Abstract:
A protective device for use with a cover for a swimming pool; said protective device comprising: a pad having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior peripheral edge and an exterior peripheral edge; wherein said paid has a width extending between the interior and exterior peripheral edges; and a thickness extending between the upper and lower surfaces; and wherein the pad is adapted to be positioned between a coping adjacent an edge of a pool and a bottom surface of the cover; and a plurality of air spaces defined in the pad and which enable air or water to flow through the pad. The pad grips the coping and remains in place without additional securement.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/964,274, filed Dec. 30, 2013, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    This invention is directed to accessories for pools such as swimming pools. More particularly, this invention is directed to safety covers. Specifically, this invention is directed to a protective pad made of a loosely woven fibrous material which is positioned between the underside of the safety cover and the coping surrounding the edge of the pool. 
         [0004]    2. Background Information 
         [0005]    A large percentage of swimming pools are closed for the winter season and owners install a safety cover that is a sturdy custom-made vinyl or nylon cover. The cover has straps every couple of feet that are engaged with pop-up posts which are located proximate the edge of the pool. The cover keeps leaves and such debris out of the pool. Additionally, if an animal or person were to walk on the cover, the cover is strong enough to support their weight and prevent them from falling into the pool. The cover thus permits the person or animal to get safely off the cover. 
         [0006]    When a pool is covered with this type of safety cover, there may be movement of the cover in response to strong winds, and the like. This movement may cause the cover to come into contact with the concrete or stone coping which surrounds the edge of in-ground pools, causing the cover to become damaged. This weakens the cover and potentially could permit a person or animal to break through the cover and fall into the pool. Additionally, strong winds may lift the edge of the cover up slightly and leaves may blow under the same and into the pool. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    There is therefore need in the art to provide a cover for a pool or a method of using a cover such that the cover is less prone to being worn away by the coping surrounding the edge of a pool when shifted by winds. 
         [0008]    The invention may provide a pad that is positioned between the underside of the cover and the coping which surrounds a pool edge. The pad may be attached to the cover or to pop-up posts used to secure the cover in place. The pad is fabricated from a material having a loose and random weave of waterproof fibers, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fibers. The loose weave of the fibers permits the pad to breathe. Because the pad is positioned between the cover and coping, the pad reduces the possibility of the cover chafing on the coping. Additionally, the added weight and obstruction provided by the woven fibers substantially prevents leaves from blowing into the pool because the woven region prevents the ingress of the leaves into the region between the underside of the cover and the upper surface of the water in the pool. Still further, because the woven fibers are loosely engaged with each other, air or water is able to flow through spaces in the fibrous pad. This ensures that the pool water remains fresher while covered. 
         [0009]    In one aspect, the invention may provide a protective device for use with a cover for a swimming pool; said protective device comprising a pad having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior peripheral edge and an exterior peripheral edge; wherein said paid has a width extending between the interior and exterior peripheral edges; and a thickness extending between the upper and lower surfaces; and wherein the pad is adapted to be positioned between a coping adjacent an edge of a pool and a bottom surface of the cover. The pad may define a plurality of air spaces therein which enable air or water to flow through the pad. 
         [0010]    In another aspect, the invention may provide a combination of a cover for a pool having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a peripheral edge extending between the upper and lower surfaces; a pad positionable between the cover and a coping adjacent an edge of the pool; said pad having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior peripheral edge and an exterior peripheral edge; wherein said paid has a width extending between the interior and exterior peripheral edges; and a thickness extending between the upper and lower surfaces; and a plurality of air spaces defined in the pad and which enable air or water to flow through the pad between an environment outside the cover and a region between an upper surface of water in the pool and the lower surface of the cover. 
         [0011]    In another aspect, the invention may provide a method of securing a cover over an opening to a pool; providing a pad having an upper surface, a lower surface, an interior peripheral edge and an exterior peripheral edge; wherein said paid has a width extending between the interior and exterior peripheral edges; and a thickness extending between the upper and lower surfaces; and wherein the pad is adapted to be positioned between a coping adjacent an edge of a pool and a bottom surface of the cover; and a plurality of air spaces defined in the pad and which enable air or water to flow through the pad; positioning the pad on a coping surrounding an edge of the pool; extending the cover over an opening to the pool and over the upper surface of the pad; and securing the cover in place. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    A sample embodiment of the invention is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a pool cover secured over a pool by way of a strap assembly; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the pool with the pool cover and strap assembly removed and showing a pad in accordance with an aspect of the invention installed on the coping surrounding the pool edge; 
           [0015]    Fig,  3  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pad on the coping surrounding the pool taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 3  and showing the cover resting on the pad and showing air or water flow from the exterior and into the space above the water in the pool; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged top view of the bottom right hand corner of the cover and pad and showing a clips which are used to secure the cover and pad together; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the pad and cover similar o  FIG. 4  but showing the clips securing the cover and pad together; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged top view of the bottom right hand corner of the cover showing cords which extend from the pad engaged with the strap assembly; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged top view similar to  FIG. 7  but with the cover removed and showing the pad on the pool deck and with mounting brackets engaged with the peripheral edge of the pad and cords extending to secure the mounting brackets to the strap assembly; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged top view similar to  FIG. 8  but showing a different method of attaching the cords to the strap assembly. 
