US20180038124A1 - System and method of making a pool invisible - Google Patents

System and method of making a pool invisible Download PDF

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Publication number
US20180038124A1
US20180038124A1 US15/646,087 US201715646087A US2018038124A1 US 20180038124 A1 US20180038124 A1 US 20180038124A1 US 201715646087 A US201715646087 A US 201715646087A US 2018038124 A1 US2018038124 A1 US 2018038124A1
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Prior art keywords
board
pool
covering board
lifting device
covering
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Abandoned
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US15/646,087
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English (en)
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Shiyue Xiong
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority to US15/646,087 priority Critical patent/US20180038124A1/en
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    • 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
    • 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
    • E04H4/0018—Easily movable or transportable swimming pools
    • 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
    • E04H4/06—Safety devices; Coverings for baths
    • E04H4/08—Coverings consisting of rigid elements, e.g. coverings composed of separate or connected elements
    • 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
    • E04H4/06—Safety devices; Coverings for baths
    • E04H4/08—Coverings consisting of rigid elements, e.g. coverings composed of separate or connected elements
    • E04H4/084—Coverings consisting of rigid elements, e.g. coverings composed of separate or connected elements with lifting mechanism
    • 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
    • E04H4/14—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for

Definitions

  • the present invention is related to a home pool, especially to the cover of the pool.
  • covers of the pool for sale in the market now are made of flexible materials such as plastic fabric and canvas.
  • the main function of the cover is to prevent water from evaporating and children and pets from falling into the water.
  • the flexible materials can't bear the heavier weight, and aren't steady enough for the human activities on their surface though some materials are firmer.
  • Some of the pool covers have a driving device such as a winder and a folder that can drive the cover.
  • the driving device can roll up or fold up the flexible cover and enable the cover to move horizontally for opening or closing the pool.
  • the commonest lifting device is just a lifter.
  • the lifter can lift people and objects from the ground to the higher floor.
  • In a building site workers use a crane to lift building materials such as floorboards to an appointed position.
  • In a hall a worker stands a platform supported by the lifting devices for installing a ceiling lamp.
  • a harbor a gantry crane lifts containers. At a theatre artists use the lifting platform to move sceneries and actors to a designed position.
  • the lifting device mentioned above can have various structures and is made of different materials, but they have a common function, i.e. lifting people and objects to a predetermined position.
  • Most of the lifting devices have a load-bearing base, such as the floor of the cage of the lifter, the fork of the fork lifter, the platform of the lifting device stated above.
  • the load-bearing base is used to load the people and objects so as to lift or lower them to expected position.
  • the lifting devices of prior arts all are used in the lifting field for many years.
  • the present system and method is that using lifting technique improves the existing pool cover.
  • the present invention will create a new industry and a new product to meet the people's long-felt need.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram of the present system with 4 lifting devices of a hydraulic type.
  • FIG. 2 is a diagram of the present system with 4 lifting devices of a chain type.
  • FIG. 2 ′ is a vector graph used to analyze the force and motion.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagram of the present system with 1 lifting device of a screw type.
  • FIG. 4 is a diagram of the present system with 1 lifting device of a hydraulic type.
  • FIG. 5 is a diagram of a lifting device of a gear type.
  • FIG. 6 is a diagram of the system with lifting devices of a sliding-guide type.
  • FIG. 7 is a diagram of a lifting device of a scissors type.
  • FIG. 8 is a diagram of a double-tier covering board for a two-tier pool.
  • FIG. 9 is a diagram of the present system with a pulley group.
  • the present system and method comprises a flat board and at least one lifting device.
  • the flat board has sufficient size for covering a pool and is made of rigid materials so as to be able to bear heavy weight.
  • the lifting device includes two parts: a movable part and a fixed part. The one part of them is fixed on the ground or somewhere in a building near the pool, and another part is joined to the covering board.
  • the lifting device can vertically move the horizontal covering board upward or downward and keep the covering board always horizontal.
  • the users only lift up the covering board, and when want to BBQ, they only lower the covering board to cover the pool. Once the board reaches the top of the pool wall, the pool becomes hidden and invisible. The users can do some activities and put something on it even on the lifted covering board as on the floor or on the ground. This expands actually their living space.
  • the present system comprises a flat rigid covering board 1 and at least one lifting device 2 (shown as 2 a , 2 c and 2 d in FIG. 2 ).
