also makes the roll up cover very heavy and difficult to handle. The cover also has a tendency to creep to one side or the other as it is rolled up on the roller. The cover bunches up at one side of the roller and must be pulled back to the center. On large covers this can be quite time consuming and frustrating.

Once the cover is removed it presents a storage problem. Space is at a premium around pools. In the prior art, the reel assembly is large and has no secondary use. In the present invention the reel assembly is small and will fit in many places and provide seating around the pool that is always needed. Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide a pool cover system and method for deploying and removing and storing a pool covering system so that it will save energy, be convenient to use and be cost completive in relation to the drawback to the prior art.

The invention provides an inventive apparatus system and method of use for breaking a pool down into manageable sections so that a single person can deploy the cover. It utilizes pool covering sheets that have gas pockets that extend laterally to reduce the amount of wetted area on the pool cover and allow it to roll up without bunching. It further allows for an efficient and convenient way to deploy and retrieve the covers from the pool. The teachings of the relevant art fail to resolve or the drawbacks or shortcomings that are addressed by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a system for covering the pool in sections, and a cover design that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.

The cover material of the invention differs from the prior art by containing a series of air pockets that extend the width of the cover instead of a series of bubbles or diamonds laid out in grid. These pockets also provide the needed buoyancy and insulation of the prior art while overcoming their deficiencies and providing added benefits. Reducing the area of the cover in contact with the pool water will reduce the amount of water clinging to the underside of the cover. The pockets also increase the lateral stability of the cover while it is floating on the pool and while it is being rolled up. The air pockets also provide a built in feedback mechanism to center the cover. When the cover begins to creep to one side the cover puts more pressure on the side of the roll it is moving away from. This added pressure forces the air in the pocket to the other end of the roller expanding that end. This will increase the pull on that side of the cover and move it back to center. The regular pattern of ribs will also help the cover roll up true.

The device used for deploying, removing, and storing the pool cover takes advantage of the pool cover's novel features. A single device does not cover most pools. Most pools are divided into sections with several units required to cover the entire pool. In competition pools each system would usually cover one lane, which is typically between 7 and 9 feet wide. The typical length of a competition pool is 25 yards or 25 meters (82 feet).

To deploy the cover, a reel assembly holding the rolled up cover is positioned and secured at the edge of the pool. A line is attached to the end of the rolled up pool cover and played out as the operator walks to the opposite end of the pool. The end of the pool cover has a float assembly that prevents water from flowing over the cover as it is deployed. The operator pulls in the line causing the cover to unwind and deploy onto the pool.

To remove the cover from the pool, a crank or electric drill is inserted into a receptacle at the side of the reel assembly which when turned rotates a rod in the reel assembly reeling in the cover. The design features built into the cover aid this process. To store the cover, it is rolled from the edge of the pool to a convenient place where it can be used as a bench.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view partial cross section of the pool covering sheet.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the pool covering sheet.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a competition pool showing a part of the pool covering system.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing a portion of the pool and a sheet rolling assembly.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the sheet showing the deploying edge and the floating member attached to the deploying edge.

FIG. 6 is an exploded partial view showing the mounting edge of the sheet, the rolling shaft and the attaching member.

FIG. 7 is a partial view showing the retractor means, the rolling shaft, and the mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown herein and is not intended to be limiting. Turning now to the drawings, referring FIGS. 1-7 generally in particular to FIGS. 1-2, there is shown a pool covering sheet 11 having a sheet length 12 and a sheet width 15 for covering a segment 107 of a pool 17. The pool 17 covering sheet 11 comprises an upper layer 19 and a lower water contacting layer 21 having a plurality of pockets 23. The upper layer 19 and the lower layer 21 are bonded together to entrap gas 25 between the upper layer 19, and the pockets 23 of the lower layer 21. The end of each pocket 23 is also sealed. The plurality of pockets 23 having a pocket length 27 that is slightly less than the sheet width 15 is and arranged such that the pocket length 27 is approximately parallel with to the sheet width 15. The pool covering sheet 11 further comprises bonded sections 29 that have no gas entrapped 25 between the upper layer 19, and the lower layer 21. The bonding sections 29 are between the pockets 23 and having an intermediate section length 31 approximately equivalent to the pocket length 27. The pool covering sheet 11 preferably has an upper layer thickness 33, which is larger than lower layer thickness 35. This difference thickness is to aid in preventing the sheet from folding or being to foldable when it is laid on the pool.

