Patent Publication Number: US-10316539-B2

Title: Reinforced pole for a swimming pool safety barrier fence

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to swimming pool safety barrier fences having flexible, lightweight mesh panels clamped to poles that are slid into mounting receptacles in a deck, and more particularly to a reinforced pole structure having a bendable insert in a lower section that can be straightened in the event the pole is broken as a result of external forces exerted on the erected swimming pool safety barrier fence, thereby allowing for continued use of the broken pole until it can be replaced. 
     Discussion of the Related Art 
     Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death of children up to four years of age and is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death of children between the ages of four and fourteen. Most of these drownings occur in residential swimming pools. In response to this serious and devastating problem, various systems, devices and apparatus have been developed in the art to help protect young children from accidental pool drownings. One of the most popular and effective measures against accidental drowning is to erect a safety barrier fence around the entire perimeter of the swimming pool so that young children are not able to access the pool without adult supervision. 
     Well known safety barriers that are commonly installed around residential swimming pools include stretched-panel fences that have flexible lightweight nylon mesh panels pulled taut and clamped to vertically oriented aluminum poles that are spaced every 3-4 feet. A lower portion of the poles extends below a bottom edge of the fence panels for insertion into the deck surrounding the pool. More specifically, holes are drilled into the pool deck and spaced slightly further apart than the distance between the poles. Next, mounting receptacles (i.e., plastic sleeves) are pounded into the drilled holes so that the top end of the receptacles is generally flush with the pool deck surface. The lower end portions of the poles (typically four to six inches from the bottom end of each pole) are then inserted into a respective mounting receptacle, causing the fence panels to be stretched due to the spacing of the mounting receptacles. Examples of this type of safety barrier pool fence are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,380,327 and 5,553,833. 
     One common problem that occurs with the above-described swimming pool safety barrier fences is bending and cracking of the poles, particularly near the lower end portion. This can happen if an adult or heavy object accidentally falls against the erected fence. In this instance, the force against the fence causes the fence, including the poles, to lean while the lower end portion of the poles remain anchored and upright within the mounting receptacles. Yielding to the force, the poles bend and crack in the area just above the mounting receptacles. Once broken, it is necessary to replace the damaged poles. This entails a costly and time consuming process of removing the broken poles from the flexible mesh fence panels and attaching new poles in the exact location on the fence panel. 
     Considering the common and ongoing problem of safety barrier fence poles bending and breaking, as described above, there remains a definite and urgent need for a reinforced pole structure for swimming pool safety barrier fences that will withstand significant force (e.g., the weight of an average adult) exerted against the erected pool fence panels while allowing the lower section of the poles to be straightened after being bent so that they can continue to be used functionally until replaced with a new pole. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a reinforced pole structure for use in the construction of a swimming pool safety barrier fence of the type having flexible, lightweight nylon mesh panels that are attached to a spaced arrangement of vertically oriented metal poles. More specifically, a section of fence is constructed by attaching a horizontal length of flexible, lightweight nylon mesh to two or more spaced apart poles. The mesh material, forming the fence panels, is attached to the poles with the use of a cove moulding that is secured to the pole with screws to effectively clamp the mesh material between the cove moulding and the pole. A lower end portion of each pole, extending below a bottom edge of the fence panels is inserted within a mounting receptacle (e.g., plastic sleeve) fitted within the pool deck. 
     Reinforcement of the poles, in accordance with the present invention, is achieved with the use of a bendable reinforcement insert that is fitted within the hollow interior of each metal pole at the lower end portion. More specifically, the reinforcement insert is received through an open bottom end of each pole and extends from the bottom end to a location above the lower end zone (i.e., above the bottom edge of the fence panel that is attached to the pole). The reinforcement insert includes a section of PVC pipe that has an outer diameter generally equal to an inner diameter of the hollow metal pole to allow a tight friction fit of the reinforcement insert within the pole. The reinforcement insert further includes a solid bendable rod of equal length to the PVC pipe section. The rod is fitted within the hollow interior of the PVC pipe section, providing a solid core, and has an outer diameter that is generally equal to an inner diameter of the PVC pipe section, to thereby provide a tight friction fit. Fixed attachment of the solid rod within the PVC pipe section may also be achieved with the use of a bonding material such as a noncorrosive silicon adhesive. When properly installed, the reinforcement insert extends from the bottom end of each pole to a location that is above the bottom edge of the fence so that the reinforcement insert extends beyond the location where the pole exits the mounting receptacle, which is the area of the pole which is most susceptible to bending and breaking. 
     Objects and Advantages of the Invention 
     Considering the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a reinforced pole structure for use in the construction of a swimming pool safety barrier fence that significantly increases resistance against bending of the fence poles when the safety barrier fence is erected with the lower end portions of the poles anchored within mounting receptacles in the deck. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforced pole structure for swimming pool safety barrier fences including a bendable insert that allows a bent and broken pole to be straightened and reused until it can be replaced with a new pole. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforced pole structure for swimming pool safety barrier fences that is easily adapted, by retro-fit, to existing poles commonly used in the construction of swimming pool safety barrier fences. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforced pole structure for use in the construction of swimming pool safety barrier fences that is resistant to corrosion. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforced pole structure for use in the construction of swimming pool safety barrier fences that is relatively inexpensive and does not significantly increase the cost of construction of the safety barrier fence. 