  • covering board 1 is made of rigid materials.
  • the rigid materials may be various, such as a plank, or tempered glass, or rigid plastic, or lighter and stronger carbon fiber.
  • the method of making the covering board is various too. Please refer to the following Operation Section. Regardless of what material is used, it is necessary that covering board 1 should be firm enough so that a human being can stand, walk, work, BBQ, play tennis, and put something such as furniture 6 etc. on it as on the floor or on the ground.
  • the covering board must be flat and has sufficient size to cover a whole or a portion of the pool. Generally the covering board matches with the shape of the pool, but it is not necessary. For example, in FIG. 4 covering board 1 ′ shown with dashed lines is oval and larger than the round pool, and the line-dashed lifting device 2 ′ stands at the edge of the pool. This may avoid setting up the lifting device in the center of the pool.
  • the lifting device is used to lift the covering board.
  • the fixed part is usually fixed on the ground or somewhere in a building near the pool.
  • the movable part is usually joined to covering board 1 . This isn't absolute. Sometimes, the fixed part may also be joined to covering board 1 , and an end of the movable part is fixed somewhere but covering board 1 .
  • Lifting device 2 is driven by a motor and a transmission (they aren't shown in the figures because they are unrelated to the structure the present system but as an universal power). The movable part is driven by the power, and thus lifting device 2 can lift covering board 1 from the top of a pool wall 5 to a predetermined height or lower it from the predetermined height to the top of pool wall 5 .
  • FIG. 1 shows a kind of hydraulic structure of lifting device.
  • a fixed hydraulic pump 9 shown in dashed lines
  • lifting device 2 is buried in concrete of the foundation at a fixing location 3 , and its movable prop 8 is joined to covering board 1 at a joining location 4 .
  • FIG. 2 shows a kind of lifting device with a chain as the movable part being able to hoist covering board 1 to the predetermined height.
  • a fixed roller 11 of lifting device 2 is fixed on a crossbeam 7 of the building in a certain way at fixing location 3 , and chain 10 is joined to covering board 1 at joining location 4 .
  • it isn't absolute.
  • lifting device 2 uses a kind of structure comprising a screw 12 and a nut 13 . Nut 13 belongs to the fixed part being fixed on crossbeam 7 , and screw 12 is its movable part.
  • the lifting device has a kind of structure comprising rack bar 15 and gear 14 .
  • Rack bar 15 is the fixed part fixed on the wall or on pillars, and gear 14 is the movable part joined to covering board 1 .
  • lifting device 2 comprises support 16 and pneumatic cylinder 17 , and both connect with each other at a certain angle.
  • FIG. 7 shows another type of lifting device of a scissor structure. The above examples indicate that the lifting device is various in structure and material.
  • FIG. 6 end A of support 16 of lifting device 2 is embedded in a sliding guide of covering board 1 and can slide along the sliding guide. This is a kind of dynamic joint.
  • FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6 .
  • a kind of axletree structure can also be used, for instance, in FIG. 4 covering board 1 is round and only one lifting device 2 is joined to it in its center.
  • this covering board can not only go vertically up and down, but also rotate horizontally around the lifting device over the top of the pool wall 5 . So, the users have not only a pool but also a carrousel in their home as in an amusement park.
  • At least one lifting device is required to lift up the covering board.
  • the actually required number depends on the size of the covering board, the performance of the lifting device, and a user's preference. For example, in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 there is only one lifting device separately, and there are separately four lifting devices in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 . Of course, there may be more or less.
  • FIG. 8 shows a two-tier pool with a double-tier covering board 1 .
  • the double-tier covering board 1 matches with the two-tier pool completely. But it is not necessary. One can only want to cover the portion of the pool so as to be able still see some water, then the one may make a smaller covering board than the pool. Someone can also design a covering board being different from the pool in shape. For example, covering board 1 ′ shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4 is oval and larger than the round pool. Besides, under some site conditions, because the lifting device can't be installed at a proper location, the shape and the size of the covering board has to be changed to fit the lifting device. To make the covering board must consider the site conditions, and a user's preference as well.
  • the covering board should be made of rigid materials.
  • the rigid materials may be various, such as a plank, rigid plastic, tempered glass, or lighter and stronger carbon fiber.
