Patent ID: 6938281

Claim:
A foldable spa cover and lift unit for installation on a spa having a housing structure with an outside surface an inside surface, sides and a top, the lift unit comprising: spa cover having first and second half-cover segments interconnected by a center fold; each half-cover segment having a top and sides; a spa cover lifting device having side arms with a lower portion pivotally connectable to opposite sides of the spa, the arms each having a distal end; an interconnection mechanism for pivotally connecting the side arms of the lifting device to the first half-cover segment of the spa cover adjacent to the center fold, wherein the interconnection mechanism includes a shaft assembly at the distal ends of the side arms and the first half-cover segment includes a socket assembly on opposite sides of the first half-cover segment, wherein the shaft assembly and socket assembly have releasable engagement means for realeaseably connecting the shaft assembly to the socket assembly for pivot of the spa cover to a storage position when the spa cover and lift unit is installed on a spa structure and the arms of the lift device are pivoted to the side of the spa structure; and a pair of journal bearing brackets mountable to the inside surface of the housing structure at opposite sides of the spa, wherein the journal brackets each have a bearing and the side arms each have a bend with an end segment with a pivot shaft engageable with the bearing of the journal brackets.