Abstract:
A pool stair assembly includes step members having riser panels and tread panels, the step members joined together to form a multi-step structure. In illustrative embodiments, a spacer is located between a connection flange of a first step member and a riser panel of a second step member to form a channel therebetween, with one or more detents extending into the channel. A swimming pool liner includes locking tabs at predetermined locations that correspond to the channel, the locking tabs insertable into the channel to secure the liner to the step members. When the locking tab is inserted, a lip of the locking tab is compressed against the detent to move the locking tab past the detent when sufficient downward force is applied. The lip naturally biases back to its original position after passing the detent, preventing removal of the locking tab from the channel.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to swimming pools and more particularly to the retainment of a water tight liner used in the construction of swimming pools. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a locking tab used to secure the liner to a stair assembly of a swimming pool. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the present disclosure, a swimming pool liner is provided to be secured to a stair assembly of a swimming pool through the use of one or more locking tabs secured to an underside of the pool liner. The locking tabs are configured to be attached to the underside of the pool liner at predetermined locations that correspond to channels formed in the stair assembly, the locking tabs including a free-hanging tab extension that can be inserted into the channels to secure the pool liner against the stair assembly. 
     In illustrative embodiments, the pool stair assembly includes one or more step members. Each step member includes a riser panel, a tread panel extending behind and away from the riser, and a connection flange coupled to the tread panel. The connection flange of a first step member is placed in parallel alignment with the riser panel of a second, adjoining step member when multiple step members are coupled together to create a multi-step stair structure. A plurality of spacers is located between the connection flange of the first step member and the riser panel of the second step member such that a channel is formed when the connection flange and riser panel are coupled together, the channel being parallel with a back edge of the tread panel of the first step member. One or more detents extend into the channel and are spaced apart from each other along the channel. 
     In illustrative embodiments, locking tabs secured to an underside of the pool liner are located at predetermined positions to generally align with the channel formed in the stairs when the swimming pool liner is aligned correctly with the stair assembly. When the locking tab is inserted into the channel, a lip of the locking tab is compressed to allow the lip and a tab extension, coupled to the lip, to move past the detent when sufficient downward force is applied. The lip will be naturally biased back to its original position after passing the detent, abutting against a bottom side of the detent to prevent removal of the locking tab from the channel. 
     Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an front partial perspective view of a swimming pool with a stair assembly in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a series of step members of the stair assembly of  FIG. 1 , the step members coupled together to form a multi-step stair structure; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a pool liner and a locking tab coupled to the bottom of the pool liner, the pool liner and locking tab configured to be coupled together with the step members of  FIG. 2  to form the stair assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the stair assembly of the present disclosure, the stair assembly including spacers molded into a step member to form a channel between the step members, the channel configured to receive a locking tab; 
         FIG. 5  is an assembled perspective view of the stair assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the stair assembly of the present disclosure, the stair assembly including spacers stamped into the step member to form a channel to receive the locking tab; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the stair assembly of the present disclosure, the stair assembly including separate spacers to form a channel to receive the locking tab; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of the stair assembly of  FIG. 4  prior to assembly; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of the stair assembly of  FIG. 4  after the step members are assembled together to form the channel but prior to insertion of the locking tab into the channel; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of the stair assembly of  FIG. 4  after the locking tab has been inserted into the channel and a lip of the locking tab abuts against a detent extending into the channel, blocking upward movement of the locking tab; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the step member of  FIG. 6 , showing the step member includes a detent and spacer formed from a stamping process; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the step member of  FIG. 4 , showing the step member includes a detent and spacer formed from a molding process; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the step member of  FIG. 7 , showing the step member includes a detent formed from a stamping process, a separate spacer being secured to the step member; 
         FIG. 14  is a detailed view of the interaction between the locking tab and the detent of  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded full view of the stair assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In illustrative embodiments, a pool stair assembly  10  includes one or more step members  12 , a pool liner  14  secured to step member  12 , and a locking tab  16  coupled to a bottom surface  28  of pool liner  14  to secure liner  14  to step members  12 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , step members  12  are configured to be coupled together to allow stair assembly  10  to ascend from a first level  111  aligned with a base  102  of a swimming pool  100  to a higher second level  112  aligned with a surface  104  of the area surrounding swimming pool  100 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , locking tab  16  is configured to be inserted into a channel  11  between step members  12  when step members  12  are coupled together. Once inserted into channel  11 , locking tab  16  is difficult to remove from step members  12 , preventing pool liner  14  from unintentionally slipping or moving with respect to step members  12 . 