  • the method of making the covering board is different. The usual method includes putting some planks on wood beams to form a large and flat board like a floor, using the rigid plastic to assemble the covering board, setting tempered glass on the aluminum framework to form the large glass floor, casting the covering board in concrete. If likes, one may decorate the surface of the covering board with a tile, marble, turf, or a carpet etc. If using the transparent tempered glass or rigid and transparent polymer, the one can see clear water under the covering board when walking on the board or sitting on the sofa.
  • the covering board must have sufficient size for covering the pool and be able to bear heavy weight to accommodate use by a human being for standing, walking, working, and putting something on it.
  • Selecting the lifting device should be based on site conditions.
  • a different type of lifting device fits the different site conditions.
  • a lifting device with a chain structure FIG. 2
  • the performance parameters of the system and the performance parameters of the lifting device must be considered. Supposing the collective lifting range of the system expected based on the site conditions is 80 inches, the maximum of the effective lifting height of the used lifting device can't be lower than 80 inches.
  • the included angle ⁇ designed based on the site conditions and the maximum of the effective lifting height of the lifting device an engineer can get the rated range that the lifting device should at least have by calculating, and the minimum of the rated range should be 80/sin ⁇ inches in theory. In practice, the some other factors like the distance between the fixing location and the joining location should also be considered when selecting the lifting device.
  • All the lifting devices in one system should be the same type and have the same structure. It is very difficult to use two or more types of lifting device in the same system. However, the differences of some performance parameters of the same lifting device such as the rated range of the lifting device are allowed. In FIG. 2 the rated range of the lifting device 2 a is possibly narrower than that of lifting device 2 c.
  • the system needs at least one lifting device to lift the covering board.
  • the actually needful number depends on the size of the covering board, the site conditions, and a user's preference. Referring to the figures, in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 there is only one lifting device separately, but there are separately four lifting devices in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 . Of course, there may be more or less.
  • the system uses the lifting device to replace the existing winder and folder.
  • the existing flexible cover moves horizontally on the surface of the pool and be finally rolled up or folded up when opening the pool, so nothing can be put on it. If any, the user has to remove them from the cover before opening.
  • the present invention uses the lifting device to lift a rigid covering board, and its purpose is just to change the existing way of opening and closing the pool. This new lifting way enables the covering board to move vertically upward or downward and to keep always horizontal (referring to the description below). So the user can put something such as a TV set, a table, a chair or a BBQ oven on the covering board and needn't remove them when open the pool. This is obviously superior to the flexible cover of the prior arts.
  • the next task is to combine the lifting device with the covering board to form the whole system.
  • the lifting device with the covering board Next we will discuss how to combine the lifting device with the covering board below.
  • the lifting device includes two parts: the fixed part and the movable part.
  • the fixed part is usually fixed on the ground or somewhere in the building near the pool but on the covering board.
  • the end of the movable part may also be fixed in the above way, and the fixed part is joined to the covering board. Before fixing, it is necessary to determine a proper fixing location and the direction of the lifting device.
  • lifting devices are usually fixed at as evenly spaced locations as possible so as to be able to evenly share weight of the covering board and the loads on it. This isn't absolute.
  • a user desires an unconventional view, for example, in FIG. 4 , the user uses the oval covering board 1 ′, and only one lifting device 2 ′ stands at the edge of the pool. This design may be fulfilled as long as the lifting device is strong enough and there is an appropriate counterweight 23 at an appropriate location.
  • the fixing location depends on the site conditions, the structure of the lifting device, and the user's preference. All the fixing locations must be on the same side of the covering board.
  • the direction of the lifting device should also be considered when fixing.
  • the direction of the lifting device means the direction of the motion of its movable part, ant it should be toward the covering board. Determining the location and direction must ensure that the movable part can reach the covering board being in the state of covering the pool normally and move the covering board vertically to a predetermined position.
  • This rule includes four points essentially: “reach the covering board”, “in the state of covering the pool normally”, “move the covering board vertically”, and “to a predetermined position”. The following is detail explanations.
