WO1981000129A1 - Swimming pool cover - Google Patents
Swimming pool cover Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1981000129A1 WO1981000129A1 PCT/GB1980/000114 GB8000114W WO8100129A1 WO 1981000129 A1 WO1981000129 A1 WO 1981000129A1 GB 8000114 W GB8000114 W GB 8000114W WO 8100129 A1 WO8100129 A1 WO 8100129A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- cover
- swimming pool
- chambers
- air
- water
- Prior art date
Links
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
- E04H4/06—Safety devices; Coverings for baths
- E04H4/065—Floors adjustable in height
Definitions
- This invention relates to covers for swimming pools. It is common practice to cover swimming pools when they are not in use in order to reduce evaporation and heat loss from the pool.
- Covers for swimming pools are generally formed from plastics or other suitable water and air impermeable sheet material and are generally of laminar construction having either numerous closely-spaced pockets of air trapped between the layers or a layer of soft foamed plastics material sandwiched between two outer layers, said pockets of air or foamed material serving both to render the cover buoyant so that it will float on the surface of a pool and to provide heat insulation for reducing heat loss from the pool.
- Such covers to be effective, must cover substantially the whole of the surface of the swimming pool. As a result the covers tend to be large and cumbersome to handle and it is a tedious and time-consuming task to remove such a cover when a swimming pool is required for use and to replace the cover after the swimming pool has been used.
- the present invention has as its object to overcom this problem.
- the present invention provides a swimming pool cov having a higher density than water, the cover being inflatable with air to render it buoyant so that i will float on the surface of a swimming pool and being so constructed that, after inflation, the air can be exhausted or displaced therefrom so that the cover will sink to the bottom of a swimming pool to leave the pool free for use.
- the swimming pool cover may be formed from a material having a higher density than water or may be formed from a material having a density the same as.or lower than that of water and may comprise weights or other suitable means for imparting to the cover as a whole a density higher than that of water.
- the swimming. pool cover may be of a laminar ' construction comprising at least two layers of water and air impermeable material, e.g., a suitable plastics material, the at least two layers being locally welded, bonded or otherwise secured together to define chambers, e.g., extending longitudinally and/or transversely of the cover, which can be inflated with air.
- Said chamber may intercommunicate so that the cover can be inflated b way of a single air inlet, e.g. , an inlet valve.
- said chambers are independant of one another or are in groups which are independant from one another so that should a leak occur in one of the chambers or groups of chambers the cover will retain sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat on the surface of a swimming pool.
- Pump or blower means may be provided which is connected or connectable to the swimming pool cover for inflating the cover and for exhausting or displacing air from the cover.
- the pump or blower means may be connected or connectable to the cover by way of suitable valve means whereby the cover can be selectively connected to the discharge of the pump or .blower means for inflating the cover with air and to the suction side of the pump or blower means for exhausting air from the cover.
- valve means may be provided whereby the pump can selectively pump either air into the cover to inflate the cover or water into the cover to displace the air within the cover.
- Suitable manual or automatic control means may be provided for operating said pump or blower means and/or said valve means.
- Such control means may include a pressure sensitive switch or the like for automatically stopping operation of the pump or blower means when the air pressure in the cover reaches a predetermined maximum.
- the control means may also include means whereby additional air can be pumped into ;the cover at night or during very cold weather to provide additional heat insulation.
- the swimming pool cover of the present invention may comprise means for heating the water in a swimming pool.
- the cover may, in addition to the chambers aforesaid, comprise channels adapted to contain water and means may be provided for heating the water in said channels.
- Such heating means may comprise electric resistance heating elements or the upper surface of the cover may comprise one or more solar heating panels adapted to absorb solar energy and heat the water in said channels.
- swimming pools can be of many different shapes and sizes. Covers according to the present invention may be custom made to suit a swimming pool of a particular shap and size or may be made in stock sizes to suit a majorit of swimming pools. Preferably, however, covers accordin to the present invention are made in continuous lengths a predetermined width or widths which can be cut and shaped, and if necessary joined, to suit a swimming pool of any size and shape, plugs or other suitable means being provided for sealing those chambers, and where appropriate those water channels,which have been cut dur cutting and shaping of the cover.
- FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a swimming pool cover according to the present invention.
- Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating how a cover according to the invention can be produced for a shaped swimming pool from standard width cover material.
- FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of another embodiment of swimming pool cover according to the present invention.
- Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of part of the cover of Figure 3.
- the swimming pool- cover 1 is rectangular in shape and comprises a plurality of parallel buoyancy chambers 2 each of which is connected by a flexible conduit 3 to an air line ' 4 connected to a pump or blower 5 by way of a valve 6.