An alternative embodiment of the pool cover sheet 11 has the upper layer thickness 33 the same as the lower water contacting sheet 35. In this embodiment the sheeting may be formed from a continuous tube that when laid flat will form two layers the sheet width 15. In this embodiment the need for the side welds 28 is eliminated.

As discussed herein, the plurality of pockets 23 may be arranged between the intermediate sections 29 at specific intervals according to specific dimensions to maximize rolling efficiency on to the sheet rolling assemblies 51. In one embodiment, the plurality of pockets 23 has a pocket width 36 between 0.5% and 1.5% of the pocket length 27. This correlates roughly to a width of 1″-1.5″ for a 7.5′ swimming lane. Accordingly, the pocket length 27 would be roughly seven and a half feet long, or slightly smaller than the sheet width 15.

In another embodiment, the pool covering sheet 11 approximates the lane width 41 of a swimming lane 39, and the plurality of pockets 23 on the sheet 11 have a pocket width 36 of greater than 0.25% of the pocket length 27. It is understood that the pocket width 36 of the pocket 23 and the weld or bond width 30, may vary according to application based on a number of factors including the density of the material used to form the upper layer 19 in the water contacting layer 21 such that the sheet 11 floats. Another consideration relates to the efficiency of rolling the sheet 11 onto the sheet rolling assembly 53. The invention includes multiple configurations of the pockets sizes based on optimizing the parameters discussed herein.

Turning to FIGS. 1-7 generally and more particularly to FIGS. 3-7, there is shown a swimming pool cover system 37 for a competition size swimming pool 17, or the like, having a plurality of lanes 39, with each lane 39 having a lane width 41. It is understood that the system 37 can be applied to other pool sizes. The swimming pool cover system 37 comprising a plurality of sheets 11 and a plurality of sheet roller assemblies 51. Each sheet 11 has a mounting edge 45, a deploying edge 47, and two lane edges 49 connecting the mounting edge 45 to the deploying edge 47. Each sheet 11 is dimensioned according so to have a sheet length 12 defined by the distance from the mounting edge 45 to the deploying edge 47, which will be longer than the pool length 13 to allow for the space between the sheet roller assembly and the edge of the pool. Each sheet 11 has a sheet width 15 slightly less than the lane width 41.

The plurality of sheet rolling assemblies 51 are designed for deploying and retracting a corresponding sheet 11. Each sheet rolling assembly 53 has a left support 55 and a right support 57 that is rotatable connected to and supporting a rolling shaft 59 and a left end 61 and a right end 63. The rolling shaft 59 rotates about an axis 65 that is approximately parallel to the lane width 41 of the pool 17. Each shaft 59 may be coupled with a retractor 67 for enabling an operator to roll one sheet 11 onto the rolling shaft 59, and each sheet rolling assembly 53 is movably located outside the pool 17. This is accomplished using lockable casters, wheels or blocks or anything of the like.

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 7 there is shown an a attaching member 69 that is selectively connected to the mounting edge 45 of each sheet 11 and connected to a corresponding rolling shaft 59 of a corresponding sheet rolling assembly 53. The attaching member 69 can be made in many different ways. One preferred embodiment is to use a strip 87 which is laid over the mounting edge 45 of the sheet 11. The strip has a plurality of mounting points 89 or bores for receiving a plurality of fasteners 91, which pass through said mounting points 89 into a corresponding shaft 59 the fasteners can be screw or nails or other types of hasps or other types of locking mechanisms which efficiently fasten the strip 87 to the rolling shaft 59. It is clear that other attaching means and members can be use to mount the mounting edge 45 of the sheet 11 to the rolling shaft 59. For example, the rolling shaft may have a slot in which to slide the mounting edge 45 of the sheet 11 through the rolling shaft 59.

