Abstract:
An assembly and method for capturing debris before it enters a skimmer mechanism in a pool are described, herein. A basket filter assembly is comprised of a frame assembly, which is constructed of water- and rust-proof material that has a mesh material placed around and attached to it. The basket filter assembly is then attached to a U-shaped arm, by which it is lowered into position over the skimmer mechanism. The other end of the arm is then attached to a weighted stand such that it holds the assembly in place.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This utility application is related to, and claims priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/255,078, filed on Oct. 26, 2009 and entitled SKIMMER BASKET ASSISTANT. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Technology 
     This invention relates, generally, to the field of swimming pool cleaning and purification devices. More specifically, the invention relates to an attachment to a pool equipment stand currently available on the market as a first level of protection for a pool skimmer to avoid significant build-up of trash and debris. 
     2. Background 
     The cleaning and pool drain systems of most “in-ground” pools operate in basically the same way. In order to remove dirt, debris, and other contaminates, pool water must circulate through a filtering system. During normal operation, water flows to the filtering system through at least one drain located on the bottom of a pool and through at least one skimmer drain, usually multiple, around the top of the pool. 
     The skimmers draw in water from the top of the pool in order to catch any floating debris or trash, such as leaves, hair, sunscreen oil or lotion, etc. . . . A skimmer may or may not be designed with a small door at its inlet that opens and closes at a set interval, only allowing a very small volume of water to enter at a time, thus only “skimming” the top layer of water. As the water is pulled through the inlet and into a suction line leading to the filter and pump, it is pulled through a strainer basket located within the skimmer. The strainer basket is meant to catch large pieces of debris such as bark, twigs, leaves, or other large particulates that would damage the pump if allowed to filter through it. The strainer basket may be removed periodically via a hatch in the pool deck to be emptied and cleaned. 
     The necessary cleaning may be delayed, however, if the owner must leave the pool unattended such as when on vacation or away for extended periods of time. Also, in the event of severe storms or other occurrences, a pool can be filled with leaves, trash, or other debris before the owner has a chance to clean it him or herself. In such a situation, the filter basket may fill up with debris before being emptied and can cause not only an unsanitary situation, but it may also back up and cause a problem with the filtration system. 
     The invention, described in more detail below, provides an apparatus that may be placed in front of a skimmer opening to catch the debris before it enters the skimmer and strainer basket when the owner is going to be away and not able to clean the basket over long periods of time. Such a unit, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may include a netting mechanism attached to a frame that will substantially fit in front of the periphery of a skimmer opening. 
     In accordance with and embodiment of the present invention, a skimmer basket assembly is provided, comprising: a U-shaped support arm; a pocket comprised of a mesh basket; and a frame assembly such that said pocket is supported by and attached to said frame assembly. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said U-shaped support arm is comprised of at least one attachment arm, at least one swing arm, and at least one elbow joint. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said connection arm has alignment holes disposed thereon. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said frame assembly is further comprised of a generally rectangularly shaped frame, at least one support spine attached to said frame, and at least one support rib attached to said support spine. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said frame assembly is further comprised of a basket frame pipe. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said pocket covers and is attached to said frame. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said basket frame pipe is engagingly attached to said U-shaped arm. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is a method for trapping debris from a pool skimmer, comprising providing a skimmer basket assembly, comprising: a U-shaped support arm; a pocket comprised of a mesh basket; and a frame assembly such that said pocket is supported by and attached to said frame assembly; wherein, said skimmer basket assembly is aligned at the water level even with a pool skimmer opening. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said skimmer basket assembly is engagingly attached to said U-shaped arm. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said U-shaped arm is engagingly attached to a weighted stand. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said U-shaped support arm is comprised of at least one attachment arm, at least one swing arm, and at least one elbow joint. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said connection arm has alignment holes disposed thereon. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said frame assembly is further comprised of a generally rectangularly shaped frame, at least one support spine attached to said frame, and at least one support rib attached to said support spine. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said frame assembly is further comprised of a basket frame pipe. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is also provided, wherein said pocket covers and is attached to said frame. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a view of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rendering of the frame of an embodiment of the invention without the capture netting, but showing how the netting attaches to and is supported by the frame of the embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a rendering of an embodiment of the invention in operation in front of a pool skimmer and attached to an umbrella or other pool equipment stand. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings, where like numbers represent like description, herein, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill inn the art that this description is made for the purposes of illustration, only, and is not intended to be limiting in any way.  FIG. 1  is a rendering of an embodiment of the invention. It is composed of a generally U-shaped arm  100 , which may be constructed and formed of a pipe of any sort of water-resistant material. A stabilizing stand end of the arm  102  attaches to a standardized umbrella or other pool equipment stand. Connected to the stabilizing arm  102  is an elbow joint  104 , which provides a connection to the swing arm  106 . The swing arm  106  may be composed of multiple pipe sections, such as a second elbow joint  108 . The second elbow joint  108  connects to a pipe assembly  110 , which facilitates attachment to the skimmer basket  112 . The skimmer basket end, or attachment arm  114 , attaches to a pipe  116 , that is part of the skimmer basket frame rim  118 . The skimmer basket  120  is composed primarily of a netting pocket made of netting sized that debris and large particulate matter such as leaves, trash, sticks, insects, acorns, etc, may not pass through the openings in the netting  120 . The skimmer basket frame pipe  116  connection to the attachment arm  114  may be adjustable such that either the skimmer basket pipe  116  or the attachment arm  114  may fit and slide into the other and be secured via alignment holes  122 . Therefore, the skimmer basket  112  may be set at varying heights. 
