Patent Abstract:
A solar heater for floating on water generally comprises a flexible outer ring and a bottom cover. The ring and the cover can absorb solar radiation, reduce pool water evaporation and preserve heat in pool. Holes through the cover permit drain of rain from above the cover and egress of air from under the cover.

Full Description:
[0001]      
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                 REFERENCE CITED 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 3,949,095 
                 April 1976 
                 Pelehach et al. 
               
               
                   
                 3,984,882 
                 October 1976 
                 Forman et al. 
               
               
                   
                 4,022,187 
                 May 1977 
                 Roberts 
               
               
                   
                 4,103,368 
                 August 1978 
                 Lockshaw 
               
               
                   
                 4,146,015 
                 March 1979 
                 Acker 
               
               
                   
                 4,222,366 
                 September 1980 
                 Acker 
               
               
                   
                 4,284,060 
                 August 1981 
                 McCluskey 
               
               
                   
                 4,313,421 
                 February 1982 
                 Trihey 
               
               
                   
                 4,426,995 
                 January 1984 
                 Wilson 
               
               
                   
                 4,601,072 
                 July 1986 
                 Aine 
               
               
                   
                 5,059,296 
                 October 1991 
                 Sherman 
               
               
                   
                 5,511,536 
                 April 1996 
                 Bussey et al. 
               
               
                   
                 5,860,413 
                 January 1999 
                 Bussey et al. 
               
               
                   
                 5,938,900 
                 August 1999 
                 Reynolds 
               
               
                   
                 6,171,490 
                 January 2001 
                 Kim 
               
               
                   
                 6,385,791 
                 May 2002 
                 Bussey, Jr. et al. 
               
               
                   
                 6,640,353 
                 November 2003 
                 Williams 
               
               
                   
                 7,093,593 
                 August 2006 
                 Rosene, et al. 
               
               
                   
                 2010/0282240 
                 November 2010 
                 Hare 
               
               
                   
                 2012/0024372 
                 February 2012 
                 Delgado 
               
               
                   
