Abstract:
Insulation for plastic sided metal framed above ground swimming pools whereby vertically-ribbed inflatable flexible plastic panels  17  are designed such that by means of zips  18  and  19  and the degree of inflation of the individual panels a continuous insulating solar panel is formed around and in close contact with the perimeter of the pool  10.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to ways in which panels of insulation may be attached to the exterior face of the walls of above ground swimming pools. 
         [0002]    Granted UK applications by the inventor GB2425146 and GB2425147 describe clips which may be used to attach such insulation to above ground pools, mainly of the steel walled variety. Prior to these innovations it was generally not considered necessary or possible to attach insulation to the walls of above ground pools, even though many users would attempt to heat their pools at some considerable expense to try and extend the swimming season beyond the height of Summer. 
         [0003]    The present invention describes a method of attaching inflatable insulation panels as described below to above ground swimming pools where the walls of the pool are formed by a plastic liner supported by a metal frame. 
         [0004]    It is advantageous to use transparent material as an insulation material, since the solar energy of the sun will pass through the material and heat up the pool wall and hence the water. The greater the degree of transparency of the insulation material the quicker the sun&#39;s energy will be transferred to the pool wall. Heat loss from the pool by means of conduction and convection will be greatly reduced by using an insulation material that incorporates air. Where a pool is heated by means of electricity, gas, or solid fuel, significant savings in energy will be made. A warmer pool, for more of the year and/or cost savings will be achieved with a pool insulated in this way. 
         [0005]    For convenience, and for economies of transportation and storage, it is desirable to fashion the insulation panels by using a transparent plastic material to construct standard size inflatable ribbed panels. These will be of compact dimensions when deflated, but of a size to match the dimensions of the swimming pool wall when inflated. 
         [0006]    For the insulation to be effective the standard sized panels must be installed as a continuous ring around the outside of the pool and with as much contact with the pool wall as possible. The ring can be made bigger or smaller depending on the size of the above ground pool. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a round pool formed by a plastic liner supported by a metal frame. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a rectangular pool of the above type. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an alternative version of a rectangular pool of this type. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of insulation fitted to a round pool, seen as a section taken just above the leg support band (the support band itself has been omitted from the diagram) 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of insulation fitted to a rectangular pool, seen as a section taken half way up the pool wall. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an elevation view of one embodiment of an un-inflated inflatable panel. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view of the same embodiment of an un-inflated panel as seen in  FIG. 6  but with a different embodiment of joining mechanism. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a cross section of the panel and joining mechanism described in  FIG. 6   
           [0015]      FIG. 9   a  is a cross section view of the panel in  FIG. 6  partially inflated. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9   b  is a cross section view of the panel in  FIG. 6  fully inflated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]      FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  show particular embodiments of plastic liner pools supported by a metal frame. In  FIG. 1  a round one piece plastic liner  10  is held up by a multiplicity of metal support legs  11  which are constrained to move by a broad leg support band of plastic  12 . The legs locate into a top rail assembly  13 . The support legs remain close to the pool wall apart from a region above the broad band of plastic  12  and the top rail assembly  13  where there is a significant air gap. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a one piece rectangular liner  14 , supported by a number of leg assemblies  15 , which are tied back to the liner by braces  16 . The leg assemblies locate in a top rail assembly  17 . The leg assemblies are in close proximity to the plastic liner except in the region of the braces  16  where this is a substantial air gap. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a one piece rectangular liner  18 , supported by a number of leg assemblies  19 , which are tied back to the liner by braces  20 . The legs fasten to a top rail assembly  21 . In this pool the liner locks into a channel  22  in the outside of an aluminum extrusion that forms the top rail. The leg assemblies are in close proximity to the plastic liner except in the region of the braces  20  where there is a substantial air gap. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a simplified diagram of the pool shown in  FIG. 1 . The plastic liner  10  is held up (in this example) by six support legs  11 , and is (in this example) insulated by six inflatable panels  17  on the outside of the pool wall  10 , which are held together as a ring by six full-length open ended zips  18  which join on the outside of each support leg  11 , and six part-length length open ended zips  19  which join behind and slightly to one side of the support leg  11 . In the shown embodiment the zips  19  extend from just above the leg support band to just below the top rail assembly  13 . The function of the zips  19  is to hold the back of the inflatable panel as close as possible to the pool wall and fill the air gap. It is also possible to have slightly different embodiments as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a generalised diagram of the pools shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . A pool liner  18 , is held up by support legs  19 , and is insulated by a multiplicity of inflatable panels  20 , which are held together as a ring by full length open ended zips  21 . Unlike the pools illustrated in  FIG. 4  all of the panel insulation will be positioned between the pool support legs and the pool wall. The bottom of the panel will be held secure by ensuring that a small part of the bottom edge of the insulation is placed underneath the pool liner prior to filling of the pool and inflation of the insulation. The top of the panel will be held by compression between the pool wall and the support legs and in the case of a pool such as that shown in  FIG. 3  between the liner  18  and the top rail assembly  21 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 6  shows one embodiment of an inflatable panel. The panel has a multitude of channels  22  formed by a multitude of welds or other closures  23 . To make connections easier it may be advantageous to make the channels at the end of the panel  24  slightly smaller than the other channels. The channels are inter-connected horizontally in a number of places, the diagram shows the channels connected at the top and bottom. In some applications it may be advantageous to have the weld or closure running to the top of the panel so that the panel may be carefully slit down the middle of the weld or closure to allow a space for pool inlets, outlets or skimmers to pass through the panel. 
         [0023]    The panel shows two halves of a full length open-ended zip  25  which may be used to join adjacent panels together. The half of the zip with the slider will be placed consistently on the same end of the panel. A pool as illustrated in  FIG. 1  has a leg support band running round the pool at or about the mid point of the pool wall. It is thus not possible to pass the insulation panels entirely behind the pool support legs. As an inflatable insulation panel comprises two sheets of material that have been welded or closed together it is possible to place zips on all or part of the continuations of the front and back sheets welded together or place zips on all or part of the front and back sheets kept apart.  FIG. 6  shows an embodiment where one half of an open ended full length zip has been applied to both ends of the front sheet of the panel with the intention that the closed zip will meet over the front of a support leg. The back sheet can be zipped behind the post by means of a top zip  26 + 27  ( 27  is seen in the diagram though the transparent top sheet) and a bottom zip  28 + 29  ( 29  is seen through the transparent top sheet). 
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows the same embodiment of inflatable panel as  FIG. 6  except that in this embodiment of the joining mechanism the extensions of the front and back sheets have been welded together. The middle part of the welded extensions has been cut away so that the leg support band of a pool as illustrated in  FIG. 1  may pass through the ring formed by the insulation panels. The two halves of the top zip  30  and  31  will zip together, and the two halves of the bottom zip  32  and  33  will zip together. Both top zip and bottom zip can fasten either in front of or behind a pool&#39;s support leg, in order that the insulation ring can be brought as close as possible to the pool wall. Different makes of pool have different geometries and the best embodiment of zipped joins will be used to suit the individual application. 
         [0025]      FIG. 8  shows a cross section of the joining mechanism described in  FIG. 6 . The two halves  25  of the full length open ended zip applied to the front sheet meet in front of a support leg at point  34 , whilst the zip halves applied to the back sheet ( 26 + 27  and/or  28 + 29 ) meet at point  35 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 9   a  shows the cross section of the panel described in  FIGS. 6 and 8  seen from above when partially inflated, and  FIG. 9   b  shows the same section when fully inflated. The joining zips are shown in positions  34  and  35 . Because the panels are horizontally ribbed they will contract as they are inflated, and as they are zipped together to make a ring, they will make greater contact with the pool wall as they contract improving the insulation. The insulation panels can be made to fit a wide range of makes and models of above ground pool as the width of individual panels can be varied by increasing or decreasing the amount of inflation.