CA2286469A1 - Swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer - Google Patents
Swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2286469A1 CA2286469A1 CA 2286469 CA2286469A CA2286469A1 CA 2286469 A1 CA2286469 A1 CA 2286469A1 CA 2286469 CA2286469 CA 2286469 CA 2286469 A CA2286469 A CA 2286469A CA 2286469 A1 CA2286469 A1 CA 2286469A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- skimmer
- compartment
- swimming pool
- panel module
- drain
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
- E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
- E04H4/12—Devices or arrangements for circulating water, i.e. devices for removal of polluted water, cleaning baths or for water treatment
- E04H4/1209—Treatment of water for swimming pools
- E04H4/1218—Devices for removal of polluted water; Circumferential gutters
Abstract
A swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer to be installed in or on a water permeable ground is provided. Said module comprises a front wall forming a section of the pool peripheral wall, a skimmer compartment provided with an elongated water intake extending almost to the lateral extremities of the panel, a skimmer drain, a drain outlet and a service inlet closed by a cover, a second deeper technical equipment compartment communicating with the skimmer drain of the skimmer compartment through the drain outlet, having a substantially open bottom in order to provide free fluid and thermal communication between said equipment compartment and the ground extending below said compartment. The technical equipment compartment is further provided with a pivoting cover constituting a barrier between the skimmer service inlet and the component compartment when placed in its open position.
Description
SWIMMING POOL PANEL MODULE WITH INTEGRAL UNIVERSAL
ENCLOSURE AND SKIMMER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to improved in-ground swimming pool construction. More particularly, the invention relates to enclosures for housing the equipment for servicing a swimming pool, which comprise a section of the swimming pool peripheral wall. More specifically, it relates to such a swimming pool panel module with integral skimmer and universal enclosure for housing and functionally cooperating with a wide range of commercially available swimming pool servicing equipment.
ENCLOSURE AND SKIMMER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to improved in-ground swimming pool construction. More particularly, the invention relates to enclosures for housing the equipment for servicing a swimming pool, which comprise a section of the swimming pool peripheral wall. More specifically, it relates to such a swimming pool panel module with integral skimmer and universal enclosure for housing and functionally cooperating with a wide range of commercially available swimming pool servicing equipment.
2. Brief description of the prior art:
It has long been a common practice to house the swimming pool servicing equipment such as the filtration/circulation equipment in a shelter for easy access and protection against environmental conditions.
Such a shelter is usually located at a certain distance from the swimming pool and requires piping to be buried into the ground between the pool and the shelter. Besides the relatively complex installation required and the pressure drop in the generally long and awkward piping network, this technique has the major drawback of requiring periodical replacement of piping sections or elements due to abrasion end shear stress resulting principally from the freeze/thaw cycles and relative movements between the ground, the bed of rocks, the pool and the piping.
In order to solve the above problems, while providing some cost reduction, a certain number of modules of the prior art provide a complete operating centre assembled into a housing to be installed in the ground, and mounted on an in-ground swimming pool peripheral wall to eliminate relative movement, protect the piping and reduce the pressure drop in the piping network. Such modules are described in US patents No 3 169 920 (Payne - 1965), 3 759 389 (Valois -1973), 4 661 247 (Weir -1987), 5 056 167 (Cholley - 1991) and 5 879 547 (Desjoyaux -1999).
The Payne unit is a basic design characterised by a complex structure destined to be fitted into a recess provided in the side wall of a swimming pool made of a cimentitious composition. No provision is made to evacuate heat generated by the pump motor and leaking water accumulating into the housing, causing system failures and motor damages. Also, a relatively inefficient skimmer with a classical narrow and deep inlet and a pivoting float weir is provided. Moreover, accessing the equipment for maintenance is awkward and the possibility of accessing the skimmer compartment while the pump compartment is open provides a safety hazard and does not meet current regulation. However, the fact the pump is located below the water level and upstream from the filter provides advantageous features, since self priming of the pump and better filtration efficiency are thereby provided.
