WO2019025837A1 - Swimming pool with no force exerted by water against the liner - Google Patents

Abstract

This is a method for constructing pools or basins, comprising the steps of laying a waterproof sheet (40), laying an interior finish layer (60) on the waterproof sheet (40) so as to form both side walls (S2) and the bottom (SI) of the pool, delineating a space (10) inside the pool, and wherein between the interior finish layer (60) and the waterproof sheet (40) a space or cavity (50) suited to be filled with water is created.

Description

SWIMMING POOL WITH NO FORCE EXERTED BY WATER AGAINST THE

LINER DESCRIPTION

This patent relates to artificial pools or basins, also for bathing, and in particular concerns a new pool, including for bathing and swimming, with waterproof and finished walls, and the method for its construction.

The prior art includes swimming pools, whether inground or not, where the walls and the bottom are made of reinforced concrete treated with water-resistant products and covered with ceramic elements.

The prior art also includes pools with walls and bottom made with properly treated panels, for example made of steel, which are waterproofed with specific linings or the like.

The prior art also includes prefabricated pools and basins, made of fiberglass or other suitable materials.

Pools also include equipment such as filters, inlets and outlets, spillways, skimmers, drainage channels, pumps, cleaning and filtration equipment, water purification systems, and all the components and systems necessary for the proper operation and use of the pool.

The surface of tiles often have cracks, mainly due to the uneven settling of the bottom of the pool, resulting in cracks and the significant risk of detachment, while waterproof coatings must be reapplied frequently.

Therefore, the reinforced concrete pools of the prior art finished with tiles require frequent and costly maintenance and repair interventions.

The prior art also includes pools comprising bottom and walls made of elements bound and coated in whole or in part by resins or other binders, such as concrete.

These pools are designed such that the force exerted by the water is absorbed by the finish applied directly to the structure, and in the presence of soft soil and in any case due to the degrading action of the water itself over time, cracks resulting in the detachment of elements may appear.

Another disadvantage can occur in the cold season when the water in the cracks freezes and expands, resulting in the inevitable detachment of the finish.

The pools of the prior art typically have a regular shape, with a horizontal or gradually sloping bottom and vertical side walls.

Today, inground pools, fountains, and artificial ponds in general, made according to Italian patent no. 0001361065 (see also WO2007/029277A1) filed by Mr. Alessandro Milan, are increasingly popular and appreciated.

These inground pools, or artificial fountains or ponds, are made by means of a method that involves the

- excavation of the basin,

- excavation of a perimeter drainage channel for rainwater,

- placement of a leveling layer of sand, clay or other similar and suitable material on the bottom of the basin,

- set up of the plumbing and electrical systems,

- laying of a protective lining on the inner surface of the basin, including at least one woven or non-woven fabric such as geotextile, geogrids or similar materials available on the market,

- lining of the basin with a layer of waterproof material, with the use of overlapping areas of the lining so as to enable the waterproof layer to shift or alter its position to a certain extent so as to compensate for any settling of the soil due to geological or load factors,

- covering of the waterproof layer with an interior finish layer comprising natural or artificial stones, placed next to each other and optionally joined by a binder, positioned so as to create passages for the water up to the waterproof layer, so that the force of the water is actually exerted on the latter layer without compromising the integrity of the aforementioned layer of stone or the like.

This manner of constructing pools, ponds and the like is increasingly popular and appreciated for its significant advantages in terms of very low environmental impact because of the substantial absence of reinforced concrete structures and the overall weight of the structure that is considerably lower than standard pools based on reinforced concrete structures, and the associated advantages in terms of building permits, since it is in fact an easily removable construction, all of which make these pools or ponds particularly economical compared to other types.

Despite the aforementioned advantages, pools and ponds constructed with this methodology have a limitation which is tied to the substantial impossibility of constructing a basin with at least one vertical wall. In fact, it is impossible to construct substantially vertical walls because when the pool is empty the force of the surrounding soil would cause the inward collapse of the vertical wall. In fact, with the method described above it is only possible to construct basins with depths that gradually increase from the edge to the center.

