Hydraulic suction fuse for swimming pools

• US 20040205886A1
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Paramount Leisure Industries, Inc. (Hayward Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goettl, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,895,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/507
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1236 Bottom drains
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1272 Skimmers integrated in the pool wall

Abstract

A hydraulic suction fuse is mounted in a conventional debris collection trap of a swimming pool, spa or the like, to significantly reduce or eliminate any suction force on the bottom or side wall mounted drain of the swimming pool, spa or the like, as a result of the drain becoming essentially wholly covered by a body part of a person or other drain clogging article. Alternatively, the hydraulic suction fuse may be mounted in a compartment in line between the drain and a suction pump of a swimming pool, spa or the like. Thereby, a person captured by the suction force at the drain will be released and the person is free to move away from the drain essentially instantaneously upon contact with the drain. In one embodiment, the hydraulic suction fuse is self resetting once inflow through the drain is no longer restricted. In another embodiment of the hydraulic suction fuse, the hydraulic suction fuse may be easily manually reset.

Claims

1. A hydraulic suction fuse for use with a debris collection trap, said fuse comprising in combination:

a) an apertured cover;

b) a support disposed about said aperture of said cover;

c) one of a magnet and a magnetically responsive element being retained by said support;

d) a basket supported from said support; and

e) a float disposed in said basket for sealing said aperture, said float being adapted to rise and fall within said basket in response to the water level in the debris collection trap, the other of said magnet and said magnetically responsive element being retained by said float.

2. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 1 wherein said magnet is retained by said support.

3. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 2 wherein said magnet is a ring magnet encircling said aperture in said cover.

4. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 3 wherein said magnetically responsive element is a disc.

5. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 1 wherein said basket is apertured.

6. A debris collection trap for use with a swimming pool or a spa, said trap comprising in combination:

a) a tank for receiving water from a drain of the swimming pool;

b) an outlet for conveying water from said tank to a suction pump;

c) a cover for said tank;

d) an aperture disposed in said cover;

e) a support secured about said aperture;

f) a basket extending from said support; and

g) a float disposed in said basket, said float being adapted to be repositioned vertically in response to the water level in said tank and to seal said aperture when said tank is full of water.

7. A debris collection trap as set forth in claim 6 including one of a magnet and a magnetically responsive element being disposed in said support and the other of said magnet and said magnetically responsive element being disposed in said float.

8. A debris collection trap as set forth in claim 6 including a magnet disposed in said support and a magnetically responsive element disposed in said float.

9. A debris collection trap as set forth in claim 8 wherein said magnet is a ring magnet circumscribing said aperture.

10. A hydraulic suction fuse for use with a debris collection trap, said fuse comprising in combination:

a) an apertured cover;

b) a shroud extending about said aperture in said cover;

c) a flexible disc for sealing said aperture in said cover, said disc being captured by said shroud, said disc being adapted to bend to pass through said aperture in said cover in response to a suction force within the trap and to become displaced from said aperture in said cover; and

d) a stem extending from said disc, said stem being adapted to accommodate manually drawing said displaced disc into capture by said shroud to seal said aperture in said cover.

11. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 10 including a ring extending from said stem for manual engagement, said ring being adapted to retain said displaced disc proximate said aperture in said cover.

12. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 10 wherein said shroud includes a cylinder circumscribing said aperture and said disc and a radially inwardly extending lip for retaining said disc within said cylinder.

13. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 12 including a ring extending from said stem and adapted for manual engagement, said ring being adapted to bear against said lip to retain said displaced disc proximate the aperture in said cover.

14. A method for relieving the suction force of a drain in a swimming pool or spa, which drain is in fluid communication with a debris collection trap receiving water from the drain in response to a suction pump drawing water from the trap, said method comprising in combination:

a) sealing an aperture of the trap;

b) opening the aperture in response to an increase in suction force within the trap resulting in a drop of water level in the trap; and

c) maintaining a gravity induced flow of water through the aperture and into the trap until the aperture of the trap is resealed.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 including the step of automatically resealing the aperture upon filling the trap with water.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14 including the step of manually resealing the aperture.

