Abstract:
An improved swimming pool cover system which incorporates a gap eliminator for use on pools which have walls of varying height and curvature, the gap eliminator secured to the wall by a cable and a plurality of anchors, the gap eliminator having a sleeve including a weighted buoyant material disposed below the pool cover attached to the cable and a second sleeve having buoyant weighted material disposed above the pool cover attached to the cable, thereby sealing the gap between the pool cover and the wall.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicant claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/402,288, filed Aug. 27, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to swimming pool covers, as they relate to raised wall shaped pools which have straight and arcuate walls which extend above the coping and deck of the pool which establish gaps in the pool cover coverage and in particular to a complimentary gap eliminating device cooperable with the swimming pool cover to insure complete coverage of the pool. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Covers for swimming pools are frequently used in climates where the pool is not used for certain periods of the year due to inclement weather. The pool cover is designed to be stretched across the pool and secured so as to prevent the ingress of dirt, waste material, or debris, such as fallen leaves during the off season. The cover also serves as a safety factor when the pool is not in use. 
     The swimming pool cover is typically a flexible, waterproof substrate or sheet of material, either impervious or fine mesh having a plurality of resilient, biased tie down straps secured about its periphery, the tie down straps being secured to a plurality of anchor bolts fixedly secured in the surrounding pool apron or deck, the resilient biased tie down straps being adjusted to achieve the desired tautness of the cover. In such a configuration, the pool cover covers the pool and the periphery of the surrounding deck or apron in an overlapping fashion, thus preventing ingress of debris into the pool during the off season. 
     Pool covers of the type described are easily installed on pools having a geometric shape, such as a rectangle, or an L-shape. They are also easily installed and effective with respect to pools, such as kidney-shaped pools and other pools having arcuate peripheries. In effect, covers of the type described are effective with respect to all pools in which the surrounding apron, deck or periphery is at one level or height. 
     A problem develops with respect to any shape pool which incorporates side walls of uneven height. The simplest example is a freeform pool which incorporates a waterfall, which waterfall flows over and into the pool from a rock wall or concave wall, the height of which is greater than that of the peripheral apron or decking of the pool. 
     Another example would be a freeform pool which incorporates a spa adjacent to the pool having a side wall higher than the peripheral apron or decking of the pool, and sharing a convex wall with the pool which may be of a different radius. In these instances, it is difficult to design a pool cover which will abut the curvatures of these walls having a height greater than that of the apron or decking of the pool. 
     Designs have been developed to secure a cover in as close approximation to these arcuate surfaces as possible, but in most cases there still remains a gap which allows for the ingress of dirt, leaves, and debris during the off season. This gap may further increase if the pool cover is subjected to loads such as snow or accumulated standing water. Still further, the gap varies as the pool cover installer adjusts the tension of the securing straps. Still further, this gap presents a safety problem due to its size, such that the possibility exists that a small pet or rodents could fall through this gap and into the underlying water. 
     Attempts have been made to provide a closure for the gap existing between the pool cover and the arcuate side wall. One such solution included the fastening of an additional waterproof flap to the end of the pool cover adjacent the arcuate wall and providing some weight and volume to this flap so that it would lie across the gap. This flap is commonly referred to in the trade as a bumper. The bumper is essentially an extension of the pool cover in that it is clipped or sewn to the edge of the cover. A sewn bumper proves difficult to fabricate and also to fold for storage when not in use. This has proved to be ineffective in that atmospheric conditions cause the clipped flap to disengage, pull away from the underlying pool cover or the wall, and fail to provide adequate and continued closure to the gap. 
