Floating pool assembly

• US 4,706,307 A
• Filed: 05/04/1983
• Issued: 11/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John L. Smith
• Original Assignee: John L. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US06/489,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 4/487-489, 4/492, 4/493, 4/496, 4/498, 4/499, 4/505-507, 4/513, 4/514, 405/67, 405/68, 405/70, 405/72
• US Class Current: 4/487
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/08 Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/0814 with underwater curtains
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/0885 Foam
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/0012 Floating swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/129 Systems for heating the water content of swimming pools solar collectors using pools F24S10/17, F24S10/10; by solar radiation F24S20/02

Abstract

A floating pool assembly including a sheet member having top and bottom extremities and first and second ends, the first and second ends being connected together to define an endless wall with an open top and open bottom. The sheet member is flexible for folding and unfolding. The assembly further includes a floatation pocket extending along the top extremity between the ends of the sheet member, a weight pocket extending along the bottom extremity between the ends of the sheet member, and a fluid pocket extending between the ends of the sheet member below the floatation pocket. The fluid pocket has closed ends and spaced openings therealong and an inlet which communicates with the fluid pocket for supplying fluid to the fluid pocket for flow out of the openings. When the assembly is disposed within a pool and the supplied fluid is hot water coming from the pool water heating system, the assembly provides an isolated heated area within the pool.

A method of forming the floating pool assembly is also disclosed and includes the steps of forming the floatation pocket extending along the top extremity between the ends of the sheet, forming the weight pocket extending along the bottom extremity between the ends of the sheet, forming a fluid pocket extending between the ends below the floatation pocket, securing an inlet to the fluid pocket for supplying fluid to the pocket, and connecting the first and second ends of the sheet together to define an endless wall with an open top and open bottom.

Claims

1. A floating pool assembly (10) comprising;

sheet means (24) having first and second ends and top and bottom extremities, said sheet means (24) being flexible for folding and unfolding;

flexible floatation means (26) extending along said top extremity between said ends of said sheet means (24) for providing buoyancy, said sheet means (24) defining a fluid pocket (34) extending between said ends below said floatation means (26), said fluid pocket (34), having closed ends and spaced openings (40) therealong;

a fluid pocket inlet (42) communicating with said fluid pocket (34) for supplying fluid to said fluid pocket (34) for flow out of said openings (40);

connecting means (52) at said first and second ends for connecting said first and second ends together to define an endless wall with an open top and an open bottom; and

shaping means (54) having a predetermined shape coacting with said sheet means (24) and said floatation means (26) for maintaining said floatation means (26) in said predetermined shape about the periphery of said top extremity and for allowing said sheet means (24) to freely depend from said floatation means (26) about the periphery thereof.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including weight means (30) extending along said bottom extremity between said ends of said sheet means (24) for providing a weight to said bottom extremity.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said weight means (30) includes a weight pocket (30) extending along said bottom extremity between said ends of said sheet means (24).

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said shaping means (54) comprises a circular hoop (54) for engaging the interior of said sheet means (24) between said floatation means (26) and said fluid pocket (34).

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said floatation means comprises a floatation pocket (26) and buoyant material (28) disposed in said floatation pocket (26) and being flexible for allowing said sheet means (24) to extend in an endless path as said ends of said sheet means (24) are connected together.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 including weight means (30) extending along said bottom extremity between said ends of said sheet means (24) for providing a weight to said bottom extremity.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said weight means (30) includes a weight pocket (30) extending along said bottom extremity between said ends of said sheet means (24).

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 7 including weight material (32) disposed in said weight pocket (30) and being flexible for allowing said sheet means (24) to extend in an endless path as said ends of said sheet means (24) are connected together.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said shaping means (54) comprises a circular hoop (54) for engaging the interior of said sheet means (24) between said floatation pocket (26) and said fluid pocket (34).

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 including a baffle (44) inside of said fluid pocket (34) facing said fluid pocket inlet (42).