  • FIG. 1 fixed hydraulic pump 9 (represented in dashed lines) of lifting device 2 is buried completely in the foundation at location 3 . If fix fixed hydraulic pump 9 outside the area that covering board 1 can normally cover the pool, or if pump 9 doesn't point to the covering board, e.g., hydraulic pump 9 doesn't stand on the foundation, but lays there, certainly, movable prop 8 can't reach covering board 1 , and lifting device 2 will lose the function of supporting covering board 1 . In FIG. 2 if fix roller 11 on a higher crossbeam but its chain 10 is too short to reach the covering board, lifting device 2 can't hoist covering board 1 . So it is necessary to locate an appropriate location to enable the movable part to reach and to point to the covering board.
  • the covering board as a benchmark When determining the location and the direction of the lifting device, the covering board as a benchmark must be in the state of normally covering the pool.
  • the so-called “normally cover” means that the covering board can cover a whole or a portion of the pool based on the design and touch the top of the pool wall completely without any gap. This contains two meanings. (1) The covering board can't have any displacement from the normal position of covering the pool. If the covering board has the horizontal displacement like line-dashed covering board 1 ′ of FIG. 1 , it can't cover the pool normally. If the location and the direction are set based on such a wrong benchmark, it will result in failure of the system. For example, in FIG.
  • the covering board must completely touch the top of the pool wall. Generally, the top of the pool wall is horizontal. If the covering board can completely touch it, the covering board is horizontal. The horizontal state means there isn't any gap between the covering board and the top of the poll wall. If there is any gap somewhere, the covering board will tilt.
  • the covering board will overhang the top of the poll wall but not cover the pool when lower down.
  • movable prop 8 is wrapped in hydraulic pump 9 when the covering board is on the top of the pool wall 5 . If the end of movable prop 8 of one lifting device 2 projects over the top of pool wall 5 when pump 9 is buried, but the others are at the same level as the top of pool wall 5 , the covering board will be blocked by that prop 8 at this location.
  • FIG. 6 the end A of support 16 of lifting device 2 is embedded in the sliding guide of covering board 1 and can slide along the sliding guide. If one of the supports and the top of the pool wall form an included angle being larger than 0 degree when set support 16 , but all other included angles are zero degree, this support will make a gap between the covering board and the top of the pool wall, and thus result in a sloping board. This is not to be allowed.
  • the travel of every lifting device starts from the top of the pool wall. This top position is called the start point of the travel.
  • FIG. 8 shows a two-tier pool with a double-tier covering board 1 . As long as the double-tier covering board 1 can completely touch the top of pool wall, though the two tiers don't be at the same level, they are horizontal.
  • the simplest method is to set the lifting devices over or under the covering board and to have them being vertical to the covering board. This method is the best for most cases and the most energy-efficient because the lifting force isn't resolved when the included angle between the movable part of the lifting device and the covering board is a right angle.
  • FIG. 1 shows such an embodiment where lifting device 2 is under covering board 1 and is vertical to covering board 1 .
  • the simplest method becomes even a rule that must be followed. The following cases may prove it.
  • movable screw 12 is vertical to covering board 1 .
  • covering board 1 ′ can't move vertically.
  • the rack bar is fixed on the wall.
  • the teeth and grooves of the rack bar should be parallel with the top of pool wall. So, the moving track of the gear 14 can be vertical to the top of pool wall 5 .
  • rack bar 15 a or rack bar 15 b are tilted, covering board 1 cannot move vertically.
  • the vertical relationship is an ideal state. But, sometimes, because of the limitation of the installing conditions or the structure of the lifting device, the lifting device can't be vertical to the covering board. Take some examples as follows.
  • fixed roller 11 d have to be fixed on crossbeam 7 d because there is no crossbeam in this corner of the vertically upward projection area of covering board 1 .
  • Crossbeam 7 d is outside but near this projection area of covering board 1 .
  • chain 10 d can't reach covering board 1 vertically, but lifting device 2 d can still lift covering board 1 vertically upward or downward if set the location and the direction of the lifting device correctly.
  • support 16 and pneumatic cylinder 17 are separately fixed on the axles at point C and point D. At the starting point support 16 isn't vertical to covering board 1 , but it can turn around the axle, and thus 4 supports 16 can lift the covering board 1 up vertically.
  • the movable part has the different operating ways such as moving, rotation, turning and sliding, and some lifting devices aren't physically vertical to the covering board. So, the simplest method can't apply all the cases. The following is further discussion.
  • the covering board must be able to be lifted to reach a predetermined position.
  • two factors must be considered.
  • One factor is the fixing location, and another one is the performance parameter of the lifting device.
