Abstract:
A traveling swimming pool cover drum enclosure comprising a cover drum enclosure for containing a pool cover wound onto a central drive shaft, the cover drum enclosure having a plurality of wheels oriented for moving the cover drum enclosure to a position adjacent an edge of a swimming pool as desired, and an actuator coupled to the wheels of the cover drum enclosure for wheels are rotated, thereby causing the cover drum enclosure to travel to a position adjacent the edge of the swimming pool as desired.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This Application is a Continuation-In-Part utility patent application related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/829,801, filed Apr. 25, 2002, entitled AUTOMATIC POOL COVER SYSTEM USING BUOYANT-SLAT POOL COVERS, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and claims any and all benefits to which it is entitled therefrom. This Application is also related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/440,667 filed Jan. 15, 2003 entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OPENING AND CLOSING A POOL COVER DRIVE CHAMBER, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and claims any and all benefits to which it is entitled therefrom.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to an automatic swimming pool cover system, and in particular, to a pool cover drum enclosure located at the end of a swimming pool which can be automatically moved away from the side of the pool upon removal of the pool cover.  
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Automatic pool cover systems utilizing interconnected rigid buoyant slats, which roll up on a submerged or elevated drum as described by U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,126, to R. Granderath, are popular in Europe. These pool cover systems utilize passive forces arising from buoyancy or gravity for propelling, the cover to extend the cover across a pool. With either buoyancy or gravity, there must be some mechanism to prevent a retracted cover from unwinding responsive to the passive force. Such passive force systems also have a disadvantage in that the passive force must be overcome during retraction. Granderath suggests a worm gear drive mechanism for winding the cover and preventing cover drum rotation when not powered. The slats for these are further described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,352, to Gautheron.  
           [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,031 to Stolar describes a system similar to Granderath where instead of rigid hinged buoyant slats, various floating sheet materials such as a polyethylene polybubble, or a laminate of vinyl sheeting and foamed substrate, are floated on the surface of the water. The propulsion of the cover across the pool is reliant on buoyant and gravitational forces much like the system in the Granderath patent.  
           [0005]    Pool covers which employ floating slats or similar materials, and which use buoyant forces to propel the cover across the pool, necessarily wind the cover onto a roller drum which is positioned above or below the water surface. In the case of covers wound onto a spool sitting above the edge of the pool, such as at one end or another, when the cover is fully wound onto the cover drum, the entire rolled up cover sits above the surface of the edge of the pool. In some cases, the cover and drum are located in a separate bench apparatus setting next to the pool. The design is to aesthetically hide the cover and roller drum and also allow the entire mechanism to be manually rolled backwards away from the end of the swimming pool.  
           [0006]    Using a separated gear drive system with limit switches to travel such a limited distance is costly and it complicates timing of the two drive systems. Furthermore, these electric drives require the supply of electrical current right next to the swimming pool which poses the possibility of a shock safety hazard. Moreover, having the electrical apparatus near the pool accelerates corrosion of the electrical components, rendering them unreliable, as well as exposing the components to flooding and costly repair.  
           [0007]    Bench Systems  
           [0008]    Floating cover system, both the slatted type and also the floating fabric type are also installed and used on existing swimming pools. Typically these systems have their wind-up roll system enclosed by a bench. Since these covers often float on the water surface, or are stretched across the surface and attach in sliding grooves or tracks located along the length or width of the pools, a bench must be positioned at the pool edge, often partially hanging over the pool water surface. This design is to accommodate cover slats or floating fabric deployed from the cover drum as it is placed directly onto the pool water surface, or to allow retraction of the cover and winding of the cover onto an elongated, central spool shaft. This is a poor design because since part of the pool cover bench remains positioned directly adjacent or even partially above part of the pool. Often, swimmers might inadvertently bump their heads or arms on the enclosure bench, and in many commercial and public applications this is a disadvantage.  
           [0009]    Another problem with the fixed bench installation or roller stand right next to the pool edge is that it prevents access to that pool side such as for ingress or egress to the pool, or for location of diving boards or platforms. Typically these installations overhang the edge of the pool, so that when the pool cover unwinds, it drops directly onto the surface of the water and floats out over the surface. the fixed installation is a safety hazard and inconvenience for swimmers turning or stopping for rest. Hence various means are employed to move these benches, either manually and preferably automatically away from the pool once the cover has been removed from the pool and wound up onto the cover roller contained within the bench or other suitable cover housing.  
