Self-Expanding Protective Covering Structure
A self-expanding protective covering structure, provided with at least one resilient and collapsible frame element, formed into a continuous planar loop. The entire structure, which stretches a protective covering while in the expanded configuration and collapses into a coiled configuration, can be placed and removed from a pond by one individual.
Not-Applicable
BACKGROUND-PRIOR ARTThe following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant:
- Pondtrademag.com, Pond & Garden Protector Kits by Atlantic Water Gardens, 2009, http://www.pondtrademag.com/tradenews/tn-1421/, Feb. 17, 2013
- Nyconproducts.com, Made in America, page 12 Big Top Pond Cover http://www.nyconproducts.com/nycon—05_catalog.pdf, PDF catalog, Feb. 17, 2013
Netting, or mesh, or open-meshed material as it may be referred, is a common protective covering for the pond industry. As used herein, the term “pond” refers to a number of outdoor constructs having at least one open water container; e.g. a pond, a water garden, a koi pond, a stream, a water feature or the like. These protective coverings for ponds, which are typically associated with excluding debris and predators from entering the water, are historically known to be flaccid in nature, offering no structural rigidity. Historically, there have been several known principle difficulties or drawbacks associated with the use of the traditional netting. The first two of these drawbacks have been the proper placement and removal of the netting over the pond in a timely manner with minimal effort by one individual. Proper placement involves unfolding the netting, situating it evenly over the pond and securing it in place. This can involve multiple trips around the pond in order to evenly situate and secure it in place. Consequently, the removal of the netting involves just as much effort and, makes it equally time consuming for one individual.
Another such drawback is the sagging nature of the traditional netting towards the center of the pond, due in part to the weight of the debris and the settling of the netting. Prior printer publication from Atlantic Water Garden's Catalog of their Pond and Garden Protector (http://www.pondtrademag.com/tradenews/tn-1421, 2009) shown in Prior Art
Another such prior printer publication from Nycon Products (Made in America, page 12) offers a solution to the sagging nature with their Big Top Pond Cover, shown in Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,433 (Zheng, 2009) entitled VERTICALLY STACKED COLLAPSIBLE STRUCTURES, offers a collapsible play structure which has a plurality of panels that can be detached and used for a multitude of different tasks, including but not limited to being used as a decorative panel, a floor mat and even a pool or a pond cover. Despite their wide-ranging use and applicability, all of the above-mentioned collapsible structural configurations render them better suited for certain applications rather than others. Therefore, there still remains a need to provide a self-expanding protective covering structure that reduces the complexity and cost and focuses solely on the task of a self-expanding protective covering structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,395 (Jeffcoat, 2004) entitled SWIMMING POOL COVER shows a swimming pool cover that can be disposed on the swimming pool and removed therefrom by one individual. The swimming pool cover includes a flexible mesh screen having a peripheral sleeve in which a flexible wiring is disposed. In addition the peripheral sleeve includes slots through which drawstrings can be pulled and tied by the individual for tightening and securing the swimming pool cover the to the swimming pool. Accordingly, while the self-erection of this structure is convenient for a swimming pool cover, this patent does not teach, in any way, which would allow them to tighten and secure the swimming pool cover around a pond for the use for its application for ponds. Therefore, there still remains a need to provide a self-expanding protective covering structure that offers a solution specifically for ponds.
AdvantagesAccordingly, several advantages of one or more aspects are as follows: to provide self-expanding protective covering structures, that allow one individual to place and remove easily from a pond in a timely manner, that remain structurally taut during its use on a pond, that expand and collapse easily, all in a simple and cost effective manner. Other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
SUMMARYIn accordance with one embodiment, a self-expanding protective covering structure comprises a material covering, a peripheral sleeve and at least one resilient and collapsible frame element.
Referring now to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views,
In its expanded configuration, frame element 34 can be round or oval or any shape or any size that lends itself suitable for protective covering.
Frame element 34 can be constructed of materials suitable for forming a framework structure which would have high elasticity and/or resilience. Such characteristics may also be combined with high tensile and/or compressive strength. The cross-sectional area of frame element 34 should be constructed in such a manner that allows for the frame element to be substantially circular in a collapsed configuration. Likewise, the cross-sectional area of frame element 34 should be constructed in such a manner that allows for the frame element to be relatively easy to deploy once removed from a container 66. Examples of suitable materials for frame element 34 are spring steel, coated spring steel, steel alloy, fiberglass composite, glass-reinforced epoxy, carbon graphite, carbon fiber, fiberglass, and highly flexible plastics. However, it is presently contemplated for the first embodiment that frame element 34 is made with a fiberglass rod.
