Patent Publication Number: US-2012023655-A1

Title: Portable swimming pool for beach use

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is related to and claims priority and a filing date of the Provisional Application bearing Application No. 61/400,501 and a filing date of Jul. 29, 2010. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a portable swimming pool. More specifically, the present invention portable swimming pool is a pool for use at the beach that includes a sand apron extending laterally from its side wall. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Families who take their young children to the ocean-side beach are faced with the issue of keeping their children cool and entertained without exposing them to the hazards of rough ocean surf. As such, it has become popular to bring a portable swimming pool to the beach with the family, filing the pool with ocean or fresh water, and permitting the child or children to bath therein. These portable pools are well known the prior art and are typically inflatable or molded from plastic. Such prior art pools are cumbersome, take up significant room in the family&#39;s vehicle and tend to be unstable. 
     Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a portable swimming pool for use at the beach which is easily transportable and stable. The approach taken by the present invention portable pool is to provide a portable pool which is situated into a hole dug into the beach sand, which beach sand provides lateral support and stability to the pool. 
     One prior art approach to a portable pool for beach use that is positioned in a hole dug into the sand is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,402 entitled Portable In-Ground Pool issued to Devino on Mar. 16, 1999. This patent disclosed a portable pool for beach use which employs an inflatable circumferential ledge and is secured into the sand utilizing stakes. Several disadvantages of this prior art pool are the fact that it must be staked down for stability and must be inflated. 
     Therefore, the objectives of the present invention portable swimming pool for beach use are to provide a pool that is stabilized by placement into a hole dug into the beach sand. The pool should be lightweight, collapsible and therefore easily transportable. There should be no requirement for inflation or employment of stakes. The present objectives are achieved through utilization of a sand apron which extends horizontally from the top edge of the pool&#39;s side wall. The sand apron may be buried under a covering layer of sand thereby stabilizing the pool and securing it within the confines of the hole dug into the beach sand. 
     Other objectives, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention a portable swimming pool for use at the beach. The portable pool of the present invention is formed from vinyl or other flexible waterproof material. The pool of the preferred embodiment comprises a circular base and a side wall that extends upward from the base and tapers outward as it extents up. As such, the base and the side wall are formed into a generally truncated conical figure. Extending horizontally outward from the top of the side wall is a sand apron. The sand apron lends stability to the pool during utilization. A user digs a hole into the beach sand which hole has a size and configuration that approximate those of the portable pool. The portable pool is situated into the hole and the user conforms the sand and the pool so that base and the side walls are pressed against the sand. Next, the user extends the sand apron out over the sand surrounding the hole dug into the sand. Covering the sand apron with a covering layer of sand further stabilizes the pool and thus eliminates the necessity to stake the pool or provide inflatable stabilization means. Finally, the portable pool is filled with ocean or fresh water and is ready for use. When the user is ready to leave, the portable pool is emptied of water, the pool extracted from the hole in the sand, and may be folded into a compact configuration for travel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention portable swimming pool showing it in use placed into sand. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention portable swimming pool. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the sand apron of the present invention swimming pool. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the side wall of the present invention swimming pool. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the base of the present invention swimming pool. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a portable swimming pool. The portable swimming pool of the present invention is a formed from a flexible, waterproof material that is easily folded into a compact configuration to facilitate transportation. The present invention swimming pool is designed for use by children at the beach. Generally, the portable pool disclosed herein is utilized by digging a hole into the beach sand (the sand is denoted S in the Figures) of a desired configuration, and placing the present invention pool into the hole to retain water. The beach pool conforms to the configuration of the hole and retains water, thereby permitting a child to bath without entering dangerous ocean waters. 
     Looking at the figures, the present invention portable swimming pool  10  comprises generally the following elements: a base  12 , a side wall  14 , and a sand apron  16 , all formed from a flexible waterproof material. The preferred material is vinyl, although other plastics or other such waterproof, flexible materials can be utilized. 
     The base  14  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is circular in shape and has a recommended diameter of 66 inches. As with all of the dimensions and configurations disclosed herein, the circular shape of the base and its diameter are merely exemplary and are not critical to the functionality of the invention. The base of the pool covers the sand at the bottom of the hole dug by the user. 
     The side wall  12  of the preferred embodiment extents upward from the perimeter of the base of the pool. The preferred height of the side wall is 18 inches and the side wall tapers outward as it rises. As such, at the top of the side wall, the circular diameter of the pool of the preferred embodiment is 74 inches. As the side wall tapers outward as it extends up, the overall configuration of the portable pool is that of a truncated cone. 
     Extending horizontally from the top edge of the side all is a sand apron  16 . It will be understood that the sand apron extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the base of the pool. As such, the sand apron extends outward from the top of the pool and out over the sand surrounding the hole dug into the sand. The sand apron is important to the functionality of the present invention beach pool as it lends stability to the structure of the pool and integrity to the side wall. In use, the sand apron may lie on top of the beach sand, but the stability of the structure of the portable pool is enhanced by burying the sand apron underneath a covering layer of sand, thereby alleviating the possibility of disturbance in the pool through activity of a child. As depicted in the figures, the preferred embodiment of the present invention pool includes a sand apron that extends approximately 10 inches from the top of the side wall and out over the sand surrounding the hole. When the sand apron is covered by a layer of sand, there is no necessity to further stabilize the pool using stakes, nor inflatable means. 
     To utilize the present invention portable beach pool, first a user digs a hole in the sand. Although the exact dimensions of the hole do not need to match the dimensions of the pool exactly, as the pool will conform and adapt to the size and configuration of the hole, the diameter of the bottom of hole should approximate the diameter of the base. Next, the user inserts the pool into the hole and presses the base thereinto and smoothes the side wall and the sand so that the side wall is immediately adjacent to the sand along the wall. Now, the user extends the sand apron outward on top of the sand and preferably covers the sand apron with a layer of sand, thereby stabilizing the pool and increasing its structural integrity. Finally, the pool is filled with water, either ocean water or sea water, and the pool is ready for use by a bather. 
     When the user is finished and ready to leave, the water is emptied from the pool. Now the pool is extracted from the hole and may be folded into a compact configuration for travel. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles and preferred embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to one skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, operation and embodiment shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.