Radius corner plate for a pool

• US 20030213195A1
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Latham Pool Products, Inc (Latham Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pool Cover Specialist National Incorporated (Latham Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dalton, David B., Mathis, Wesley L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,114,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/287.1
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/141 Coping elements for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/148 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools

Abstract

A modular rounded corner piece for forming rounded corners of a pool. The modular rounded corner piece may include a plate portion and a liner receptor portion. The liner receptor portion may include a channel formed by a top wall and a bottom wall. The channel may align with a pool liner receptor slot in the coping around the perimeter of the pool. Thus, a continuous liner receptor slot may be formed around the interior circumference of the pool for receiving an edge of a pool liner thereinto. The modular rounded corner piece may be installed on the pool sidewall to provide a gapless alignment between the liner receptor on the pool sidewall and the liner receptor in the rounded side of the corner plate.

Claims

1. A modular corner piece for forming a corner of a pool, said pool including a sidewall having a pool liner receptor slot for receiving a pool liner, said modular corner piece comprising:

a corner plate defining a substantially planar member comprising a first side and a second side, said first side and said second side intersecting at a corner point; and

a curved portion including a liner receptor portion for receiving said pool liner;

wherein said curved portion extends between said first side and said second side such that when said corner plate is installed in said pool sidewall, said liner receptor portion is aligned with said pool liner receptor slot.

2. The modular corner piece of claim 1, wherein said liner receptor portion comprises a channel.

3. The modular corner piece of claim 2, further comprising a top wall and a bottom wall defining said channel therebetween.

4. The modular corner piece of claim 1, wherein said liner receptor portion includes a flange for attaching said liner receptor portion to said corner plate.

5. The modular corner piece of claim 4, wherein said flange is attached to said corner plate using fasteners.

6. The modular corner piece of claim 1, wherein said first side of said corner plate is disposed at a right angle with respect to said second side.

7. The modular corner piece of claim 1, wherein said first side and said second side of said corner plate each comprise a shoulder.

8. The modular corner piece of claim 7, wherein said curved portion extends beyond said shoulders.

9. The modular corner piece of claim 1, wherein said curved portion comprises a curved portion slot for receiving said corner plate.

10. The modular corner piece of claim 1, further comprising at least one end configured for abutting with a coping end on said pool wall.

11. The modular corner piece of claim 10, further comprising a substantially rigid coping portion for aligning with said coping end to form a coping corner.

12. The modular corner piece of claim 10, further comprising a linear coping portion for aligning with said coping end, said liner receptor being aligned with said linear coping portion at said at least one end and curving away from said linear portion.

13. A modular corner piece for forming a corner of a pool, said pool including a sidewall having a pool liner receptor slot for receiving a pool liner, said modular corner piece comprising:

a corner plate comprising a first side configured to fit within said slot, and a second side configured to fit within said slot; and

a curved portion including a liner receptor portion for receiving said pool liner;

wherein when said first side and said second side of said corner plate are installed within said slot, said liner receptor portion is aligned with said slot.

14. The modular corner piece of claim 13, wherein said liner receptor portion comprises a channel.

15. The modular corner piece of claim 14, further comprising a top wall and a bottom wall defining said channel therebetween.

16. The modular corner piece of claim 13, wherein said liner receptor portion includes a flange for attaching said liner receptor portion to said corner plate.

17. The modular corner piece of claim 16, wherein said flange is attached to said corner plate using fasteners.

18. The modular corner piece of claim 13, wherein said first side of said corner plate is disposed at a right angle with respect to said second side.

19. The modular corner piece of claim 18, wherein said curved portion extends between said first side and said second side.

20. The modular corner piece of claim 13, wherein said curved portion comprises a curved portion slot for receiving said corner plate.

21. The modular corner piece of claim 13, wherein said corner plate forms a substantially planar member.

22. The modular corner piece of claim 13, wherein said first side and said second side of said corner plate each comprise a shoulder.

23. The modular corner piece of claim 22, wherein said curved portion extends beyond said shoulders.

24. A system for forming a corner of a pool, said system comprising:

a slot formed in a perimeter of said pool, said slot configured for receiving a pool liner;

a modular corner piece, said modular corner piece comprising a corner plate and a curved portion, said corner plate configured to be received within said slot such that said curved portion defines a corner of said pool.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said curved portion is disposed on said corner plate in alignment with said slot.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said slot is defined in a coping extending around said perimeter of said pool.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said coping further comprises a track retainer for retaining a pool cover track for guiding an edge of a retractable pool cover.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said coping further comprises a lighting channel for housing lighting devices.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein said coping defining said slot and said track retainer is formed of a single piece.