           [0010]    In the case of auxiliary mechanism such as bench enclosures, or automatic lids at the pool bottom or pool wall side, these also must be powered and controlled by a separate electric gear drive system and controls. Furthermore the correct sequencing or control of these auxiliary bench or lid mechanisms can become fairly complex, unreliable and service prone.  
           [0011]    As described in several other applications and patents by the inventor, automatic cover drive systems have to be mounted next to the swimming pool and frequently below the pool deck surface. With the exception of hydraulic drive systems as described on of the inventor&#39;s prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,590 and applications, most floating and slatted cover systems use electric drive systems. This is a potential shock hazard near the pool surface area and furthermore, when these systems are even briefly submerged, or flooded, expensive damage and repair costs are entailed.  
         ADVANTAGES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder actuator to the auxiliary lid cover mechanisms and furthermore simplifies these mechanisms and their controls by having them powered by means of a single physically remote power pack or electric fluid pump. The complete system hydraulics near the pool are supplied with only two hydraulic interchangeable supply and return lines to the physically remote power pack or electric fluid pump.  
           [0013]    The proposed invention incorporates a standard hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, where the full travel of the cylinder is sized to the arc of travel of the lever arm acting to move the pool floor lid system from the closed to the operational open position and uses the mechanical end travel of the cylinder and the consequent pressure surge to actuate a pressure switch and/or various sequencing valve means to actuate other components of the system in a timed and sequenced and velocity controlled manner.  
           [0014]    The present invention is related to outdoor pools where the cover system is suspended in a rolled up spool fashion on top of a superstructure adjacent to the pool.  
           [0015]    The distinct advantage of the hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder means is that the end stop actuation or travel limiting means is now accomplished by utilizing the immediate fluid pressure surge or increase as the cylinder reaches its mechanical end of travel, and combining or utilizing this with a remote electro-hydraulic pressure switch at the remote power pack to either stop the power pack pump, or by means of a sequencing valve or a combination thereof, to advance to subsequent step in the pool cover operation and final operation of the steps needed to operate the complete system.  
           [0016]    Another advantage of using hydraulics or air is that the speed of the cylinder and consequently the linear velocity of the lid operation can be easily and simply controlled by a pressure valve and by timed fluid flow diversion, all using components that are not affected by being near moisture or compromising the safety of swimmers with the potential electric shock hazard.  
           [0017]    Another advantage of using hydraulics or air means is that the speed of the cover drive tube can be easily temporarily slowed by using a valve connected to, and actuated through a timing device to bleed off part of the flow to die reservoir or tank, thereby slowing the cover drive tube, and hence, the overall speed of the moving bench enclosure.  
           [0018]    It is yet a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a traveling cover enclosure which slides out over the edge of the pool such that the cover drum is able to unwind the pool cover directly over the surface of the water, adjacent the edge of the pool and which would float out over the surface of the entire pool, as desired, and which can be slid backward away from the edge of the swimming pool once the cover is removed and fully wound up onto the cover drum, thereby removing a potential safety hazard, i.e., the overhanging cover drum at the end of the pool, providing a swimming pool with all ends which can be used safely by swimmers and all others and a traveling cover enclosure which can be relocated away from the edge of the pool essentially as far away as desired.  
           [0019]    Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be come apparent through the following descriptions, and will be included and incorporated herein.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1A is a representative plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the location and movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  adjacent the swimming pool  102 .  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1B is a representative plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such as shown in FIG. 1A, showing the location and movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  advanced beyond the edge of the swimming pool  102 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1C is a representative cross section view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such as shown in FIG. 1A, showing the location and movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  advanced beyond the swimming pool  102 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a representative schematic diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a representative exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a representative right side view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a representative left side view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention with the top panel  408  removed.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 is a representative right detail side view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]    The description that follows is presented to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the present invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principals discussed below may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but the invention is to be given the largest possible scope which is consistent with the principals and features described herein.  