Referring, now to FIG. 5, the deploying edge 47 of each sheet 11 preferably is attached to a semi ridged floatable member 75, which aids in extending one sheet 11 from a corresponding rolling assembly 53 along a corresponding lane 39 of the pool 17. The floatable member 75 also aids in preventing the deploying edge 47 from sinking. This, is achieved by attaching a mount 79 to the floatable member 75 and/or the deploying edge 47 of each sheet 11 and attaching the selectively securable cord 81 to the mount 79 for pulling one sheet 11 from a sheet rolling assembly 53 onto one segment 107 or lane 39 of the pool 17.

The floatable member 75 is optional but may be attached by wrapping the deploying edge 47 of the sheet 11 around the floatable member 75 and fastening the deploying edge 47 to the floatable member 75 with fastening means such as a clip 95. Other fastening means may be used that are sufficient to attach the deploying edge 47 to the floatable member.

The mount 79 attached to the floatable member 75 minimally comprises a loop of rope 97 attached to the floatable member 75. Other means may be used such as adding a handle to the deploying edge of the sheet 11 or some other type of attaching means known in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the retractor 67 may comprise a hand crank 99 coupled to the shaft 59, either directly or via an appropriate gearing solution 101 for allowing a user to turn the crank 99 and roll the sheet 11 on to a corresponding sheet rolling assembly 53 of the plurality of sheet rolling assembles 51. In another embodiment the retractor 67 includes a bit 103 coupled to the shaft 59, either directly or via an appropriate gearing solution 101 for connecting to a cordless drill 105. The bit 103 may be connectable to the cordless drill 105, and the bit is adapted to couple with the shaft 59, or via the gearing solution 101. A cordless drill 105 is preferred to connect to the bit 103 because other drills which are connected to ac power pose a threat of shock and are more cumbersome given the cords.

Preferably the rolling assembly 51 has a top 106 suitable for seating. As discussed, seating area and space around the pool 17 is at a premium.

My invention further includes a method of reducing energy consumption in indoor pool facilities including reducing the amount of energy needed to maintain a specific temperature in a pool 17 and reducing the amount of energy in maintaining indoor climate conditions in a pool facility. The method also applies to outdoor pools. The method includes the steps of dividing, the pool into a plurality of segments 107 and determining the dimensions of the segments 107. Once the number segments 107 are known and their dimensions are known a plurality of sheets 11 and sheet rolling assemblies 51 are provided. Each sheet 11 has a deploying edge 47 and a mounting edge 45 connected by two segment edges 108. Each sheet is appropriately sized to cover a corresponding segment 107, and the mounting edge 45 of each sheet 11 is attached to the shaft 59 of a corresponding sheet rolling assembly 51 of the plurality of sheet rolling assembles 51. The deploying edge 47 of each sheet 11 is attached to a semi ridged floatable member 75, and each of the plurality of sheets 11 are rolled on to the shaft 59 of the corresponding sheet rolling assembly 51.

A sheet rolling assembly 109 is then positioned near an edge 111 of the pool 17. A cord 81 is connected to the floatable member 75 and/or the deploying edge 47 of the sheet 11 that is rolled on to the first sheet rolling assembly 109. The cord 81 is then cast in to the pool 17 while a user maintains control of a portion of the cord 81. The user then walks outside of the pool 17 in a direction that is perpendicular to the segment edge 108, positions himself opposite the sheet rolling assemblies 53, and then the user pulls the cord 81 to extend the sheet 11 from the sheet rolling assembly 109 on to the first segment 113 of the pool 17.

One or more intermediate sheet rolling assembles 115, are then positioned near subsequent intermediate edges 117 in turn. A cord 81 is then connected at a first cord end 82 to the floatable member 75 and/or the deploying edge 47 of the sheet 11 and the deployment proceeds as in the first segment. The step of dividing the pool 17 into a plurality of segments 107 may further include ascertaining or counting a number of swimming lanes 39 of a pool 17. Then the lane width 41 of each swimming lane 39 is then either ascertained or measured. Then the measurement of each lane is then associated with a corresponding segment width 106.