However, clients frequently want a pool or pond with at least one vertical wall.

Pools or ponds of the prior art include those with a base of reinforced concrete or the like on which the walls are then applied or constructed.

Pools with walls made of metal sheets or the like, EPS and reinforced concrete structures, walls made of blocks which are cemented together or filled with soil, brick walls, or formworks made of plastic, wood or the like are already known in the prior art.

Procedures for the construction of pools which include the placement of metal mesh on the ground separated by liners are also already known. Concrete is then sprayed on the mesh so as to create the structure. Finally, the process involves a possible finish layer phase with mostly resinous and stone materials. Currently, the traditional construction of a pool involves the construction of structures with smooth bottoms and walls, which are obtained by finishing them with cementitious materials or by applying panels that must be laid perfectly flush with each other and generally interlocked to the surface being covered. In order to ensure that the walls obtained are perfectly smooth, it is necessary to install a waterproof lining or coating which must in turn be perfectly stretched and smooth.

Alternatively, finishing elements such as tiles or mosaic must be installed with great precision to ensure that the surface obtained is smooth which is critical aesthetically and to prevent injuries.

The current trend is to consider reinforced concrete, and therefore components made of concrete, to be environmentally unfriendly, especially those below ground level, due to their load and mainly because they decrease the natural drainage of the soil. In addition, concrete elements must be demolished and disposed of at the end of their life cycle, which results in costly disposal interventions.

In order to overcome all of the aforementioned disadvantages, a new type of pool was designed and developed, intended for both bathing and swimming, with waterproof and coated vertical walls, as well as a process for its construction.

One object of the present invention is to construct pools with a decreased risk of cracking or other damage.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce or even completely eliminate the use of concrete components, thereby reducing the use of concrete in subsurface structures.

Yet another object of the present invention is to make the pool structure lighter. With the new construction method, it is also possible to considerably reduce the thickness of the finish layer.

Still another object is to speed up the pool construction process, since it is possible to lay a single sheet, considerably reducing the installation time. A further object is to simplify the pool construction process, in particular because the procedure to construct the structure and the fabrication of the functional sheets are simplified.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce, if not eliminate, the risk of cracking due to the settling of the subsoil with the risks arising from the expansion of frozen water penetrating the cracks.

In fact it is known that traditional pools, especially large ones, are subject to cracking phenomena due to the uneven settling of the subsoil caused by the permanent load of the structure and the water contained in it which is much greater than the load resulting from the weight of the soil removed to form the basin, with the consequent risks of infiltration or, even worse, of leaks.

The new process involves a first step, the excavation of the basin with at least one substantially vertical side wall.

The following step involves the construction of the pool structure, where the at least one vertical wall is made of a plurality of structural panels laid vertically and directly against the soil.

The aforementioned structural panels can preferably be made of galvanized steel and are fixed to the ground by anchoring means.

Alternatively, the above structural panels are made according to patent EP2817467. Alternatively, it is also possible to use structural panels that are made with other materials, installed and fastened to the ground, even without binders, or constrained by means of a thin cast of cement or similar material.

Alternatively, the structural panels may be made of precast concrete elements, concrete blocks, rocks or regular shaped stones or concrete castings, laid directly on the ground.

These structural panels may be laid without being perfectly coplanar, thus making the structure's construction procedure faster, less complex, and therefore less costly. It is not necessary to construct the bottom of the structure since the subsequent layers can be laid directly on the soil.

Thanks to this innovative feature it is not necessary to lay a structure made of cementitious materials in the area of interest, and in particular no shallow foundation is necessary when the slope of the ground is such as to guarantee its natural stability, like for example pools resembling beaches, lagoons, elevated areas to sit at the edge of the pool, slightly inclined walls in general.

With the new method it is therefore only necessary to construct the vertical or very inclined walls, while no base or structure in reinforced concrete is required, thus preserving the natural drainage capacity of the soil.

