POOL COVER PROTECTOR

Abstract

A protector for a pool cover comprising a pad of sturdy material attached along the edge of the cover.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

BACKGROUND

Modern owners of backyard pools are not satisfied with old-fashioned pool construction, and frequently demand naturalistic features designed to give the impression of a pond rather than a pool. Thus plants, areas of gravel, and rocks both above and below the surface are combined with irregular pool shapes in custom installations. Because of their unique shapes, such pools require covers cut specifically for each individual pool. As with any one-of-a-kind item, such covers can be quite expensive. In addition, modern pool covers are often made with a mesh designed to permit rainwater to pass through rather than be trapped on the surface, where it must be pumped off.

The combination of naturalistic features and a custom mesh pool cover can cause an expensive problem. When the cover is pulled over the pool before being secured, and as wind and rain cause it to ripple while in place, the cover can come in contact with rocks or other features in the pool. These can fray or tear the cover, necessitating repair or replacement. To prevent damage, pool owners have often resorted to placing carpet remnants over their rocks before installing pool covers. This solution, while reasonably effective, is neither convenient nor aesthetically pleasing, especially when the time comes to open the pool and sodden carpet strips must be removed, along with any microorganisms that have bred in the congenial environment of their fibers.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A protector for a pool cover comprises a strip or sheet of sturdy, abrasion resistant material, which can be placed between the pool cover and any object that might cause damage. The material is attached along part of its edge to the edge of the pool cover, and permitted to drape freely downward from the attachment, covering the object. The protector may be attached before the cover is placed over the pool and remains attached during removal, eliminating the need to place or remove separate protective devices such as carpet remnants.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the pool cover protector.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment attached to a pool cover, being pulled into place over an obstruction.

FIG. 3 is a section along line 3-3 in FIG. 2, showing the shape of the preferred clip attached to the edge of the pool cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a pool cover protector 5. The protector comprises a pad 10 made of a sheet of an abrasion-resistant, flexible material which does not absorb water, for instance vinyl-coated fabric. The edge 12 of this pad may be sealed or basted in a manner designed to prevent unraveling and to provide an attractive edge. Along one part of the edge 12 a clip 14 is attached. The clip 14 is preferably formed from a strip of extruded polymer, but may also comprise metal or cast or injection molded polymers. In a preferred embodiment, the clip 14 is extruded PVC. Preferably the clip 14 has an elongate shape allowing it to grip along its entire length, and is slideably engaged with the finished edge of the pool cover 16, allowing for easy adjustment. However, it may also be made of several smaller sub-clips spaced out along the edge 12, or clipped in such a way as to resist movement. Additionally, the clip 14 may be replaced by a hook-and-loop fabric attachment, grommets, or any other means of attachment which can secure the protector in place. When an elongate polymer clip is used, it is preferably attached by an RF welding process, although other methods, such as gluing or riveting, are also possible. In an alternate embodiment, the protector 5 can also be permanently sewn onto the cover 16, so that the cover has a primary layer shaped like the pool and a secondary layer below the primary layer. This is not ideal because the cover is more difficult to manufacture and the protector is more difficult to replace when worn.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the pool cover protector 5 attached to a pool cover 16. The clip 14 is used to secure the pad 10 to the pool cover 16 along the edge 18 of the cover 16. The pad 10 then drapes downward under the influence of gravity. When the cover 16 is moved over a pool at the end of the swimming season, the pad 10 contacts any underwater obstruction 20 that might damage the cover 16, as shown in FIG. 3. Any abrasion or damage caused by the obstruction 20 is absorbed by the pad 10.

Pad 10 is preferably constructed of a sturdy material, so the potential for damage is minimal. Pad 10 is much smaller than the pool cover 16, made of relatively inexpensive material rather than the expensive water-transmitting mesh which is common in cover 16, and can be mass-manufactured in standard sizes and shapes. Thus the protector 5 can be replaced when worn much more cheaply than the cover 16.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A pool cover, comprising

(a) a primary layer; and

(b) a secondary layer having an edge, said secondary layer being smaller than said primary layer, wherein said secondary layer is positioned below said primary layer and joined to said primary layer over only a part of said edge.

2. The pool cover of claim 1, wherein the secondary layer is attached to the primary layer by a clip.

3. The pool cover of claim 2, wherein the clip is permanently attached to the secondary layer.

4. The pool cover of claim 2, wherein the clip is elongate and extends over the entire part of said edge that is attached to said primary layer.

5. The pool cover of claim 1, wherein the secondary layer does not absorb water.

6. A protector for a pool cover, comprising:

(a) A pad comprising flexible material, said pad having an edge;

(b) A clip located along part of said edge;

7. The protector of claim 6, wherein said clip is elongate; and

8. The protector of claim 7, wherein said clip comprises an extruded polymer.

9. The protector of claim 6, wherein the protector does not absorb water.

10. A method of protecting a pool cover, comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a pad comprising flexible material; and

(b) Attaching the pad to a pool cover in a position that prevents damage to the pool cover.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pad is smaller than the pool cover.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the pad has an edge, and the pad is attached to the pool cover only a part of said edge.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the flexible material does not absorb water.