  • the fixing location if fix fixed roller 11 at inappropriate location such as at the very low level on the wall near the ground, this will form a very small included angle between the lifting device and the top of the pool wall (or the parallel covering board).
  • the lifting device can't lift the covering board even a bit because under this condition the effective lifting height of the lifting device is very low, instead, if several lifting devices in this system are at the same low level, the larger horizontal component forces in different directions would possibly break the covering board.
  • the included angle between the lifting device and the covering board should be as close to 90 degree as possible to get the greatest effective lifting height when fixing the lifting device, but this definition isn't flawless.
  • the included angle between support 16 and the top of pool wall 5 gradually increases from 0° degree to 90° at the same time.
  • the included angle has dynamically been changing.
  • the covering board must be in the state of covering the pool normally when fixing, so the included angle should be 0° at the start point, but not as close to 90 degree as possible. This shows that the above definition isn't suitable for the case of FIG. 6 .
  • the track of the motion of chain 10 is linear, and the rotation of support 16 occurs in a plane. If the plane is parallel with the top of the pool wall, however support 16 rotates, the included angle between support 16 and the top of the pool wall 5 will always be 0 without any change. If so, support 16 loses its function. So, the plane in which support 16 rotates must intersect the top of the pool wall, but not be parallel with it, and the best is that the plane is vertical to the top of the pool wall, or at least the included angle between the plane and the top of the pool wall is as close to 90 degree as possible. Only in this way, can support 16 lift covering board 1 by its rotation.
  • FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6 .
  • the plane in which the motion of the scissors bars occurs should be vertical to the top of the pool wall.
  • the rules set forth above should be followed when fixing the lifting device.
  • the included angle between the moving track of the lifting device (or the plane in which the lifting device moves) and the top of the pool wall (or the parallel covering board) should be 90 degree or as close to 90 degree as possible when fixing the lifting device.
  • one part of the lifting device should be fixed by a certain way in the correct direction at appropriate locations on the same side of the covering board on the ground or somewhere in the building near the pool but the covering board. And fixing must
  • one part (usually the fixed part) of the lifting device another part (usually the movable part) should be joined to the covering board. Joining the movable part to the covering board and fixing the fixed part aren't unrelated.
  • the location and the direction of fixing the lifting device should be conducive to correctly joining the movable part to the covering board, and on the other hand, joining the movable part to the covering board should correspond with the fixing location and the direction of the lifting device. Both are closely correlative.
  • Joining another part (replaced by the movable part below for clearer descriptions) of lifting device to the covering board should first find an appropriate location(s).
  • the location(s) should be the mapping from the fixing location(s) and respectively corresponding to the fixing location(s) if have several lifting devices. Referring to FIG. 2 , don't join chain 10 a of lifting device 2 a to covering board 1 at location 4 b , similarly, and don't join chain 10 b of lifting device 2 b to covering board 1 at location 4 a . If do so, both will cross. This would impact the vertical motion and stability of the covering board.
  • the covering board As fixing one part of the lifting device, when joining another part to the covering board, the covering board must be in the state of covering the pool normally and completely.
  • the so-called “normally cover” has been defined in the foregoing section.
  • the lifting device has been fixed based on the covering board normally covering the pool, but in fact the covering board has a horizontal displacement to deviated from the normal position when joining the movable part to the covering board, likely, the movable part can't touch the covering board at all, naturally, joining is impossible.
  • the flexible chain type, maybe joining can constrainedly be done, but when the lifting device hoists the covering board, the covering board must return to the normal position of covering the pool by gravity and it will result in waggle and tilt of the covering board.
  • the lifting device can possibly lift or lower the covering board, but it is at a wrong location, and the covering board must be unable to normally cover the pool, and thus the whole system will lose its function of covering the pool. So, whether fixing the fixed part or joining the movable part, the covering board must be in the state of covering the pool normally.
  • the included angle between every lifting device and the covering board must be equal when where are several lifting devices in one system. If not, they can't reach the same height when all the lifting devices travel synchronously the equal distance at the same velocity, it must result in a sloping and unsteady covering board. In fact, the case shown in FIG. 2 isn't allowed.
  • included angle ⁇ d between chain 10 d of lifting device 2 d and covering board 1 is less than 90 degree, but the other three included angles are right angle. Because all the lifting devices are synchronously driven by the same motor and transmission, their actual travel is the same. While the effective lifting height of the lifting device 2 d having an acute included angle is lower than the effective lifting height of the others having a right angle based on the principle stated in FIG.