       FIG. 2  is a rendering of the frame of an embodiment of the invention. The frame rim  118  forms a generally pentagonal opening  202  with pitched upper sides composed of metallic, plastic, or other water- and rust-proof material. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the material will preferably be lightweight and able to be lifted and maneuvered into place with ease and require very little strength to accomplish. It will be further understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that although the described embodiment has a generally pentagonal shaped opening  202 , any shape opening, such as rectangular, octagonal, hexagonal, or other shape, may be used and is only shown for exemplary purposes and not as a limitation. Attached perpendicularly and vertically to the opening  202  frame rim  118  is the skimmer basket frame pipe  116 . Horizontally attached to the upper sides of the frame rim  118  are spines  204 , which extend away from the frame rim  118 . The spines may be constructed of the same material as the frame or of another similarly lightweight and water- and rust-proof material. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that although two spines are depicted in the instant embodiment, any number of spines may be used and this description is not meant for purposes of limitation, but as an example, only. Perpendicular to and attached between the spines  204  is a pitched rib  206  included to support the spines  204 . The rib  206 , in the depicted embodiment of the invention, may be bent and pitched such that its sides are perpendicular to the upper sides of the frame rim  118 . 
     It will be understood that the structure described herein may be accomplished by varying arrangements and number of spines  204  and ribs  206  or by other methods not herein described yet equivalent and therefore included in this specification. This description and the drawings filed herewith that they described are meant only for the purposes of example and not for limitation. 
       FIG. 3  is a drawing of the front view of the frame rim  118  of an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 3  shows the general shape of an embodiment of the invention. Also shown is the skimmer basket frame pipe  116  and the ends of the spines  204 . 
       FIG. 4  shows and embodiment of the invention in use. The skimmer basket assembly  400  is lowered into the pool at the water level substantially even with the skimmer opening  402 . The skimmer basket assembly  400  is placed in front of the skimmer opening  402  such that the frame rim  118  and opening  202  are aligned vertically and perpendicular to the skimmer opening  402 . In such an arrangement, the skimmer basket assembly  400  may capture and accumulate much heavy debris before it enters the skimmer. The basket assembly  400  is attached to the U-shaped arm  100  and may be adjusted to the necessary height by the alignment holes  122 . The skimmer basket assembly  400  is held in place via a prior art weighted stand  404 , such as that used to hold a pool umbrella in place, attached via the stabilizing arm  102  section of the U-shaped arm  100 . Such a stand  404  may be plastic or other material, which may be filled with water or sand or any substance to hold it in place. Such a stand  404  may also be made of iron or other heavy metal. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that such a stand may be made of any material and any shape such that it is sufficiently heavy, or may be made so, such that it can hold the skimmer basket assembly in place in the upper level of water. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that such a stabilizing stand  404  has a standardized attachment and engagement mechanism to which the stabilizing arm  102  may attach. 
     It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the above-described embodiment of the invention is for purposes of explanation, only, and is not intended as limiting this invention to the embodiment described herein. It will be understood that the embodiment described may be constructed of multiple materials so long as they are water- and rust-proof and are of such weight that they require no special handling. It will also be understood that the construction of the U-shaped arm  100  described herein is simply one embodiment and for illustration, only, such that it may be constructed by any method and number and types of separate pieces, so long as the basket assembly  400  may be stably positioned at a water level and in front of skimmer  402 .