The Valois filter assembly is designed for use with an above ground swimming pool and therefor can easily manage with heat dissipation and water drainage concerns thanks to a bottom vented door. It is also worth mentioning that practical and economical benefits result from the structure formed integral with a section of the pool peripheral wall. However, the skimmer characteristics and filtering performance of the unit are quite inefficient.
~ CA 02286469 1999-10-07 The Weir and Desjoyaux patents describe prefabricated modular units formed integrally with a section of the peripheral wall of an in-ground swimming pool. In both concepts however, the pump piping extend above pool water level, which prevent self-priming and may lead to free running and destruction of the pump motor.
Moreover, the motor/pump compartment in the Desjoyaux panel is subject to flooding and is not properly drained, thus causing frequent system failures. In both of these concepts, the filtration/circulation equipment is located upstream from the pump and built into and supplied with the unit, so that the user is not allowed to incorporate other commercially available equipment of his choice. Both designs also provide safety hazard since a person may be in contact with the motor and the water simultaneously.
Moreover, no means are provided for avoiding heat built-up in the motor/pump compartment and the skimmer inlets are not provided with a self adjustable weir and feature a relatively inefficient skimmer design.
Finally, the Cholley patent describes a prefabricated modular assembly for swimming pool principally characterised in that the front panel is formed with integral stairs and a foot bath fed by pool surface water and providing the skimming effect in cooperation with a pivoting buoyant weir. The filter is connected upstream from the pump inlet. The motor/pump compartment is below water level, subject to flooding and the removable cover does not prevent an individual from touching electrically live parts of the system while contacting the pool water with another part of his body. A bathing therapy system is provided, comprising an outside aperture to permit air admission in the circuit to oxygenate and emulsify the water delivered through the bathing therapy nozzles.
However, no reference is made to any sort of motor compartment cooling or water draining means.
It has long been a common practice to house the swimming pool servicing equipment such as the filtration/circulation equipment in a shelter for easy access and protection against environmental conditions.
Such a shelter is usually located at a certain distance from the swimming pool and requires piping to be buried into the ground between the pool and the shelter. Besides the relatively complex installation required and the pressure drop in the generally long and awkward piping network, this technique has the major drawback of requiring periodical replacement of piping sections or elements due to abrasion end shear stress resulting principally from the freeze/thaw cycles and relative movements between the ground, the bed of rocks, the pool and the piping.
In order to solve the above problems, while providing some cost reduction, a certain number of modules of the prior art provide a complete operating centre assembled into a housing to be installed in the ground, and mounted on an in-ground swimming pool peripheral wall to eliminate relative movement, protect the piping and reduce the pressure drop in the piping network. Such modules are described in US patents No 3 169 920 (Payne - 1965), 3 759 389 (Valois -1973), 4 661 247 (Weir -1987), 5 056 167 (Cholley - 1991) and 5 879 547 (Desjoyaux -1999).
The Payne unit is a basic design characterised by a complex structure destined to be fitted into a recess provided in the side wall of a swimming pool made of a cimentitious composition. No provision is made to evacuate heat generated by the pump motor and leaking water accumulating into the housing, causing system failures and motor damages. Also, a relatively inefficient skimmer with a classical narrow and deep inlet and a pivoting float weir is provided. Moreover, accessing the equipment for maintenance is awkward and the possibility of accessing the skimmer compartment while the pump compartment is open provides a safety hazard and does not meet current regulation. However, the fact the pump is located below the water level and upstream from the filter provides advantageous features, since self priming of the pump and better filtration efficiency are thereby provided.
The Valois filter assembly is designed for use with an above ground swimming pool and therefor can easily manage with heat dissipation and water drainage concerns thanks to a bottom vented door. It is also worth mentioning that practical and economical benefits result from the structure formed integral with a section of the pool peripheral wall. However, the skimmer characteristics and filtering performance of the unit are quite inefficient.
~ CA 02286469 1999-10-07 The Weir and Desjoyaux patents describe prefabricated modular units formed integrally with a section of the peripheral wall of an in-ground swimming pool. In both concepts however, the pump piping extend above pool water level, which prevent self-priming and may lead to free running and destruction of the pump motor.