           [0022]    Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a safety cover  10  for a pool which is engaged via a strap assembly  12  to a plurality of pop-up posts  14  located at spaced intervals on a pool deck  16 . Safety cover  10  has an exterior surface  10   a,  an interior surface  10   b,  a first end  10   c,  second end  10   d,  first side  10   e,  and second side  10   f.  Strap assembly  12  comprises a plurality of individual straps which preferably are fixedly secured to strap assembly in any suitable manner, such as be sewing straps thereto. (It will be understood that pop-up posts  14  could be located on a ground surface surround the outermost peripheral edge of the pool deck  16 .) 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 2 , the cover has been removed for clarity.  FIG. 2  shows pool deck  16  surrounding a swimming pool  18  which has a quantity of water  20  therein. A pad  22  in accordance with an aspect of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2  as well. Pad  22  frames the perimeter of pool  16  and rests upon coping  24  ( FIG. 3 ) at the edge of pool  16 . 
         [0025]    Pool  18  as illustrated herein is generally rectangular in shape. Consequently, the pad  22  for use therewith is also generally rectangular in shape and generally conforms to the shape of the coping  24  surrounding pool  18 . Pad  22  has a similar appearance to a mat used in a picture frame which would surround the picture itself. Pad  22  thus has an upper surface  22   a,  a lower surface  22   b,  an outer perimeter edge  22   c  and an inner perimeter edge  22   d.  Inner and exterior perimeter edges  22   c,    22   d  are each generally rectangular in shape and are parallel to each other. Inner perimeter edge  22   d  bounds and defines an aperture  24  which generally corresponds in size and shape to the opening to the water-containing cavity of the pool  18  itself. The width “W” of pad  22  between outer perimeter edge  22   c  and inner perimeter edge  22   d  may be selected to be of any suitable and desired width. Suitable widths “W” include but are not limited to from about 8 inches up to about 2 feet in size. Similarly, the overall dimensions of pad  22  will be selected to be complementary to the specific pool  18 , pool deck  16  and coping  24 . Pad  22  may be fabricated from a plurality of sections or may be a single, unitary piece. So for example, pad  22  may be comprised of two separate, linear sections which are to be located adjacent the two ends of the pool  18  and two additional linear sections which are to be located adjacent the two sides of the pool  18 . Any suitable configuration of sections may be utilized, although the use of individual linear sections may be easier to put into position adjacent a rectangular pool as the sections can be simply be unrolled during installation and rolled up for storage when no longer needed. 
         [0026]    It will be understood that if the pool is of a different shape, then the pad will be similarly complementary shaped to the coping of that differently shaped pool. 
         [0027]    In accordance with an aspect of the present invention and as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , pad  22  may be comprised of an open-weave or open-mesh type material. Pad  22  thus includes fibrous material threads  24  and a plurality of air spaces  28 . Air spaces  28  allow for air or water to flow through pad  22  from the area surrounding pad  22  and into the region  21  between cover  10  and water  20 . The flow is directed particularly between the exterior and interior peripheral edges  22   d,    22   c  of pad  22 . It will be understood that air is also able to flow freely between region  21  and the area surrounding cover in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 4 . Water may also flow in this opposite direction if the pool water rises above the level of the upper surface of coping  24 . Because of the possibility for air and water to flow through pad  22 , pad  22  tends to stay in position during wind, rain or snow storms. Additionally, the airflow through pad  22  allows for exchange of the air trapped in the region  21  between the water  20  in pool  18  and cover  10 . There is thus a reduced tendency for bacterial growth on the underside of cover  10  and on the portions of the walls of pool  18  extending above the surface of water  20 . Consequently, bacterial growth under cover  10  and foul smells from bacterial growth thereunder are kept to a minimum, if not totally eliminated. 
         [0028]    The open weave material of pad  22  also enables an installer to thread straps through the material in instances where it is desired to secure pad  22  to rock waterfalls or other landscape features surrounding pool  18 . 
         [0029]    Suitable materials for pad  22  may includes various types of plastics and even recycled safety covers which are recycled and formed into a mat having a thickness “T”. A suitable thickness “T” could be anything from about one sixteenth of an inch in thickness to about 2 inches. The plastic used in pad  22  may be infused with ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers and antimicrobial substances. The UV stabilizers will aid in resisting sun damage to the mat. The antimicrobials will resist bacterial and fungal growth within pad  22 . Any other substances which will help pad  22  to stand up to harsh environments such as snow, ice, rain, and intense heat may be incorporated into the material of pad  22 . It will be understood that materials other than plastics may be used in the fabrication of pad  22 . Pad  22  may be cleaned by simply hosing it off. Pad  22  may be rolled up for storage purposes. 