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said connecting means (52) comprises a plurality of eyelets (52) along each of said first and second ends for lacing said ends together.

12. A floating pool assembly (10) comprising:

a sheet member (24) having first and second ends and top and bottom extremities, said sheet member (24) being flexible for folding and unfolding;

a flexible floatation pocket (26) extending along said top extremity between said ends of said sheet member (24);

a plurality of cylindrical buoyant members (28) having hemispherical ends disposed within said floatation pocket (26), said hemispherical ends providing flexibility of said floatation pocket (26) for allowing said sheet member (24) to extend in an endless path as said ends of said sheet member (24) are connected together;

a weight pocket (30) extending along said bottom extremity between said ends of said sheet member (24);

weighted material (32) disposed in said weight pocket (30) and being flexible for allowing said sheet member (24) to extend in an endless path as said ends of said sheet member (24) are connected together, said sheet member (24) defining a fluid pocket (34) extending between said ends below and adjacent to said fluctuation pocket (26), said fluid pocket (34) having closed ends (36,

     38) and spaced openings (40) therealong;

a fluid pocket inlet (42) communicating with said fluid pocket (34) for supplying fluid to said fluid pocket (34) for flow out of said openings (40);

a baffle (44) inside of said fluid pocket (34) facing said fluid pocket inlet (42);

a circular hoop member (54) for coacting with said sheet member (24) and said floatation pocket (26) to maintain said floatation pocket (26) in a predetermined shape about the periphery of said top extremity and to allow said sheet member (24) to freely depend from said floatation pocket (26) about the periphery thereof; and

a plurality of eyelets (52) along each of said first and second ends for lacing said ends together to define an endless wall with an open top and an open bottom.

13. A swimming pool (12) comprising:

an inlet and outlet pool water circulation system (14) for receiving pool water from said outlet (16) and returning pool water through said inlet (18) to said pool (12) and including a heater (20) for heating the water returned to the pool (12) through said inlet (18);

sheet means (24) having first and second ends and top and bottom extremities for defining a closed area within said pool (12), said sheet means (24) being flexible for folding and unfolding;

a flexible floatation pocket (26) extending along said top extremity between said ends of said sheet means (24);

a weight pocket (30) extending along said bottom extremity between said ends of said sheet means (24), said sheet means (24) defining a fluid pocket (34) extending between said ends below said floatation pocket (26), said fluid pocket (34) having closed ends (36,

     38) and spaced openings therealong;

a fluid pocket inlet (42) communicating with said fluid pocket (34) for supplying fluid to said fluid pocket (34) for flow out of said openings;

conduit means (22) operatively connecting said inlet (18) of said circulation system to said fluid pocket inlet (42) for supplying heated water from said circulation system (14) to said fluid pocket (34);

connecting means (52) at said first and second ends connecting said first and second ends together to define an endless wall with an open top and an open bottom; and

shaping means (54) having a predetermined shape coacting with said sheet means (24) and said floatation means (26) for maintaining said floatation means (26) in said predetermined shape about the periphery of said top extremity and for allowing said sheet means (24) to freely depend from said floatation means (26) about the periphery thereof.

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said shaping means (54) comprises a circular hoop (54) for engaging the interior of said sheet means (24) between said floatation pocket (26) and said fluid pocket (34).

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 including buoyant material (28) disposed in said floatation pocket (26) and being flexible for allowing said sheet means (24) to extend in an endless path as said ends of said sheet means (24) are connected together.

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 15 including weight material (32) disposed in said weight pocket (30) and being flexible for allowing said sheet means (24) to

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said shaping means (54) comprises a circular hoop (54) for engaging the interior of said sheet means (24) between said floatation pocket (26) and said fluid pocket (34).

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 including a baffle (44) inside of said fluid pocket (34) facing said fluid pocket inlet (42).

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said connecting means (52) comprises a plurality of eyelets (52) along each of said first and second ends for lacing said ends together.