Moreover, the motor/pump compartment in the Desjoyaux panel is subject to flooding and is not properly drained, thus causing frequent system failures. In both of these concepts, the filtration/circulation equipment is located upstream from the pump and built into and supplied with the unit, so that the user is not allowed to incorporate other commercially available equipment of his choice. Both designs also provide safety hazard since a person may be in contact with the motor and the water simultaneously.
Moreover, no means are provided for avoiding heat built-up in the motor/pump compartment and the skimmer inlets are not provided with a self adjustable weir and feature a relatively inefficient skimmer design.
Finally, the Cholley patent describes a prefabricated modular assembly for swimming pool principally characterised in that the front panel is formed with integral stairs and a foot bath fed by pool surface water and providing the skimming effect in cooperation with a pivoting buoyant weir. The filter is connected upstream from the pump inlet. The motor/pump compartment is below water level, subject to flooding and the removable cover does not prevent an individual from touching electrically live parts of the system while contacting the pool water with another part of his body. A bathing therapy system is provided, comprising an outside aperture to permit air admission in the circuit to oxygenate and emulsify the water delivered through the bathing therapy nozzles.
However, no reference is made to any sort of motor compartment cooling or water draining means.
Although the latter swimming pool servicing modules of the prior art provide solutions to the concern of housing the technical components in an enclosure forming an integral part of a swimming pool peripheral wall, considerable drawbacks still limit their performance and use on the market. Principally, their susceptibility to overheating and flooding of the pump/motor assembly, the dependence of the customer to manufacturer selected components, the safety hazard and the relatively inefficient skimming effect can be mentioned as major limitations of these devices.
There is thus a need for an improved in-ground swimming pool panel with integral universal enclosure for housing the technical components servicing the pool.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure for housing the technical components servicing the swimming pool which overcomes the limitations and drawbacks of the above mentioned solutions of the prior art, and more specifically:
a first object of the instant invention is to provide a universal enclosure for housing a wide range of user selectable technical components for servicing an in-ground swimming pool a second object of the present invention is to provide a universal enclosure for housing the technical components servicing an in-ground swimming pool, forming a section panel of the pool peripheral wall and incorporating a skimmer device - a third object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing self priming of the pump:
- a fourth object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer preventing overheating of the pump motor;
- a fifth object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer preventing flooding of the pump/motor compartment:
- a further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing recovery of part of the heat generated by the pump motor to heat the pool water:
- another object of the instant invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer preventing an individual from simultaneously contacting an electrically live element of the technical components housed in the enclosure and the pool water;
- a further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing an improved skimming effect:
- a still further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing a user selectable water return location:
- another object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer featuring composite material construction for rigidity and resistance to corrosion:
- a still further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer allowing the use of a simple piping network and connection of the filter downstream from the pump to minimise pressure drop and maximise filtration performance.
These objects and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent through the following description that will be carried out by reference to the appended drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
- More specifically, in accordance with the invention as broadly claimed, there is provided an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer, said module comprising a front wall forming a section of the pool peripheral wall, a first skimmer compartment provided with water intake and a service inlet closed by a cover, a second deeper equipment c;ompartment 24 communicating with the bottom of the first compartment, having an open bottom and being provided with a pivoting cover constituting a generally vertically oriented planar barrier between the skimmer' service inlet and the component compartment when placed, in its open position. The wide water~intake skimmer exi~ends almost to the lateral extremities of the panel and preferably employs a circular type floating 'weir disposed substantially in coaxial relationship with the skimmer drain, said arrangement forming a very acute angle between the pool wall and the line <:onnecting one outer vertical edge of the skimmer intake to the center of the skimmer drain.
Figure la is an isometric frontal view of the swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer according to the present invention.
Figure 2a is top view of the swimming pool panel module with the cover of the equipment compartment 24 removed.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the swimming pool panel module showing the skimmer and the ec~t:~ipment compartments with basic equipment installed and connected for operation.
Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various Figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer according to the present invention will now be described in detail referring to the appended drawings.
Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated a swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer generally identified by numeral 10.
Front panel 11 is preferably a reinforced composite material panel, such as a fiberglass moulding with a plywood core. Such a rigid panel is designed to replace a standard section (of five or six feet in width) of the peripheral wall of an in-ground swimming pool while accordingly resisting to the hydrostatic pressure. The enclosure has no bottom wall and is destined to be laid on a bed of rocks 200 as seen on Figure 3, thus providing a self draining bottom to rapidly evacuate any precipitation or leakage water entering the cavity. Said bed of rocks also provides some cooling of the enclosure by communicating fresh moisture from the ground inside the enclosure. A skimmer assembly is provided in the panel module 10 and comprises a specially wide water intake funnel 12 and a skimmer reservoir 20 both moulded integral with the front panel 11 and forming a skimmer compartment extending practically from one side to the other of said front panel. Said compartment is serviced through aperture 15 normally closed by removable cover 14 (Figure 3).
Indicia or knock out plugs 13a and 13b are also provided on the front panel 11 to indicate possible locations for custom installation of the water return nozzle 13. Indeed, depending on the direction of rotation of the water flow in the swimming pool, one hole will be opened or drilled on _ 9 the appropriate side of the panel 11 to minimise interference of the return jet with the water intake 12.
As better seen on Figure 3, the top of the enclosure is designed to form an integral part of the sidewalk extending around the periphery of the swimming pool and is provided with a large rigid cover 16 assembled to and pivoting about hinge 17 to provide access to the pool servicing equipment compartment 24. In its fully opened position, the cover 16 adopts a generally vertical orientation, creating a wide and relatively high barrier between the 24 and the skimmer servicing aperture 15.
Therefor, a person in such a position to be in contact with an electrically live component of the pool servicing equipment is physically not allowed to access the skimmer compartment and contact the pool water, thus providing an efficient safety feature. A flange 18 is also provided on the upper end of the side and rear walls of the module to act as an expansion joint abutting against the concrete slab to be built around the top of the module to make the sidewalk.
Figure 3 also represents some details of the particular skimmer design incorporated into the panel module. The skimmer reservoir is provided with a coaxial circular buoyant weir 19 to form a skimmer assembly similar to the one supplied by Jacuzzi and described in US patent No 4 126 925. That particular type of skimmer assembly provides amongst other advantages a very short distance between the swimming pool inner peripheral wall and the centre of the skimmer reservoir 20, since no pivoting weir is needed upstream from said reservoir. Accordingly, that feature combined with the unusually wide water intake 12 require the debris in suspension at the water surface to deviate only slightly and slowly from their original path to be grabbed by the skimmer effect, thus increasing skimmer performance. The Jacuzzi skimmer concept performs ideally in the present panel module thanks to the rear compartment isolating the skimmer compartment from the ground. Effectively, a usual drawback of that skimmer concept is the susceptibility of the floating weir 19 to jam into the reservoir 20 under external constrains resulting from ground movements and distorting the circular section into an elliptical section. A strainer 21 is provided in the skimmer reservoir 20 to retain and prevent large debris to enter the filtration/circulation equipment.
The lower part of the reservoir 20 is terminated by a tubing adapter 22 for connection to the swimming pool servicing equipment housed into the universal enclosure.
Figures 2 and 3 also represent a typical layout of swimming pool servicing equipment to be housed in the universal enclosure equipment compartment 24 and usually not provided with the panel module. A rigid or flexible tubing 103 connects the skimmer outlet 22 to the inlet of pump 101 driven by electrical motor 102 to provide an optimal suction. A stop valve 104 is provided along that feed line to stop water flow when servicing pump 101. The pump outlet is connected the inlet of filter 100 through tubing 109 and the outlet of said filter is connected to the return nozzle 13 through stop valve 106, tubing 105 and hole 23 provided in the front panel 11.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the panel module is supplied with at least a section of connecting pipe 105 provided with a venturi water oxygenator. The oxygenator comprises a venturi vacuum tube 107 and an air intake tube 108 drawing air from inside the equipment compartment 24. With that feature in place, surrounding air heated by the pump motor dissipation is drained into the swimming pool, providing some heating and oxynenation while cooling the equipment compartment 24. In absence of that feature, the heat dissipated by motor 102 and communicated to the surrounding air that is not compensated by the cooling effect of the bed of rocks 200 is transferred to the pool water through thermal conduction through the front panel llin a 102 generated.
Additional commercially available swimming pool servicing equipment may of course be housed and connected inside the equipment compartment 24 of the universal enclosure to perform complementary functions such as chemical products dispensing, water heating, jet generator for countercurrent swimming etc., to the option of the pool installer and end user, as for the filtration/circulation equipment. That provides full flexibility to match desired performance specifications and prices according to current availability on the market.
Therefor, it can be seen that the swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer according to the present invention can be advantageously used for housing swimming pool servicing equipment while overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art devices.
Although the present invention has been described by means of a preferred embodiment thereof, it is contemplated that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the embodiment described be considered only as illustrative of the present invention and that the scope thereof should not be limited thereto but be determined by reference to the claims hereinafter provided and their equivalents.
~GvrLCv~S
INVENTORS
There is thus a need for an improved in-ground swimming pool panel with integral universal enclosure for housing the technical components servicing the pool.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure for housing the technical components servicing the swimming pool which overcomes the limitations and drawbacks of the above mentioned solutions of the prior art, and more specifically:
a first object of the instant invention is to provide a universal enclosure for housing a wide range of user selectable technical components for servicing an in-ground swimming pool a second object of the present invention is to provide a universal enclosure for housing the technical components servicing an in-ground swimming pool, forming a section panel of the pool peripheral wall and incorporating a skimmer device - a third object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing self priming of the pump:
- a fourth object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer preventing overheating of the pump motor;
- a fifth object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer preventing flooding of the pump/motor compartment:
- a further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing recovery of part of the heat generated by the pump motor to heat the pool water:
- another object of the instant invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer preventing an individual from simultaneously contacting an electrically live element of the technical components housed in the enclosure and the pool water;
- a further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing an improved skimming effect:
- a still further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer providing a user selectable water return location:
- another object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer featuring composite material construction for rigidity and resistance to corrosion:
- a still further object of the present invention is to provide an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer allowing the use of a simple piping network and connection of the filter downstream from the pump to minimise pressure drop and maximise filtration performance.
These objects and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent through the following description that will be carried out by reference to the appended drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
- More specifically, in accordance with the invention as broadly claimed, there is provided an in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer, said module comprising a front wall forming a section of the pool peripheral wall, a first skimmer compartment provided with water intake and a service inlet closed by a cover, a second deeper equipment c;ompartment 24 communicating with the bottom of the first compartment, having an open bottom and being provided with a pivoting cover constituting a generally vertically oriented planar barrier between the skimmer' service inlet and the component compartment when placed, in its open position. The wide water~intake skimmer exi~ends almost to the lateral extremities of the panel and preferably employs a circular type floating 'weir disposed substantially in coaxial relationship with the skimmer drain, said arrangement forming a very acute angle between the pool wall and the line <:onnecting one outer vertical edge of the skimmer intake to the center of the skimmer drain.
Figure la is an isometric frontal view of the swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer according to the present invention.
Figure 2a is top view of the swimming pool panel module with the cover of the equipment compartment 24 removed.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the swimming pool panel module showing the skimmer and the ec~t:~ipment compartments with basic equipment installed and connected for operation.
Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various Figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the in-ground swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer according to the present invention will now be described in detail referring to the appended drawings.
Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated a swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer generally identified by numeral 10.
