Covering structure
First Claim
1. Covering structure for covering a zone comprising:
- a plurality of covering elements together defining a vault configuration, said covering elements extending above the zone to be covered, each of said covering elements including;
(1) a pair of curved arches having a preselected length, each of said arches being curved over their entire length, said curved length extending over the entire zone to be covered, each of said curved arches including;
(a) a lower elementary arch defining a curved support arch, said support arch having an upper surface; and
(b) at least three superimposed curved guide grooves which extend over the entire length of said support arch, said at least three superimposed guide grooves being positioned along said upper surface of said support arch and being symmetrical with respect to a central vertical axis through said support arch, said grooves being comprised of at least three plane elementary curved outer arches which conclude longitudinal ribs forming spacers and which are stacked in top of one another above said support arch and which delimit between them relative to said support arch said curved guide grooves.(2) at least three covering plates of substantially the same length, one each of said covering plates being slidably received between said pair of curved arches in a respective pair of said at least three superimposed curved guide grooves wherein said at least three covering plates slide individually in the direction of the curve of said vault configuration along the length of each of said pair of curved arches; and
wherein said curved arches and said at least three covering plates cooperate to uncover greater than 50 percent of the zone to be covered when said covering plates are slidably superimposed over one another.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An openable covering structure for any desired location which is particularly well adapted for use in conjunction with a swimming pool, comprising several covering elements extending above the basin of the swimming pool and movable relative to one another. Each covering element comprises two parallel arches between which extend transparent or translucent covering plates. To make the opening operations easier and to extend the opening possibilities, each arch of a covering element has, in at least one of its front vertical faces, at least three parallel and superimposed grooves which extend over the entire length of the arch and in which are respectively fitted at least three covering plates mounted in the grooves so as to be capable of transversely sliding.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. Covering structure for covering a zone comprising:
a plurality of covering elements together defining a vault configuration, said covering elements extending above the zone to be covered, each of said covering elements including; (1) a pair of curved arches having a preselected length, each of said arches being curved over their entire length, said curved length extending over the entire zone to be covered, each of said curved arches including; (a) a lower elementary arch defining a curved support arch, said support arch having an upper surface; and (b) at least three superimposed curved guide grooves which extend over the entire length of said support arch, said at least three superimposed guide grooves being positioned along said upper surface of said support arch and being symmetrical with respect to a central vertical axis through said support arch, said grooves being comprised of at least three plane elementary curved outer arches which conclude longitudinal ribs forming spacers and which are stacked in top of one another above said support arch and which delimit between them relative to said support arch said curved guide grooves. (2) at least three covering plates of substantially the same length, one each of said covering plates being slidably received between said pair of curved arches in a respective pair of said at least three superimposed curved guide grooves wherein said at least three covering plates slide individually in the direction of the curve of said vault configuration along the length of each of said pair of curved arches; and wherein said curved arches and said at least three covering plates cooperate to uncover greater than 50 percent of the zone to be covered when said covering plates are slidably superimposed over one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Openable covering structure for covering a zone comprising:
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a plurality of covering elements extending above the zone to be covered, each of said covering elements including; a pair of arches; covering plates extending between said pair arches, said plates having longitudinal ends being engaged respectively in guide grooves in said pair of arches whereby said covering plates are capable of sliding between the entire length of said pair of arches; each arch of a covering element having at least three of said guide grooves superimposed above each other, said guide grooves extending over the entire length of said arch, said guide grooves being fitted respectively with said covering plates wherein each pair of arches includes at least three covering plates therebetween; each arch of a covering element being formed by the superimposition of a lower elementary arch defining a support and at least three plane elementary arches which include longitudinal ribs forming spacers and which are stacked on top of one another above said lower elementary arch and which delimit between them relative to said lower elementary arch said guide grooves for said covering plates; and at least one of said covering elements being movable and each arch of a movable covering element resting on a longitudinal guide rail having in its upper surface, a recess which is upwardly concave and in which receive rollers fixed to the lower end of said arches and, said guide rail having a lower surface including a longitudinal and horizontal slot receiving the lower end of a curved section in the form of a hook fastened to the lower end of the arch.