     Each step member  12  of pool stair assembly  10  includes a tread panel  20 , a riser panel  22  coupled to tread panel  20 , and a connection flange  24  coupled to tread panel  20  at a point spaced away from where riser panel  22  couples to tread panel  20 , as illustrated in  FIG. 15 . In the illustrative embodiments, tread panel  20  is generally parallel with base  102  of swimming pool  100 . Riser panel  22  and connection flange  24  are generally parallel with each other and generally perpendicular to base  102  of swimming pool  100  and tread panel  20 . 
     Tread panel  20  includes a top surface  40 , a bottom surface  42 , a front edge  44 , and a back edge  46 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 15 . Riser panel  22  includes a front surface  50 , a back surface  52 , a top edge  54 , and a bottom edge  56 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 15 . Connection flange  24  includes a front surface  60 , a back surface  62 , a top edge  64 , and a bottom edge  66 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In illustrative embodiments, top edge  54  of riser panel  22  is coupled to front edge  44  of tread panel  20 , and back edge  46  of tread panel  20  is coupled to top edge  64  of connection flange  24 . Each step member  12  is generally identical to other step members  12  in stair assembly  10 . 
     When two step members  12   a  and  12   b  are coupled together, stair assembly  10  is formed to include channel  11  between back edge  46   a  of tread panel  20   a  of a first step member  12   a  and riser panel  22   b  of a second step member  12   b , as illustrated in  FIGS. 4-10 . In an illustrative embodiment and as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , channel  11  may be formed by including a plurality of spacers  18  between connection flange  24   a  of first step member  12   a  and riser panel  22   b  of second step member  12   b . In another illustrative embodiment, channel  11  may also be formed by molding or stamping riser panel  22   b  to form a plurality of spacers  18  that bulges out from front surface  50   b  of riser panel  22   b  into channel  11  to abut against back surface  62   a  of connection flange  24   a , as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 ,  6 , and  8 - 10 . Similarly, channel  11  may also be formed by molding or stamping connection flange  24   a  to form a plurality of spacers  18  that bulges out from back surface  62   a  of connection flange  24   a  into channel  11  to abut against front surface  50   b  of riser panel  22   b . Other known methods of forming channel  11  when connection flange  24  is coupled to riser panel  22  may be applicable or apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. 
     In a first illustrative embodiment, front surface  50  of riser panel  22  includes a detent  48  near bottom edge  56  that is configured to extend partially into channel  11 , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . When connection flange  24  is coupled to riser panel  22 , detent  48  is located between bottom edge  56  of riser panel  22  and top edge  54  of connection flange  24   a . Detent  48  may be located between spacer  18  and top edge  54  of connection flange  24   a . In a second, alternative illustrative embodiment, back surface  62  of connection flange  24  may include detent  48  near top edge  64 , detent  48  similarly configured to extend partially into channel  11 . 
     Locking tab  16  includes an elongated web  30 , a free-hanging tab extension  32  coupled to elongated web  30 , and a lip  34  coupled to tab extension  32 . As illustrated in FIGS.  3  and  8 - 10 , elongated web  30  includes a bonded section  36  and a free section  38 . Bonded section  36  is coupled to bottom surface  28  of pool liner  14  at predetermined positions along pool liner  14  to align tab extension  32  with channel  11  when liner  14  is placed over step members  12  to assemble pool stair assembly  10 . Free section  38  is spaced away from bottom surface  28  of pool liner  14 . Elongated web  30  may be coupled to bottom surface  28  by any known means of coupling or bonding, including but not limited to welding, adhesive or application of heat between elongated web  30  and bottom surface  28 . In illustrative embodiments, free-hanging tab extension  32 , elongated web  30 , and lip  34  may be formed of one unitary piece such that locking tab  16  is one molded component. 
     Free-hanging tab extension  32  is coupled to free section  38  of elongated web  30  such that free section  38  extends between bottom surface  28  and tab extension  32 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Tab extension  32  is configured to be inserted into channel  11  when connection flange  24   a  of first step member  12   a  is coupled to riser panel  22   b  of second step member  12   b . Tab extension  32  includes a connection panel  70  and an insertion tang  72 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Connection panel  70  is coupled to free section  38  such that insertion tang  72  is spaced away from free section  38  when tab extension  32  is coupled to elongated web  30 . Insertion tang  72  has a first side wall  74  and a second side wall  75 , with the distance between first side wall  74  and second side wall  75  being D2, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Similarly, connection panel  70  has a first side wall  76  and a second side wall  77 , the distance between first side wall  76  and second side wall  77  being D1. Second side wall  75  of insertion tang  72  and second side wall  77  of connection panel  70  may be coplanar and formed as a unitary surface. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  8 - 10 , and  14 , lip  34  of locking tab  16  is coupled to first side wall  74  of insertion tang  72  and extends outward and away from first side wall  74 . A tip  58  of lip  34  and insertion tang  72  define a pocket  80  of locking tab  16 . In the natural state of lip  34 , the distance between tip  58  of lip  34  and second side wall  77  is configured to be D3, with D3 being a greater than distance D2, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Lip  34  is configured to be generally flexible with respect to insertion tang  72  and is configured to move into pocket  80  when compression force is applied to lip  34 . 
     In use of stair assembly  10 , channel  11  is configured to have a width W1, where width W1 is measured as the distance between front surface  50  of riser panel  22  and back surface  62  of connection flange  24 , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . As illustrated, detent  48  may be coupled to front surface  50  of riser panel  22  such that detent  48  extends into channel  11 , creating a distance W2 between detent  48  and back surface  62  of connection flange  24 , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . In an alternative embodiment, detent  48  may be coupled to back surface  62  and extend into channel  11  such that distance W2 may exist between detent  48  and front surface  50  of riser panel  22 . W2 is configured to be less than W1. 
     Width W2 is configured to be equal to or slightly larger than distance D2 so to allow insertion tang  72  of tab extension  32  to fit inside channel  11  in a snug manner such that walls  74  and  75  of insertion tang  72  frictionally engage with detent  48  and front surface  50  in illustrative embodiments. As locking tab  16  is inserted into channel  11 , lip  34  is compressed into pocket  80  by engagement with detent  48 , causing the distance between tip  58  of lip  34  and second side wall  77  to decrease to approximately the distance D2. Once lip  34  is compressed, insertion tang  72  can slide further into channel  11  and past detent  48 . As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , after insertion tang  72  has slid past detent  48 , the natural bias of lip  34  will bias lip  34  out of pocket  80 , allowing the distance between tip  58  of lip  34  and second side wall  77  to return to the distance D3. As such, tip  58  of lip  34  will abut against a bottom side  49  of detent  48 , blocking locking tab  16  from upward movement out of channel  11 . 
     In alternative embodiments, connection flange  24  may be coupled to riser panel  22   b  of step member  12   b  instead of tread panel  20   a  of step member  12   a . In such an embodiment, connection flange  24   b  may be coupled to bottom edge  56   b  of riser panel  22   b  to be perpendicular to riser panel  22   b  and extend in a direction towards back edge  46   b  of tread panel  20   b . Connection flange  24   b  would be generally parallel to tread panel  20   a  of neighboring step member  12   a , and would be coupled to tread panel  20   a  to form channel  11  between connection flange  24   b  and tread panel  20   a . Thus, channel  11  may be formed in either vertical or horizontal planes of step members  12  to provide means for locking tab  16  to be inserted into channel  11  for securement of pool liner  14 . In another alternative embodiment, connection flange  24  may be a separate component from riser panel  22  and tread panel  20  of step members  12 , with connection flange  24  being coupled to either riser panel  22  or tread panel  20  during installation of step member  12  to form stair assembly  10 . Other methods of forming a gap or channel  11  between step members  12  may be known to one skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. Lip  34  may be coupled to one side of locking tab  16  to configure lip  34  to engage with detent  48  if detent  48  is located on the front surface  50  of riser panel  22  or on the opposite side of locking tab  16  to configure lip  34  to engage with detent  48  if detent  48  is located on the back surface  62  of connection flange  24   
     Step members  12  may be coupled together in any known method of coupling. In illustrative embodiments and as illustrated in  FIGS. 4-10 , riser panel  22  and connection flange  24  may be coupled together by means of a fastener assembly  120 . Fastener assembly  120  may be located between the bottom edge  56  of riser panel  22  and detent  48  and extend through channel  11 . Fastener assembly  120  may include a bolt  121  that extend through apertures  123  formed in riser panel  22  and connection flange  24  and is secured by a nut  122 ′, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4-10 . Fastener assembly  120  may also include other mechanical means of connecting step members  12 . Further, spacer  18  may be secured between riser panel  22  and connection flange  24  by fastener assembly  120 . Other embodiments of fastener assembly  120  are also envisioned. 
     The configuration of locking tab  16  and its attachment to bottom surface  28  of pool liner  14  at predetermined locations enables a substantial portion of locking tab  16  to be inserted into channel  11  when pool liner  14  is coupled to step members  12 . When pool liner  14  is coupled to step members  12 , a bend  15  is naturally created in pool liner  14  as pool liner  14  covers tread panel  20  and riser panel  22  that are perpendicular to each other. In illustrative embodiments, bend  15  is located generally above channel  11 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 14 , the configuration of locking tab  16  to enable a substantial portion of locking tab  16  to be inserted into channel  11  enables bend  15  of pool liner  14  to have a relatively smooth concave surface free of any interruptions as it extends over tread panel  20 , across channel  11 , and over riser panel  22 . 
     In accordance with the present disclosure, a pool stair assembly  10  is provided comprising a first step member  12   a  having a first tread panel  20   a , a first riser panel  22   a  that is generally perpendicular to the first tread panel  20   a , and a connection flange  24   a  coupled to the first tread panel  20   a ; a second step member  12   b  having a second tread panel  20   b  and a second riser panel  22   b  that is generally perpendicular to the second tread panel  20   b ; a pool liner  14  having a top surface  26  and a bottom surface  28 ; a locking tab  16  coupled to the bottom surface  28  of the pool liner  14 ; wherein the connection flange  24   a  of the first step member  12   a  is adapted to be coupled to the second riser panel  22   b  of a second step member  12   b  to form a channel  11  therebetween, the channel  11  configured to accept the locking tab  16  coupled to the pool liner  14  to retain the pool liner  14  against the stair assembly  10  to prevent unwanted movement of the pool liner  14  with respect to the first and second step members  12   a ,  12   b ; and wherein the locking tab  16  is configured to be coupled to the bottom surface  28  of the pool liner  14  at predetermined locations that correspond with the channel  11 , the locking tab  16  configured to allow the pool liner  14  above the channel  11  to form a smooth concave bend  15  as it extends from the first tread panel  20   a  to the second riser panel  22   b  across the channel  11 . 
     The pool stair assembly  10  includes a detent  48  that extends into the channel  11  from either the second riser panel  22   b  or the connection flange  24   a  to retain the locking tab  16  in the channel  11 , and the detent  48  may be stamped or molded into the second riser panel  22   b  or the connection flange  24   a . The detent  48  extends approximately one-half the distance of the width W1 of channel  11 . The detent  48  may be located closer to the first tread panel  20   a  of the first step member  12   a  than a bottom edge  56   b  of the second riser panel  22   b  of the second step member  12   b  when the first step member  12   a  and second step member  12   b  are coupled together. A series of spaced apart detents  48  may extend into channel  11   
     The channel  11  of pool stair assembly  10  may be formed between the second riser panel  22   b  and the connection flange  24   a  by a spacer  18  located between the second riser panel  22   b  and connection flange  24   a  when the second riser panel  22   b  and the connection flange  24   a  are coupled together. The spacer  18  may be stamped from or molded with the second riser panel  22   b  or the connection flange  24   a . The spacer  18  may be located between a bottom edge  56   b  of the second riser panel  22   b  and the detent  48  extending into the channel  11 . The second riser panel  22   b  and connection flange  24   a  may be coupled together by a fastener assembly  120  located between the bottom edge  56   b  of the second riser panel  22   b  and the detent  48 . 
     The locking tab  16  of pool stair assembly  10  may include an elongated web  30  and a free-hanging tab extension  32 . The elongated web  30  may be coupled to the bottom surface  28  of the pool liner  14  and the tab extension  32  may be coupled to the elongated web  30  to be free-hanging. The tab extension  32  may include a connection panel  70  and an insertion tang  72 , and the elongated web  30  may be coupled to the connection panel  70  such that the insertion tang  72  is spaced away from the elongated web  30 . A lip  34  may be coupled to the insertion tang  72  to extend away from the insertion tang  72 . The lip  34  may engage with the detent  48  extending into the channel  11  to retain the locking tab  16  within the channel  11 . 
     The locking tab  16  may be coupled to the pool liner  14  after the pool liner  14  has been fully assembled. The locking tab  16  may be welded to the pool liner  14  or may be connected to the pool liner  14  by any other means known in the art. 
     In alternative embodiments, locking tab  16  and pool liner  14  may be configured to be secured to different components of a swimming pool  100  that are similar in shape to step member  12 , such as a bench or sun ledge. Locking tab  16  may be configured to be received by any components that include a means for forming a channel  11  when coupled together. 
     Although directional language may be used throughout the specification, such directions are intended to convey the scope of the present disclosure rather than limit the scope of the present disclosure. It should be understood that a direction, such as up, down, back, front, etc., may change depending on the orientation of one or more components of the travel golf bag disclosed herein. 
     Various features of the disclosure have been shown and described in connection with the illustrated embodiment, however, it is understood that these arrangements merely illustrate, and that the disclosure is to be given its fullest interpretation.