On the contrary, the methods of the prior art for the construction of pools require the construction of very thick shallow foundations to which the reinforced concrete walls are constrained. These constructions interfere with the natural drainage capacity of the soil on which they are laid.

In addition, the costs for the subsequent disposal are greatly reduced.

The method further comprises the laying of at least one waterproof lining, for example made of PVC, PP, EPDM or other material having the same function, to be installed in the basin in order to define the bottom and walls of the pool.

This waterproof lining is perhaps but not necessarily laid on at least one further layer or protective sheet suited to protect the waterproof lining. This protective covering is, for example, made of non woven fabric or other material having the same function. The at least one waterproof lining and the possible protective sheet can be positioned without complex tensioning operations, further simplifying the construction procedures.

In addition, it is also possible to use a factory pre-assembled sheet, which is quickly laid in place without requiring complex sealing operations as is the case in known procedures. The new method further provides for the laying of an interior finish layer on the waterproof lining to form both the side walls and the bottom of the pool.

This interior finish layer is laid in such a way that a space or cavity is created between it and the underlying waterproof lining which can be filled with water so that once the pool is filled, the interior finish layer is substantially immersed in the water such that the force of the water contained in the pool is compensated and thus canceled out by the force of the water contained in the cavity itself.

This cavity is filled with water during the pool filling operations. This result is obtained preferably and appropriately by making the interior finish layer permeable to water.

This interior finish layer comprises finishing elements such as, and preferably, a plurality of panels, for example made of plastic, steel, composites, cements or derivatives, or other materials.

In one possible embodiment, these panels are laid directly on the waterproof sheet. Alternatively, at least one additional protective or separating sheet or other layer with the same functions may be interposed between the waterproof sheet and the panels.

In one possible embodiment, the panels are preformed and then laid, but they may also be shaped and fitted onsite directly on the waterproof or protective sheet, using a layer on which to adhere the material, with possible layers or mesh that separate the waterproof layer from the finishing layer.

These panels are for example made of resin and sand, as in patent

WO2007/029277A1 filed by the same applicant.

The interior lining panels may also be obtained by placing mesh or separation layers, suitably flexible, on the waterproof or protective covering and by spraying cement or resinous materials onsite.

These interior lining panels, regardless of how they are obtained, must have suitable structural strength and low weight, and are joined mechanically by mechanical joining means or with cementitious or resinous binders. Finally the finish layer including finishing elements in ceramic, resinous, wood, plastic or similar material is applied on the interior lining panels, which may be very thin, even just a few centimeters, thanks to the fact that the force of the water acting on them is substantially zero.

These interior lining panels may drain or be perforated or can be laid so as to leave spaces between them through which the basin's water can penetrate, filling the space between the interior finish layer and the internal or lower waterproof sheet.

For example, these spaces which allow the water to penetrate behind the interior finishing lining are randomly or uniformly distributed over the finish, for example at predetermined modular distances or using material which drains naturally.

The method also includes the installation and connection of the plumbing system for filtration and recirculation, depending on the design and construction requirements. The connections for the filtration and water recirculation system are carried out through the waterproof sheet by means of flanging or by entering from the top of the vertical walls, with the possibility of also filtering and recirculating the water contained in the space or cavity between the finishing layer and the waterproof sheet. The pipes of the filtration and recirculation system may be laid between the waterproof sheet and the interior lining panels, wherein the connections of the pipes facing the inside of the pool or basin are equipped with nozzles.

The new process for constructing pools and basins allows for the construction of a unfinished and thin structure, quite light compared to traditional structures.

The pool structure may also comprise just one or multiple vertical walls, while the bottom and any sloping walls can be made directly on the ground.

The structure does not necessarily need to be perfectly smooth or even, thus requiring less time for its construction and no use of concrete. As a result, the construction time is significantly shorter and the use of skilled labor is not necessary given that any installation error can be corrected. The bottom of the excavated basin can be simply and appropriately waterproofed with a sheet that can be laid without having to be perfectly stretched and tensioned. The lining can even be installed with wrinkles. The interior lining panels can also be laid on a surface that is not absolutely flat.

