Thermal pool cover

This invention is a unique cover for swimming pools or the like manufactured in easily handleable small segments which fit together on matching sides when floated upon water and as particularly characterized by utilizing a heat retaining material on the side facing the water, with a heat admitting cover on the other side with a space formed between the two to provide an insulating space which passes and amplifies heat from the atmosphere into the water while blocking the escape of heat from the water.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
There are no patent applications filed by me related to this invention. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention is in the general field of covers for open bodies of water, 
particularly swimming pools, and is more particularly directed to a 
thermally effective cover designed to entrap and magnify atmospheric heat 
and pass the same into the water and retain it, and is particularly 
directed to such a device in segments which fit together when floated upon 
a surface. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
There is considerable prior art in the field of swimming pool covers and 
the like. There are segmented covers which consist of a multiplicity of 
hinged segments to cover a pool; There are fabric and plastic covers 
designed to be stretched across a pool; There are inflatable fabric covers 
designed to spread over an entire pool; There are the so called "lily 
pads" which are plastic elements designed to float upon the surface. 
The large majority of the covering arrangements in the prior art are 
directed solely to prevention of evaporation; Safety purposes to prevent 
persons falling into a pool, items to prevent icing or contamination, and 
the like. 
There have, also, been some efforts to provide fabric or plastic covers for 
pools designed to limit the escape of heat from the water or to attempt to 
enhance the absorbtion by the water of heat from the sun, and the 
atmosphere, while attempting to prevent the escape of heat. 
While all of the prior art has a general bearing upon the subject of the 
present invention, there is not prior art incorporating shaped segments 
which will nest together upon the surface of the pool and wherein heat 
collecting space is provided between an upper and lower surface of said 
segments with the surfaces so treated as to enhance the collection of 
thermal energy from the sun or the atmosphere, enhance the transfer of the 
same into the pool, and retard the escape of heat from the pool by 
convection or the like. In these particulars, the present invention is 
unique by comparison to the prior art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In the past several years there has been a great increase in the number of 
private swimming pools installed for individual family (or collective 
living unit) use. A great number of such pools are heated by electricity, 
gas, oil, or the like. In certain climates, the heat escapes very rapidly 
from such pools, particularly during the night, or other times when the 
atmosphere is cool by comparison to the water temperature. 
A number of persons have worked in this general field and have found that 
certain types of covers over the pool during night time hours and the like 
will reduce the amount of heat loss. In addition, it has been found that 
plastic covers and the like will sometimes enhance the heating of a pool 
if left on during certain sunlight hours. 
The pool covers so far in general use, however, are inconvenient for use by 
the average individual, are difficult to store when not in use, and are 
seldom fully effective in trapping atmospheric heat and passing the same 
into the water as well as inhibiting the escape of such heat from the 
water during night time hours and the like, especially such escape by 
convection. 
I have given a great deal of study to this overall problem and have made a 
number of interesting discoveries. The result has been a new, unique, and 
greatly improved pool cover arrangement by which a pool cover traps great 
amounts of solar or atmospheric energy, transmits the same into a pool, at 
the same time inhibiting any loss thereof from the pool during night time 
hours or the like. 
My discoveries also have resulted in a segmented cover adaptable to fit any 
size pool with no waste or excess material, and of such nature as to be 
easily handled by any person, even a child. 
My invention includes a number of alternative construction plans, all 
directed at shaped, preferably hexagonal, frames being essentially open 
between their sides, and having heat collecting and transferring cover 
material upon one side with a covering on the other side adapted to pass 
the heat collected into the water, but so constructed as to inhibit the 
escape of the heat from the water during adverse atmospheric conditions. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a unique segmented pool cover 
easily handleable by any person; 
Another object of this invention is to provide such a pool cover which 
covers any size or shape pool without the use of excessive unrequired 
material; 
Another object of this invention is to provide such a pool cover as 
described wherein atmospheric heat and energy is collected and transferred 
into the water of a pool; 
Another object of this invention is to provide such a cover as described 
wherein the escape of heat from the water of a pool is inhibited. 
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following 
description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the appended 
drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With attention directed first to FIG. 1, a swimming pool, generally 10, is 
illustrated. The surface of the water 11, is shown, and the surface of the 
water is partially covered by a number like segments 20. For purposes of 
this illustration the pool is not shown entirely covered, although it will 
be understood that in actual use the pool will generally be completely 
covered with the possible exception of certain corner elements, which even 
then, may be covered in the manner hereinafter described. 
It will be noted in FIG. 1, that because of the hexagonal shape, the 
individual pool cover segments fit together and, in essence, interlock 
with one another. 
It is understood that other shapes could be used effectively, and a few of 
such shapes are illustrated in some of the drawings and will be described 
briefly below. While many of the advantages of this invention can be 
achieved by the use of other shapes, the hexagonal shape is doubtless the 
preferred shape. 
FIG. 2 shows an enlarged individual segment generally 20 which is molded in 
a single piece by blow molding or the like, and consists of preferrably 
hollow frame composed of segments 21,22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 
31 and 32. 
