Abstract:
A pool cover box assembly for housing a swimming pool cover installed at an end of a swimming pool having a first facia positioned along at least one edge of the swimming pool, including a plurality of vertical walls, including a rear wall, a lid having a front edge and a rear edge, the rear edge being removably engaged with the rear wall, and a second facia connected with the front edge of the lid, the second facia being complimentary in shape with the first facia, an end of the second facia in substantial alignment with an end of the first facia.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to swimming pools, and, more particularly, to a swimming pool facia.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Swimming pools are commonly covered to prevent debris from entering the pool, to preserve chemical treatments in the water, to retain heat in the pool and to heat the pool in the case of a solar cover. An automatic pool cover provides convenience for a user by allowing the cover to be easily extended over the pool during periods of non-use, and retracted during periods of use. Typically, a box is placed in the decking surrounding the pool at a location opposite from the walk-in steps (usually at the deep end of a pool). The box extends across the width of the pool, and houses an electric motor and reel on which the cover is wound.  
           [0005]    A problem with conventional automatic pool cover assemblies is that the pool cover assembly is installed as an add on to a swimming pool and as such it is not coordinated with the entire swimming pool design. A piecemeal approach to the installation of swimming pools and automatic pool covers result in a look that may not be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. This results in less consumer appeal which leads to less economic differentiation.  
           [0006]    What is needed in the art is a coordination between the finishing of a swimming pool and the automatic pool cover assembly to provide a continuous finished look.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention provides a swimming pool facia connected to an automatic pool cover box lid and another swimming pool facia disposed along the edges of a swimming pool, each facia being complimentary in shape with the other.  
           [0008]    The invention provides, in one form thereof, a pool cover box assembly for housing a swimming pool cover installed at an end of a swimming pool having a first facia positioned along at least one edge of the swimming pool, including a plurality of vertical walls, including a rear wall, a lid having a front edge and a rear edge, the rear edge being removably engaged with the rear wall, and a second facia connected with the front edge of the lid, the second facia being complimentary in shape with the first facia, an end of the second facia in substantial alignment with an end of the first facia.  
           [0009]    An advantage is the facia installed to the pool cover lid edge support and the facia installed on the peripheral of the pool are substantially similar thereby providing an aesthetically pleasing look. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a swimming pool including an embodiment of a swimming pool facia of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is an end, sectional view of the swimming pool facia of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     
    
       [0014]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an embodiment of a swimming pool  10  including walls  11 , a deck  12 , a cover  14 , a leading edge bar  16 , a pool cover box assembly  18 , facia  20 , transitional facia  21  and facia  22  of the present invention.  
         [0016]    Walls  11  are generally vertical walls or sides of swimming pool  10  providing for the containment of the water in swimming pool  10 . The top of walls  11  are finished with facia  20  or transitional facia  21  such that deck  12  meets facia  20  or transitional facia  21  to form a continuous aesthetically pleasing look.  
         [0017]    Deck  12  is generally horizontal and is preferably constructed from concrete. Facia  20  serves as an edge to deck  12  along swimming pool  10 . The top of facia  20  being installed in a substantially coplanar fashion along the edge of deck  12 .  
         [0018]    Cover  14  is attached to leading edge bar  16  which pulls cover  14  from pool cover box assembly  18 , through an opening existing between facia  22  and a top edge of swimming pool  10 , across the length of swimming pool  10 . To prepare swimming pool  10  for use cover  14  retracts into pool cover box assembly  18  pulling leading edge bar  16  to the previously described opening.  
         [0019]    Leading edge bar  16  is connected to cover  14  and provides support along the leading edge of cover  14 . Each end of leading edge bar  16  is connected to at least one cable (not shown) and is slidably connected to a track located either in facia  20  or below facia  20 . Leading edge bar  16  is shaped in a manner to be unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing when located at either end of swimming pool  10 .  
         [0020]    Now additionally referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, pool cover box assembly  18  includes a rear wall  24 , a bottom  26 , a front wall  28 , a coupling  30 , brackets  32 , lid  34  and lid edge support  36 . Pool cover box assembly  18  houses reel  38 , cover  14  and a drive mechanism (not shown) which drives reel  38  and a rope and pulley system for the extension and retraction of cover  14 . When cover  14  is retracted from swimming pool  10 , cover  14  is wrapped around reel  38  a number of times corresponding to the length of swimming pool  10 .  
         [0021]    Front wall  28 , bottom  26  and rear wall  24  are arranged to form three sides of pool cover box assembly  18  adjacent and generally parallel to one end of swimming pool  10 . The top edge of front wall  28  is parallel to a plane formed by deck  12  and is disposed therebelow.  
         [0022]    Coupling  30  has protrusions along a back side to engage the concrete of deck  12  and has an L-shaped upper portion, extending from a front side, to accommodate a portion of lid  34 . The top edge of coupling  30  is substantially coplanar with deck  12  and forms part of rear wall  24 . Coupling  30  may be formed as an extrusion of metal or plastic.  
         [0023]    Brackets  32  are positioned along and fastened to rear wall  24 . Brackets  32  extend over the top of reel  38  and provide support to lid  34 . Brackets  32  are vertically positioned such that the top portion of brackets  32  accommodate the thickness of lid  34 . Brackets  32  may be situated such that lid  34  is substantially coplanar with deck  12 .  