     Applicant has developed an improved pool cover gap system which effectively closes the gap formed between a swimming pool cover and an arcuate or straight wall surface of greater height than the peripheral apron or decking about the pool, which is easily installed and provides an effective barrier to the passage and ingress of debris into the underlying water of the pool, and also closes the gap from a safety standpoint as it might relate to small pets or rodents. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel swimming pool cover gap system which secures the gap between a swimming pool cover and a wall of greater height than the peripheral apron or decking about the pool. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide for a novel swimming pool cover system which secures to the elevated wall of the pool and overlaps the swimming pool cover above and below the cover, thereby sealing the gap between the swimming pool cover and an elevated straight or arcuate wall of the pool. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel swimming pool cover gap system which includes a gap eliminator bumper which closes the gap between a swimming pool cover and an elevated straight or arcuate wall portion of the pool which provides for greater safety when the pool is closed. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide for a novel swimming pool cover gap system which includes a gap eliminating bumper which maintains closure of the pool even when the swimming pool cover experiences a water load or a snow load which causes the pool cover to stretch. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide for a novel swimming pool cover system which provides for a gap eliminator bumper which is compact and easily stored when not in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An improved swimming pool cover system which incorporates a gap eliminator for use on pools which have walls of varying height and curvature, the gap eliminator secured to the wall by a plurality of cable guides securing a support cable, the gap eliminator having a sleeve including a weighted buoyant material disposed below the pool cover attached to the cable and a second sleeve having weighted buoyant material disposed above the pool cover attached to the cable, thereby sealing the gap between the pool cover and the wall, the gap eliminator having an optional third sleeve adjacent the second sleeve having a weighed non-buoyant material disposed therein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent, particularly when taken in light of the following illustrations wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a conventional pool cover of the prior art illustrating the manner of its installation; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the tie down straps utilized in conjunction with the pool cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a free form pool which incorporates a waterfall and a spa which present a concave spatial surface and a convex spatial surface respectively, which extends above the decking or apron of the pool; 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the concave waterfall section illustrating the manner in which the prior art has attempted to extend a pool cover into this spatial area; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an arcuate, raised spa wall section illustrating the prior art solution to a convex wall problem; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of Applicant&#39;s gap eliminator; 
         FIG. 7  is an end cross sectional view of the gap eliminator of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the gap eliminator as illustrated in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of a cable installation for use with a concave waterfall area of a pool; 
         FIG. 10  is a side cross sectional view of the gap eliminator of  FIG. 6  installed in conjunction with a pool cover and the cable assembly of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a side cross sectional view of a gap eliminator of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8  installed in conjunction with a pool cover and the cable assembly of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective partial cutaway view of the installed gap eliminator of  FIG. 6 , along an elevated, straight wall; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective partial cutaway view of the second embodiment of the gap eliminator of  FIG. 8  installed against an elevated straight wall; 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-section of a gap eliminator of the present invention incorporating a unitary cable sleeve; and 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a gap eliminator of the present invention which is longitudinally arcuate to custom fit and abut an arcuate elevated wall of a pool. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 5  illustrate the state of the prior art in addressing the problem heretofore set forth. 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a conventional pool cover installed over a pool to prevent the ingress of particulate matter and debris during the season when the pool is not in use. 
       FIG. 2  is a partial side view of a tie down strap associated with the pool cover of  FIG. 1 . The pool  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are generally rectangular in nature having an edging or coping  12  about its periphery  14 , there extending outwardly from the coping a pool apron or decking  16  comprised of concrete, decorative stone, wood, or the like. The decking or apron  16  is substantially level with the coping or edging  12  of pool  10 . 
     A pool of this type could be any shape as long as the coping and deck were on the same level. The cover  18  would be secured over the pool by securing a plurality of tie down straps  20  to a plurality of anchor bolts  22  which are secured in the apron or decking  16 . The anchor bolts  22  are fitted into a recess cylinder housing  24  which is set in the decking or concrete apron  16  which allows the anchor bolt  22  to be recessed in its cylinder housing  24  during the pool season, but to be raised above the level of the apron or decking  16  so as to be engaged by a ring hook or spring assembly  26  on a particular tie down strap  20 . 