         [0030]    Pad  22  acts as cushioning between the peripheral regions of cover  10  and the concrete or stone coping  24  surrounding the edge of pool  18 . Pad  22  thus aids in preventing the peripheral edges of cover  10  from rubbing against coping  24  and becoming damaged over time. Pad  22  thus aids in extending the life of cover  10 . The open weave type material used in pad  22  enables pad  22  to grip onto coping  24 . There is consequently no need to connect cover  10  to pad  22 , thus saving time during installation of pad  22  and cover  10 . 
         [0031]    Of course, if desired, pad  22  may be engaged with cover  10  in any desired manner. In a first manner, cover  10  and pad  22  are secured together by way of clips, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Engaging cover  10  and pad  22  together helps prevent leaves and other debris from blowing under cover  10 . Even if cover  10  lifts slightly, the fibrous material of pad  22  clings to coping  24  and aids in preventing the debris from blowing under cover  10 . With less debris making it through to water  20  of pool  18 , when cover  10  is removed in the spring there is less clean-up of the pool required. Using clips  30  additionally aids in ensuring that pad  22  also will not accidentally slide into pool  18  or slide outwardly from under cover  10 . Clips  30  as illustrated herein are clamping members which include opposing spring-loaded jaws  30   a,    30   b  having gripping surfaces  30   c  thereon. Jaw  30   a  contacts the upper surface of cover  10  and jaw  30   b  contacts lower surface  22   b  of pad  22  when engaged. First and second jaws  30   a,    30   b  are moved toward each other to clamp cover  10  and pad  22  adjacent each other. A release handle  30   d  is provided and is actuated to cause jaws  30   a  and  30   b  to separate from each other and release cover  10  and pad  22 . It will be understood that a plurality of clips  30  is provided around the peripheral edge of cover  10  in order to secure cover  10  to pad  22 . 
         [0032]    Pad  22  may be engaged with cover  10  in other ways.  FIGS. 7 and 8  show a situation where pad  22  is directly secured to strap assembly  12  and is thereby indirectly engaged with cover  10 . These figures show cords  32  which are threaded through mounting brackets  34  ( FIG. 7 ) engaged with exterior peripheral edge  22   c  of pad  22 . Cords  32  may be rubber straps. Cords  32  are then threaded around regions of strap assembly  12 .  FIG. 9  shows an alternative way of engaging cords  32  with strap assembly  12 . In some instances, mounting brackets  30  may be omitted and cords  32  may be directly secured to pad  22  by threading cords  32  through reinforced holes defined in pad  22 ; where the reinforced holes extend between upper surface  22   a  and lower surface  22   b . Alternatively, cords  32  may be threaded through some of the air spaces  28  defined in pad  22 . 
         [0033]    It will be understood that instead of pad  22  being fabricated from a loosely woven or fibrous material which has air spaces formed therein, pad  22  may be specifically fabricated out of a generally solid material with a plurality of air-flow channels therein. 
         [0034]    While cover  10  has been disclosed herein as being secured in place over pool  18  by way of strap assembly  12 , it will be understood that cover  10  may be held in place in other ways. For example, cover  10  may be kept adjacent pool deck  16  by way of water bags. Pad  22  in accordance with an aspect of the present invention may be utilized with any type of safety cover no matter the method of securing that cover in place over pool  18 . 
         [0035]    Pad  22  may be used by positioning pad  22  on coping  24  surrounding an edge of pool  18 ; extending cover  10  over an opening to pool  18  and over the upper surface  22   a  of pad  22  and then securing cover  10  in place. The method may further include the step of engaging cover  10  and pad  22  together. In order to accomplish this step a clip  30  with a first jaw  30   a  and a second jaw  30   b  is utilized. First jaw  30   a  is positioned adjacent an upper surface of cover  10  and lower jaw  30   b  is positioned adjacent lower surface  22   b  of pad  22  and then first and second jaws  30   a,    30   b  are moved toward each other to clamp and thereby secure the peripheral edges of cover  10  and pad  22  together. 
         [0036]    Alternatively, instead of using clips  30 , one or more mounting brackets  34  may be engaged on exterior peripheral edge  22   c  of pad  22 . One or more cords  32  are secured to each mounting bracket  34  and then those cords  32  are secured to strap assembly  12  sewn onto cover  10  or are secured to at least one post  14  mounted in the ground or the deck surface  16  surrounding pool  18 . Disengaging cover  10  and pad  22  is undertaken by reversing the aforementioned steps. 
         [0037]    It will be understood that any other type of mechanism may be used to secure cover  10  and pad  22  together. 
         [0038]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
         [0039]    Moreover, the description and illustration set out herein are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.