EP1034347B1 - Device for preventing accidental falls in private swimming pools or the like - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for protecting accidental falls in the pool, inadvertently or unaware of the dangers that can constitute an empty or full basin. The invention relates, more in particular, a protective device intended to protect a user against an accidental fall in the pool of a swimming pool.

Protection against falls and their consequences often disasters are traditionally carried out using fences, tarpaulins and other sliding curtains, alarms, bracelets, probes and various buoys that do not can actually prevent falls and drownings; their cost, their aesthetics, their practicality and their ironic absence on the day of an accident, cannot agree with effectiveness in all cases of potential victims.

Document FR-A-2 712 333 describes a device for protecting a user accidental fall into the pool of a swimming pool. This device consists of a vertically movable barrier which can be retracted in the event of non-danger. Setting danger position and retraction are controlled by hydraulic means comprising a pipe supplied with pressurized water and placed on at least one edge of the pool basin.

Such a barrier has the disadvantage of requiring a volume relatively deep to allow its retraction and, consequently, not to be able to equip an already existing swimming pool. In addition, such a barrier is very troublesome for an informed adult. who wants to enter the water, while it is necessary for the protection of children running around the pelvis.

The device according to the invention overcomes these various drawbacks. he has, according to a first characteristic, a natural barrier of sheaves of water cold outgoing according to an important area of action, and placed at the edge of the basin.

Each jet is connected in parallel with a push button and a pipe sanitary cold water, controlled by a valve and therefore supplied by a bypass placed after the general water meter using a T, the whole discreetly surrounding the basin and constituting a corridor of slabs slightly moving, tiles or rigid coverings, integrating with the rest of the range of swimming pool.

These jets, by their pressure (adjustable), their surprise and spontaneity, are combined with a lively feeling of freshness to make any victim react potential danger, warning of a ban, which has the effect of a setback instinctive babies or other surprised people.

When a weight comes to exert pressure on one of the moving parts of the corridor going around the basin, pressing themselves on a push button connected to the jets, it immediately releases cold water.

We know, from document US-A-5 683 314, a hopscotch type game during which the player is likely to be watered randomly or not. For this purpose, each box is constituted by a slab provided with a sprinkler connected to a water supply, a remote control means being provided to trigger or not to sprinkle the player when it lands on a slab.

The device according to the invention is not a game, but a device allowing to inform a user of a swimming pool, in particular a child, that he is located too close to the edge of the pelvis, and thus avoid a potential fall in the pool. Such a device is completely dissuasive for a young child (and informative for parents or supervisors).

The device is therefore able to warn a user actively against the danger of falling into a swimming pool.

• Le couloir de mouvance, suivant les contours du bassin, est constitué de dalles, carreaux ou autres revêtements rigides et compartimentables en forme de carré ou de tout autre forme, séparés par un joint souple mais très résistant aux tensions du léger jeu émis à chaque utilisation et aux intempéries.
• La dalle écrasée repose, en fin de jeu, sur un support en béton recevant tout le poids, et non pas sur le bouton poussoir qui n'est pas tout à fait en fin de course et qui est effleuré lorsque la dalle qui le protège est en position haute. Qui plus est, elle peut posséder en son centre, un logement pour le bouton poussoir. Chaque dalle, posée côte à côte et maintenue au reste du revêtement par un joint souple, est indépendante.
• Le joint inaltérable est déposé sur les deux côtés qui maintiennent fermement la dalle et est suffisamment souple pour en assurer le bon fonctionnement. Les deux autres côtés de la dalle sont, quant à eux, pourvus d'un revêtement assurant un coulissement net entre chacune d'entre elles et sensiblement invisible à l'oeil, mais pouvant éventuellement permettre un écoulement de l'eau par ces côtés afin de la recycler en piscine, le jet ne cessant qu'après le retrait du poids sur la dalle.
• Le bouton poussoir sollicité est, quant à lui, suffisamment sensible pour réagir à une moindre pression et ouvrir son clapet pour libérer le jet. Les éléments utilisés sont inoxydables.

According to particular embodiments:

• The movement corridor, following the contours of the basin, is made up of slabs, tiles or other rigid and compartmentalizable coverings in the shape of a square or any other shape, separated by a flexible joint but very resistant to the tensions of the slight play emitted at each use. and bad weather.
• The crushed slab rests, at the end of the game, on a concrete support receiving all the weight, and not on the push button which is not quite at the end of its travel and which is touched when the slab which protects it is in the high position. What is more, it may have in its center, a housing for the push button. Each slab, placed side by side and held to the rest of the covering by a flexible joint, is independent.
• The unalterable seal is deposited on both sides which firmly hold the slab and is flexible enough to ensure its proper functioning. The other two sides of the slab are, for their part, provided with a coating ensuring a clear sliding between each of them and substantially invisible to the eye, but possibly allowing water to flow through these sides so to recycle it in a swimming pool, the jet only ceasing after the weight has been removed from the slab.
• The requested push button is sensitive enough to react to the slightest pressure and open its valve to release the jet. The elements used are stainless.