The surface of the finishing layer, that is, the surface facing the inside of the pool or basin is, on the other hand, perfectly flat and smooth, so that users can be in direct contact with it with no risk of injuries due to uneven surfaces.

Thus, the interior lining panels have the function of hiding the underlying structure, in particular for aesthetic reasons, as well as to compensate for any inaccurate installation or uneven surfaces.

The underlying structure can therefore be constructed in a simple and unfinished manner.

Since the finishing layer is perforated the water inside the pool or basin infiltrates between this layer and the waterproof sheet, therefore the force and the compression of the water in the basin acts on the sheet itself and not on the finishing layer, thus reducing the thickness and weight of the panels because the latter are not subjected to the force of the water and are therefore dimensioned for the minimum structural strength, due to their own weight and the possible force exerted by the bathers. Thanks to this solution, any settlements of the foundation and walls do not produce fractures that can cause water leakage because these settlements are compensated by the elasticity of the waterproof sheets. Given the above, EPDM sheets are particularly useful in this embodiment.

In addition, the imperfect coplanarity of the underlying structure and the bottom of the excavation ensure the presence of spaces underneath the interior lining layer through which the water permeates, thereby creating the space or cavity suitable to be filled with water and which is in hydraulic communication with the interior of the basin. As a result, the interior lining layer may be made of lightweight materials and may be relatively thin.

All this has many constructive advantages, including simplifying the assembly procedures and even panel replacement procedures.

The characteristics of the new pool, obtained by the above-described method, will be better clarified by the following description with reference to the drawings attached by way of a non-limiting example.

In the attached drawings, by way of a non-limiting example, a practical embodiment of the invention is presented.

Figure 1 depicts the new pool (1) in its main parts, where the spaces between the layers of the pool are enlarged for greater clarity.

Figure 2 shows part of the new pool (Γ) constructed according to a variant of the new method, wherein the vertical walls of the structure (20) are made with prefabricated elements (200). For greater clarity, the misaligned positioning of said prefabricated elements (200) has been increased.

To create the new pool (1), a bed which delineates the inner volume (10) of the pool (1) designed to be filled with water, is made.

In the example in Figures 1 and 2, an excavation (S) is made in the ground (T).

The excavation (S) comprises a bottom (SI) and walls, at least one of which is a substantially vertical wall (S2).

The structure (20) of the swimming pool comprises one or more construction elements or panels (21) suitable to form the at least one vertical wall (S2).

These panels (21) are placed vertically and directly on the ground (T).

In the solution in Figure 2, the vertical wall (S2) is formed by a plurality of overlapping prefabricated elements (200), made of concrete for example. As shown in Fig. 2, these prefabricated elements can also be positioned without being perfectly aligned, since any misalignments are compensated for as described and claimed below. The new pool (1) preferably but not necessarily comprises at least one protective layer laid in the bed (S), for example formed by one or more protective sheets (30). The new pool (1) also comprises at least one waterproof sheet (40) placed in the bed to cover the side walls (S2) and the bottom (SI).

The new pool (1) also comprises a non-waterproof interior lining layer (60) placed on the waterproof sheet (40).

This interior lining layer (60) comprises coating elements (601), such as, and preferably, a plurality of panels, placed directly on the waterproof sheet (40).

These interior lining panels (601) are laid so that the surface (603) of said interior lining layer (60) facing the interior (10) of the pool or basin (1) is substantially flat and smooth, regardless of any spaces between and misalignments of the supporting planes.

It is also possible to envisage that the interior lining layer (60) comprises a structural structure or skeleton on which those panels or coating elements (601) are then constrained.

These interior lining panels (601) are for example perforated or laid so as to leave spaces (602) through which the water can penetrate, filling the space or cavity (50) between the interior lining layer (60) and the waterproof sheet (40) below it, and wherein this space or cavity (50) is suited to be filled with water during the filling of the pool or basin.