By glancing at FIG. 3, it can be seen that the shape is somewhat dome 
shaped, so that the lower segments 21 through 26 essentially form a 
surface which will float upon the water, and the segments 27 through 32 
provide a frame work upon which the skin elements 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 
38 may rest. 
The skin elements may be formed as a unit with the frame by means known to 
those skilled in the art such as by blow molding. Also, the frame work may 
be formed individually and the skin elements may be placed upon the frame 
by utilizing an adhesive or the like together with a suitable material 
such as polyethylene or similar material having the ability to transmit 
the heat from the atmosphere towards the pool surface. 
FIG. 3 also illustrates in phantom, an element 200 in place upon the 
element 20 when stacked and stored when not in use. The element 200 is 
understood to be identical to one of the elements 20 and is merely so 
numbered for clarity. 
With attention directed to FIG. 4 where there is illustrated an alternate 
embodiment 40 in the form of a square section having a somewhat raised or 
domed center. The construction will be similar to that of the unit 
described and shown in FIG. 2 and this construction needs no further 
amplification. 
Likewise, the element 50 shown in FIG. 5 is merely another configuration, 
being rectangular in shape. It is to be understood there will be limitless 
numbers and types of shapes, all being constructed in the same general 
manner as illustrated in FIG. 2. 
FIG. 6 illustrates a particular shape having particular significance and 
particular utility when used jointly with the shape shown in FIGS. 1, 2 
and 3. It will be noted that this is a triangular shape and will be 
ideally suited to fit into the areas such as 12 and 13 illustrated in FIG. 
1 where the hexagonal shape leaves a triangular open space upon the pool 
surface. By utilizing such a triangular shape (once again formed in a 
manner identical to the manner described for the hexagonal shape) together 
with the hexagonal shape it is possible to completely cover a rectangular 
surface. 
FIG. 7 illustrates a unique construction for a segment 70 having the same 
shape as the shape shown in FIG. 2. It will be observed that the element 
70 has been formed from a frame work of pieces of plastic pipe or the 
like, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, and 82. In each case, it 
is observed that the segments 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 76 have their ends 
flattened and angularly disposed as illustrated. The segments 77, 78, 79, 
80, 81, and 82 have one end flattened into a somewhat elongated oval shape 
so as to accommodate two of the flattened ends of adjoining elements such 
as the segment 77 at its oval end accommodates one of the flattened ends 
of 71 and one of the flattened ends of 72, thus joining them together. 
The other ends of elements 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, and 82 are flattened as 
illustrated and provided with a hole through which a bolt, or the like 85 
is inserted in order to hold these ends together to complete the frame 
work. 
FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate construction for the joint area at 84 of a 
unit made in the manner of the illustration of FIG. 7. In this case it is 
noted that an end of each of two adjoining segments 71a and 72a, have been 
flattened and curved in such manner that the two fit within the unaltered 
open end of a segment such as 77a. 
The balance of the construction will be exactly similar to that otherwise 
illustrated in FIG. 7, that will avoid the necessity of making an oval end 
upon the segments 77, 78, 80, 81, and 82. 
The skin elements 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, and 91 may be vinyl or the like 
sheets fastened to the frame work by adhesive or the like, or may consist 
of another method of covering a preferred example of which is illustrated 
in FIG. 9. 
In FIG. 9 it is noted that a bag or the like, generally 95, of vinyl, or 
other suitable material has been formed, having a shape such that it will 
accommodate an element 70. The bag is sealed at four of its sides, 96, 97, 
98 and 99. The two remaining sides, 100, and 101 are provided with 
openings 102 and 103, which may be sealed by adhesive, by heat sealing, 
or, preferably, by an easily reopenable sealer such as the well known 
"ziplok" type fastening as is used on may plastic enclosures. 
When utilizing the bag of FIG. 9, the frame work is flipped within the bag 
and the two open sides are sealed. Thus, there is a complete enclosure 
around the frame work which may be placed upon the surface of the pool. 
FIG. 10 illustrates another type plastic which may be used as the covering 
for a frame work. In this case, the material consists of two sheets of 
material sealed together repeatedly so as to form a bubble-like effect 
over its surface. This imparts additional buoyancy to the system. Also, it 
may enhance the heat insulation qualities. 
It is to be noted that it is also possible to make a dual coating of 
material by having the upper portion of a bag such as that illustrated in 
FIG. 9 of a clear material and the lower covering of a dark color. In this 
case the heat transfer qualities may be enhanced. 
Further in this, the underside (that next to the water) of the skin, 
whether in the form of a bag, or a plain skin, may be aluminized or 
otherwise so treated as to tend to retain the heat in the pool. 
It is known that the heat escapes by convection, and by a proper surfacing 
of the material (not shown, but known in the art) the heat will transfer 
from outside into the pool area, but will not escape by convection from 
the pool surface. 
It is to be particularly noted, that there is an advantage to the 
domed-like or arch-like effect of the segments designed by me since this 
creates a magnification of the heat transfer ability. 
While the embodiments of this invention shown and described are fully 
capable of achieving the objects and advantages desired, it is to be 
understood that such embodiments are shown for purposes of illustration 
only, and not for purposes of limitation.