The method preferably includes the step of retracting the sheet 11 from the first segment 113 of the pool 17, the one or more intermediate segments 119, and/or the final segment 125 of the pool 17. The sheets 11 are retracted onto the corresponding first sheet rolling assembly 115, one or more intermediate sheet rolling assemblies 115, or the final sheet rolling assembly 121.

The retracting step may also include turning the roller shaft 59 of the first sheet rolling assembly 109, the one or more intermediate sheet rolling assemblies 115, and/or the final sheet rolling assembly 121 by connecting a cordless drill 105 to a bit 103, which with is coupled with the shaft 59 of the first sheet rolling assembly 109, the one more intermediate sheet rolling assemblies 115, and/or the final sheet rolling assembly 121. A user then operates the cordless drill 105 that is connected to the rolling shaft 59 to retract the sheet 11 from the pool 17. A hand crank 99 also may be used to turn the roller shaft 59 as described herein.

Having described the invention, what is desired to be protected by a Letters Patent is presented in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A rollable pool covering sheet having a sheet length and a sheet width for covering a segment of a pool, the pool covering sheet comprising:

an upper layer, and a water contacting layer,

the upper layer and the water contacting layer bonded together to entrap gas between the upper layer and the water contacting layer forming a plurality of pockets,

the plurality of pockets having a pocket length substantially equivalent to the sheet width and arranged such that the pocket length is approximately parallel to the sheet width.

2. The rollable pool covering sheet of claim 1, the sheet length being a length suitable to cover a length of the pool, and the sheet width being a width suitable to cover a segment width of the pool.

3. The pool covering sheet of claim 1, further comprising intermediate sections having little to no gas entrapped between the upper layer the water contacting layer (other than any gas contained in the upper layer and water contacting layer), the intermediate sections distributed between and connecting the plurality of pockets and having an intermediate section length approximately equivalent to the pocket length, and an intermediate section width.

4. The pool covering sheet of claim 1, having both layers substantially the same thickness either formed from a continuous tube of sheeting with the upper layer and the water contacting layer welded together.

5. The pool covering sheet of claim 1, the upper layer having an upper layer thickness and the water contacting layer having a water contacting layer thickness, the upper layer thickness being larger than the water contacting layer thickness for aiding in preventing the sheet from folding when laid on the pool.

6. The pool covering sheet of claim 1, the plurality of pockets having a pocket width between 0.5% and 1% of the pocket length.

7. The pool covering sheet of claim 1, the sheet width approximating a swimming lane width, and the plurality of pockets having a pocket width greater than 0.25% of the pocket length.

8. A swimming pool cover system for a competition size swimming pool having a plurality of lanes with each lane having a lane width comprising:

a plurality of sheets, each sheet having a mounting edge, a deploying edge, two lateral edges connecting the mounting edge to the deploying edge, a sheet length defined by a distance from the mounting edge to the deploying edge, and a sheet width corresponding to the mounting edge and the deploying edge, the sheet width approximating the lane width of one corresponding lane of the pool,

a plurality of sheet rolling assemblies for deploying and retracting the plurality of sheets, each sheet rolling assembly having left support and a right support rotatably connected to and supporting a rolling shaft at a left end and a right end, said rolling shaft rotates about an axis that is approximately parallel with the lane width of the pool, each shaft coupled with a retractor for enabling an operator to roll one sheet onto the rolling shaft, and each sheet rolling assembly movably located outside of the pool,

an attaching member selectively connected to the mounting edge of each sheet and connected to a corresponding rolling shaft of a corresponding sheet rolling assembly,

a semi rigid floatable member attached to and extending along the deploying edge of each sheet for extending one sheet from a corresponding rolling assembly along corresponding lane of the pool,

a mount attached to each floatable member and/or the deploying edge of each sheet, and

a selectively securable cord for connecting to a corresponding mount for pulling one sheet from a corresponding sheet rolling assembly onto one lane of the pool.