- the valve 6 is such that the buoyancy chambers 2 can be connected to either the discharge or suction side of the pump or blower 5 so that the chambers 2 can be either inflated or deflated as required.
- the arrangement could be such that the chambers 2 could be filled with air or water as required in order to float or sink the swimming pool cover.
- the swimming pool cover 1 may be formed in sections of a standard length and/or width which can be secured, e.g., welded, together to provide a swimming pool cover of a required size.
- th swimming pool cover is such that it can be cut or trimmed to a required size or shape.
- Figure 2 illustrates how two standard sections 7, 8 can be welded or otherwise secured together along the line 9 and then trimmed around a line 10 to provide a swimming pool cover la of a required size and shape.
- the material from which the cover is made is heat-sealable, e.g., is of a suitable thermoplastics material, and is heat sealed around the line 10 to seal the chambers 2a_ of the sections 7, 8.
- the chambers 2a. may each be connected by flexible conduits (not shown) to an air line in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. Connections for such flexible conduits are indicated at 11.
- the swimming pool cover comprises a plurality of chambers 12 (only some of which " are shown) interconnected by connecting passages 13 whereby the chambers 12 and passages 13 can be inflated by way of a single air line connection 14.
- the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4 comprises tubular passages 15 which can be filled either with a ballast material to weight the cover and so ensure that it will sink when the air is exhausted or displaced from the chambers 12 and passages 13 or which can be filled with air to provide additional buoyancy or thermal insulation, e.g., at night or during very cold weather.
- the passages 13 could be adapted to contain or have circulated therethrough heated water in order to heat or maintain the heat in a swimming pool, in which event suitable heating means, e.g., suitable electric resistance or solar heating means, may be provided for heating the water in the passages 13.
- suitable heating means e.g., suitable electric resistance or solar heating means
- a swimming pool cover completely overcomes the problem associated with known swimming pool covers since there is no need under normal circumstances to remove the cover from the pool. Instead the cover is simply inflated to bring it to the surface and cover the pool when it is required to cover the pool and the air therein is simply exhausted or displaced so that the cover sinks to the bottom of the pool when the pool is required for swimming.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Professional, Industrial, Or Sporting Protective Garments (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB7923135 | 1979-07-03 | ||
GB7923135 | 1979-07-03 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1981000129A1 true WO1981000129A1 (en) | 1981-01-22 |
Family
ID=10506267
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB1980/000114 WO1981000129A1 (en) | 1979-07-03 | 1980-07-03 | Swimming pool cover |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0031333A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1981000129A1 (en) |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4582048A (en) * | 1981-11-12 | 1986-04-15 | Soren Christian Sorensen | Floating blanket barrier utilizing coverites |
FR2724195A1 (en) * | 1994-09-02 | 1996-03-08 | Chanson Michel Yvon Albert | Submersible cover for swimming pools or other area of water |
FR2785930A1 (en) * | 1998-11-13 | 2000-05-19 | Beatrice Houlle | SUBMERSIBLE FLEXIBLE PANEL FOR BASIN CONSISTING OF ELONGATE HOLLOW MODULAR ELEMENTS AND CORRESPONDING UTILIZATION |
GB2350790A (en) * | 1999-05-04 | 2000-12-13 | Kenneth Marden Henfrey | Inflatable cover for swimming pool |
DE10054206A1 (en) * | 2000-11-02 | 2002-05-29 | Seeberger Hans Juergen | Method for covering swimming pool when not in use has profiled inflatable bed rolled onto surface and inflated with compressor |
FR2866381A1 (en) * | 2004-02-18 | 2005-08-19 | Raymond Nexon | Section for constructing floor of tank e.g. swimming pool, has recess acting as ballast, where section is of larger width and closed at its ends by caps, where water penetrates into section and air ejects by lower and upper parts of section |
FR2912448A1 (en) * | 2007-02-09 | 2008-08-15 | Bhd Ingenierie Sarl | Liquid retention tank's i.e. swimming pool, surface protecting device, has cover including sealed hollow elements that are filled with water to form elongated tubular water cells, where water cells are distributed in floor space of tank |
US9394709B2 (en) | 2009-11-16 | 2016-07-19 | Mark Iosim | Swimming pool and spa cover apparatus and method thereof |