30. A system for forming a corner of a pool, said system comprising:

a coping defining a straight edge of said pool, said coping terminating in a coping end and comprising a pool liner receptor slot; and

a corner piece, said corner piece having at least one end configured for abutting with said coping end, said corner piece further comprising a linear coping portion for aligning with said coping and a curved liner receptor, said curved liner receptor being aligned with said linear coping portion at said at least one end and curving away from said linear portion such that when said at least one end of said corner piece abuts against said coping end, said pool liner receptor slot aligns with said curved liner receptor.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said coping further comprises a track retainer for retaining a pool cover track for guiding an edge of a retractable pool cover.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said coping further comprises a lighting channel for housing lighting devices.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said coping is formed of a single piece.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein said linear coping portion of said corner piece has a cross sectional configuration that is substantially the same as a cross sectional configuration of said coping defining the straight edge of the pool.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein said corner piece further comprises a corner plate.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said curved liner receptor further comprises a corner plate slot for receiving said corner plate.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the curved liner receptor comprises a channel.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the linear coping portion is substantially rigid.

39. A system for forming a corner of a pool, said system comprising:

a coping defining a straight edge of said pool, said coping terminating in a coping end and comprising a pool liner receptor slot; and

a corner piece, said corner piece having at least one end configured for abutting with said coping end, said corner piece comprising a substantially rigid coping portion for aligning with said coping to form a coping corner, said corner piece further comprising a curved liner receptor;

wherein when said at least one end of said corner piece abuts against said coping end, said pool liner receptor slot aligns with said curved liner receptor.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said coping further comprises a track retainer for retaining a pool cover track for guiding an edge of a retractable pool cover.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said coping further comprises a lighting channel for housing lighting devices.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said coping is formed of a single piece.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein said substantially rigid coping portion of said corner piece has a cross sectional configuration that corresponds to a cross section of said coping defining the straight edge of the pool.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein said corner piece further comprises a corner plate.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said curved liner receptor further comprises a corner plate slot for receiving said corner plate.

46. The system of claim 39, wherein the curved liner receptor comprises a channel.

47. A method of installing a modular corner piece in a pool, said modular corner piece comprising a curved portion, said pool comprising a first coping member forming a first edge of said pool and a second coping member forming a second edge of said pool, said first coping member and said second coping member intersecting at a coping corner and having a pool liner receptor slot, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting a first side of said modular corner piece in said pool liner receptor slot of said first coping member;

(b) inserting a second side of said modular corner piece in said pool liner receptor slot of said second coping member; and

(c) pressing said corner piece into said pool liner receptor slot until said curved portion aligns with said pool liner receptor slot.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the pool further comprises a sidewall having a top surface, said method further comprising the step of placing an adhesive on the corner piece to fix the corner piece to said top surface.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising the step of placing an adhesive in said pool liner receptor slot to fix the corner piece in the pool liner receptor slot.

50. A system for forming a corner of a pool, said system comprising:

a coping for extending around a perimeter of said pool, said coping having a first linear side and a second linear side that come together at a coping corner, said coping comprising a pool liner receptor slot configured for receiving a pool liner;

a modular corner piece, said modular corner piece comprising a corner plate defining a substantially planar member comprising a first side configured to be received in said liner receptor slot in said first linear side of said coping and a second side configured to be received in said liner receptor slot in said second linear side of said coping, said first side of said corner plate and said second side of said corner plate intersecting at a corner point, said modular corner piece further comprising a curved portion including a liner receptor portion for receiving said pool liner;

wherein when said first side of said corner plate and said second side of said corner plate are inserted in said pool liner receptor slot at said coping corner, said curved portion is disposed in elevational alignment with said pool liner receptor slot;

wherein said liner receptor portion comprises a top wall and a bottom wall defining a channel therebetween;

wherein said liner receptor portion includes a flange for attaching said liner receptor portion to said corner plate;

wherein said flange is attached to said corner plate using fasteners;

wherein said first side of said corner plate is disposed at a right angle with respect to said second side of said corner plate;

wherein said curved portion extends between said first side of said corner plate and said second side of said corner plate;

wherein said first side of said corner plate and said second side of said corner plate each comprise a shoulder;

wherein said curved portion extends beyond said shoulders;

wherein said coping further comprises a track retainer for retaining a pool cover track for guiding an edge of a retractable pool cover;

wherein said coping defining said liner receptor slot and said track retainer is formed of a single piece; and

wherein when said modular corner piece is installed in said coping, said pool liner receptor slot forms a continuous path with said liner receptor portion for receiving said pool liner.