Water recreational apparatus with powered cover

• US 20060053543A1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lloyds IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lloyds IP Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Loyd, Casey, Vargas, Pedro
• Application Number:
  US11/231,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20060053543A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/498
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/084 with lifting mechanism

Abstract

A water recreational apparatus has a water basin combination, a cover for covering the water basin combination and a cover removal combination. The cover removal combination includes a cover attachment arm which is rotatably attached to the exterior of the water basin combination. The cover attachment arm is adapted so that the rotation of the cover attachment arm about its attachment axes to the water basin combination alternatively moves the cover between a closed position and an open position. Drive means, such as electric motors, are provided for powering the cover attachment arm about its attachment axes so as to open and close the cover.

Claims

1. A water recreational apparatus comprising (i) a water basin combination having a forward end, a rearward end, an exterior, an interior and a top opening (ii) a cover for covering the top opening, the cover having a forward end and a rearward end, and (iii) a cover removal combination, the cover removal combination comprising:

(a) a cover attachment arm having a first end, a second end and a central portion, the central portion of the cover attachment arm being attached to the cover proximate to the forward end of the cover, the first end of the cover attachment arm and the second end of the cover attachment arm being rotatably attached at respective attachment arm axis points to opposite sides of the exterior of the water basin combination proximate to the rearward end of the water basin combination, the cover attachment arm being sized and dimensioned so that the rotation of the first and second ends of the cover attachment arm about their respective attachment arm axis points moves the cover from (1) a closed position wherein the cover covers the top opening of the water basin combination and (2) an open position wherein the cover does not cover the top opening of the water basin combination; and

(b) drive means comprising a motor for rotating the cover attachment arm about its attachment arm axis points such that the cover is alternatively moved between its open position and its closed position.

2. The water recreational apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means comprises a pair of drive arms each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each drive arm being attached to the cover attachment arm and the second end of each drive arm being rotatably attached to the exterior of the water basin combination about a drive arm axis point, the drive arm axis points for the two drive arms being disposed on opposite sides of the exterior of the water basin combination.

3. The water recreational apparatus of claim 2 wherein each drive arm is substantially linear.

4. The water recreational apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means comprises a pair of electric motors.

5. The water recreational apparatus of claim 1 wherein the exterior of the water basin has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the cover has a cover periphery and wherein, when the cover is in its open position, the cover periphery is proximal to the lower portion of the exterior of the water basin combination.

6. The water recreational apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover is provided by a pair of cover portions which are hinged together.

7. A water recreational apparatus comprising (i) a water basin combination having a forward end, a rearward end, an exterior, an interior and a top opening, (ii) a cover for covering the top opening, the cover having a forward end and a rearward end, and (iii) a cover removal combination, the cover removal combination comprising:

(a) a cover attachment arm having a first end, a second end and a central portion, the central portion of the cover attachment arm being attached to the cover proximate to the forward end of the cover, the first end of the cover attachment arm and the second end of the cover attachment arm being rotatably attached at respective attachment arm axis points to opposite sides of the exterior of the water basin combination proximate to the rearward end of the water basin combination, the cover attachment arm being sized and dimensioned so that the rotation of the first and second ends of the cover attachment arm about their respective attachment arm axis points moves the cover from (1) a closed position wherein the cover covers the top opening of the water basin combination and (2) an open position wherein the cover does not cover the top opening of the water basin combination; and

(b) drive means for rotating the cover attachment arm about its attachment arm axis points such that the cover is alternatively moved between its open position and its closed position, the drive means comprising a pair of drive arms each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each drive arm being attached to the cover attachment arm and the second end of each drive arm being rotatably attached to the exterior of the water basin combination about a drive arm axis point, the drive arm axis points for the two drive arms being disposed on opposite sides of the exterior of the water basin combination, the drive means further comprising a pair of electric motors for telescopically extending the drive arms such that the cover can be alternatively moved between its open position and its closed position.

8. The water recreational apparatus of claim 7 wherein the exterior of the water basin has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the cover has a cover periphery and wherein, when the cover is in its open position, the cover periphery is proximate to the lower portion of the exterior of the water basin combination.

9. The water recreational apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cover is provided by a pair of cover portions which are hinged together.

10. A cover removal combination for removing a cover from a water recreational apparatus wherein the water recreational apparatus comprises (i) a water basin combination having a forward end, a rearward end, an exterior, an interior and a top opening and (ii) a cover for covering the top opening, the cover having a forward end and a rearward end, the cover removal combination comprising:

(a) a cover attachment arm having a first end, a second end and a central portion, the central portion of the cover attachment arm being attachable to the cover proximate to the forward end of the cover, the first end of the cover attachment arm and the second end of the cover attachment arm being rotatably attachable at respective attachment arm axis points to opposite sides of the exterior of the water basin combination proximate to the rearward end of the water basin combination, the cover attachment arm being sized and dimensioned so that, when the ends of the cover attachment arm are attached to the exterior of the water basin combination and the central portion of the cover attachment arm is attached to the cover, the rotation of the first and second ends of the cover attachment arm about their respective attachment arm axis points moves the cover from (1) a closed position wherein the cover covers the top opening of the water basin combination and (2) an open position wherein the cover does not cover the top opening of the water basin combination; and

(b) drive means comprising a motor for rotating the cover attachment arm about its attachment arm axis points such that the cover can be alternatively moved between its open position and its closed position.

11. The cover removal combination of claim 10 wherein the drive means comprises a pair of drive arms each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each drive arm being attachable to the cover attachment arm and the second end of each drive arm being rotatably attachable to the exterior of the water basin combination about a drive arm axis point.

12. The cover removal combination of claim 10 wherein the drive means comprises a pair of electric motors.

13. The cover removal combination of claim 10 wherein the exterior of the water basin has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the cover has a cover periphery and wherein, when the cover removal combination is attached to a water basin combination and the cover is in its open position, the cover periphery can be proximate to the lower portion of the exterior of the water basin combination.

14. The water recreational apparatus of claim 10 wherein the cover is provided by a pair of cover portions which are hinged together.