         [0024]    Lid  34  is composed of two substantially identical extrusions having a coupling mechanism to engage the two extrusions. The rear edge of lid  34  is shaped to engage coupling  30  so that lid  34  will not slide from its intended position. The front edge of lid  34  has a C-shaped channel  44  to accommodate latching projections  42  of lid edge support  36 . As an alternative to the two piece construction of lid  34 , lid  34  may be made of one or more than two piece construction.  
         [0025]    According to an aspect of the present invention, lid edge support  36  is connected with facia  22  by way of an adhesive or mechanical fastener. Lid edge support  36  is fastened to lid  34  and is, along with facia  22  disposed above end cap coping  40  forming an opening therebetween. This opening is generally parallel with the plane of deck  12  and is such that cover  14  may be freely extended over swimming pool  10  and retracted into pool cover box assembly  18 . Lid edge support  36  provides support to the front edge of lid  34  reducing the amount of deformation along the front edge of lid  34 .  
         [0026]    Latching projections  42  protrude from one side of lid edge support  36  and engage channel  44 , snapping into position when pressed into channel  44 . Lid edge support  36  connects with channel  44  of lid  34  such that the top edge of lid edge support  36  substantially aligns with the top surface of lid  34 .  
         [0027]    Latching projections  42  are only one way in which lid edge support  36  may be fastened to lid  34 . For example, lid edge support  36  may omit latching projections  42  entirely and mechanical fasteners such as bolts, screws and rivets may be employed to attach lid edge support  36  directly to lid  34 . Lid edge support  36  may be formed using the process of extrusion and may be made of monolithic metal or plastic construction. Further, lid edge support  36  and lid  34  may be formed of a monolithic construction. Although, lid edge support  36 , as depicted in FIG. 3, is formed with an opening toward the interior of pool cover box assembly  18 , it could also be formed as a closed chamber. Alternatively, facia  22  may be formed as a part of lid edge support  36  as a monolithic metal construct.  
         [0028]    Facia  20  is connected to deck  12  providing a track allowing leading edge bar  16  to slide therein. The general shape of the exposed portion of facia  20  is generally curved such that there are no exposed sharp corners, when installed, and may be of a convex form. Facia  20  has a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to transitional facia  21  and facia  22 . Facia  20  includes a slot  48  to retain a fiber optic light  50  along the length of facia  20  and above the level of leading edge bar  16  and cover  14 . Alternatively, facia  20  may also include a liner bead slot to suspend a vinyl swimming pool liner.  
         [0029]    Transitional facia  21  is positioned between facia  20  and facia  22  providing a transition therebetween. Transitional facia  21  is also used in the corners of pool  10  opposite facia  22  to transition from one side of swimming pool  10  to an adjacent side of swimming pool  10 . Transitional facia  21  can be formed to transition from any side of swimming pool  10  to an adjacent side thereof, however transitional facia  21  is usually fashioned as a curve to transition  90 ° in a horizontal plane. Transitional facia  21  has a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to facia  20  and facia  22  including a slot similar to slots  46  and  48  for the retention of fiber-optic light  50 . Alternatively, transitional facia  21  may be omitted and facia  20  and facia  22  may meet in a mitered corner.  
         [0030]    Facia  22  has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion of facia  22  is shaped in a convex manner and has a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to the cross-sectional shape of facia  20  and transitional facia  21 . The substantially similar cross-sectional shape of facia  20 , transitional facia  21  and facia  22  provide an aesthetically pleasing trimmed look when installed as a part of swimming pool  10 . Facia  22  includes slot  46  which is substantially aligned with slot  48  when lid  34  is installed as the top member of pool cover box assembly  18 . The lower portion of facia  22  is shaped to accommodate the shape of leading edge bar  16 . This shape allows leading edge bar  16  to nest with the lower portion of facia  22  when cover  14  is in a retracted position.  
         [0031]    Facia  20  is generally aligned with transitional facia  21  and facia  22  each part having similar shapes over a portion of their exposed surfaces. The similar look between facia  20 , transitional facia  21  and facia  22  provide a continuous trimmed look to the edge of swimming pool  10 . Alternatively, facia  20  and facia  22  may be identical with no distinctions therebetween.  
         [0032]    Slot  46  and slot  48  each have a substantially circular cross-section and include an inside surface with a high reflectivity. Slots  46  and  48  are configured to accommodate and retain a fiber-optic light  50 , also known as a tube light.  
         [0033]    To impart a desirable aesthetic look to swimming pool  10  the installation of facia  20 , transitional facia  21  and facia  22  is a coordinated matter. Facia  22  is either integral with lid edge support  36  as a monolithic structure or facia  22  is assembled to lid edge support  36  by way of adhesive and/or mechanical fasteners. Latching projections  42  of lid edge support  36  are oriented relative to channel  44  and pressed together until latching projections  42  are secured in channel  44 . Facia  20  and transitional facia  21  are positioned along the edges of swimming pool  10 , except for the area where pool cover box assembly  18  is to be located, and concrete is poured to form deck  12   
         [0034]    While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.