Frame element 34 and netting material 31 can be coupled to each other in different manners. For instance, the netting may be provided with suitable passages, loops, recesses, connecting methods, pockets, hemmed edges, sewn binding, bonded, and/or the like, or be designed differently, for holding frame element 34. Netting material 31 can also be coupled to extend around and enclose frame element 34. However, it is presently contemplated that the first embodiment suggests frame element 34 is enclosed inside peripheral sleeve 33 integrally formed to netting material 31, as seen in
In addition, frame element 34 can be coupled together via netting material 31, so that no special connecting methods are to be used for coupling the frame element. However,
Ferrule 38, sleeve or other similar connecting device can be constructed of materials such as fiberglass, steel, aluminum, brass, or the like. It is presently contemplated that the first embodiment utilizes a steel ferrule. The outside circumference of ferrule 38, sleeve or other similar connecting device should be of a proportional size for ample clearance inside passageway 35 of peripheral sleeve 33 without causing interference between passageway 35 and ferrule 38, sleeve or other similar connecting device.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that netting material 31 can be constructed of netting materials suitable for such aquatic applications, preferably with ultraviolet inhibitors to prolong the life of the netting. Those skilled in the art will also be cognizant of the proper mesh sizes commonly used for such aquatic applications.
Peripheral sleeve 33 can be constructed of material suitable for such outdoor aquatic applications, preferably with ultraviolet inhibitors and/or mildew resistance to prolong the life of peripheral sleeve 33. The first embodiment utilizes a nylon blend but other suitable materials can include, without limitation, waterproof fabric and/or ultraviolet inhibitors such as treated cotton, polyester, polyester with polyurethane coating, nylons, netting, and coarse weave fabrics or the like.
A plurality of appropriately-spaced grommets 32, eyelets or other such material protectors, perpendicularly intersect the outer perimeter of peripheral sleeve 33 to allow the penetration of a fastening device, such as a staple 43, landscaping stake or the like, that will secure the self-expanding protective covering structure to ground 37, as seen in
One of the more novel aspects of the embodiment is the manner in which the covering structure may be easily configured by a single individual. This particular method is illustrated in
As seen in
As stated earlier and with continued reference to
Individual 52 would first remove the covering structure from storage sleeve 66. Upon removal from storage sleeve 66, the covering structure quickly deploys and expands as frame element 34 opens to its fully expanded configuration with minimal effort compared to several of the prior-art netting structures. Several shakes may be involved to initiate the expansion if frame element 34 does not immediately expand. In reference to
An additional embodiment is shown in
Thus, the reader will see that at least one embodiment of the self-expanding protective covering structure provides a protective covering structure that allows one individual to place and remove netting easily in a timely manner, that remains structurally taut throughout its use and that expands and collapses with relatively little effort.
While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of several embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible.
For example, the netting material can be replaced with a hard cover, non-permeable material cover. Non-permeable materials can include cloth, canvas, vinyl, polyester coated urethane, water resistant treated nylons, plastics including polyethylene, polypropylene or laminates of woven and sheet materials or blends of any of those. The non-permeable material can extend around and enclose the frame element.
Claims
1. A self-expanding protective covering structure comprising:
- a. a material covering having a perimeter,
- b. means for expanding said material covering to a substantially planar loop when the structure is in an expanded configuration,
- c. said material covering extending around and enclosing said means.
2. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 1, wherein said material covering is comprised of an open-meshed material substantially impervious to debris and rodents.
3. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 1, wherein said means is made of a material having a resilience and a cross-sectional area such that said means can be substantially circular in a collapsed configuration.
4. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 1, further including a plurality of grommets defining openings perpendicular to a planar surface on said material covering.
5. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 1, further including a plurality of hook and loop fasteners adjacent said perimeter.
6. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 1, wherein said self-expanding covering structure can be brought from said expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration and vice versa.
7. A self-expanding protective covering structure comprising:
- a. at least one resilient and collapsible frame element configured to form a continuous substantially planar loop when the structure is in an expanded configuration,
- b. a material covering having a perimeter extending around and enclosing said resilient and collapsible frame element.
8. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 7, wherein said material covering is comprised of an open-meshed material substantially impervious to debris and rodents.
9. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 7, wherein said resilient and collapsible frame element is made of a material having a resilience and a cross-sectional area such that said resilient and collapsible frame element can be substantially circular in a collapsed configuration.
10. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 7, further including a plurality of grommets defining openings perpendicular to a planar surface on said material covering.
11. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 7, further including a plurality of hook and loop fasteners adjacent said perimeter.
12. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 7, wherein said self-expanding covering structure can be brought from said expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration and vice versa.
13. A self-expanding protective covering structure comprising:
- a. a material covering having a perimeter,
- b. said material covering including a peripheral sleeve that is disposed adjacent to said perimeter,
- c. at least one resilient and collapsible frame element configured to form a continuous substantially planar loop, extending within said peripheral sleeve, which stretches said material covering when the structure is in an expanded configuration.
14. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 13, wherein said material covering is comprised of an open-meshed material substantially impervious to debris and rodents.
15. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 13, wherein said resilient and collapsible frame element is made of a material having a resilience and a cross-sectional area such that said resilient and collapsible frame element can be substantially circular in a collapsed configuration.
16. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 13, further including a plurality of grommets defining openings perpendicular to a planar surface on said peripheral sleeve.
17. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 13, further including a plurality of hook and loop fasteners adjacent said perimeter.
18. The self-expanding protective covering structure of claim 13, wherein the said self-expanding protective covering structure can be brought from said expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration and vice versa.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 15, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Inventor: Carol Ann Mund (Carmel, IN)
Application Number: 13/840,443
International Classification: E04H 4/10 (20060101);