CN108455103B (en) * | 2018-03-15 | 2023-11-24 | 樊建华 | Heat-storage pool floating heat-insulating cover with wind resistance, rain resistance and dehumidification functions |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3513704A (en) * | 1969-05-26 | 1970-05-26 | Atomic Energy Commission | Photometric thermometer and method of operation |
DE2100716A1 (en) * | 1970-01-16 | 1971-07-22 | Schwarz. Gerhard, Dipl.-Ing. Dr. techn., Wien | Bathing pool |
FR2173606A5 (en) * | 1972-02-26 | 1973-10-05 | Bartlett Sidney | |
DE2361725A1 (en) * | 1973-12-12 | 1975-06-19 | Fritz Bruecher | Swimming-pool inflatable protective cover - comprising membrane of two sheets welded together and filled with air |
DE2406441A1 (en) * | 1974-02-11 | 1975-08-21 | Kollmann Gmbh & Co Kg | Submersible cover for a swimming bath - with automatic push button control for floating or sinking very quickly |
DE2411364A1 (en) * | 1974-03-09 | 1975-09-11 | Schoenherr Patentbau Ing Willi | Submersible hollow-body swimming-pool cover - sinking or rising when filled with liquid or gaseous substances respectively |
DE2452550A1 (en) * | 1974-11-06 | 1976-05-13 | Heinz Nitzsche | Buoyant swimming pool or tank cover - fits whole surface area, and can be raised from pool bottom to float on water surface |
-
1980
- 1980-07-03 WO PCT/GB1980/000114 patent/WO1981000129A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
-
1981
- 1981-01-26 EP EP19800901134 patent/EP0031333A1/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3513704A (en) * | 1969-05-26 | 1970-05-26 | Atomic Energy Commission | Photometric thermometer and method of operation |
DE2100716A1 (en) * | 1970-01-16 | 1971-07-22 | Schwarz. Gerhard, Dipl.-Ing. Dr. techn., Wien | Bathing pool |
FR2173606A5 (en) * | 1972-02-26 | 1973-10-05 | Bartlett Sidney | |
DE2361725A1 (en) * | 1973-12-12 | 1975-06-19 | Fritz Bruecher | Swimming-pool inflatable protective cover - comprising membrane of two sheets welded together and filled with air |
DE2406441A1 (en) * | 1974-02-11 | 1975-08-21 | Kollmann Gmbh & Co Kg | Submersible cover for a swimming bath - with automatic push button control for floating or sinking very quickly |
DE2411364A1 (en) * | 1974-03-09 | 1975-09-11 | Schoenherr Patentbau Ing Willi | Submersible hollow-body swimming-pool cover - sinking or rising when filled with liquid or gaseous substances respectively |
DE2452550A1 (en) * | 1974-11-06 | 1976-05-13 | Heinz Nitzsche | Buoyant swimming pool or tank cover - fits whole surface area, and can be raised from pool bottom to float on water surface |
Cited By (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4582048A (en) * | 1981-11-12 | 1986-04-15 | Soren Christian Sorensen | Floating blanket barrier utilizing coverites |
FR2724195A1 (en) * | 1994-09-02 | 1996-03-08 | Chanson Michel Yvon Albert | Submersible cover for swimming pools or other area of water |
FR2785930A1 (en) * | 1998-11-13 | 2000-05-19 | Beatrice Houlle | SUBMERSIBLE FLEXIBLE PANEL FOR BASIN CONSISTING OF ELONGATE HOLLOW MODULAR ELEMENTS AND CORRESPONDING UTILIZATION |
WO2000029697A1 (en) * | 1998-11-13 | 2000-05-25 | Houlle Beatrice | Flexible submersible panel for pool formed with elongated hollow elements and corresponding use |
GB2350790A (en) * | 1999-05-04 | 2000-12-13 | Kenneth Marden Henfrey | Inflatable cover for swimming pool |
DE10054206A1 (en) * | 2000-11-02 | 2002-05-29 | Seeberger Hans Juergen | Method for covering swimming pool when not in use has profiled inflatable bed rolled onto surface and inflated with compressor |
FR2866381A1 (en) * | 2004-02-18 | 2005-08-19 | Raymond Nexon | Section for constructing floor of tank e.g. swimming pool, has recess acting as ballast, where section is of larger width and closed at its ends by caps, where water penetrates into section and air ejects by lower and upper parts of section |
WO2005090712A1 (en) * | 2004-02-18 | 2005-09-29 | Societe De Recherche Et De Developpement Nexon | Section for building a floatable or immersible swimming pool bottom |
FR2912448A1 (en) * | 2007-02-09 | 2008-08-15 | Bhd Ingenierie Sarl | Liquid retention tank's i.e. swimming pool, surface protecting device, has cover including sealed hollow elements that are filled with water to form elongated tubular water cells, where water cells are distributed in floor space of tank |
US9394709B2 (en) | 2009-11-16 | 2016-07-19 | Mark Iosim | Swimming pool and spa cover apparatus and method thereof |
CN108455103B (en) * | 2018-03-15 | 2023-11-24 | 樊建华 | Heat-storage pool floating heat-insulating cover with wind resistance, rain resistance and dehumidification functions |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0031333A1 (en) | 1981-07-08 |
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