This space or cavity (50) is thus in hydraulic communication with the inside (10) of the pool or basin (1) by means of the interior lining layer (60).

Since this interior lining layer (60) is not waterproof, water infiltrates between the latter and the underlying waterproof sheet (40), so that the force of the water contained in the pool or basin and acting on the interior lining layer (60) is compensated for by the force of the water contained in the cavity (50).

Additionally, in the case of the formation of ice, it can expand without damaging the walls and coating as is the case with traditional pools. The pool (1) also comprises a finishing layer, which in turn comprises finishing elements such as ceramic or other elements.

It is further contemplated that the permeable interior lining layer (60) and/or waterproof layer (40), that is, the surfaces intended to come into contact with water, are made of or coated with antibacterial material, such as resin containing at least one bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic and/or antibacterial agent in general.

These specifications are sufficient for the expert person to make the invention and as a result, in the practical application there may be variations without prejudice to the substance of the innovative concept introduced herein.

Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and the attached drawings the following claims are made.

Claims

1. Method to construct pools or ponds, even for bathing, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

laying at least one waterproof sheet (40) in a pre-existing basin or a basin obtained by excavation (S) and/or the construction of superstructures (20), and comprising at least one substantially vertical wall (S2);

laying an interior finish layer (60) directly or indirectly on said waterproof sheet (40) to form both the side walls (S2) and the bottom (SI) of the pool by creating an interior compartment (10) inside the pool;

and wherein between said interior finish layer (60) and said waterproof sheet (40), a space or cavity (50) is created suited to be filled with water, so that the action or force on said interior finish layer (60) by the water contained in said interior compartment (10) of the pool is offset by the force of the water contained in said cavity (50).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said interior finish layer (60) is permeable to the water introduced into said space or cavity (50) which in turn is in hydraulic communication with said interior compartment (10) of said pool.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said superstructures

(20) comprise panels (21), containment walls even of a gravity type, prefabricated modular elements, such as connected blocks or pits to create the side walls (S2) and the bottom (SI).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that said elements or panels

(21) , gravity containment walls, prefabricated modular elements such as blocks or pits connected to said pool structure (20), are positioned on said at least one substantially vertical wall (S2).

5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one waterproof sheet (40) is laid on said structure (20) or on the walls or bottom (SI) of the basin, with at least one additional interposed protective sheet (30).

6. Method, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said structural elements or panels (21) of said structure (S) are also placed in a non- coplanar or disjointed manner.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said interior finish layer (60) comprises one or more finish elements or panels (601) laid on said at least one waterproof layer (40) so that the surface (603) of said interior finish layer (60) facing the interior (10) of the pool or basin (1) is substantially flat.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that said finish panels (601) drain or are perforated or are laid so that spaces (602) are left between them on said interior finish layer (60) and through which the water enters said space (50) between said interior finish layer (60) and said at least one waterproof sheet (40).

9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that said finish panels (601) are shaped onsite directly on said waterproof sheet (40).

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the laying of a finishing layer over said interior finish layer (60).

11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the step of laying a protective layer between said waterproof layer (40) and said interior finish layer (60).

12. Pool or basin (1), also for bathing, comprising at least one substantially vertical wall, characterized in that it comprises:

a containment structure (20), in turn comprising one or more structural elements or panels (21) or walls or blocks (200), suited to form at least the substantially vertical walls (S2) of the basin in which the pool (1) is constructed;

at least one waterproof sheet (40) placed in said basin to cover its inner walls (S2) and the bottom of the basin (SI);

an interior finish layer (60) placed on said waterproof sheet (40), and wherein between said interior finish layer (60) and said waterproof sheet (40) a space or cavity (50) suited to be filled with water is created.

13. Pool, as in claim 12, characterized in that holes or slits are made on said interior finish layer (60) suited to bring the inner compartment of the pool (10) into hydraulic communication with said space or cavity (50).

14. Pool, as in claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it comprises at least one protective layer (30) of said waterproof sheet (40) placed in said basin beneath said waterproof sheet (40).