         [0029]    It will be understood that in the event parts of different embodiments have similar functions or uses, they may have been given similar or identical reference numerals and descriptions. It will be understood that such duplication of reference numerals is intended solely for efficiency and ease of understanding the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting in any way, or as implying that the various embodiments themselves are identical. Unless specifically indicated otherwise, all amounts given in the text and the examples which follow are understood to be modified by the term “about,” and those figures expressed in terms of percent (%) are understood to refer to weight percent, unless indicated otherwise.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 1A is a representative plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the location and movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  adjacent the swimming pool  102 . FIG. 1B is a representative plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such as shown in FIG. 1A, showing the location and movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  advanced beyond the edge of the swimming pool  102 . FIG. 1C is a representative cross section view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, such as shown in FIG. 1A, showing the location and movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  advanced beyond the swimming pool  102 .  
         [0031]    As shown best in FIG. 1A, the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  is located outside the swimming pool  102 , such as on an edge, at one end or on one side As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, movement of this configuration of the bench  104  is lengthwise with regard to the length of the swimming pool  102 . The orientation of movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  can be modified according to the shape of the swimming pool 102 .  
         [0032]    The automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  is located completely outside the swimming pool  102  and is free to travel independent thereof. There is a usable area  112  between the edge of the swimming pool  102  and the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104 . This ensures the system  104  is not submerged in water and can be moved towards a point  114  away from the edge of the pool  102 , to eliminate a potential electric shock, a safety hazard. It will be understood that the bench  104  can be moved as far away to point  114  as desired, however modifications in the design of this invention will be required when moving the bench  104  greater than about 18-36 inches, or more or less, away from the edge  112  of the pool.  
         [0033]    As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, when in operation opening or closing the pool cover  101 , the traveling cover enclosure  104  is able slides out over the edge  112  of the pool  102  such that the cover drum  502  is able to unwind the pool cover  101  directly over the surface of the water. The actual enclosure  104  is adjacent or beyond the edge  112  of the pool  102 . As it unwinds, the pool cover  101  floats out over the surface of the water over the entire pool  102 , as desired. Then, after the cover  101  is removed and fully wound up onto the cover drum  502 , the entire enclosure  104  is slid backward away from the edge  112  of the swimming pool  102 , such as shown in FIG. 1A, thereby removing a potential safety hazard, i.e., the overhanging cover drum at the end of the pool  102 . This provides a swimming pool with both ends which can be used safely by swimmers for turning, stopping and resting, etc., and all others. As will be understood, thee traveling cover enclosure  104  which can be relocated away from the edge  112  of the pool  102  essentially as far away as desired.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 2 is a representative schematic diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention. The whole system is powered by a physically remote power pack pump  202  that supplies the complete system hydraulics via a two hydraulic interchangeable supply and return lines  212 . The hydraulic power moves the cylinder piston  206  and the action of the cylinder  206  subsequently move the overall automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  within the range of the restricted travel distance  108 . The control system  104  comprises a cylinder  206 , in which the action of the cylinder  206  is used to automatically cause lateral movement of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  within the restricted travel distance  108 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 3 is a representative exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a representative right side view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a representative left side view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a representative right detail side view of a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention.  
         [0036]    The present invention is also a method of moving or sliding a bench  104  housing a pool cover  101  drive roller or drum. The system is powered by a hydraulic motor with the limited travel distance  108  restricted at both ends by the limit switch device. Tracks  302  and  304  constrain the travel of concave wheel surfaces of wheels  306 ,  308 ,  310  and  312 , respectively. Gear sprockets  326  and  324 , having a slightly smaller diameter so as not to interfere with the wheels&#39;  310  and  312  motion on the track  302  and  304 , are attached to wheels  310  and  312 , respectively. The diameter of wheels  310  and  312  is at a preset ratio to the length of travel of cylinder  206  so as to achieve the proper distance of travel  108  of the bench  104 . Disposed around the circumference of the gear sprockets  326  and  324  are section of the drive chain  334  and  332 . The drive chains  334  and  332  are designed to be sufficiently long to achieve the required travel. The ends of the drive chain  334  and  332  are suitably attached to cable portions  342  and  344 , as shown.  