17. The method as set forth in claim 14 including the step of maintaining the aperture sealed with a magnetic force.

18. The method as set forth in claim 15 including a float for exercising said step of resealing.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 including the step of maintaining the aperture sealed with a magnetic force.

20. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein said step of sealing includes the step of sealing the aperture with a flexible disc.

21. A hydraulic suction fuse for use with a swimming pool or spa, said fuse comprising in combination:

a) a compartment disposed at an elevation below the surface of the water in the swimming pool;

b) an apertured bracket defining the upper end of said compartment;

c) one of a magnet and a magnetically responsive element being retained by said bracket;

d) a basket supported from said bracket; and

e) a float disposed in said basket for sealing said aperture in said bracket, said float being adapted to rise and fall within said basket in response to the water level in said compartment, the other of said magnet and said magnetically responsive element being retained by said float.

22. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 21 wherein said magnet is retained by said bracket.

23. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 22 wherein said magnet is a ring magnet encircling said aperture in said bracket.

24. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 23 wherein said magnetically responsive element is a disc.

25. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 21 wherein said basket is apertured.

26. A hydraulic suction fuse for use with a swimming pool or spa, said fuse comprising in combination:

a) a compartment disposed at an elevation below the surface of the water in the swimming pool;

b) an apertured bracket defining the upper end of said compartment;

c) a shroud extending about said aperture in said bracket;

d) a flexible disc for sealing said aperture in said bracket, said disc being captured by said shroud, said disc being adapted to bend to pass through said aperture in said bracket in response to a suction force within said compartment and to become displaced from said aperture in said bracket; and

e) a stem extending from said disc, said stem being adapted to accommodate manually drawing said displaced disc into capture by said shroud to seal said aperture in said bracket.

27. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 26 including a ring extending from said stem and adapted for manual engagement, said ring being adapted to retain said displaced disc proximate said aperture in said bracket.

28. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 26 wherein said shroud includes a cylinder circumscribing said aperture and said disc and a radially inwardly extending lip for retaining said disc within said cylinder.

29. A hydraulic suction fuse as set forth in claim 28 including a ring extending from said stem for manual engagement, said ring being adapted to bear against said lip to retain said displaced disc proximate said aperture in said bracket.

30. A method for relieving the suction force of a drain in a swimming pool or a spa, which drain is in fluid communication with a compartment receiving water from the drain in response to a suction pump drawing water from the compartment, said method comprising in combination:

a) sealing an aperture of the compartment;

b) opening the aperture in response to an increase in suction force within the compartment resulting in a drop of water level in the compartment; and

c) maintaining a gravity induced flow of water through the aperture and into the compartment until the aperture of the compartment is resealed.

31. The method as set forth in claim 30 including the step of automatically resealing the aperture upon filling the compartment with water.

32. The method as set forth in claim 30 including the step of manually resealing the aperture.

33. The method as set forth in claim 30 including the step of maintaining the aperture sealed with a magnetic force.

34. The method as set forth in claim 33 including a float for exercising said step of resealing.

35. The method as set forth in claim 34 including the step of maintaining the aperture sealed with a magnetic force.

36. The method as set forth in claim 30 wherein said step of sealing includes the step of sealing the aperture with a flexible disc.

37. A hydraulic suction fuse apparatus for use with a swimming pool or a spa, said apparatus comprising in combination:

a) a compartment for receiving water from a drain of the swimming pool;

b) an outlet for conveying water from said compartment to a suction pump;

c) a bracket for said compartment;

d) an aperture disposed in said compartment;

e) a support secured about said aperture;

f) a basket extending from said support; and

g) a float disposed in said basket, said float being adapted to be repositioned vertically in response to the water level in said compartment and to seal said aperture when said compartment is full of water.

38. An apparatus as set forth in claim 37 including one of a magnet and a magnetically responsive element being disposed in said support and the other of said magnet and said magnetically responsive element being disposed in said float.

39. An apparatus as set forth in claim 37 including a magnet disposed in said support and a magnetically responsive element disposed in said float.

40. An apparatus as set forth in claim 39 wherein said magnet is a ring magnet circumscribing said aperture.