FR2690191A1 - Swimming pool steps for entering water at end of pool - made from glass fibre resin laminate with support beneath for rigidity and moulded unit with tread, riser and sidewall in recess with sloping base cut in endwall - Google Patents

Abstract

The steps comprise a moulded unit with treads (8), risers (10) and sidewalls (4) which fits into a recess with a sloping base cut into the endwall of the pool. The step unit has a reinforcing unit (12) which is beneath it, comprising a central lengthwise beam (11) and a series of side wings (13) which are shaped to fit beneath the steps and support them. The beam also has cut-away sections to engage with the treads and risers. Both the steps and reinforcing unit may be made from laminated and fibre-glass reinforced resin. ADVANTAGE - Greater rigidity and less risk of cracking are obtd.

Description

 The invention is in the field of accessories for swimming pools, and it relates to a monobloc element, such as stairs or the like, constituting an access ramp to the interior of the swimming pool.

 Swimming pools are commonly equipped with an access element, made of resin and fiberglass laminate formed by a ramp, flat or in steps, bordered perpendicularly by lateral partitions, giving it a general triangular profile, the ramp leading to the pool water level. If the element is a staircase, the ramp comprises a plurality of landings formed by two concurrent planes called step and riser respectively. The steps are often reinforced with a wooden plate inserted in the resin, in order to stiffen them to avoid their bending. The access element is housed in an excavation of the ground at the edge of the swimming pool, and has an upper edge resting on the edge of said excavation.

 A drawback results from the flexibility of the edge of the element for which the edge of the excavation does not constitute a sufficiently rigid and stable support. Another drawback results from the degradation of the wooden insert due to water infiltration by micro-cracks in the laminate, which insert, thus moistened loses its rigidity.

 The object of the invention is to give an element of the kind of those mentioned above, considerably increased rigidity and almost unalterable.

 According to the invention, a one-piece access element for swimming pools, of the kind mentioned above, is mainly characterized in that it comprises, attached to the rear face of the ramp, at least one wall cooperating with it. ci to form at least one stiffening box oriented longitudinally and / or transversely against the deformation forces of the element during its use. Said wall at least is advantageously formed from the same resin and fiberglass laminate as that of the element.

 According to a first embodiment, a so-called main part of the box consists of a flared U-shaped beam, added in the middle zone of the element, extending from the upper parts to the lower parts of the latter. It follows from these arrangements that the element is stiffened against an overall deflection.

 In the case where the ramp is a staircase, said beam favorably includes notches so as to bear at least partially under each of the steps, a so-called secondary part of the box consists of a web reported longitudinally on the major part of each of the landings so as to substantially join the middle area of their step with the bottom area of their riser. I1 results from these provisions, on the one hand that each bearing is stiffened against a local deflection of its respective course, and on the other hand that the element is stiffened overall against its torsion .

 According to a preferred embodiment, the box is a one-piece element grouping the two so-called main and secondary parts. This box, called a stiffener, is shaped like a rib cage, the beam forming the backbone and the sails forming the ribs.

 Favorably, said ramp at least being curved, the edges of each of the sails respectively in contact with their respective steps and risers are curvilinear, and the width of each of the sails increases progressively from each of their ends to their median zone. so that said edges are at a constant distance from their respective course.

 An advantageous method for producing an element according to the invention, said method using the known technique for developing a structure made of resin laminate and fiberglass, consists of the following operations: developing the wall to constitute the laminate stiffener from a mold, add the polymerized stiffener to the back of an element in the course of polymerization produced in two successive layers of laminate, and apply a third layer of laminate by spraying onto the back of said element , so as to form a continuous surface and to ensure the seal between the stiffener and the element. Due to the fact that the stiffener is stabilized when it is attached to the element and that the assembly is coated with a layer of laminate, a stress effect is obtained resulting from the polymerization of the third layer, said stress effect contributing to the rigidity of the whole corn.

The present invention will be better understood and details will be apparent from the description which will be given of a preferred embodiment, in relation to the figures in the appended plate, in which
FIG. 1, intended to situate the invention is a partial representation of a swimming pool equipped with an access element,
FIG. 2 is a perspective representation of an element of the invention seen substantially from the rear and from the side,
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective representation of an element of the invention seen from below and from the side.

 In FIG. 1, a staircase providing access to the interior of a swimming pool is formed of a one-piece element made of resin laminate and fiberglass. This staircase consists of a ramp bordered by a curved partition 4 so as to provide an opening O opening onto a wall 6 of the swimming pool. The ramp comprises a plurality of bearings formed by a step 8 and a riser 10. The staircase is placed inside a clearance made in the ground, the rear face A of the staircase thus being hidden.

In FIG. 2, the staircase is seen from the rear and from the side (to facilitate the location of the elements, said opening and the rear face of the staircase have been respectively identified by the letters
O and A).