         [0037]    When pressure is applied through port  358  of cylinder  206 , cylinder rod  356  will travel inward or retract. The movement causes cable portion  352 , which is attached to a constrained attachment and subsequently to the end of the cylinder rod  354 , to move in the direction of arrow AA shown in FIG. 2. It will then pull chain  334 , which is attached the cable  340 , in a vertically upward direction. The movement will subsequently cause gear sprocket  326  to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, and wheel  310  to rotate counterclockwise on the track  304 . Wheel  306  will then follow and rotate to the exact same degree as wheel  310  on track  304 .  
         [0038]    Simultaneously, cable  342 , which is connected to turnbuckle  350 , will move as shown by directional arrow BB of the page in FIG. 2. The function of turnbuckle  350  is to adjust the tension between cables  342  and  344 . The movement of cable  342  in the direction shown as BB then acts on cable  344  and subsequently drive chain  332  to move vertically upward as shown by directional arrow CC. The upward movement will then engage gear sprocket  324  and wheel  312  to also rotate simultaneously to the exact same degree as gear sprocket  326  and wheel  314 , in a counterclockwise direction on track  302 . Wheel  308  will then follow and rotate to the exact same degree as wheel  312  on track  302 .  
         [0039]    The combine counterclockwise rotation of wheel  310  and  306  on track  304  and wheel  312  and  308  on track  302  will then account for the consequential movement of the entire automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  in one direction. as shown by directional arrows DD.  
         [0040]    The description of the action of all the above-mentioned elements can be reversed by releasing hydraulic or pneumatic pressure from the port  358 . Rotation of gear sprocket  324  and  326  and wheel  310  and  312  is therefore clockwise on the track  302  and  304  respectively. Wheel  306  and  308  will then follow and have clockwise rotation on track  304  and  302  respectively. As a result, the cover enclosure bench system  104  will be moved backwards, in the opposite direction, as shown by directional arrows EE.  
         [0041]    Travel of the cover enclosure bench system  104  can be automatically kept aligned and constrained by surfaces  330 ,  316 ,  314  and  328  on the bench making contact with floor mounted brackets  320  and  314  respectively which are sized appropriately for the correct length of travel  108  of bench  104 . Optionally, these surfaces  330 ,  316 ,  314  and  328  may be provided with contact sensors or motion detectors or relays or mechanical switches which transfer a control signal back to a power pack  202  or other controller, thereby controlling and delimiting forward and reverse motion of the bench.  
         [0042]    The limited travel distance  108  on tracks  302  and  304  can be adjusted by changing the ratio between the diameter of gear sprockets  326  and  324  and wheels  306 ,  308 ,  310  and  312 . By reducing the diameter of gear sprockets  326  and  324  and/or increasing the diameter of wheels  306 ,  308 ,  310  and/or  312 , thereby increasing the ratio between the diameter of gear sprockets  326  and  324  and wheels  306 ,  308 ,  310  and/or  312 , the limited travel distance  108  may be increased or decreased, and vice versa.  
         [0043]    As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the whole system  104  is completely housed in the composite, beam enclosure structure  402  as described in the inventor&#39;s previous U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,042, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, or other suitable and appropriate swimming pool components and waterproof building materials. The system  104  is further powered by a power pack pump  202  that supplies the complete hydraulics to the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104 . In a preferred embodiment, the power pack pump  202  is electrically powered and is connected to power source  404  via power cable and connectors  406 . The power pack pump  202  and its power source  404  are physically remote from the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  and are connected by two hydraulic interchangeable supply and return lines  212 . This ensures that the electrical components are never located in the bench  104  or anywhere hear the edge  112  of the swimming pool  102 . The cylinder piston  356  and cylinder  206  moves the overall automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  within the range of the restricted travel distance  108 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the automatic cover enclosure bench system  104  of the present invention with the top panel  408  (as best shown in FIG. 4) removed. The whole system  104  is built using the composite beam panels and enclosure structures  402  according to the inventor&#39;s previous U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,042 entitled COMPOSITE BEAM STRUCTURE, or other suitable and appropriate building materials and construction designs.  
         [0045]    Track  302  constrains the travel concave wheel surfaces of wheels  308  and  312 . Gear sprocket  324 , which has a slightly smaller diameter than wheel  312  so as not to interfere with the motion of the wheels  312  on the track  302 , is attached to wheel  312 . The diameter of wheels  312  and  308  are at a preset ratio to the length of travel of cylinder  206  so as to achieve the proper distance of travel  108  of the bench  104 . Around the circumference of gear sprocket  324  is section of the drive chain  332 . The drive chain  332  is designed to be sufficiently long to achieve the required travel. The ends of the drive chain  332  are suitably attached to cable  344 .  
