Abstract:
There is described a stair system insertable into a pool having a top edge surface and bottom surface, comprising a stair portion defining steps and risers each having a fixed height, the stair portion having a support portion projecting from an uppermost one of the risers and adapted to be seated against the top edge surface of the pool, and a ballasted booster positioned below the stair portion at any one of given locations in the bottom of the stair portion and lying against the bottom surface of the pool. The stair system has a height adjustable by the position of the booster with respect to the bottom of the stair portion as a function of the height between the top edge surface and the bottom of the pool.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present object generally relates to swimming pools and, more particularly, to stairs and other accessories used in swimming pools. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various stair and step systems have been created for swimming pools. Normally, installation of nonpermanent stairs in a pool requires the user to get into the water once the stairs have been placed in the pool. A ballast is then installed on the stair system in order to maintain the stairs in place. For example, in cooler climates, the installation of the stairs each beginning of the summer season becomes an unpleasant experience especially if the water of the pool is not heated. In addition, the stairs that are commercialized are not adaptable to the majority of pools and present some security risk for children. 
         [0003]    Multiple stair systems have been described in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,405 disclose a stair system having a bottomless hollow body with a ballast receiving portion for receiving a ballast to stabilize the stair portion once installed in the pool. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,644,873 and 6,966,405 also disclose stair systems adaptable to various installations. Specifically, the stair system taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,873 does not require any mechanical fastening of the structure. However, several ballast or bags need to be inserted manually into the structure once the structure has been sunk into the pool. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,405 teaches a stair system having L-shaped connectors enabling attachment to the pool walls. Still, a user needs to add a ballast to the stair system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,405. 
       SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION 
       [0006]    It is therefore an aim of the present application to provide a novel swimming pool stair system. 
         [0007]    In accordance with the present disclosure there is now provided a stair system insertable into a pool having a top edge surface and bottom surface, said stair system comprising: a stair portion defining steps and risers each having a fixed height, the stair portion having a support portion projecting from an uppermost one of the risers and adapted to be seated against the top edge surface of the pool, and a ballasted booster positioned below the stair portion at any one of given locations in the bottom of the stair portion and lying against the bottom surface of the pool, whereby the stair system has a height adjustable by the position of the booster with respect to the bottom of the stair portion as a function of the height between the top edge surface and the bottom of the pool. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of a swimming pool stair system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present application; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the swimming pool stair system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a back perspective view of the swimming pool stair system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view of the swimming pool stair system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the swimming pool stair system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a rear elevational view of the swimming pool stair system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is top plan view of the swimming pool stair system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of the back portion of the stair portion of the swimming pool stair system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]    The present disclosure provides a swimming pool stair system adapted to be installed on pools of various heights, such as aboveground pools. For example, typical sidewalls of aboveground pools have heights of 48, 52 or 54 inches. 
         [0017]    Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a swimming pool stair system described herein is generally shown at  10 . The swimming pool stair system  10  is adapted to be used with in-ground and aboveground pools. The stair system  10  has a stair portion  12  and is connected to handrails  14  and a ladder structure  16  supporting a ladder portion  18 . In its aboveground configuration, the stair system  10  has the structure  16  and the ladder portion  18 . In its in-ground configuration or in its deck configuration, the stair system  10  does not necessarily include these parts. 
         [0018]    The stair system  10  also comprises a ballasted booster  20  inserted below the bottommost one of the steps  22 . Preferably, the stair system  10  described herein is made of a material resistant to salt degradation and to degradation caused by products used for maintaining the pH of the pool. The stair system  10  is also UV-resistant. 
         [0019]    The stair portion  12  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is shown having five steps  22  which are separated by risers  24 . Preferably, the steps  22  have an anti-skid surface consisting, for example, of small protuberances that are moulded on the steps  22 . An abrasive such as sand bonded to the anti-skid surface is preferably also provided. Sidewalls  26  and  28  (illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) complete the shape of the stair portion  12 . More preferably, a light is fitted in one of the risers  24 . 
         [0020]    The ballasted booster  20  is incrementally inserted and fixed below the bottommost one of the steps  22  in order to adjust the height of the stair portion  12  between a height of  52  and  54  inches. As seen in  FIG. 8 , the booster  20  is inserted into complementary recesses  30  found in the rear face of the stair portion  12 . A floor mat  42  is inserted below the booster  20 . The floor mat  42  is in contact with the bottom of the pool and provides friction between the booster  20  and the bottom of the pool, and prevents damage to the bottom of the pool. 
         [0021]    The insertion of the booster  20  into a complementary recess  30  depending on the height of the pool not only incrementally adjusts the height of the stair portion  12 , but also permits that uppermost riser  24 ′ to always have the same height as all the other risers  24 . When a user is entering a pool using the stair system  10  as described herein, the first step or stride taken by the user from the top edge of the pool or from a deck, for example, is of the same length as all subsequent steps or strides until reaching the bottom of the pool. 
         [0022]    Consequently, because of this configuration, there is no variation between the height of the uppermost riser  24 ′ and the height of the subsequent risers  24 . The stair portion  12  described herein is ergonomic since the uppermost riser  24 ′ is always the same height as all the other risers  24 . Commercially available stair systems have a first step with a higher or lower height compared to the other steps. When a user enters the water, the first step is often bigger or smaller than the subsequent steps in order to get to the bottom of the pool, and this increases the risks of incidents. 
