Abstract:
The invention relates to an enclosure for a pleasure pool, which is completely or partially in the form of a rotunda and which comprises a plurality of rotary angular roof elements. The aforementioned rotary angular roof elements form an angular portion of the rotunda and rotate about the same vertical axis, each element comprising a frame framing at least one cylindrical filler panel. The frame includes a lower circular edge that rests on the ground and an upper edge from which at least two sections extend towards the rotation shaft, which sections join so as, together with the upper edge, to form a frame for an angular portion of the roof-forming filler panel. The roof elements are mounted to rotate about the same vertical axis in order to move between an open position and a closed position. The enclosure is characterised in that each frame framing a cylindrical filler panel is provided with a section (C, C) that is curved in relation to the axis of rotation of the element and which is disposed in the internal portion between the lower edge and the upper edge, forming a handrail. The invention is suitable for pleasure pool covers.

Description:
FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of shelters for pleasure pools adopting the form of a rotunda and in particular to adaptations for producing the rotating-movement roof elements to the best standard. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    There exist in the prior art shelters for pleasure pools such as in particular spas that offer a rotunda form adopting a substantially hemispherical or cylindrical shape. There also exist in the prior art shelters for pleasure pools of the swimming pool type that offer a rotunda or semi-rotunda form. 
         [0003]    To do this, these shelters comprise rotating roof elements each forming an angular portion of the shelter and rotating about the same vertical axis. 
         [0004]    These roof elements comprise a circular lower edge resting on the ground, a cylindrical panel, and profiles starting from the top edge of the panel and joining it in order to form an angular roof portion, the connecting ends of said roof elements being mounted so as to rotate about the same vertical axis. 
         [0005]    Unlike conventional roof elements that rest on either side of the pool and therefore have two support zones, the rotating roof elements participating in this rotunda are cantilevered and have a base bearing on the ground or on the area surrounding the pool and a top end in pivot connection about a vertical axis common to a plurality of rotating roof elements. This vertical axis constitutes a second support point offset with respect to the first and must therefore be sized for this purpose without impairing the aesthetic appearance. 
         [0006]    Another constraint relating to the use of a rotunda form lies in the mobility of the rotating roof elements, a mobility that must allow the greatest possible access to the pool. However, conventionally, one or more rotating elements remain fixed in order to guarantee the support of the others and the rigidity of the whole. These fixed roof elements are then oversized in order to successfully implement this function of supporting the others. 
         [0007]    Another solution consists of proposing a fixed internal structure for supporting said roof elements. 
         [0008]    Another constraint lies in the sizing of the rotating elements which, if they must all pivot, must then have an extendable structure allowing the rotation and retraction of one rotating element with respect to another. However, in the context of a shelter having optimised rigidity, the thicknesses of the various profiles forming the support frame for the fill-in panels is liable to negate an aesthetic effect. 
         [0009]    These various constraints led shelter designers to propose rotunda structures that are lighter and less mobile and have parts specifically sized for each rotating roof element constituting the rotunda. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Starting from this state of affairs, the applicant carried out research aimed at solving the drawbacks described above. This research resulted in the design and production of a shelter for pleasure pools having partially or wholly a rotunda configuration and comprising a plurality of angular rotating roof elements forming an angular portion of the dome or of the rotunda and rotating about the same vertical axis, each angular rotating roof element comprising a frame enclosing a cylindrical fill-in panel, the frame comprising a circular bottom edge resting on the ground, a top edge from which at least two profiles project towards the rotation axis, which join in order to form, with said top edge, a frame for an angular portion of the fill-in panel forming the roof, said roof elements being mounted so as to rotate about the same vertical axis. This shelter is remarkable in that each frame enclosing a cylindrical fill-in panel is equipped with a profile curved along the rotation axis of the element and placed in its internal part between the bottom edge and the top edge of a handrail. 
         [0011]    The presence of this handrail profile affords numerous advantages in addition to a support for the user and better manoeuvrability of the roof element. 
         [0012]    This is because this additional profile stiffens a frame and offers a support surface to the fill-in panel reinforcing those offered by the frame surrounding said panel. 
         [0013]    This support will thus make it possible to avoid excess thickness of the fill-in panel. This is because a vertical cylindrical surface is subjected to the forces due to wind and must be able to withstand such forces. The shelter of the invention avoids a technological solution consisting of oversizing the frames or thicknesses of the panels, which would increase costs and reduce manoeuvrability. 
         [0014]    The addition of this supplementary profile thus brings technical effects going beyond the handrail function while lightening the structure and at the same time stiffening it. 
         [0015]    This shelter can adopt the form of a complete rotunda arranged for example above a spa or a semi-rotunda arranged at the end of a high shelter. 
         [0016]    According to another feature, this shelter comprises a vertical shaft on which said rotating roof elements arranged below pivot. 
         [0017]    According to the form adopted by the shelter, this shaft is supported by a different element. According to a first solution where the shelter adopts the form of a complete rotunda, it comprises an external arch  300  forming a portico and supporting said vertical shaft at its middle part. 
         [0018]    The use of an additional external support structure is particularly advantageous in that it avoids the use of an internal supporting skeleton. In addition, it avoids the oversizing and fixing of one or more roof elements in order to fulfill this function. In addition, by avoiding making one of the roof elements fixed for support purposes, it guarantees complete angular mobility of the set of roof elements, allowing non-limitative positioning of the retracted assembly. 
         [0019]    According to another particular advantageous feature contributing to stability and avoiding oversizing, said portico has an assembly of three uprights and three half-beams placed at 120 degrees. 
         [0020]    According to another particularly advantageous feature contributing to the overall aesthetic appearance of the shelter, the top part of the rotating roof elements repeats the slope or curve of said portico. 
         [0021]    Another feature participating in the aesthetic appearance lies in the fact that said rotating elements are sized so that, in the deployed position, one rim out of two advantageously coincides with the plane in which the upright and half-beam are situated. 
         [0022]    According to one technological choice, the shelter adopts an extendable configuration in which the roof elements adopt a decreasing size to enable retraction thereof inside only one. 
         [0023]    The angular roof elements are composed of: 
         [0024]    a first vertical part consisting of a cylindrical portion with a vertical axis represented by the shaft, 
         [0025]    a second substantially flat part with a triangular shape repeating any slope on the portico and providing a connection between the top edge of the cylindrical portion and the shaft. 
         [0026]    According to a second solution in which the shelter adopts the form of a semi-rotunda placed at the end of a high shelter, the top end of said vertical shaft is fixed to an arch belonging to the frame of a non-rotating roof element with a size greater than the largest of the rotating roof elements. 
         [0027]    According to another particularly advantageous feature, the top ends of said angular roof elements are equipped with a connecting part equipped with at least one collar preformed vertically with an orifice. In order to form a guide sleeve fitted on the shaft, said sleeve has a thickness less than or equal to one half of the connecting part so that turning over the connecting part allows by symmetry the pivot connection on the same shaft of an angular roof element of identical dimensions. 
         [0028]    This feature makes it possible to use identical roof elements and thus reduces the cost of a rotunda. In addition, it makes it possible to use the same connecting parts for different roof elements. Such a feature is particularly suited to two identical roof elements arranged opposite each other. The following pair of roof elements has smaller dimensions but can have identical connecting parts fitted according to the same principle at a lower height along said shaft and so on. 
         [0029]    According to the invention, said shelter is also remarkable in that it comprises two types of connecting part having sleeves disposed symmetrically on either side of the symmetry plane of the top part of the roof elements and used on the side towards which said element retracts. 
         [0030]    According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention, the connecting part is equipped with two sleeves angularly offset on the same radius and offset in height so that, depending on the sleeve chosen, the height with which the roof element is associated with said shaft differs, thus allowing the pivoting of roof elements of identical sizes. Said angular offset increases the possibilities of angular movement of a roof element with respect to its opposite one placed symmetrically. 
         [0031]    According to another particularly advantageous feature, the top part of the roof elements comprises two ends of two profiles the connection of which is provided by said connecting part. Said connecting part thus has several functions and reduces the number of parts necessary. 
         [0032]    The fill-in panels framed by the profiles forming the frameworks of the roof elements can be produced from a plurality of materials, such as for example: 
         [0033]    polycarbonate, transparent or not, 
         [0034]    glass, 
         [0035]    microperforated textile, 
         [0036]    PVC, 
         [0037]    etc. 
         [0038]    Other features are able to be offered by the shelter of the invention, such as for example: 
         [0039]    each frame of angular rotating roof elements comprises two uprights to which the ends of said curved profile are fixed, the latter being fixed in the thickness of said uprights so that it does not form, with respect to the latter, an inward projection opposite said uprights, 
         [0040]    said curved profile is equipped, on the external periphery thereof, with fixing blocks fulfilling the function of points for supporting and fixing the fill-in panels, 
         [0041]    the top adjoining the profiles enclosing the triangular roof panel is offset with respect to the rotation axis of said rotating roof element. 
         [0042]    The fundamental concepts of the invention having been disclosed above in the most elementary form thereof, other details and features will emerge more clearly from a reading of the following description with regard to the accompanying drawings, giving by way of non-limitative example an embodiment of a shelter for a pleasure pool according to the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0043]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a perspective view of an embodiment of a shelter for a pleasure pool of the spa type according to the invention in the closed position, 
           [0044]      FIG. 2  is a schematic drawing of a perspective view of the shelter of  FIG. 1  in the open position, 
           [0045]      FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of an external perspective view of a shelter (or of a portion of a shelter) with an end adopting a semi-rotunda configuration in the closed position, 
           [0046]      FIG. 4  is a drawing of the shelter of  FIG. 3  with the rotunda in the open position, 
           [0047]      FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of a detail view of the pivot connection of the rotunda, 
           [0048]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a first part connecting the top ends of the rotating roof elements, 
           [0049]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second part connecting the top ends of the rotating roof elements, 
           [0050]      FIG. 8  is a schematic detail drawing of the connection of the handrail with the panels, 
           [0051]      FIGS. 9 and 9   a  are schematic drawings illustrating the connection between the handrail and the uprights, 
           [0052]      FIG. 10  illustrates another embodiment of a shelter for a spa in the closed position, 
           [0053]      FIG. 11  illustrates the embodiment in  FIG. 10  in the open position, 
           [0054]      FIG. 12  is a schematic drawing of a plan view of an embodiment of the connection between the profiles forming the triangular roof portion of the roof module. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0055]    As illustrated on the drawing in  FIG. 1 , the shelter referenced A is of the type opening and closing above a pleasure pool such as a spa, not illustrated. 
         [0056]    This shelter A is broken down into a plurality of roof elements  100  resting on the ground S (or on an area surrounding the pool) and the top part of which is in abutment on and pivots on a shaft  200  supported by an external upper superstructure composed of a tripod  300  independent of the roof elements  100  and connected to the latter solely by means of the central shaft  200 . 
         [0057]    Said portico has a set of three uprights  310  and three half-beams  320  arranged at 120 degrees. The roof elements  100  move in the internal space delimited by this external structure  300 . 
         [0058]    Said angular roof elements  100  are composed of: 
         [0059]    a first vertical part  110  consisting of a cylindrical portion with a vertical axis represented by the shaft  200 , 
         [0060]    a second substantially flat part with a triangular shape  120  repeating any slope on the gantry  300  and providing the connection between the top edge of the cylindrical portion and the shaft  200 . 
         [0061]    Each part is framed by a set of profiles  130  supporting fill-in panels P. 
         [0062]    As illustrated, the profiles  131  and  132  forming the angle of the triangular portion  120  join and are connected by means of a connecting part  400  that provides the connection of the contiguous ends of the profiles and connection thereof to the shaft  200 . As illustrated on the drawing in  FIG. 2 , the various connecting parts  400  are identical despite the roof elements of different sizes and fit on the shaft  200 , which comprises, on its bottom end, an axial stop  210  providing the support for this stack. In accordance with the invention, each frame framing a cylindrical fill-in panel is equipped with a profile C curved on the rotation axis of the element and which, placed in the internal part between the bottom edge and the top edge, forms a handrail. 
         [0063]    As illustrated on the drawing in  FIG. 1 , the various roof elements are sized angularly so that the edge thereof coincides in one case out of two with the plane in which an upright  310  and the beam  320  associated therewith of the portico  300  fit. Thus, according to the embodiment illustrated, the angular roof elements  100  are six (6) in number and are sized so as to correspond to substantially 60 degrees of the angular portion of the 360 degrees of the complete shelter. 
         [0064]    As illustrated on the drawing in  FIG. 2 , the largest roof element  100  comprises a third part  140  forming a façade consisting of transverse panels sized so as to provide the closure of the volume of the shelter A despite the reduced size of the smallest roof element joining said façade in the closed position. 
         [0065]    The presence of the tripod supporting the roof elements  100  makes it possible to benefit from complete angular freedom as to the retracted open position illustrated on the drawing in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0066]    As illustrated on the drawings in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the shelter (or the shelter portion) referenced A′ as a whole is composed of a plurality of top roof elements referenced E′ and adopts, at one end, a semi-rotunda form R′. 
         [0067]    More precisely, the shelter A′ is formed from rectilinear roof elements E 1 ′ able to move in the direction of the double arrow F 1 ′ in translation above its pool and roof elements E 2 ′ forming angular portions of the semi-rotunda R′ and able to move in the direction of the double arrow F 2 ′ in rotation about the same axis represented by the shaft  100 ′. 
         [0068]    As illustrated, the rectilinear roof elements E 1 ′ are composed of a framework formed from two skeleton elements  200 ′ braced by crossmembers  300 ′, a framework serving to frame and support one or more fill-in panels P′. More precisely, the skeleton elements  200 ′ are formed by two uprights  210 ′ supporting two beams  220 ′ assembled at the symmetry plane of the shelter, forming an angle to constitute a ridge of the roof of the shelter A′. 
         [0069]    Said fill-in panels P′ may be produced from a plurality of materials, such as for example: 
         [0070]    polycarbonate, transparent or not, 
         [0071]    glass, 
         [0072]    microperforated textile, 
         [0073]    PVC, 
         [0074]    etc. 
         [0075]    In accordance with the invention, the external skeleton element  200 ′ situated at one end of the shelter A′ provides, by means of its beams  220 ′, the support for a shaft  100 ′ above which the angular roof elements E 2 ′ constituting the rotunda R′ will pivot in order to pass from the position illustrated by the drawing in  FIG. 3  to the position illustrated by the drawing in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0076]    In accordance with the invention, each frame framing a cylindrical fill-in panel is equipped with a profile C′ curved along the rotation axis of the element and which, arranged in the internal part between the bottom edge and the top edge, forms a handrail. 
         [0077]    As illustrated in the latter figure, the angular elements retract completely inside the rectilinear roof element to which they are connected, thus affording complete access to the inside of the shelter A′. 
         [0078]    As illustrated, if the rotunda part R′ does indeed adopt an extendable structure, it adopts a symmetrical extendable structure and allows the use of identical angular roof elements. Thus, according to the embodiment illustrated, said rotunda R′ comprises five (5) rotating angular roof elements E 2 ′ with four elements identical in pairs and a single fifth one smaller in height than those of the smallest pair. Thus, when they are in pairs, the roof elements are identical and are placed symmetrically with respect to each other without preventing retraction. 
         [0079]    This specificity is made possible by the particularly judicious technical choices combined in the pivot connection used by the shaft  100 ′ and which appear on the drawings in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 . 
         [0080]    These angular elements E 2 ′ are, according to the embodiment illustrated, composed of: 
         [0081]    a first vertical part  410 ′ consisting of a cylindrical portion with a vertical axis represented by the shaft  100 ′, 
         [0082]    a second substantially flat part with a triangular shape  420 ′ repeating the slope of the roof formed by the shelter and providing the connection between the top edge of the cylindrical portion  410 ′ and the shaft  100 ′. 
         [0083]    The second part  420 ′ is therefore composed of a circular rim adopting the circular form of the rotunda and two profiles  421 ′ and  422 ′ connected at a first end to the top rim of the cylindrical portion and joining at an end that will come to be connected with the shaft  100 ′. 
         [0084]    The connection between the two profiles  421 ′ and  422 ′ bordering the top part of the roof element E 2 ′ and forming the triangular part and the connection between this top part and the shaft  100 ′ are produced by means of a connecting part. 
         [0085]    According to one embodiment, this connecting part is identical for each angular roof element E 2 ′. 
         [0086]    Nevertheless, according to the embodiment illustrated, two types of connecting parts  500   a ′ and  500   b ′ (cf.  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) each has a sleeve placed, according to the connecting part, symmetrically on either side of the symmetry plane of the top part of the roof elements and used according to the side towards which said element retracts. 
         [0087]    The connecting part  500   a ′ comprises a body  510   a ′ from where project, at the angle of the triangle forming the top part of the roof element E 2 ′, two profiles  520   a ′ and  530   a ′ able to fit in the joining hollow ends of the profiles  421 ′ and  422 ′. This body  510   a ′ is also preformed from a sleeve  540   a ′ bored with an orifice  541   a′.    
         [0088]    According to the part  500   a ′ or  500   b ′, these collars have the same thickness and their bore is the same diameter, enabling them to offer a sliding pivot connection with the shaft  100 ′, as illustrated on the drawing in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0089]    The presence of two collars and therefore of two possibilities of connection to the shaft  100 ′, possibilities of equivalent radius but different heights, is evidenced from a study of  FIG. 5 , which shows that the offset of the two collars enables the use at the same height of angular roof elements of equal dimensions. Thus, for the same height of the top roof element part, the two connecting parts have two collar position possibilities fitting in the total height of the connecting part and allowing the use of roof elements with the same dimensions. In addition, the angular offset of constant radius allows greater travel between two roof elements with the same dimensions and arranged opposite. 
         [0090]    To facilitate this rotation, the connecting parts are also preformed so as to have cooperating complementary shapes once the connecting parts of two roof elements of identical dimensions are positioned on the shaft  100 ′ and allowing the greatest possible angular mobility. Thus each connecting part is preformed with the counter-shape of the collar of the connecting part of the facing roof element. 
         [0091]    In order to support this assembly of pivoting parts, the shaft  100 ′ is associated, by means of a bearing  110 ′, with the beam  220 ′ and comprises, on its bottom end, a removable axial stop  120 ′. As illustrated, the top end of said vertical shaft  100 ′ is fixed to an arch  220  with a size greater than the largest of the rotating roof elements forming the rotunda R′. 
         [0092]    In order to avoid said bottom stop  120 ′ supporting all the forces alone, axial support rings  130 ′ are fixed to the shaft  100 ′, being interposed between the collars  550 ′ or  540 ′ of the connecting parts  500 ′. In order to facilitate this function, said rings are associated with nylon braces. 
         [0093]    As illustrated on the drawing in  FIG. 8 , said curved profile C is equipped, on the external periphery thereof, with fixing blocks fulfilling the function of points supporting and fixing the fill-in panels  410 . 
         [0094]    In addition, as illustrated on the drawing in  FIGS. 9 and 9   a , each frame comprises two uprights to which the ends of said curved profile C are fixed, the latter being fixed in the thickness of said uprights. As illustrated, the width of the handrail C is integrated in the thickness or in the width defined by the profile of the uprights. Thus the presence of said curved profile C forming a handrail does not constitute an obstacle to the rotation of the roof modules. 
         [0095]    The embodiment of the shelter A″ illustrated by the drawings in  FIGS. 10 and 11  offers a configuration in four roof modules  100 ″,  200 ″,  300 ″ and  400 ″ rotating with respect to the portico. As illustrated, these roof modules are fully moveable because of their adjusted size and their extendable configuration. A seal of the brush type provides the closure of the space left free between the modules. The roof elements can then turn without any obstacle in both directions. 
         [0096]    According to the configuration proposed, the four roof modules have in pairs the same roof angle. Thus the roof module  100 ″ has the same angle as the module  300 ″. Likewise, the angle of the module  200 ″ is identical to that proposed by the module  400 ″. 
         [0097]    In addition, the angle formed by the roof of the modules  100 ″ and  300 ″ corresponds substantially to twice that of the roof of the modules  200 ″ and  400 ″. This angular distribution allows the open configuration illustrated by the drawing in  FIG. 11 , where the two modules  200 ″ and  400 ″ fit in the angle formed by the two modules  100 ″ and  300 ″ placed one above the other. 
         [0098]    The juxtaposition of the two modules  200 ″ and  400 ″ is made possible without conflict at the rotation shaft by means of the feature illustrated by the drawing in  FIG. 12 , which proposes that the top joining the profiles framing the triangular roof panel be offset with respect to the rotation axis. 
         [0099]    It will be understood that the shelter that has just been described and depicted above was so described and depicted with a view to a disclosure rather than a limitation. Naturally various arrangements, modifications and improvements could be made to the above example without for all that departing from the scope of the invention.