Abstract:
An apparatus that protects swimming pools and spas from birds that typically land on or near the edge of a spa&#39;s spillway into a swimming pool and excrete waste on or near the edge of the spillway.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to an apparatus that protects swimming pools and spas from birds that typically land on or near the edge of a spa&#39;s spillway into a swimming pool and excrete waste on or near the edge of the spillway. 
         [0003]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0004]    Many in-ground swimming pools that are constructed also include a spa feature. Usually, the spa feature is constructed as a separate unit that is slightly higher in elevation, yet it remains adjacent to the swimming pool. When the spa feature is constructed in this manner, the spa usually includes a u-shaped spillway that is carved out of the deck of the spa for water from the spa to escape into the swimming pool. This feature is typically used to prevent water from overflowing on to the spa deck or it can be used as an aesthetic waterfall feature that allows water to spill into the swimming pool. 
         [0005]    By having a u-shaped spillway in the spa, it can be an attraction for birds to use it as a landing area. Birds are notorious for using spa spillways to as an easy way to get access to drinking water from the spa. Normally, it is very difficult for birds to obtain water to drink from the deck of a pool or spa. T his is due to the design of most pools whereby the water level is usually several inches below the deck. However, in a spa spillway, the water level is normally no more than an inch below the spillway. In designs where the spillway is used as a water feature, the water level is typically at the same height as the spillway. Thus, birds are able to land on the spillway and have easy access to drinking water from the spa. 
         [0006]    Unfortunately, as birds land on the spillway to drink water, they are inclined to leave their droppings behind on the spillway. Certainly, it is desirable to either eliminate or discourage birds from landing on the spillways of spas and leaving behind droppings that may not only accumulate on the spillway, but may be transferred into the water of either the spa or an adjacent swimming pool. The present invention eliminates a bird&#39;s ability to both land on the spillway of a spa and drink water from the spa. By doing so, the bird is discouraged from remaining near the spillway of the spa and leaving its droppings behind. Furthermore, if the bird does remain for an extended period of time, the present invention prevents any droppings from landing on the spillway area of the spa by acting as a landing area for the droppings. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,845,607 and 5,092,088, as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0268393, all disclose various forms of bird deterring devices or covers for bodies of water such as a swimming pool spa. However, none of the prior art patents or publications discloses the apparatus and method as disclosed herein that not only protects the spillway and deck of a spa, but maintains the aesthetic appeal of the spa without unsightly hardware. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bird dropping prevention apparatus for use on a spa spillway; 
         [0009]    More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bird dropping prevention apparatus for use on a spa spillway that comprises a bridge that is secured to the spillway; 
         [0010]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bridge with at least three sides that is secured to a spa spillway where two of the sides are substantially perpendicular to each other; 
         [0011]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bridge with at least three sides that is secured to a spa spillway where two of the sides have openings that allow water to flow under the bridge; 
         [0012]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bridge with at least three sides that is secured to a spa spillway where the openings on the two sides of the bridge may be of various grooved patterns; 
         [0013]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bridge with at least three sides that is secured to a spa spillway such that the bridge is adjustable to fit varying spillway surface areas; 
         [0014]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bridge with at least three sides that may be constructed from transparent material. 
         [0015]    The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the spa guard shown using two L-shaped panels and a grooved teeth pattern. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the spa guard as in  FIG. 1  showing a transparent view through the top of the guard displaying the grooved teeth pattern on the rear portion. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the spa guard showing the two I-shaped panels in a fully open position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the spa guard showing the top side in fully closed and retracted position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the spa guard showing the top side in fully open position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the spa guard shown use on a pool spa. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the spa guard showing a rectangular groove pattern is on the side panel. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the spa guard showing a curved wave groove pattern on the side panel. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the spa guard showing a saw toothed groove pattern on the side panel. 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a side view of the spa guard showing a wide wave groove pattern on the side panel. 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the spa guard showing a hinged panel on the side of the spa guard. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0027]    By way of one example of many to serve as background in understanding the present invention, a spa spillway guard for preventing bird droppings from landing on spa spillways is described herein. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a spa spillway guard in the form of a bridge  100  is shown. Generally, the bridge  100  is formed from two L-shaped sections  110  and  120 . The sections  110  and  120  are secured along two horizontal axes  135  by screws  130  and bolts  132  as also shown in  FIG. 3 . The sections  110  and  120  can be adjusted along the axes  135  as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  so that the width of the bridge  100  can conform to the size of a spa spillway  250  as shown in  FIG. 6 . It is understood by one skilled in the art that the bridge  100  could also be adjusted along axes that are perpendicular to the axes  135  so that the length of the bridge  100  can conform to the size of the spillway  250 . 