         [0046]    With top panel  408  removed, the inside view is shown. A central shaft  502  runs through the entire automatic cover enclosure bench system  104 . The central shaft  502  is secured at both right and left ends of the system  104  by a securing system  504 . The shaft  502  is part of a pool cover  101  drive roller drum for swimming pool cover  101  operation. Such is described in the inventor&#39;s previous U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,357 entitled AUTOMATIC SWIMMING POOL COVER WITH A DUAL HYDRAULIC DRIVE SYSTEM, and inventor&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,751 entitled ANTI-CAVITATION MANIFOLD FOR DRIVE COUPLED, DUAL MOTOR, REVERSIBLE HYDRAULIC DRIVE SYSTEMS, both of which are incorporated herein in their entireties, or any other similar swimming pool cover system.  
         [0047]    As shown best in FIGS. 5 and 6, the central shaft  502  is secured at both right and left ends of the system  104  by a securing system  504  coupled to the side wall  506  Such securing system  504  would comprise a bearing pack or set of hubs, bearings and races, and be suitably clamped into the side wall  506  of the bench enclosure  104 .  
         [0048]    As also shown best in FIGS. 5 and 6, track  302  constrains the travel of concave wheel surfaces of wheels  308  and  312 . Gear sprocket  324 , which has a slightly smaller diameter than wheel  312  so as not to interfere with the motion of the wheel  312  on the track  302 , is attached to wheel  312 . The diameter of wheels  312  and  308  are at a preset ratio to the length of travel of cylinder  206  so as to achieve the proper distance of travel  108  of the bench  104 . Around the circumference of gear sprocket  324  is section of the drive chain  332 . The drive chain  332  is designed to be sufficiently long to achieve the required travel. The ends of the drive chain  332  are suitably attached to cable  344 .  
         [0049]    Thus, it will be understood that the hydraulic pump or power pack pump  202  can be located at a distal point from the bench  104  and have connection with the bench system  104  only by hydraulic fluid lines  212 . As described, the hydraulic fluid lines  212  can be connected directly to the fluid ports  358  and  360  of piston cylinder  106 . They can also be connected to a master hydraulic fluid valve/rotor cap/diverter valve assembly  420  which serves to distribute actuation of not only the lateral, back and forth pool-side positioning of the present bench system  104  on tracks  302  and  304 , but also optionally opening and closing of one of the bench panel members, i.e., the top  408 , a side panel  402 , etc. as well as optionally driving the central drive shaft  502  of the cover  101  drum bench enclosure  104 .  
         [0050]    In a preferred embodiment, the master hydraulic fluid valve/rotor cap/diverter valve assembly  420  causes actuation of the positioning assembly to cause the bench  104  to slide up to the edge  112  of the swimming pool  102  and back, and also to unfurl a cover, floating or not, which extends over the entire swimming pool. In a preferred method of use, the master hydraulic fluid valve/rotor cap/diverter valve assembly  420  actuates the cover drum enclosure  104  and positions it adjacent the edge  112  swimming pool  102 . Upon desired positioning, the master hydraulic fluid valve/rotor cap/diverter valve assembly  420  actuates the central shaft  502  of the cover  101  drum and unrolls the cover  101  over the top of the swimming pool  102 . When the swimming pool is in use, however, the pool cover  101  can first be rolled back up onto the drive shaft  502  and then the entire cover drum and bench enclosure  104  can be rolled backwards, away from the edge  112  of the swimming pool  102 .  
         [0051]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art, based on the foregoing, that by changing the ratios and diameters of wheels and gears, the cover enclosure system  104  of the present invention can be moved out over the middle of the swimming pool  102 , as well as back over the edge  112  of the pool  102  and back away from the pool  102  as far as desired. The set of wheels and gears described herein are merely exemplary and not intended to be limiting in any way.  
         [0052]    Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described. All publications and patent documents referenced in the present invention are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0053]    While the principles of the invention have been made clear in illustrative embodiments, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials, and components used in the practice of the invention, and otherwise, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from those principles. The appended claims are intended to cover and embrace any and all such modifications, with the limits only of the true purview, spirit and scope of the invention.