                 9,200,465 
                 December 2015 
                 Mireshghi 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The field of the invention generally relates to systems for heating swimming pools and retaining heat in swimming pools 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    With the high cost of oil, gas and electricity, the heating of swimming pools is expensive. Various types of inventions have been proposed to use solar radiation to heat the water. Some solar heaters require permanent installation of coils of pipe and which require pumps to circulate the heated water, and which are expensive. 
         [0004]    Other proposed to use a sheet of cover to cover the swimming pools. The sheet of cover may utilize light weight thermoplastic film layers, having features like reflective integral air-pockets (U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,536). The cover must be removed from the pool before the pool can be used. The cover is expensive as it must be custom made for each pool. The cover requires large storage space, when it is not used. 
         [0005]    The Lockshaw U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,368 illustrates a pool cover having solar energy heating capability is provided comprising sheet material adapted to furl about a reel less locus in a storage position and to be deployed in an extended position. The cover must be removed from the pool before the pool can be used. The cover is expensive as it must be custom made for each pool. The cover requires large space to store, when it is not used. 
         [0006]    The Pelehach U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,095 illustrates a solar heating device for swimming pools comprising an inflatable raft having a thermally reflective bottom surface and a thermally transparent top surface, and means for elevating at least a fraction of said reflective surface above the swimming pool surface during periods of diminished solar radiation to reduce heat loss from the water. The Pelehach structure requires a pump to circulate the water. It is expensive, hard to use and suffers from other shortcomings. 
         [0007]    The Acker U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,366 illustrates a solar pool heater which has a submersible tubular ring attached to the perimeter of a transparent or translucent sheet. The Acker structure does not provide for efficient heat collection. The Acker structure is expensive to construct, store, shipping and maintain. 
         [0008]    The McCluskey U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,060 illustrates a floating solar heater which includes a top cover; a vertical outer side wall with inclined inner side wall segments connected thereto, an outside rim and a bottom wall. The inner side wall segments are octagonal, coated with light reflective material, and aid in reflecting the sun&#39;s rays to heat the space inside the walls formed by the cover which dead air space also provides for floatation of the heater. The bottom wall is heated by direct sun impingement and by the air in contact with it and is formed of a material having high heat conductivity. The McCluskey structure is expensive to manufacture, store, shipping and maintain. It does not require removal from the pool for pool use. However it is expensive to construct, store, shipping and maintain. 
         [0009]    The Rosene U.S. Pat. No. 7,093,593 illustrates a solar pool heater for floating on water which uses an inflatable ring to support the pool heater, which has a center hole serves to permit egress of air from under the heater. Rosene&#39;s heaters hold together by the magnets on the edge. Heaters must be removed entirely or partially before use. The hole in the center does not efficiently permit egress of air. The Rosene&#39;s structure is soft in the ring with valves, which is easy to cause air leakage. When deploy on water, the rings are easy to overlap to each other and are easy to be blown off by wind. 
         [0010]    The pool heater of my invention does not require removal before the pool is used. It has a hard frame. It is inexpensive, easy to construct, shipping and store and it is energy efficient. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    These and other objects of the invention to become apparent hereinafter are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by the provision of the cover structure hereinafter to be described. 
         [0012]    The invention is a solar heater for floating on water and it comprises a flexible pipe or a plurality of pipes, a coupling or a plurality of couplings and a multi layers cover, which has a dark color to absorb solar radiation, and which has layer to preserve heat, and which has a reflective film at the bottom side to reflect heat radiates from swimming pool. 
         [0013]    The pipes and couplings can construct a closed shape. In the preferred embodiment of design, the solar heater is a ring shape, which is constructed of one pipe and one coupling. In another embodiment of design, the solar heater is a square shape, which is constructed of four pipes and four couplings, with each coupling having ninety degrees angle. In another embodiment of design, the solar heater is a hexagon shape, which requires six pipes and six couplings, with each coupling having one hundred and twenty degrees angle. 
         [0014]    The bottom cover has multi layers films. In one embodiment of design, the bottom cover has one transparent upper film and one dark color lower film. The upper film and lower film form a thermo sheet with a plurality of bubble chambers in between. The embodiment of design allows solar radiation to pass through upper film, while the lower film absorbs the radiation to heat water. Air bubble chambers between upper film and lower film provide an effective and enhanced insulation barrier against heat loss from the pool. 
         [0015]    The holes on the multi layers cover permit flow of rain from above the cover and egress of air from under the cover, when the heater is placed on the surface of water. 
         [0016]    The object of the invention is to provide a durable low cost floating solar pool heater that is energy efficient, easy to store, easy to construct and require low maintenance. 
         [0017]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, before construction 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment in  FIG. 1 , after construction. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the preferred embodiment in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross session taken on line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross session taken on line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of second embodiment of the invention, before construction. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of second embodiment of the invention, after construction. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Throughout the several Figures, identical call outs are used to identify identical structure.  FIG. 1  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the solar pool heater of the invention before construction. Flexible plastic pipe  101 , typically varies from  1 / 2  inch in diameter to  2  inches as a maximum diameter. Depending upon the end use of the solar pool heater, the length thereof will also vary. Flexible plastic coupling  102 , typically the outer diameter of  102  is a little less than the inner diameter of  101 . Hence,  102  can be placed into  101  to connect two ends of  101  to form a closed ring shape. Different means of method could be used to connect  101  and  102 . One method would be to use plastic glue to glue  101  and  102  to ensure the ring shape will last. Plastic coupling  102 , typically varies from  3  inches long to  6  inches. The length of plastic coupling  102  is much shorter than the length of plastic pipe  101 . Bottom cover  103  is a multilayers thermo material. The upper side of  103  is transparent or semitransparent plastic film. The lower side of  103  is a dark color film, which absorbs solar radiation. There is a plurality of small air pockets  105  between upper side film and lower side film. A plurality of small air pockets  105  enable solar heater to reduce heat lost when the pool water temperature is higher than air temperature. Bottom cover  103  includes air escape means, such as a plurality of through holes  104 , for allowing rain to flow from the top of bottom cover  104  and air to escape from below the bottom cover  104 , when solar heater is placed on water. Through-hole  104  also allows water on the bottom cover  104  to drain down to pool. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the solar pool heater of the invention after construction; In FIG. 2  coupling  102  has been installed into plastic pipe  101 . A portion of  102  residues in one end of plastic pipe  101 , while the other portion of  102  residues in the other end of plastic pipe  101 . Connection line  201  is where the two ends of plastic pipe  101  meet. Coupling  102  connects both ends of  101  to form a plastic ring  200 . Bottom cover  103  has been attached to outer ring  200 . The upper side of bottom cover  103  has contacts with outer ring  200 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the embodiment in  FIG. 2 . It shows the outer ring  200 , the bottom cover  103  and the connection line  201   
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged cross session taken on line  2 - 2  of FIG. 2 . The dark shade area  401  is the cross session of plastic pipe  101 . The dark shade area  402  is the cross session of the coupling  102 .  403  is the cross session of bottom cover  103 , which has two films, the upper film  405  and the lower film  404 . Lower film  404  is made of dark color thermo material, allowing the solar pool heater to absorb solar radiation. Upper film  405  is made of transparent or light color thermo material.  406  is the cross session of air pocket  105 , air pocket  105  enable solar heater to reduce heat lost when the pool water temperature is higher than air temperature. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross session taken on line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2 . The dark shade area  401  is the cross session of plastic pipe  101 . FIG. 5 . shows one embodiment of cross session that only has plastic pipe  101 , but not has coupling  102 . The bottom cover has two films, the upper film  405  and the lower film  404 . Lower film  404  is made of dark color thermo material, allowing the solar pool heater to absorb solar radiation. Upper film  405  is made of transparent or light color thermo material.  406  is the cross session of air pocket  105 , air pocket  105  enable solar heater to reduce heat lost when the pool water temperature is higher than air temperature. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view of second embodiment of the invention, before construction. Flexible plastic pipe  601 , typically varies from ½ inch in diameter to 2 inches as a maximum diameter. Depending upon the end use of the solar pool heater, the length thereof will also vary. Flexible plastic coupling  602 , which has a 90 degree angle, typically has outer diameter a little less than the inner diameter of  601 . Four plastic pipe  601  and four right  602  can connect together to form a closed square shape. Different means of method could be used to connect  601  and  602 . One method would be to use plastic glue to glue  601  and  602  to ensure the square shape will last. Bottom cover  603  is a square shaped, multilayers thermo material. The upper side of  603  is transparent or semitransparent plastic film. The lower side of  603  is a dark color film, which absorbs solar radiation. There is a plurality of small air pockets  105  between upper side film and lower side film. A plurality of small air pockets  105  enable solar heater to reduce heat lost when the pool water temperature is higher than air temperature. Bottom cover  603  includes rain draining means and air escape means, such as a plurality of through holes  104 , for allowing air to escape from below the bottom cover  104 , when solar heater is placed on water. Through-hole  104  also allows water on the bottom cover  104  to drain down to pool. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of second embodiment of the invention, after construction. Square shape floating solar pool heater  700  is made from four plastic pipes, four connect couplings and one bottom cover.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4