         [0023]    The swimming pool stair system  10  described herein provides a system wherein all the steps taken by a user are equal in length, which allows a user to make regular and consistent steps when entering the water. Because the first step, which is usually taken outside of the water, has the same height as the second step taken when entering the water level which usually reaches at most the second riser  24  from the top edge of the pool, it prevents injuries caused by variation in the length of steps taken by the user. On the other hand, the distance between the bottommost step  22  and the bottom of the pool may be more or less than the height of the risers  24  and  24 ′, but at least the swimmer is supported by the inertia of water and buoyancy forces. 
         [0024]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, a safety wall  32  is connected to the back portion of the stair portion  12 . When using such stair system  10  as described therein, the presence of the safety wall  32  prevents children from passing behind the stair portion  12  in the water. Consequently, the safety wall  32  prevents accidental events such as a child being caught behind the stair portion  12  or the collapse of the stair portion  12  on a child when swimming. The safety wall  32  is advantageously shaped to be releasably connected in a corresponding cavity in the back portion of the stair portion  12  and is easily installed on or removed from the stair portion  12 , thereby facilitating the installation and the displacement of the stair portion  12  in the pool. The safety wall  32  is slid on the upper edge of the pool when installing or removing the stair portion  12  in or from the pool. 
         [0025]    In an embodiment, the safety wall  32  is positioned behind the stair portion  12  prior to inserting the stairs into the swimming pool. The safety wall  32  is also secured to the back portion of the stair portion  12  with fastener means such as straps or screws. A stand support  36  is provided for supporting the safety wall  32  on the floor of the pool. 
         [0026]    In the prior art, sandbags are used as ballasts, as the stair portions usually define inner cavities with a support surface for such sandbags. In addition, a removable ballast compartment has also been described in the prior art wherein weights or sandbags are inserted. 
         [0027]    On the contrary, no more underwater dives to pull sandbags from behind the steps are needed with the stair system  10  disclosed herein, since the booster  20  is manufactured with a weight sufficient to maintain the stair system  10  in the water when inserted and fixed below the bottommost one of the steps  22 . Consequently, the stair portion  12  described herein will easily be maneuverable in the water, yet be heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the pool. 
         [0028]    As best seen in  FIG. 1 , the transportation aspect is improved by the configuration of the present stair system  10 , as all the components are separated from each other. Transportation and packaging costs are greatly reduced as the individual pieces are preferably included in a single box. 
         [0029]    In a preferred embodiment, and as seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  5  and  7 , the uppermost step  22 ′ of the stair portion  12  is placed over the top panel  38  of the ladder structure  16  when the ladder portion  18  is used with an aboveground pool. The handrails  14  are placed over the uppermost step  22 ′ of the stair portion  12 . The stair portion  12  is releasably connected to ladder structure  16  and to the handrails  14  with typical fasteners such as screws. 
         [0030]    Lateral supports  40  are inserted into corresponding cavities in the ladder structure  16 . These lateral supports  40  support the ladder structure  16  against the sidewalls of the aboveground pool and eliminate any potential collapsing of the ladder structure  16  on the sidewalls of the aboveground pool. The ladder portion  18  is positioned in the ladder structure  16 , allowing climbing by the user in order to get to the uppermost step  22 ′ of the stair portion  12 . 
         [0031]    The ladder portion  18  is pivotally connected to the ladder structure  16 . As shown by the arrow A in  FIG. 2 , the ladder portion  18 B is pivotable from a lower stand position to an upper stand position. In the upper stand position, a user, such as a child, will not have access to the stair portion  12  by climbing the ladder portion  18 . A locking mechanism is also provided to lock the ladder portion  18  to the ladder structure  16  in the upper stand position. 
         [0032]    In an alternative embodiment, the stair system  10  disclosed herewith is used with an aboveground pool with a deck or an in-ground pool without the addition of the ladder structure  16  and the ladder portion  18 . The handrails  14  are placed over or beside the uppermost stair  22 ′ of the stair portion  12 . The stair portion  12  and the handrails  14  are releasably connected to the top edge of the aboveground pool with typical fasteners such as screws. 
         [0033]    Alternatively, if the stair portion  12  needs to be removed from the water, as for example just before winter, and the handrails  14  are left attached to the top edge of the pool, the handrails  14  and stair portion  12  are independently fixed to the deck or the upper edge of the pool. 
         [0034]    In an alternate embodiment, the stair portion  12  has a pair of support portions projecting from the uppermost riser, with the support portions seated directly on the top edge surface of the pool. This configuration does not comprise the uppermost stair  22 ′, but rather uses the top edge surface of the toll (e.g., such as a deck surrounding the in-ground pool), as the uppermost step. In this configuration, the risers are again of equal height. 
         [0035]    For removing the stair portion  12  from the water, a user only removes the fasteners to unfix the handrails  14  and/or the stair portion  12  from the deck, sidewall of the pool or upper edge of the pool. Once the fasteners are removed, the user can pull the stair portion  12  by pulling the handrails  14 , or the stair portion  12  directly in an upwardly movement away from the pool, sliding the safety wall  32  connected to the stair portion  12  against the upper edge of the pool in order to remove the stair portion  12  from the water. 
         [0036]    In  FIGS. 2-7 , the handrails  14 , with a handle portion  44 , are shown both connected to the top ends or uppermost step  22 ′ of the stair portion  12 . 
         [0037]    While the object has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, it will be understood that numerous modifications thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description and accompanying drawings should be taken as illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense. 
         [0038]    While the object has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as follows in the scope of the appended claims.