     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforcement insert for poles used in the construction of swimming pool safety barrier fences, and wherein the reinforcement insert can be easily and quickly installed within the interior of an existing aluminum pole and held in place by friction without the need for additional fastening hardware. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a reinforced pole structure for use in the construction of swimming pool safety barrier fences that can be easily implemented and adapted to existing manufacturing procedures. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are more readily apparent with reference to the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isolated perspective view of a section of a swimming pool safety barrier fence installed in a deck surrounding a swimming pool; 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational view, shown in cross-section, of a metal pole component and top cap in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view of the metal pole of  FIG. 2  taken along the plane indicated by the arrows  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a PVC pipe component of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a solid metal rod component of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view taken along the plane of the line indicated by the arrows  7 - 7  in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an elevational view of a cove moulding component of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a transverse cross-sectional view of the cove moulding taken along the plane of the line indicated by the arrows  9 - 9  in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the assembly of the several components of the reinforced pole structure of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the reinforced pole structure of the present invention installed within a receptacle within a concrete deck. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a safety barrier fence assembly  10  is shown installed to a pool deck  12  surrounding a swimming pool  14 . The safety barrier fence assembly  10  includes a flexible, lightweight mesh material  20  attached and extending between a spaced arrangement of vertically oriented reinforced metal poles  30  to define fence panels  22  between the reinforced poles  30 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , a top edge  26  of the fence panels is positioned just below a top end of each pole, extending horizontally therebetween. A bottom edge  28  of each of the fence panels  24  extends horizontally between the spaced apart poles  30  and is positioned at or just above the deck surface  16 . A lower end zone of each pole  30  is received within a mounting sleeve  29  fitted within a hole or bore that has been previously drilled into the deck (as seen in  FIG. 11 ). 
     The reinforced pole  30  includes an assembly of a number of components as shown throughout the drawing figures. Specifically, the reinforced pole  30  includes a primary pole member  40  defined by an elongate metal pole or tube (see  FIG. 2 ). The primary pole member  40  includes an open top end  42 , an open bottom end  44  and a hollow interior  46  extending between the open top and bottom ends. A cap  48  is fitted onto the open top end, to cover the top end and prevent entry of water into the hollow interior. In a preferred embodiment, the primary pole member  40  is an aluminum pole having a one inch diameter and a length of approximately 54 inches. 
       FIGS. 4-7  illustrate the components of a bendable reinforcement insert  50  that is fitted through the open bottom end  44  of the primary pole member  40  so that the reinforcement insert extends from the open bottom end and filling the hollow interior  46  of the primary pole member  40  up to a location that is above the deck surface when the lower end portion of the pole  30  is received within the mounting receptacle, as seen in  FIG. 11 . In a preferred embodiment, the lower end portion of the pole  30  is approximately 3-4 inches in length and is received within the mounting receptacle. The reinforcement insert has a length of between 8 inches and 14 inches. In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcement insert is approximately 12.5 inches in length so that the reinforcement insert extends approximately 8½-9½ inches above the deck surface  16  when the pole  30  is properly installed and fitted within the mounting receptacle with the safety barrier fence properly erected, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The bendable reinforcement insert  50  includes a PVC pipe section  52  that has a hollow interior  53 . In a preferred embodiment, the PVC pipe section  52  is schedule  80  and has an outer diameter of ⅞ inches. The bendable reinforcement insert  50  further includes a solid rod  54  that is fitted within the hollow interior  53  of the PVC pipe section  52  to provide a solid core. In a preferred embodiment, the solid rod  54  is formed of a metal material and has an outer diameter of approximately ½ inch and the hollow interior  53  of the PVC pipe section  52  has an inner diameter that is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the solid metal rod  54 , so that the solid metal rod is tightly fitted within the interior of the PVC pipe section. Moreover, the primary pole member  40  preferably has an inner diameter that is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the PVC pipe section so that the reinforcement insert  50  is tightly fitted within the hollow interior  46  of the primary pole member  40  and held in place by friction between the outer surface of the PVC pipe section  52  and the inner surface of the primary pole member  40 . The solid rod  54  can be formed of any suitable rigid material that can bend under significant force, but which will resist cracking and breaking. In one embodiment, the solid rod  54  is formed of aluminum. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8-10 , the flexible lightweight mesh fence panel material  20  is attached to the outer surface of each primary pole member  40  with the use of a cove moulding  80  that extends from a location just below the top end of the primary pole member  40  and down to the beginning of the lower end portion which is at the location where the bottom edge of the fence panels attach to the poles. The cove moulding  80  is attached to a primary pole member  40 , with the mesh fence panel material  20  sandwiched therebetween. More specifically, the cove moulding  80  is provided with an arrangement of spaced holes  84  for receiving screws  86  that extend through the cove moulding  80 , the mesh fence material  20  and into the primary pole member  40 . In a preferred embodiment, the screws  86  are ½ inch stainless steel pan head screws. The shape of the cove moulding  80  allows it to partially wrap around the outer surface of the primary pole member  40 , effectively clamping the mesh material  20  to the outer surface of the primary pole member  40 . In one embodiment, the cove moulding  80  is formed of aluminum.