     The cover  18  is unrolled across the pool with consecutive tie down straps  20  being engaged with selective anchor bolts  22  arranged about the pool. The tie down straps  20  themselves consist of adjustable cloth straps oftentimes incorporating a resilient strap in combination with a biasing spring means so as to the allow the installer to engage the tie down strap with the anchor bolt and then adjust the tie down straps to affect the desired tautness of the pool cover. 
     It should be noted that this design of pool cover and tie down straps is identical to the type of pool cover and tie down straps that would be utilized with the gap eliminator of the present invention. The problem with a free form pool is that it often contains elevated arcuate and straight wall portions which extend above the standard apron or decking level thereby presenting problems peculiar to the particular design and installation of the pool cover in order to provide cover and protection in these defined elevated areas. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a free form pool having many of the same elements as the pool illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , including coping  12 , and apron or decking  16  about its periphery  14 , however, the standard or common level of the apron or decking is interrupted by several raised walls. The owner has incorporated a hot tub/spa  40  in conjunction with the free form pool, the hot tub/spa  40  having a convex arcuate surface  42  extending into the pool area, and also extending above the apron or decking. The owner has also incorporated a waterfall  44  defined by a concave arcuate surface  46  also extending above the level of the apron or decking  16  and a waterfall  45  having a straight elevated surface  47 . In these situations, the level of the apron or decking has been interrupted by the elevated walls of the hot tub/spa  40  and waterfalls  44  and  45 , thereby denying the ability to position anchor bolts at a common level. 
     The convex elevated wall of the spa hot tub  40  that projects into the pool area has been addressed by the use of the anchor bolts  22 A and  22 B (not shown) on either side of the hot tub spa  40  (See  FIG. 5 ). These anchor bolts are utilized not only to engage the tie down straps of the pool cover, but are also utilized to stretch a taut cable  48  about the protruding circumference  42  of the hot tub/spa  40  that projects into the pool area. The pool cover is fabricated with clips or ties  49  on this portion of the pool cover which allow the installers to engage these clips or ties  49  on the taut cable  48 . The taut cable  48  drawn about this portion of the hot tub spa  40  is level with the coping  12  and the deck or apron  16 . However, in adjusting the tautness of the tie down straps  20  about the periphery of the pool by the installer, taut cable  48  will oftentimes be pulled away from the convex periphery  42  of the spa. The concave nature  46  of the elevated waterfall surface is addressed in the same manner (See  FIG. 4 ) and suffers from the same drawbacks enumerated previously. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of Applicant&#39;s gap eliminator, and  FIG. 7  is an end cross-sectional view of the gap eliminator illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Gap eliminator  100  is generally longitudinal in shape preferably being formed from a sheet of resilient pliable waterproof material which when folded in half and sewn or heat sealed on a longitudinal axis, presents the following structure. When positioned in a planar orientation gap eliminator  100  has an upper surface  102 , having lateral edges  104  and  106 , and lower surface  107 . The resilient pliable fabric is joined as a result of sewing or heat sealing so as to form a plurality of longitudinal sleeves. First sleeve  110  defines an interior channel along lateral edge  104 . A second sleeve  112  extends along lateral edge  106  separated from first sleeve by a web portion  120 . First sleeve  110  has a larger diameter than second sleeve  112 . The gap eliminator  100  may be closed at end  108  and access to first and second sleeves  110  and  112  is by means of a zipper type access  114  at second end  116  or both ends may have a zipper type access. First sleeve  110  and second sleeve  112  are designed to receive and accommodate weighted, but buoyant material, such as a polyethylene, polystyrene, or styrofoam rods  118  dimensioned to be slidably receivable within the respective sleeves. First sleeve  110  is designed to receive a single rod preferably of greater diameter and second sleeve  112  is designed to receive at least two rods preferably of smaller diameter. 
     A detailed description of the installation of the gap eliminator  100  will follow, but to appreciate the structural design of gap eliminator  100 , reference is now made to  FIG. 10  which is a cross-sectional view of the installation of the gap eliminator  100  to a pool which includes a raised wall  44  which may be straight or arcuate, such as a waterfall or the like, which is above the coping  12  and deck or apron of the pool, and thus prevents the pool cover  18  from being drawn a distance across the edge of the coping  12  before being secured to the deck or apron as heretofore discussed. 