         [0029]    By securing the two L-shaped sections  110  and  120 , the bridge  100  forms three sides  160 ,  170  and  180 . Sides  160  and  180  contain notches  140  and  150  as can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . These notches  140  and  150  can be of any suitable shape such as a saw toothed pattern  140  (also shown in  FIG. 9 ) or rectangular notches  141  as shown in  FIG. 7 , curved notches  142  as shown in  FIG. 8 , or a long wave pattern  143  as shown in  FIG. 10 . It is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the notches can be of any suitable pattern as long as they are large enough to allow liquid to pass through sides  160  and  180  when the bridge  100  is secured to a flat surface. 
         [0030]    In an alternate embodiment as shown in  FIG. 11 , a bridge  300  is shown as a single unit with three sides  160 ,  170  and  180 . The bridge  300  is shown with panels  190  secured to the sides  160  and  180  of the bridge  300  by at least one hinge  195 . The panels  190  may be opened to provide a full rectangular opening  197  on each side  160  and  180  of the bridge  300 . 
         [0031]    The bridge  100  (or  300 ) is shown in its intended use in  FIG. 6 . On many spas, such as the one shown ( 200 ), the spa  200  is constructed at a slightly higher elevation than a swimming pool  260  which is normally adjacent to the spa  200 . The spa typically contains water  220  and has a deck  210  that surrounds the perimeter of the spa  200  in all but one area. The spa  200  of the type shown in  FIG. 6  normally includes a spillway  250  that is positioned directly over an area of the swimming pool  260 . The water  220  in the spa  200  is typically set at a level as high, or nearly as high, as the base of the spillway  250 . This allows excess water  220  to spill into the swimming pool  260  due to either splashing from people using the spa  200 , or from drainage of excess water  220  in the spa  200 . 
         [0032]    In most swimming pools  260  or spas  200 , the deck  210  is constructed so that the base of the deck  210  is several inches above the water level  270  or  220  to prevent overflow in case of excess rain or splashing when the pool or spa is in use. However, this is not true of the spillway  250  of the spa  200 . 
         [0033]    It is a well known fact that most domestic birds as the one shown  230  in  FIG. 6  are attracted to landing areas near puddles or pools of water so that they can drink the water. If the water level of a swimming pool or spa is high enough relative to the deck of the pool or spa, the deck becomes an ideal area for the bird  230  to land and drink the water from the pool or spa. Because the spillway of the typical is at the same level as the water level in the spa, the spillway is ideal for a bird to land and drink water from the spa. Unfortunately, the bird  230  will leave its droppings behind on the spillway  250  as it drinks the water. Furthermore, if other birds see the bird  230  enjoying a drink of water  220  from the spa  200 , other birds will join the bird  230  on the spillway  250 . 
         [0034]    By securing the bridge  100  or  300  to the spillway  250  of the spa  200 , the bridge  100  or  300  will serve two purposes. First, the bridge  100  or  300  precludes the bird  230  from landing directly on the spillway  250 . Thus, should the bird  230  remain long enough on the top side  170  of the bridge  100  or  300 , any droppings will fall on the top side  170  of the bridge  100  or  300 . Secondly, because the top side  170  of the bridge  100  or  300  is several inches above the spillway  250  of the spa  200 , the bird  230  is incapable of drinking the water  220  in the spa. Thus, the bird  230  is discouraged from remaining on the area near the spillway  250  and leaving its droppings behind on the deck  210  or the bridge  100  or  300 . When the bridge  100  or  300  is properly secured to the spillway  250 , the water  220  from the spa  200  may flow  240  unimpeded directly through the notches  140  on the first and second sides  160  and  180  of the bridge  100  or  300  and into the swimming pool  260 . The notches  140  also serve to prevent the bird  230  from landing on the spillway  250  under the bridge  100  or  300 . However, it is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that even without the notches  140 ,  141 ,  142 ,  143  or the panel  190 , most birds  230  will be discouraged from landing on the bridge  100  or  300  due to their inability to drink from the water  220 , nor, if the bird  230  is large enough, will it be able to fit under the bridge  100  or  300  and land on the spillway  250  of the spa  200 . 
         [0035]    With regard to the bridge  100  or  300 , it is preferable that the bridge  100  or  300  be constructed from transparent material as shown in  FIG. 2  such as urethane or plastic for aesthetic purposes so that the continuity of the view the deck  210  or the spillway  250  is not compromised. It is also preferable that the height of sides  160  and  180  of the bridge  100  or  300  be constructed so that the top side  170  of the bridge  100  or  300  is at the same level as the deck  220  of the spa  200  so that the surface area of the perimeter of the deck  210  is continuous. 
         [0036]    While the apparatus for practicing the within inventive method, as well as said method herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims. 
         [0037]    Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to one or more particular preferred embodiments, persons possessing ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims that follow.