In summary, the device according to the invention, which is intended to protect a user of an accidental fall in the pool of a swimming pool, comprising a pipe intended to be supplied with pressurized water and to be placed on at least one edge of the basin, this pipe being capable of determining at least one spray of water from a plurality of spray sources water; the device comprises a plurality of tiles intended to be placed on the at least edge of the basin and commanding the at least one spray of water when the user passes over the slab associated with the at least one spray of water, the at least a spray of water being directed towards the associated slab, the plurality of sources of spray of water being arranged between the edge of the basin and the plurality of slabs.

Either the tiles are moving, or they are linked to a means photoelectric for triggering the at least one spray of water.

Preferably, the at least one spray of water is present on a determined spherical sector directed towards the tiles and making an opening angle approximately 70 ° vertical to the horizontal plane and an opening angle of 140 ° approximately horizontally.

Other features of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:

Figure 1 shows a general view after the integrated implantation of the system and how it works

Figure 2 and 2a shows in section the operating device and its use.

Figure 3 shows, by transparency, the operating device.

Figure 4 is a mixture of these Figures.

With reference to these drawings, the device comprises a line of jets 1 leaving only to guess their action face (water outlet), marrying and confusing at the edge of the pelvis. They are supplied by a pipe 2 arranged parallel to the edge of the pelvis. The pipeline can be made copper, galvanized or plastic if it is sufficiently resistant to pressure wanted.

A conduit connects each jet 1 to the pipe 2, and buttons pushers 3 are placed in a working channel 4 under the moving slabs 5.

The sensitivity of the buttons 3 and the flexibility of the seals 6 is such that a low pressure exerted by the user 7 on one of these slabs 5 is sufficient to cause the valve to open and thus the emission of a shower cold surprising the user who reacts instinctively, but who will, of course, be able to consciously take this same shower in all peace of mind to rinse off or to avoid hydrocution even by a passage in short, before diving, for example, wherever it is, around the pool.

The clearance 8 determined for the movement of the slab between the position normal 9 and the action position 9bis is reduced to a minimum (approximately 5 mm). This game therefore does not interfere too much with the seals 6 which are subjected to a very slight tension affecting neither their strength nor their flexibility, the seals 6 then having, in addition, a second return spring effect; the slab is replaced perfectly and automatically when the pressure is removed.

The flexible seal 6 can be, in some cases, slightly wider than the rest of the joints 10 of the range (mosaics) but keep as much as possible the same color.

In the embodiment according to Figures 2-2bis and 3, the push buttons 3 are fixed in the working channel 4 on which are placed slabs with a rubberized protective housing 11 to reduce the impact

The crushed slab 5 abuts and rests on its support 12, while the button is not fully pressed; so there is no shock on the seat of the button 3.

According to variants not illustrated, the moving slabs can be fitted on 2 or 4 sides with small retractable latches with small housing opposite their correspondent, allowing a descent and a perfectly straight slab rise ensuring it is just as perfect put in place. The triggering of the jets can just as easily be done using manual or automatic systems such as beams or cells photoelectric, remote controls, etc ...; the rule always remains the stupor of the jet cold to roll back and not go beyond this natural barrier unconsciously.

The effective angle of the jets will be for the straight edges of the pools about 140 ° in width and 70 ° in height, and consequently for angles and rounding of the different pools.

The corridor of the slabs is planned about 1 meter from the jets, the pipeline being open and adjusted using the valve.

The device according to the invention is particularly intended for the protection in private pools, the installation being predominant of the good operation of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. Device designed to protect a user from falling accidentally into the basin of a swimming pool, comprising piping (2) intended to be supplied with water under pressure and to be placed at at least one edge of the said basin,
      characterized in that

   the said piping (2) is capable of giving rise to at least one shower of water among a plurality of sources (1) of a shower of water,

   in that it comprises a plurality of slabs (5) intended to be positioned on the said at least one edge of the said basin and initiating the said at least one shower of water when the said user passes over the slab (5) associated with the said at least one shower of water,

   in that the said at least one shower of water is directed towards the said associated slab (5),

   in that the said plurality of sources (1) of a shower of water is intended to be disposed between the said edge of the said basin and the said plurality of slabs (5).
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said slabs (5) are movable, the weight of the said user on a slab giving rise to a pressure exerted on a button and capable of triggering the said at least one shower of water.
3. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the passage of the said user over one of the said slabs (5) is detected by a photoelectric device which triggers the said at least one shower of water.
4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said at least one shower of water is present over a specific spherical sector directed towards the said slabs (5) and forming a vertical angle of spread of about 70° with respect to the horizontal plane and an angle of spread of about 140° horizontally.
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said piping (2) and the said slabs (5) completely surround the said basin.

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