Front panel 11 is preferably a reinforced composite material panel, such as a fiberglass moulding with a plywood core. Such a rigid panel is designed to replace a standard section (of five or six feet in width) of the peripheral wall of an in-ground swimming pool while accordingly resisting to the hydrostatic pressure. The enclosure has no bottom wall and is destined to be laid on a bed of rocks 200 as seen on Figure 3, thus providing a self draining bottom to rapidly evacuate any precipitation or leakage water entering the cavity. Said bed of rocks also provides some cooling of the enclosure by communicating fresh moisture from the ground inside the enclosure. A skimmer assembly is provided in the panel module 10 and comprises a specially wide water intake funnel 12 and a skimmer reservoir 20 both moulded integral with the front panel 11 and forming a skimmer compartment extending practically from one side to the other of said front panel. Said compartment is serviced through aperture 15 normally closed by removable cover 14 (Figure 3).
Indicia or knock out plugs 13a and 13b are also provided on the front panel 11 to indicate possible locations for custom installation of the water return nozzle 13. Indeed, depending on the direction of rotation of the water flow in the swimming pool, one hole will be opened or drilled on _ 9 the appropriate side of the panel 11 to minimise interference of the return jet with the water intake 12.
As better seen on Figure 3, the top of the enclosure is designed to form an integral part of the sidewalk extending around the periphery of the swimming pool and is provided with a large rigid cover 16 assembled to and pivoting about hinge 17 to provide access to the pool servicing equipment compartment 24. In its fully opened position, the cover 16 adopts a generally vertical orientation, creating a wide and relatively high barrier between the 24 and the skimmer servicing aperture 15.
Therefor, a person in such a position to be in contact with an electrically live component of the pool servicing equipment is physically not allowed to access the skimmer compartment and contact the pool water, thus providing an efficient safety feature. A flange 18 is also provided on the upper end of the side and rear walls of the module to act as an expansion joint abutting against the concrete slab to be built around the top of the module to make the sidewalk.
Figure 3 also represents some details of the particular skimmer design incorporated into the panel module. The skimmer reservoir is provided with a coaxial circular buoyant weir 19 to form a skimmer assembly similar to the one supplied by Jacuzzi and described in US patent No 4 126 925. That particular type of skimmer assembly provides amongst other advantages a very short distance between the swimming pool inner peripheral wall and the centre of the skimmer reservoir 20, since no pivoting weir is needed upstream from said reservoir. Accordingly, that feature combined with the unusually wide water intake 12 require the debris in suspension at the water surface to deviate only slightly and slowly from their original path to be grabbed by the skimmer effect, thus increasing skimmer performance. The Jacuzzi skimmer concept performs ideally in the present panel module thanks to the rear compartment isolating the skimmer compartment from the ground. Effectively, a usual drawback of that skimmer concept is the susceptibility of the floating weir 19 to jam into the reservoir 20 under external constrains resulting from ground movements and distorting the circular section into an elliptical section. A strainer 21 is provided in the skimmer reservoir 20 to retain and prevent large debris to enter the filtration/circulation equipment.
The lower part of the reservoir 20 is terminated by a tubing adapter 22 for connection to the swimming pool servicing equipment housed into the universal enclosure.
Figures 2 and 3 also represent a typical layout of swimming pool servicing equipment to be housed in the universal enclosure equipment compartment 24 and usually not provided with the panel module. A rigid or flexible tubing 103 connects the skimmer outlet 22 to the inlet of pump 101 driven by electrical motor 102 to provide an optimal suction. A stop valve 104 is provided along that feed line to stop water flow when servicing pump 101. The pump outlet is connected the inlet of filter 100 through tubing 109 and the outlet of said filter is connected to the return nozzle 13 through stop valve 106, tubing 105 and hole 23 provided in the front panel 11.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the panel module is supplied with at least a section of connecting pipe 105 provided with a venturi water oxygenator. The oxygenator comprises a venturi vacuum tube 107 and an air intake tube 108 drawing air from inside the equipment compartment 24. With that feature in place, surrounding air heated by the pump motor dissipation is drained into the swimming pool, providing some heating and oxynenation while cooling the equipment compartment 24. In absence of that feature, the heat dissipated by motor 102 and communicated to the surrounding air that is not compensated by the cooling effect of the bed of rocks 200 is transferred to the pool water through thermal conduction through the front panel llin a 102 generated.