  • the covering board will deviate from its normal lifting path in the direction of the horizontal resultant force.
  • chain 10 a and chain 10 b are replaced separately by line-dashed chain 10 a ′ and line-dashed chain 10 b ′ that are not vertical to covering board 1
  • chain 10 a ′ and covering board 1 will form included angle ⁇ a
  • chain 10 b ′ and covering board 1 form also included angle ⁇ b. If angle ⁇ a is equal to angle ⁇ b, the horizontal component force Fha of chain 10 a ′ is equal to the horizontal component force Fhb of chain 10 b ′ due to the equal force acting on these two chains.
  • the acute included angle causes some other trouble.
  • the joint of line-dashed movable screw 12 ′ to line-dashed covering board 1 ′ is fixed. Both form an unchangeable acute included angle.
  • Line-dashed nut 13 ′ is fixed on the crossbeam. When nut 13 ′ rotates, screw 12 ′ with covering board 1 ′ moves along its slanting path, but not a vertical path. The rising motion along the slant path results in a horizontal displacement of covering board 1 ′. The covering board would go out of the vertically upward projection area of covering board 1 .
  • covering board 1 ′ If there is a building or a tree there, covering board 1 ′ would be blocked, and thus the covering board can't possibly reach the predetermined position and the system would occupy more space.
  • FIG. 2 on the basis of the analysis of FIG. 2 ′, if the included angle between the lifting device and the covering board isn't a right angle, it will gradually decrease as the covering board rises, and the position of the lifting device in space changes gradually too.
  • the present system can still possibly implement.
  • the precondition is that the system has at least two lifting devices to balance the horizontal component forces of the lifting devices. If only one, as lifting, the acute included angle will change to the right angle soon by gravity, and the covering board will deviate from the normal lifting path of the covering board. Even though the system can work, there is a risk of breaking the covering board. So the horizontal component forces should well be controlled.
  • FIG. 9 shows a kind of lifting device comprising rope 18 and pulley 19 .
  • One end of rope 18 is fixed, and another end is free.
  • Rope 18 goes through 6 fixed pulleys and 4 movable pulleys. It is divided into several segments by the pulleys. The segments around the movable pulleys are vertical to covering board 1 . This seems to meet the rules stated above, but in fact it can't work normally. The cause is that each lifting device isn't independent, and they form a linkage group.
  • the free end of rope 18 the full force is first transmitted to the nearest pulley, and then to the second pulley, the third pulley . . .
  • each pulley doesn't start rotating at the same time, and the length of each rope segment at the some time isn't the same.
  • covering board 1 is likely tilted. So, it is required as complement to the above rule that all the lifting devices must synchronously move at the same velocity and be able to reach the predetermined height.
  • the weight of the covering board and the loads on it are also an important factor affecting the stability of the pulley structure. When the loads such as the furniture gather near one movable pulley, this portion of the covering board connecting to this pulley would decline. If one walks on the covering board, the covering board would inevitably sway and move up and down owing to the shift of the barycenter of the covering board and its loads. This shows that the case of FIG.
  • auxiliary parts such as a guiding angle track 20 and a guiding post 21 to the present system. It would be a good idea to set at least one pair of guiding angle tracks 20 to covering board 1 at the two opposite corners to embrace covering board 1 , or to set at least one pair of guiding posts 21 at the opposite locations to go through corresponding guiding holes 22 of covering board 1 . So guiding angle track 20 and guiding post 21 can guide and limit the motion of covering board 1 . Under the guidance of the guiding parts covering board 1 can vertically go upward or downward and keep horizontal without displacement, sway, ups and downs. If using the guiding part, the system may have only a single set of pulley to lift and lower the covering board.
  • the guiding part is the auxiliary part of the present system. It is an eyesore possibly, and particularly for an indoor pool the extra part will occupy more space and damage the indoor harmony.
  • rope 18 should be replaced by 4 independent ropes in the above case. Their ends are separately fixed, and another end rounds the corresponding movable pulley and fixed pulley, and then pull 4 ropes together.
  • All the lifting devices are driven by the same motor, and the power is transmitted to the lifting device(s) by a transmission.