 A box 2 has been formed on the rear face of the ramp, by adding a rear wall, in order to stiffen the staircase. This box 2 is composed of walls (11 and 13 fig. 3) cooperating with the rear face to form hollow ribs 12 and 14 respectively oriented longitudinally and transversely relative to the staircase.

 Depending on their orientation, these hollow ribs 12 and 14 form volumes divided into two constituent categories of the box 2: one 12 called main, consists of a beam (11 fig. 3) in flared U, reported in the middle area of the staircase, extending from the upper parts to the lower parts thereof; the other such as 14, called secondary, consists of sails (13 fig.3) reported longitudinally over the major part of each of the bearings so as to substantially join the middle area of the steps 8 with the lower area of the risers 10. Des end walls 22 of the webs 13 close the secondary parts 14 of the box 2 to make it waterproof.

 Thus, the main part 12 of the box 2 allows a stiffening of the staircase against an overall deflection, while the secondary parts 14 allow a stiffening, not only of the staircase against its torsion, but also steps 8 against a local deflection, which makes it possible to avoid the presence of wooden plates usually inserted in the steps to avoid their deflection.

 It will be noted that the two said main parts 12 and secondary parts 14 can be separate, and that the presence of either one 12 or the other 14 of these parts also comes under the invention.

 In FIG. 3, the staircase is being developed and rests on its face comprising said opening 0. This staircase is developed according to a process using the known technique for developing a structure in resin laminate and fiberglass. , in two successive layers.

 A stiffener 2, formed of a box made up of two said main 12 and secondary 14 parts, forms a monobloc element in polymerized laminate having a conformation like a rib cage: the main part 12 forms the backbone, and the abutments 14 the ribs. It will be noted that the beam 11 forming the backbone comprises notches such as 16 so as to bear at least partially under each of the steps 8 and that the edges such as 18 and 20 of each of the sails 13 forming the ribs are curvilinear, the width of the webs 13 gradually increasing from their end to their connection zone with the beam 11.

 The stiffener 2 is attached to the rear of the ramp, and the assembly is covered with a third layer of laminate. This layer not only forms a continuous surface and seals between the stiffener and the staircase, but also contributes to the stiffening of the staircase, due to the fact that by polymerizing, it generates a stiffening stress effect all.

 Note that the figures represent a preferred form of the invention applied to a curved staircase. However, the principles of the invention are applicable to any other access configuration for a swimming pool comprising a ramp, such as a straight staircase or a slope.

 Also, although a preferred embodiment has been described and represented, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited to this form but that it extends to any device comprising the characteristics stated upper.

Claims (1)

1.- One-piece access element for swimming pool, such as stairs,  formed by a ramp bordered perpendicularly by the  at least one partition (4) so as to give it trans  versally a general triangular profile, the so-called  ramp leading to the pool water level,  and may include a plurality of bearings formed  of two concurrent planes called walking respectively  (8) and riser (10), characterized  in that it comprises, reported  on the rear face of the ramp, at least one wall  (11,13) cooperating with it to form at least  a stiffening box (2) oriented against  deformation of the element during its  use 2.- Element according to claim-1 characterized  in that a part called princi  blade (12) of the box (2) consists of a beam  (11) in a flared U, reported in the middle zone of  the element, extending from the upper parts to the parts  bass of it,  from which it follows that the element  is stiffened against an overall deflection 3.- Element according to claim 1, the ramp being a  staircase, characterized  in that a so-called part  secondary (14) of the box (2) consists of a  veil reported (13) longitudinally on the major  part of each of the bearings so as to join sensi  the middle zone of his step (8) with the zone  low of its riser,  from which it results, on the one hand  that each level is stiffened against a bent  of its respective market (8), and other  except that the element is stiffened against its twist  and its overall deflection 4.- Element according to claim 2, the ramp being a  staircase, characterized:  in that said beam (11)  has notches (16) so as to take  support at least partially under each of the steps  (8) 5.- element according to claims 1 to 4, characterized  in that the box (2) is  a one-piece element, called a stiffener, conforming to the image  dTune chest, the beam (11) forming the spine  dorsal and sails (13) forming the ribs 6.- Element according to any one of claims 3  and 5 characterized  in that said partition (4)  at least being curved, the edges (18,20) of each  sails (13) respectively in contact with their  step (8) and riser (10) are curvilinear, and  the width of each of the sails (13) increases progressively  from each of their ends to  their median zone so that said edges  (18,20) are at a constant distance from their walk  (8) respective 7.- A method according to claim 4, implementing  the known technique of developing structures in  resin and fiberglass laminate, characterized  in that it includes the succession of stages  following  - on the one hand, develop the stiffener (2) in laminate from a mold,  - on the other hand, bring back the stiffener (2) polymerized at the rear of an element produced in two successive layers of laminate, and  - Apply a third layer of laminate, by projection, to the rear of said element, so as to form a continuous surface and to ensure the seal between the stiffener and the element;