     The gap eliminator  100  cooperates with the installation of a plurality of cable guides  128  which are spaced apart across the face of the vertical wall  44  and embedded therein to secure a cable  130  in close fitting relationship with the face of the wall  44 . The pool cover  18  will be clipped on to cable  130 . However, the gap eliminator  100  is installed when the cable guides  128  are installed into the face of the wall. Slight apertures are cut along the longitudinal web portion  120  between first and second sleeves  110  and  112  so that the web portion  120  can be secured and abut the face of the wall  44  when the cable guides  128  and washer  129  are installed. The cable  130  is then secured to cable guide  128 . The cover  18  is then installed to the cable  130  with second sleeve  112  containing two of the weighted buoyant rods  118  positioned on the top of the pool cover while the first sleeve  110  containing the larger diameter weighted yet buoyant rod  118  is positioned on the underside of cover  18 , thus insuring closure of any gap which may exist between the cable securing the pool cover and the wall of the raised wall surface. 
       FIG. 8  is an end cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the gap eliminator  100  and  FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the gap eliminator installed. The second embodiment of the gap eliminator is identical to the first embodiment with the exception of the addition of a third sleeve  140  formed adjacent the second sleeve  112 . Access to this third sleeve is identical to that of the first embodiment by means of zippered end. Third sleeve  140  is designed for those climate areas which might encounter severe winter conditions. In such conditions, the weighted, yet buoyant polystyrene, polyethylene or styrofoam rods  118  originally positioned within second sleeve  112  may need some additional weight. Third sleeve  140  is designed to accommodate a weighted non-buoyant rod  142  of greater density than those previously discussed or third sleeve  140  could be filled with a weighted substance, such as sand or the like, positioned in a sealable container or containers and slidably positioned within sleeve  140 , which could be easily installed in third sleeve  140  and easily removed and discarded when the pool cover is removed for the season.  FIG. 11  illustrates that this second embodiment of the gap eliminator is installed in the same manner as the first embodiment. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the installation of the cable guides  128  utilized to secure cable  130  about the face of a concave arcuate wall such as a water fall for the installation of the gap eliminator  100 . The cable guides  128  are installed in spaced apart relationship and the gap eliminator  100  would be simultaneously positioned with the cable guides before securing cable  130  to the cable guides. 
       FIG. 9  also illustrates the gap problem associated with an arcuate raised wall. The spacing of the cable guides  128  as illustrated in  FIG. 9  increases from end A to end B. The closer the spacing the smaller the gap C, thus the area of the gap increases from end A to end B as a result of the increase spacing. It is this gap which existed in the prior art which the Applicant has addressed with respect to the gap eliminator. Regardless of the spacing of the cable guides, the gap eliminator, being secured to the cable guides  128 , will cover and eliminate the gap C. The actual spacing of the cable guides  128  will be dictated by the length of the wall, the curvature of the wall, and the aesthetics desired by the owner of the pool. 
     The web portion  120  between first and second sleeves  110  and  112  can have a plurality of small slits formed by the installer to allow the installer to pass the cable guide  128  through the slit and into a threaded bore formed in the face of the arcuate wall. A washer  129  (see  FIG. 7 ) sandwiches the web portion  120  between washer  129  and the wall. In this manner, the installer, in the field, can insure that the plurality of slits required will coincide with the location of a cable guide  128  in order to provide for a snug fit. 