  • the motor and the transmission are universal and unrelated to the featured structure of the present system. They only power the present system. So they aren't specifically described here and aren't shown in figures.
  • the system has only one motor and a set of transmissions to conduct synchronization of the lifting devices.
  • the synchronization means that the movable parts of all the lifting devices must be started at the same time and run at the same speed. If one lifting device is driven earlier than the others, the portion of the covering board to which this lifting device joins would be lifted first. If running speed is different, that one running faster would faster be lifted. These all will cause the covering board a tilt.
  • line segment OM represents a longer chain
  • segment OM′ represents the shorter in FIG. 2 .
  • Their fixed parts are fixed at different level separately at point M and point M′, but the location of their movable parts joining to the covering board are all at the common point O, and point M, M′ and 0 are in the same straight line, so line OM and OM' have the same included angle ⁇ at this time. If longer chain OM and shorter chain OM' separately go in their own moving path at the same speed at the same time, they will go the same distance OS.
  • O′M′′ is equal to O′M′. If the two chains continue to move at the same speed in the respective moving path, they will still move the same distance at the same time.
  • the moving distance of the shorter chain is O′M′
  • the moving distance of the longer chain is O′M′′. Since their included angles have been different at this time, their effective lifting height must be different.
  • the effective lifting height O′V′′ of the longer chain O′M is larger than the effective lifting height O′V′ of shorter chain O′M′. This must cause the covering board to tilt.
  • FIG. 6 similarly, if the included angle between support 16 of one lifting device and the covering board becomes less than the others in the process of running, the covering board will tilt.
  • the fixed parts of all the lifting devices must be fixed at the same level. If they are fixed at the different level, even if their movable chains are joined to the covering board at the same included angle, the covering board would tilt because these included angles will change from the same to the different in the process of lifting the covering board based on the above discussion about FIG. 2 ′. But if the included angle is the right angle, the fixed parts may be fixed at the different level or at the same level because the included angles keep 90 degree and don't change in the lifting process under this condition.
  • the fixed part must be fixed at the same level; if the condition allows the lifting device to be vertical to the covering board, the fixed part may be fixed either at the different level or at the same level.
  • the diameter of one roller is really different from the others, its rotating speed has to be adjusted to ensure that the moving speed of its movable part is the same as the others.
  • the speed of the movable part means the speed of the movable part moving the covering board vertically upward or downward.
  • lifting devices can move the covering board vertically upward or downward. This requires that the motion of the movable part must be transformed into the vertical motion of the covering board. If one system can't perform such a moving transformation, the system will lose its significance. Take some cases to explain how the motion is transformed.
  • FIG. 1 the end of movable prop 8 of lifting device 2 is directly and tightly joined to covering board 1 . While prop 8 is driven to move upward, it lifts covering board 1 up. So, the motion of movable prop 8 is directly transformed into the motion of covering board 1 .
  • lifting device 2 employs a kind of structure comprising a screw 12 and a nut 13 . Screw 12 is the movable part of lifting device 2 .
  • Nut 13 belongs to the fixed part.
  • the exterior wall of nut 13 has the gear teeth, and the interior wall of its borehole has an inner screw. While the motor and the transmission drive nut 13 to rotate around screw 12 , the inner screw of nut 13 will drive screw 12 to move along the long axis of screw 12 . Because screw 12 is directly joined to covering board 1 , screw 12 can lift covering board 1 upward or downward. In this process, the rotation of nut 13 is transformed into the linear motion of screw 12 , and the linear motion of screw 12 is transformed into the upward or downward motion of covering board 1 .
  • lifting device 2 has a kind of structure of a gear 14 plus a rack bar 15 .
  • Rack bar 15 is the fixed part being fixed on the wall or on the pillars, and gear 14 as the movable part is joined to covering board 1 . While the motor drives gear 14 to rotate, gear 14 leads covering board 1 along rack bar 15 upward or downward.
  • lifting device 2 includes a support 16 and a pneumatic cylinder 17 , and the two connect with each other at a certain angle. Support 16 and pneumatic cylinder 17 are separately set up on the axles at point C and point D. The axles can't move, but support 16 and pneumatic cylinder 17 can turn individually around axle C and axle D.
  • the joint between the lifting device and the covering board is various, such as, the fastening joint used in the case of FIG. 1 , the hooking joint of FIG. 2 , the gearing joint of FIG. 5 , the sliding joint of FIG. 6 .
