US20140366260A1

US20140366260A1 - Safety Pool Cover

Info

Publication number: US20140366260A1
Application number: US14/305,654
Authority: US
Inventors: Pete Blaschick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-06-14
Filing date: 2014-06-16
Publication date: 2014-12-18

Abstract

A pool cover that is adapted to rest directly on the surface of the pool water is provided. The present pool cover consists of a series of planar panels composed of transparent, durable plastic material and a flotation portion disposed about the periphery of the panels. The set of panels are preferably connected together by straps with hook and loop fastener material or other such connectors. When connected together, the plurality of panels form a single contiguous unit that is adapted to cover the entire surface area of a pool. The present pool cover is superior to conventional pool covers because it is adapted to bear weight, preventing children and pets from falling into the pool through the cover and becoming entangled in the collapsed flexible material.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/835,165 filed on Jun. 14, 2013, entitled “Solar Safety System.” The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pool covers. More specifically, the present invention relates to pool covers that are adapted to prevent drowning incidents.
Conventional pool covers are composed of flexible material that collapses under the weight of pets, children, and other individuals who step thereon. These individuals who unwittingly step onto these flexible pool covers then become entangled in the pool cover as it collapses into the pool, which restricts their limbs and puts them in greater danger of drowning. The danger associated with conventional pool covers is only increased by the fact that after an individual has fallen into the pool, if the individual is not completely entangled in the cover, then the cover often returns to its resting position, concealing the drowning victim from potential rescuers. Furthermore, because pool covers are often opaque, children often do not realize that they cannot step on the pool cover because the danger of the water is hidden thereunder.
The present invention therefore provides a safety pool cover that is composed of rigid, transparent material and is adapted to support the weight of an individual standing thereon. The present invention lessens the risk of drowning incidents because individuals cannot fall through the present pool cover and the present invention is also transparent, which allows individuals to appreciate the fact that the present pool cover is resting on top of a potentially dangerous pool. The transparent material of the panels also allows sunlight to pass therethrough, passively and continuously heating the pool water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to safety pool covers or floating pool solar heaters that are adapted to passively heat the pool's water. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. Safety pool covers generally comprise flexible material that is held in tension when disposed over a pool surface so that it does not collapse when individuals step thereon. Floating pool solar heaters generally comprise devices that are untethered or otherwise restricted in their movement and are adapted to freely float along the pool surface and passively store solar energy in order to heat the pool water. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
Safety pool covers currently known in the prior art generally comprise flexible material that is simply held in tension when disposed across the surface of a pool so that it does not collapse when an individual steps thereon. These devices are nonetheless problematic because the tensioning means utilized by these devices fails on occasion. These types of safety pool covers are extremely dangerous if the tensioning means fails or is otherwise incapable of supporting the weight of an individual thereon because there is generally no way to determine if the tensioning means has failed until the pool cover collapses underneath an individual. The present invention, on the other hand, is composed of rigid, durable material and does not rely upon a separate mechanical means that can fail to keep the pool cover safe and able to support an individual's weight.
Floating pool heaters generally comprises transparent floating panels that are adapted to reflect solar energy into the pool water or comprise a plurality of air-filled pockets that help to trap thermal energy in order to passively heat the pool even after the sun has set. These devices, however, are not adapted to support the weight of an individual thereon and generally untethered or connected in any way so that they freely float along the pool's surface. Conversely, the present invention comprises a plurality of connectable, rigid panels that are adapted to trap heat thereunder and are further adapted to cover the entire area of the pool surface, preventing evaporative heat loss. Furthermore, the connected series of panels form a rigid pool cover that is adapted to support the weight of individuals without collapsing.
The present invention comprises a plurality of panels composed of transparent, rigid material that have a flotation member extending along their periphery and are adapted to be connected to each other in order to cover the entire surface area of a pool. The present invention both passively heats a pool by allowing solar energy to pass therethrough and creates a rigid surface that is adapted to support the weight of an individual without collapsing and putting that individual at risk of drowning. Furthermore, because the present invention is adapted to cover the entire surface area of a pool, it also prevents evaporative heat loss, which can account for 70% of the heat loss from a pool. The present invention therefore provides a means to protect individuals from drowning by falling into a covered pool, while simultaneously passively heating and preventing heat loss from a pool. The present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing safety pool cover devices and pool solar heating devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of pool covers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new safety pool cover wherein the same can be utilized for providing the user with a means to cover his or her pool in a safe manner that prevents drowning incidents, while simultaneously passively allowing the pool to be heated via solar energy.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved pool cover device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pool cover that is adapted to bear an individual's weight, thereby preventing the cover from collapsing and entangling the individual within the pool.