     It will also be recognized by those with skill in the art, that the radius of the ark of the raised wall may vary. Therefore the gap eliminator may have a continuous rod installed in its sleeves  110  and  112  for the entire length of the gap eliminator  100 , or there may be a plurality of rods spaced end to end, of a shorter length in order to accommodate and allow for the gap eliminator  100  to become more arcuate to accommodate a wall of greater curvature. Still further, it will be recognized that depending upon the length of the wall and its concavity, it is possible that more than one gap eliminator would need to be installed end to end in order to span the distance of the walls concavity. In such instances the ends of the gap eliminators  100  may be formed with grommets  101  for receipt of tie downs  103  securing adjacent gap eliminators  100  (See  FIG. 6 ). 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  are perspective partial cutaway views illustrating the installation of the first and second embodiments of the gap eliminator  100  and pool cover adjacent an elevated straight wall  170  of a pool which is not concave nor convex. Modern architectural designs of pools oftentimes include multi-levels about the pool surface such that the pool coping and the apron or deck are not all on the same level. Applicant&#39;s gap eliminator  100  can also accommodate these designs in the same manner as described with respect to convex or concave raised walls. The reference numbers in  FIGS. 12 and 13  and the structural elements to which they refer are identical as previously discussed with  FIG. 10  illustrating the installation of the first embodiment of the gap eliminator  100  and  FIG. 11  illustrating the second embodiment of the gap eliminator  100  with the additional third sleeve  140  and added weight component. 
     In those rare instances where cable guides  128  cannot be affixed to the wall be it concave or convex, a modified gap eliminator would be fabricated with a cable sleeve  150  formed longitudinally in the web  120  of the gap eliminator. Cable sleeve  150  would extend the length of the gap eliminator and would be in alignment with the web portion  120  between first and second sleeves  110  and  112  on the lower surface of the gap eliminator. This modification is illustrated in  FIG. 14  which is a cross-sectional view of this modification. It does not lend itself to the optimum solution, but will close a gap. The cable sleeve may receive a standard cable or to better close a gap, a cable made of deformable material which would adapt to the desired curvature could be extended through the cable sleeve  150  and then adapted to the curvature by the installers which would further eliminate any gap. 
     The embodiments of the gap eliminator heretofore described are longitudinally straight in their fabrication and shape. The rods utilized for insertion into first sleeves  110  and second sleeves  112 , constructed of polyethylene, polystyrene or styrofoam, are also somewhat flexible or alternatively they are segmented to allow for the generally longitudinal straight gap eliminator to be formed into an arcuate shape to match the arcuate shape of the elevated wall of the pool. The gap eliminator, however, may also be fabricated in an arcuate shape to either custom fit a particular arcuate wall of a pool, or it could be fabricated in an arcuate shape, the arch having a particular radius to accommodate what are standardized radii of arcuate elevated walls associated with pools and spas.  FIG. 15  is a perspective view illustrating a particular arcuate gap eliminator  100  constructed in the same manner as the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 8  with the exception that the lateral edges  204  and  206  are arcuate. The sleeve construction and the closure means would be identical to those previously illustrated. The gap eliminator illustrated in  FIG. 15  would utilize the resilient, flexible type of polyethylene, polystyrene or Styrofoam rods  118  as used and illustrated with respect to  FIGS. 6 and 8 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 15 , the rods  118  would be resilient and flexible to accommodate the curvature of the sleeves  110  and  112  or the rods could be segmented to further cooperate with the curvature of the gap eliminator  100  illustrated in  FIG. 15 . Third sleeve  140  having a weighted container slidably secured therein, the weighted container not having the flexibility of the rods in sleeves  110  and  112  would require a plurality of weights to be slidably inserted in order to accommodate the curvature of the gap eliminator. 
     It will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that the gap eliminator described heretofore can be made in any convenient length. Consideration must be had for the fact that the gap eliminator when not in use must be stored, and therefore convenient lengths for both storage and usage must be considered. Still further, the gap eliminator as described, adapts to the curvature of a wall to which it is attached because of its resilient pliant outer shell and the resilient pliancy of the weighted yet buoyant rods slidably received within the shell. It should be recognized that if so desired, a gap eliminator of the type described could be specifically fabricated for a defined radius wall in which the gap eliminator is fabricated to the exact radius and curvature of such wall. 
     Therefore, while the present invention has been disclosed with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalence thereof.