9. The swimming pool cover system of claim 8, the attaching member comprising a strip laid over the mounting edge, the strip having a plurality of mounting points for receiving a plurality of fasteners which pass through said mounts to a corresponding shaft.

10. The system of claim 9, further including one or more clips for attaching a floatable member to the deploying edge of a sheet by holding the deploying edge to the floatable member while the deploying edge is wrapped around the floatable member.

11. The system of claim 10, the mount comprising a loop of rope attached to the floatable member.

12. The system of claim 11, the retractor comprising a hand crank coupled to the shaft, either directly or via an appropriate gearing solution for allowing a user to turn the crank and roll the sheet onto a corresponding sheet rolling assembly of the plurality of sheet rolling assemblies.

13. The system of claim 11, the retractor comprising a bit coupled to the shaft, either directly or via an appropriate gearing solution for connecting to a cordless drill.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a cordless drill for engaging the bit of the retractor and turning the shaft when the cordless drill is operated.

15. The system of claim 8, each movable rolling assembly having a top suitable for seating.

16. A method of covering a large pool comprising the steps of:

dividing the pool into a plurality of segments,

providing a plurality of sheets and a plurality of sheet rolling assemblies, each sheet having a deploying edge and a mounting edge connected by two segment edges, and each sheet sized to cover each of the plurality of segments, the mounting edge of each sheet attached to the shaft of a corresponding sheet rolling assembly of the plurality of sheet rolling assemblies, the deploying edge of each sheet being attached to a semi rigid floatable member, and each of the plurality of sheets rolled onto the shaft of the corresponding sheet rolling assembly,

positioning a first sheet rolling assembly of the plurality of sheet rolling assemblies near a first edge of the pool, said first edge corresponding with a first segment of the plurality of segments,

connecting a cord at a first cord end to the floatable member and/or the deploying edge of the sheet rolled onto the first sheet rolling assembly,

casting the cord into the pool while maintaining control of a portion of the cord,

walking outside of the pool in a direction that is perpendicular to the first segment edge,

taking up a position near an edge of the pool opposite the first sheet rolling assembly, and

pulling the cord to extend the sheet from the first sheet rolling assembly onto the first segment of the pool,

positioning one or more intermediate, or a final, sheet rolling assembly(ies) of the plurality of the sheet rolling assemblies near one or more intermediate, or a final, edge(s) of the pool that corresponds with one or more intermediate, or a final segment(s) of the plurality of segments,

connecting a cord at a first cord end to the floatable member and/or the deploying edge of the sheet rolled onto the one or more intermediate, or a final sheet rolling assembly(ies),

casting the cord into the pool while maintaining control of a portion of the cord, walking outside of the pool in a direction that is perpendicular to the one or more intermediate or final segment edge(s),

taking up a position near an edge of the pool opposite the one or more intermediate, or a final sheet rolling assembly(ies), and

pulling the cord to extend the sheet from the one or more intermediate, or the final sheet rolling assembly(ies) onto the one or more intermediate, or the final segments(s) of the pool.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the dividing the pool into a plurality of segments step further includes ascertaining or counting a number of swimming lanes of the pool, ascertaining or measuring a lane width of each swimming lane of the number of swimming lanes, and associating the lane width of each lane with a corresponding segment width.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of retracting the sheet from the first, the one or more intermediate, and/or final segments(s) of the pool onto the corresponding first, one or more intermediate, or the final sheet rolling assembly(ies).

19. The method of claim 16, the retracting step further including turning the shaft of the first, the one or more intermediate, and /or the final sheet rolling assembly(ies) by connecting a cordless drill to a bit that is coupled with the shaft of the first, the one or more intermediate, and/or the final sheet rolling assembly(ies) and operating the cordless drill.

20. The method of claim 16, further including the step of removing the cord the floatable member and/or the deploying edge of the sheet once the sheet pulled onto the pool.