  • the different joint suits the different transformation.
  • the motion of the lifting device must effectively be transformed into the vertically upward or downward motion of the covering board. If one system can't perform the effective transformation, this system must fail.
  • the collective lifting range of the system is equal to the maximum height that the covering board of the system can reach. In practice, a user doesn't possibly need such a height. In the process of lifting the covering board, the user may stop it in any position within the collective lifting range of the system. That is, the user can control the actual lifted height of the covering board on the basis of the user's own height and the space condition. For example, in FIG. 6 when the end of support 16 turns to point A′′ from A the system reaches the maximum of its collective lifting range.
  • the covering board will stop and lie horizontally in a position A′ within the collective lifting range of the system, just like the position of line-dashed covering board 1 ′ in FIG. 6 .
  • some site conditions affect usually the actual lifted height of the covering board. For instance, the user puts a sofa on the covering board, the user should find a suitable stop position where the sofa doesn't touch the ceiling and the user has a suitable space for plunging into water conveniently.
  • the present invention provides a system and method of covering a pool and making the pool invisible.
  • the system comprises a rigid covering board and at least one lifting device.
  • the present invention changes the material used in the pool cover from the conventional flexible materials to the rigid one, and replaces the conventional winder and folder with the lifting device to change the way of opening and closing the pool from the existing horizontal moving way to the vertically upward and downward lifting way.
  • the present invention combines the covering board with the lifting device(s) to form a whole system.
  • the rigid covering board has sufficient size for covering the pool and is firm enough to bear heavy weight and to accommodate use by a human being for standing, walking, working, and putting something on it.
  • the system and method has double uses. It can not only cover the pool but also lift the covering board and the loads on it.
  • the system may use the effective lifting height of one of the lifting devices as a reference. If another one sensor detects the effective lifting height of its lifting device is smaller than the reference, its controller will instruct the related transmission to increase its speed. The faster the speed is, the greater the actual travel of the lifting device is, the greater the effective lifting height of the lifting device is. Similarly, if the sensor detects the effective lifting height of its lifting device is greater than the reference, the controller will instruct the related transmission to decrease its speed.
  • the effective lifting height of all the lifting devices of the same system can dynamically keep the same, and the covering board can keep horizontal dynamically.
  • the application of the electronic control technology invalidates partly the foregoing rules.
  • the system can't run according the above rules.
  • the covering board may still move vertically upward or downward and keep horizontal. Even so, the general rules are necessary and useful.
  • the covering board must normally cover the pool, and the lifting device of the system can move the covering board vertically upward or downward and reach the predetermined height. Whether to add auxiliary parts or not, however to install the system, these basic principles must be followed.
  • the electronic control technology enables the present system to apply to more complex installing conditions, but it would greatly increase the cost of the system.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Conveying And Assembling Of Building Elements In Situ (AREA)
  • Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
US15/646,087 2016-08-06 2017-07-11 System and method of making a pool invisible Abandoned US20180038124A1 (en)

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US201662371732P 2016-08-06 2016-08-06
US15/646,087 US20180038124A1 (en) 2016-08-06 2017-07-11 System and method of making a pool invisible

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Cited By (1)

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WO2022055401A1 (en) * 2020-09-08 2022-03-17 Von Malmborg Johan Magnus Foldable house and method for raising the same

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CN111519956A (zh) * 2020-05-01 2020-08-11 梅向瑾 太阳能加热防小儿落水可封闭的透镜式多用途泳池和方法

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US4598506A (en) * 1984-09-05 1986-07-08 Nohl Arthur H Swimming pool cover

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DE202006001137U1 (de) * 2006-01-24 2006-07-20 Stelzer, Rolf Vorrichtung zum vertikalen Bewegen einer horizontalen Abdeckplatte
CN102677920A (zh) * 2012-04-26 2012-09-19 浙江工业大学 家用泳池的升降平台
GB2507496B (en) * 2012-10-30 2016-12-07 Variopool B V Swimming pool with adjustable pool floor system

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4598506A (en) * 1984-09-05 1986-07-08 Nohl Arthur H Swimming pool cover

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2022055401A1 (en) * 2020-09-08 2022-03-17 Von Malmborg Johan Magnus Foldable house and method for raising the same

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