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pool cover that is composed of transparent material that allows solar energy to pass therethrough to heat the pool water.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pool cover that allows the pool water to freely circulate thereunder.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pool cover that is adapted to be arrangeable in a set of connectable panels.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pool cover that prevents debris from entering the pool water.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pool cover that may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a plurality of panels of the present invention connected together to cover the surface area of a pool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the safety pool cover. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for providing a pool cover that is adapted to bear an individual's weight and thereby reducing the occurrence of drowning incidents. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the present invention. The present invention comprises a rigid, planar panel 11 having a flotation member 12 extending around the peripheral edge of the panel 11. The panel 11 is composed of durable, transparent material that is capable of supporting an individual's weight, such as PMMA, or other suitable material. In some embodiments, the panel 11 may be composed of buoyant material that is transparent. The transparent nature of the panel 11 allows the pool to receive direct sunlight. In this way, the heat from the sun can raise the temperature of the pool water and retain heat, thereby eliminating the need to utilize pool heaters. In the exemplary embodiment, the panel 11 may be configured to cover a portion of the pool surface. As such, the present invention may comprise a plurality of panels 11 that may interlock with one another, wherein each of the panels 11 is shaped differently in order to cover different parts of the pool surface. Alternatively, a single panel 11 may be configured to cover the entire pool surface.
The flotation member 12 is preferably permanently affixed to the peripheral edge of the panel 11, thereby creating a single contiguous unit. The floatation member 12 may be affixed to the panel 11 by means of strong adhesive, or the like. Alternatively, the flotation member 12 may be press fitted to the peripheral edges of the panel 11. The flotation member 12 is composed of any buoyant lightweight material that is adapted to support the weight of the panel 11 and a user afloat, such as polyethylene foam or another closed-cell foam material. The flotation member 12 may be either a single contiguous piece of material or may comprise a plurality of pieces of material arranged together along the perimeter of the planar panel 11. The flotation member 12 may comprise a substantially circular cross section having a diameter that is uniform over its length so that the edges of the device may be rounded. The flotation member 12 is adapted to support the panel 11 portion of the present invention on the surface of the pool, creating a barrier between the pool water and the surrounding environment. Accordingly, the density of the flotation member 12 is less than the density of the panel 11. In one embodiment of the present invention, the density of the flotation member 12 is 6.5-8.5 pounds per cubic foot.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of a plurality of panels of the present invention connected together to cover the surface area of a pool. Multiple panels 11 can be held together via a plurality of connectors 13 disposed about the periphery of the panels 11. In some embodiments of the present invention, the panels 11 are held together via a permanent connection, such as adhesives. In other embodiments of the present invention, the panels 11 are held together via semi-permanent connections, such as zip ties. In still other embodiments of the present invention, the panels 11 are removably held together via removable connectors 13, such as hook and loop fastener material 14 extending along the flotation member 12 around the peripheral edge of the panels 11, as depicted.
The panels 11 are designed such that each of the edges of the planar panel 11 rests flush against either the edge of an adjacent panel 11 or the interior edge of the pool. This ensures that when the panels 11 are connected together, they form a single contiguous barrier over the pool surface, preventing debris, animals, and children from falling therethrough into the pool. Additionally, because the panels 11 flush against the edge of an adjacent panel 11 or the interior edge of the pool, the panels 11 are prevented from shifting or moving during use. Furthermore, because the panels 11 cover the entire surface area of the pool when in place, they prevent evaporative heat loss from the pool, in addition to passively heating the pool by allowing solar energy therethrough. The shape of the panels 11 is freely customizable as they can be specifically cut and designed for pools of various designs.
Because the individual panels 11 are configured to cover only a portion of the pool, the panels 11 are convenient to store and transport. Additionally, the present invention may be reversible so that either side of the panel 11 may be positioned adjacent to the pool water surface.
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A pool cover, comprising:

a rigid and transparent planar panel having a peripheral edge;

a flotation member permanently disposed about said peripheral edge;

wherein said flotation member is adapted to support said planar panel above a pool surface;

wherein said planar panel allows sunlight to pass therethrough and retain heat within pool water;

at least one connector disposed on said planar panel;

wherein a plurality of said planar panels are adapted to be removably secured together via said at least one connector to cover said pool surface.

2. The pool cover of claim 1, wherein said rigid panels are composed of PMMA.

3. The pool cover of claim 1, wherein said flotation member is closed cell foam material.

4. The pool cover of claim 1, wherein said connector comprises hook and loop fastener material.

5. The pool cover of claim 1, wherein said flotation member comprises a circular cross section with a diameter that is uniform over the length thereof.

6. The pool cover of claim 1, wherein said connector comprises hook and loop fastener material extending along said flotation member.