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11. Openable covering structure for covering a zone comprising:
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a plurality of covering elements extending above the zone to be covered, each of said covering elements including; a pair of arches; covering plates extending between said pair of arches, said plates having longitudinal ends being engaged respectively in guide grooves in said pair of arches whereby said covering plates are capable of sliding between the entire length of said pair of arches; each arch of a covering element having at least three of said guide grooves superimposed above each other, said guide grooves extending over the entire length of said arch, said guide grooves being fitted respectively with said covering plates wherein each pair of arches includes at least three covering plates therebetween; each arch of a covering element being formed by the superimposition of a lower elementary arch defining a support and at least three plane elementary arches which include longitudinal ribs forming spacers and which are stacked on top on one another above said lower elementary arch and which delimit between them relative to said lower elementary arch said guide grooves for said covering plates; said lower elementary arch comprising two spaced parallel boxes of rectangular cross-section having parallel longitudinal sides, said boxes being connected to one another on upper surfaces thereof by means of a connecting web thereby defining a slot opening downwardly and extending over the entire length of the elementary arch, said web being coplanar with upper sides of said two boxes on the upper face thereof, and two longitudinal ribs extending over the entire length of said elementary arch forming said support; and a system for locking each of said covering plates in a closed position and an open position, said locking system comprising; a pin urged transversely by a spring through holes facing one another, of which two holes are made through said lower elementary arch and the other holes are made in said two plane elementary arches located immediately thereabove, said outer plane elementary arch not being perforated, and each of said plates being perforated with a hole through which said pin passes when it is locked in a low position, wherein said plates are prevented from dropping themselves from said pin when they are raised higher than the location of said pin.
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13. Covering structure for covering a zone comprising:
a plurality of covering elements together defining a vault configuration, said covering elements extending above the zone to be covered, each of said covering elements including; (1) a pair of curved arches, each of said arches having a curved length which extends over the entire zone to be covered, each of said curved arches including; (a) a lower elementary arch defining a curved support arch, said support arch having an upper surface; and (b) at least three superimposed curved guide grooves which extend over the entire length of said support arch, said at least three superimposed guide grooves being positioned along said upper surface of said support arch and being symmetrical with respect to a central vertical axis through said support arch; (c) at least three plane elementary curved outer arches which include longitudinal ribs forming spacers and which are stacked on top of one another above said support arch and which delimit between them relative to said support arch said curved guide grooves for said covered plates; (2) at least three covering plates of substantially the same length, one each of said covering plates being slidably received between said pair of curved arches in a respective pair of said at least three superimposed curved guide grooves wherein said at least three covering plates slide individually in the direction of the curve of said vault configuration along the length of each of said pair of curved arches; and wherein at least one of said covering elements is movable and wherein each arch of a movable covering element rests on a longitudinal guide rail having a cured cross-sectional profile having in its upper surface, a recess which is upwardly concave, said recess receiving rollers fixed to the lower end of said arches and, said guide rail having a lower surface including a longitudinal and horizontal slot receiving the lower end of a curved section in the form of a hook fastened to the lower end of the arch. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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14. Covering structure for covering a zone comprising:
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a plurality of covering elements together defining a vault configuration, said covering elements extending above the zone to be covered, each of said covering elements including; (1) a pair of curved arches, each of said arches having a curved length which extends over the entire zone to be covered, each of said curved arches including; (a) a lower elementary arch defining a curved support arch, said support arch having an upper surface wherein said support arch further comprises two spaced parallel boxes of rectangular cross-section having parallel longitudinal sides, said boxes being connected to one another on upper surfaces thereof by means of a connecting web thereby defining a slot opening downwardly and extending over the entire length of said support arch, said web being coplanar with upper sides of said two boxes on the upper face thereof, and two longitudinal ribs extending over the entire length of said support arch; and (b) at least three superimposed curved guide grooves which extend over the entire length of said support arch, said at least three superimposed guide grooves being positioned along said upper surface of said support arch and being symmetrical with respect to a central vertical axis through said support arch; (c) at least three plane elementary curved outer arches which include longitudinal ribs forming spacers and which are stacked on top of one another above said support arch and which delimit between them relative to said support arch said curved guide grooves for said covering plates; (2) at least three covering plates of substantially the same length, one each of said covering plates being slidably received between said pair of curved arches in a respective pair of said at least three superimposed curved guide grooves wherein said at least three covering plates slide individually in the direction of the curve of said vault configuration along the length of each of said pair of curved arches; and a system for locking each of said covering plates in a closed position and an open position, said locking system comprising; a pin urged transversely by a spring through holes facing one another, of which two holes are made through said support arch and the other holes are made in said two plane elementary arches located immediately above said support arch, said support arch not being perforated, and each of said covering plates being perforated with a hole through which said pin passes when it is locked in the low position, wherein said covering plates are prevented from dropping themselves from said pin when they are raised higher than the location of said pin. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification