Abstract:
An automatically deployed water removal apparatus for use with a solid, flexible swimming pool cover to remove rainwater caught by the cover. In one embodiment, a head with a water inlet pivots from a stored position along the edge of a pool to a deployed position near the center of a deployed cover as the cover advances to its deployed, pool-covering position. In another embodiment, a water inlet is attached to and positioned in part by a tether cord that may be reeled out during cover deployment and reeled in during retraction of the cover.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/839,980, filed Jun. 27, 2013, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates to devises and techniques for removing water from flexible covers for tanks, including covers for swimming pools. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Flexible, water impermeable swimming pool covers and similar covers for other tanks, pools and the like provide safe and effective covers. However, rain water often collects on such covers and can damage the cover and present a drowning hazard, particular for children and animals, because of water that pools on top of the cover. Accordingly, it is often desirable to remove such water that has collected on a cover or within a vault or other structure within which such a cover may be stored. Pumps for such water removal are available, but they must be placed on the cover by a user and removed before the cover is closed, which may be neither easy to remember nor to do, particularly, for instance, if it is raining. 
     SUMMARY 
     The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention,” “the present invention” and “disclosure” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim. 
     A water removal pump or pump inlet device may be automatically deployed when a cover is deployed across a pool or tank by friction between the device and the cover causing a portion of the device to travel, in some instances at the end of a pivoting arm, out to a central region within the cover where water may accumulate. Water, temperature and other sensors may be used together with appropriate control devices to enhance operation of such water removal devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partially schematized plan view of a water removal apparatus of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of one embodiment of a water removal apparatus of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged exploded isometric view of the pump head portion of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged isometric view of a knuckle hinge assembly shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged exploded isometric view of the pivot apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged exploded isometric view of an optional docking station attached to the pump head in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged isometric view of the pump and pivot portions of the water removal device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of another embodiment of a water removal apparatus of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is a partially schematized plan view of an alternative water removal apparatus of this disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary swimming pool  12  having a cover  14  with a cover leading edge  16  shown not quite fully deployed, so that water  20  may be seen in the pool near the bottom of  FIG. 1 . When the cover  14  is retracted, it may be stored under a vault  18 . The schematized water removal apparatus  10  depicted in  FIG. 1  includes a generally rigid arm  22  attached at one end to a pivot structure  24  and having a pump head structure  26  attached to the other end of arm  22 . A knuckle joint  28  allows the pump head  26  to move vertically as may be necessary when water on cover  14  has formed a depression in cover  14 . A pump (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), typically in the vicinity of the pivot structure  24  draws water from the pump head through the arm  22  and discharges it into a drain  30 . The pump may be actuated or turned on, and turned off, by control circuitry  108  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     Pump head  26  automatically moves between its stored position within the vault  18  and its deployed position near the middle of cover  14  as cover  14  is stored or deployed. Such movement may be powered, power-assisted or solely as a result of friction between cover  14  and one or more wheels  32  mounted on pump head  26  and in contact with cover  14 . Such wheel or wheels  32  located at an appropriate angle such that contact with the cover exerts force on the pump head  26  causing it to move in the same general direction as the cover  14  is moving. This causes the pump head  26  to pivot out of the vault  18  when cover  14  is being deployed on the pool  12  and back into the vault  18  when the cover  14  is being stored. The most force will be exerted on pump head  26  by one or more wheels  32  when the axis of rotation of wheel  32  is parallel to, or at a fairly small fraction of ninety degrees)(90° relative to, the direction of movement of cover  14 . As the axis of rotation of the wheel(s) comes close to or is fully transverse (i.e., at ninety degrees))(90° to the direction of movement of cover  14 , the wheels will just rotate freely and exert little force on pump head  26 . 
     A second drain inlet  102  located within vault  18  may be coupled by a pipe  106  to a valve  104  also controlled by control  108  when desired to withdraw water that has accumulated within the vault  18  and discharge it into drain  30 . Among other alternatives, valve  104  and the pump may be actuated in response to a signal from water a sensor  100  within vault  18 . A valve may also be positioned between pump head  26  and the pump and controlled manually or by control  108 . 
     Another embodiment of a automatically deploying water removal apparatus of this disclosure is depicted as apparatus  34  in  FIG. 2 . Pump head  36  portion of apparatus  34  in  FIG. 2  is depicted in an exploded isometric view in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , top head and bottom head castings  46  and  48  hold a nozzle assembly  54  that attaches to tubing end  58  that communicates through tubing  60  and with pump  42  (visible in  FIG. 2 ). Top and bottom head castings  46  and  48  also trap axles  50  of two pairs of wheels  52 , as may be appreciated by  FIG. 3 . The head castings  46  and  48  also hold a sensor  56  which may include a water sensor, a temperature sensor and possibly other sensors such as a motion detector. Sensor  56  is attached to a control located, for instance and among other alternatives, within an alternating current (ac) to direct current (dc) converter and control box  108  (near pump  42  in  FIGS. 2 and 7 ), through cable  66  that runs outside of tubing  60  but inside of pipe arm  64 . Pipe arm  64  may be a rigid material such as a metal or rigid plastic tube or pipe that encircles the tubing  60 . Alternatively, a flexible tube  60  and any cables could be secured with straps or the like to a rigid rod as an alternative to a rigid tube or pipe. Pipe arm  64  may not be needed if the tubing  60  itself is sufficiently rigid. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the pairs of wheels  52  have axles  50  mounted at a significant angle to each other. This facilitates the exertion of appropriate forces on pump head  36  by contact with cover  14  at different points in the travel of pump head  36  and during different directions of cover travel (opening or closing). 
     Nozzle assembly  54  may also include a water filter through which the water being removed is drawn. Pump head  36  is attached to arm  40  by means of tubing  60  and pipe arm  64 , as well as knuckle assemblies  62  adjacent to pump head  36  and intermediate pump head  36  and pivot structure  38 . The knuckle assemblies  62 , as is illustrated in  FIG. 4  allow fluid-tight fluid communication between tube  60  on opposite ends of the knuckle  62  while permitting articulation in a vertical plane. 
     Water sensor functionality in sensor  56  in pump head  36  can be used to turn on the pump  42  when water is present on the pool cover  14  and to turn the pump  42  off when no more water is sensed on the cover. A water sensor with or near pump  42  may also be desirable to sense the absence of water while water is still present on cover  14  because, for instance, the filter in nozzle assembly  54  has become clogged. This may permit control circuitry to switch pump  42  off so that it will not be damaged by running “dry.” Furthermore, a water sensor  100  in  FIG. 1  can be used by control circuitry in ac to dc converter and control box  108  to control valves (such as valve  104 ) so that water is removed from within vault  18  or some other location from which water removal is desirable. 
     As may be appreciated by reference to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , pivot structure  38  attaches to arm  40  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) by capturing a portion  68  of pipe arm  64  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 ) between two pivot bearings  70  that rotate within an upper bearing plate  72  and a lower bearing plate  74 . As depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , bearing plate  74  is adapted for mounting to structure not shown by passing bolts or other appropriate fasteners (not shown) through flanges  75  and into such structure. Flexible tubing (not shown) communicates between the tubing within pivot bearings  70  and pump  42  inlet  109  so that water can be drawn through the pivot. Cable  66  communicates with control circuitry within an ac to dc convertor and control box  108 . Tubing  78  may be an alternative drain line for draining an area within the vault (as depicted schematically in  FIG. 1 .). 
     In an alternative embodiment depicting a water removal apparatus  120  in  FIG. 8 , the same pump head  36  is used as in  FIG. 2 , but a different but similar pivot structure  122  is utilized together with an ac pump  124  and a controller  126 . (No docking station is depicted in  FIG. 8 .) Flexible tubing  128  may be used to accommodate the rotation of the arm  130  about pivot structure  122 . A water detection sensor  132  just “upstream” from pump  124  can communicate the presence or absence of water to control the pump  124  to prevent damage to it from running “dry.” 
     An optional docking station  80  visible in  FIG. 2  is further illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In docking station  80 , a mounting dock  94  (that may be molded of plastic, among other alternatives) is secured to a mounting bracket  96  with plates  98 , and bracket  96  may be attached to structure not shown with bolts or other fasteners, not shown, passing through flanges  97  and into that structure. 
     Top unlock pivot  86  and bottom unlock pivot  88  are mounted on mounting dock  94  and can rotate slightly about a bolt  81 . Coiled compression springs  90  secured in openings  92  (only one opening is visible in  FIG. 6 ) in mounting dock  94  biases pivots  86  and  88  in a counter clockwise direction as viewed from the top of  FIG. 6 . Pivots  86  and  88  have recesses  84  for receiving pins  82  on the top and bottom head castings  46  and  48  (pins  82  may be seen on the top head casting  46  in  FIG. 3 ). When pins  82  are in recesses  84 , pump head  36  is secured in its docked position (as depicted in  FIG. 2 ). 
     Pressure exerted on arm  95  by, for instance, as a pool owner rotates pivots  86  and  88  out of contact with pins  82  when pump head  36  and arm  40  are to be released and pivoted out to their deployed position with pump head  36  in a central region of pool cover  14  as is depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
     Arm  22  or  26  could also be biased toward its deployed position by a spring or other force-exerting component to facilitate deployment of arm  22  or  26  when the cover  14  is deployed. While friction between a retracting cover  14  and the wheels  52  may not cause such a spring-loaded arm to retract or to retract fully, contact between the pool cover edge  16  and pump head  26  or  36  should nevertheless drive the pump head and attached arm into their stored position. 
     Friction between moving pool cover  14  as it is deployed and wheels  52  causes the desired pivoting action driving pump head  26  or  36  out to its deployed position. Friction exerted in the opposite direction when pool cover  14  is closed likewise tend to urge pump head  26  or  36  and arm  22  or  64  to a stored position, typically within vault  18 . If such friction is inadequate to fully store the water removal apparatus, contact between pool cover edge  16  and pump head  26  or  36 , as the case may be, will forced the pump head and attached arm into their closed positions. 
     While the wheels  32  or  52  depicted in  FIGS. 2, 3 and 7  are not powered and simply rotate as result of contact with the pool cover against which they rest, in alternative embodiments, the wheels  32  or  52  could be powered to assist in deployment as described above or to enable deployment or storage of the pump head to occur without or separately from cover movement. Movement of arm  22  or  64  between stored and deployed positions could also be achieved or facilitated by force exerted on the arm  22  or  64  by an appropriate electrical or hydraulic rotary motor or one or more hydraulically actuated piston(s), among other alternatives. 
     In addition to the water sensor  56  visible in  FIG. 3 , which is associated with pump head  36 , a water sensor  100  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) may be located in a location within vault  18  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) where water accumulates, and a water inlet  102  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) communicating with a valve  104  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) through a pipe  106  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) may be used to remove such water within the vault by controlling valve  104  and the pump to draw water from inlet  102 , when desired, rather than from pump head  36 . Additionally, a water sensor may be located proximate the pivot structure  24  or  38  or integrated with the pump  42  to sense the absence of water because the filter as part of nozzle assembly  54  has become clogged, all the water has been removed from pool cover  14 , or for any other reason so that pump  42  can be shut off. 
     Other sensors can also be used such as a sensor detecting motion of pump head  26  or  36  consistent with a person or animal having fallen onto the pool cover. 
     A temperature sensor as part of sensor  56  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) or located elsewhere may be coupled to the control  108  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to prevent pump operation below certain temperatures at which the water may be frozen to prevent damaging operation of the pump. 
     Alternative structures and components are possible such as embodiments of this disclosure in which the water pump is integrated with the pump head  26  or  36  or is in some other location, rather than being located proximate the pivot structure  24  and  38 , as depicted in the Figures. As reflected in the different embodiments described above, one pump  42  uses a direct current (dc) motor and the other pump  124  uses an alternating current (ac) motor. Different types of, and differently powered, pumps can also be used. 
     Illustrating another embodiment,  FIG. 9  is a schematized plan view of pool  12  (also shown in  FIG. 1 ) having cover  14  and cover edge  16  shown almost fully deployed over the water  20 . In this embodiment, pump head  130  does not pivot on the end of a rigid pipe or other structure, and, as a result, no long, rigid pipes, rods or other potentially difficult-to-ship components are needed. Instead, pump head  130  is in communication with a pump  132  (that discharges into a drain  131 ) by a flexible pipe or hose  134 . Pump head  130  is tethered to a reel  136  within vault area  138  by a rope, cable, line or cord  140  that limits pump head  130  travel beyond approximately the middle of the pool cover. Pump head  130  travels along with the pool cover  14  during pool cover deployment so that pump head  130  is in approximately the middle of the pool cover  14  when the cover is fully deployed, as is almost the case in  FIG. 9 . During such deployment of the pool cover  14  and pump head  130 , cord  140  is permitted to spool out of reel  136  until pump head  130  reaches a predetermined distance away from the vault area  138  with the pump head approximately in the middle of pool cover  14  (or some other desired location). When pool cover  14  is retracted into vault area  138  in order to make pool  12  usable, pump head  130  likewise retracts into the vault area  138 , and cord  140  helps insure that pump head is appropriately positioned for proper deployment the next time the cover  14  is deployed. 
     Multiple reel  136  and retraction mechanisms are possible. For instance, reel  136  can be used solely for retracting cord  140  when pool cover  14  is stored, in which event, guided by cord  140 , pump head  130  moves back into the middle of vault area  138  as a result of friction between pump head  130  and cover  14  and as a result of contact between pump head  130  and cover leading edge  16 . In this case, reel  136  can simply contain a spring mechanism that retracts the cord  140  when the pump head  130  moves toward the vault area  138 . 
     Alternatively, reel  136  can contain a retraction mechanism powered and controlled by control box  142  to which reel  136  is attached by cable  144 . Such a retraction mechanism may cause cord  140  to be retracted into the reel  136 , thereby pulling pump head  130  back to the vault area  138 . In this alternative, the pump head  130  can be retracted separately while the cover  14  remains deployed. 
     In another alternative, cord  140  can include a power, sensor and/or control cable that provides power to pump head  130  so that a pump can be located in pump head  130  and data can be provided to the control box  142  from sensors in or on pump head  130 . In yet another alternative, one or all of such power, sensor and control cables may be positioned along with flexible pipe  134  or may travel separately to pump head  130  rather than along either of flexible pipe  134  or cord  140 . 
     In alternatives in which power is supplied to pump head  130 , pump head  130  can include a powered deployment mechanism, such as powered wheels, that can move pump head  130  out onto the cover  140  after cover  140  has already been deployed. 
     The sensors described above may be of any appropriate type for determining the conditions of interest, including without limitation electronic, magnetic, and electro-mechanic (e.g., float-type water) sensors. Such sensors and other system elements can be coupled to control circuitry through cables, but wireless coupling could also be employed, for instance, using existing wireless technology such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or infrared technology or using future wireless technologies. 
     Different arrangements of the components depicted in the drawings or described above, as well as components and steps not shown or described are possible. Similarly, some features and subcombinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative and not restrictive purposes, and alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this patent. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or depicted in the drawings, and various embodiments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims below.