Additional commercially available swimming pool servicing equipment may of course be housed and connected inside the equipment compartment 24 of the universal enclosure to perform complementary functions such as chemical products dispensing, water heating, jet generator for countercurrent swimming etc., to the option of the pool installer and end user, as for the filtration/circulation equipment. That provides full flexibility to match desired performance specifications and prices according to current availability on the market.
Therefor, it can be seen that the swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer according to the present invention can be advantageously used for housing swimming pool servicing equipment while overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art devices.
Although the present invention has been described by means of a preferred embodiment thereof, it is contemplated that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the embodiment described be considered only as illustrative of the present invention and that the scope thereof should not be limited thereto but be determined by reference to the claims hereinafter provided and their equivalents.
~GvrLCv~S
INVENTORS
Claims (5)
1. A swimming pool panel module to be installed in or on a water permeable ground, said module comprising:
a front gall forming a section of a pool peripheral wall and comprising an elongated substantially horizontal opening providing a skimmer water inlet having a width equal to at least four times the height thereof;
a skier compartment communicating with said skimmer inlet and comprising a skimmer drain provided with a drain outlet at a lower end of said skimmer compartment;
a technical equipment compartment communicating with said skimmer drain through said drain outlet, comprising lateral walls extending downwardly beyond said drain outlet and being further characterised by a substantially open bottom in order to provide free fluid and thermal communication between said equipment compartment and the ground extending below said compartment.
a front gall forming a section of a pool peripheral wall and comprising an elongated substantially horizontal opening providing a skimmer water inlet having a width equal to at least four times the height thereof;
a skier compartment communicating with said skimmer inlet and comprising a skimmer drain provided with a drain outlet at a lower end of said skimmer compartment;
a technical equipment compartment communicating with said skimmer drain through said drain outlet, comprising lateral walls extending downwardly beyond said drain outlet and being further characterised by a substantially open bottom in order to provide free fluid and thermal communication between said equipment compartment and the ground extending below said compartment.
2. A swimming pool panel module as recited in claim 1, in which said technical equipment compartment and said skimmer compartment are each closed by separate top service covers;
3. A swimming pool panel module as recited in claim 2, in which said service cover of said technical equipment compartment is opening by pivoting into the direction of the service cover of the said skimmer compartment so as to provide a barrier limiting access to the skimmer compartment.
4. A swimming pool panel module as recited in claim 1, in which said front wall is made of a material and structure that promote heat transfer between the inside of said technical equipment compartment and the inside of the pool.
5. A swimming pool panel module as recited in claim 1, in which said skimmer compartment is further comprised of a circular type floating weir disposed substantially coaxial with said skimmer drain, such that the angle between the front wall horizontal axis and a virtual line connecting a vertical edge of the skimmer inlet opening to the vertical centre axis of the skimmer drain is 30 degrees or less.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2286469 CA2286469A1 (en) | 1999-10-07 | 1999-10-07 | Swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2286469 CA2286469A1 (en) | 1999-10-07 | 1999-10-07 | Swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2286469A1 true CA2286469A1 (en) | 2001-04-07 |
Family
ID=4164394
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2286469 Abandoned CA2286469A1 (en) | 1999-10-07 | 1999-10-07 | Swimming pool panel module with integral universal enclosure and skimmer |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2286469A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2928707A1 (en) * | 2008-03-17 | 2009-09-18 | Abris Et Filtrations Modernes | Suction system for filtration device of swimming pool, has pressure line connected to delivery nozzle placed in downstream of venturi effect apparatus for delivering mixture of fluids in basin, where apparatus is mounted on pressure line |
-
1999
- 1999-10-07 CA CA 2286469 patent/CA2286469A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2928707A1 (en) * | 2008-03-17 | 2009-09-18 | Abris Et Filtrations Modernes | Suction system for filtration device of swimming pool, has pressure line connected to delivery nozzle placed in downstream of venturi effect apparatus for delivering mixture of fluids in basin, where apparatus is mounted on pressure line |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |