WO2000071839A1

WO2000071839A1 - Covering device capable of accordion folding

Info

Publication number: WO2000071839A1
Application number: PCT/FR2000/001334
Authority: WO
Inventors: André Iser
Original assignee: Iser Andre
Priority date: 1999-05-25
Filing date: 2000-05-18
Publication date: 2000-11-30
Also published as: FR2794157B1; FR2794157A1; EP1101002A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a system for moving and blocking a cover (9) made of lathes (8), comprising in particular four fixing points (1) and (16), two winches (2), and ropes (4, 6, 10). The invention is characterised in that it presses and blocks the cover (9) on the ground in extended position, for security and isolation; it raises the cover and completely clears the uncovered space (17) after the cover has been accordion folded on receiving bars (3), for aesthetic embellishment. The device is particularly suited for covering swimming pools.

Description

FOLDING ACCORDION COVER

The invention relates to a foldable device for covering a tank. It applies in all areas in which we want to quickly cover or discover a surface of various shapes and dimensions, in particular a swimming pool or a tent, marquee, hall. It includes two posts and two poles

T anchor in height, arranged in a rectangle of dimensions independent of the surface to be covered, a blanket lathed perpendicular to its long axis, a rope rcliani removably the two posts with a width of the rectangle at the two anchor points located on the autic width, and two winches intended to mcltrc in tension these ropes to mobilize the cover above the surface to be covered, or immobilize it on its surface.

10 The existing covering devices are based on different principles: winding a cover, flexible or closed, winding a shutter, shelter, mobile or not.

Winding, in all cases, implies that half of the dirt on the upper side ends up on the underside of the unwinding, which in the area

The special feature of the leisure pool leads to aesthetic and ecological pollution of the water, with increased constraints and maintenance costs.

Covering a swimming pool with a flexible cover floating on the surface of the water provides no security. On the contrary, young children, animals can engage in it with confidence. Water pollution is further increased by the fact that the wind blows dirt on the edges of the cover and the 50% of pollution is happily exceeded. The operation of an automatic robot, connected by a hose floating on the surface and moving under the cover will cause its wear by friction. Finally, such a cover is not suitable for wintering the pool.

Covering with a flexible slatted cover provides some security,

IÇ which is however only present if the cover is held on the ground by fixings between each slat, which increases the handling time. In addition, the proposed winding technique is already a delicate achievement. Indeed, a crank system, manual or electric, will roll the tarpaulin on itself, thus creating an unsightly package at one end of the pool, and impossible to move away from it. The cleaning of such a surface is only possible if it is deployed above the pool. The width of a basin will often only allow partial cleaning. In addition, the necessary flow of water in the basin will cause pollution.

Covering with a floating shutter also provides some security. However, young children or animals may be encouraged to engage in confidence on such a surface. However, quickly, the water seeps over the slats from the sides, and the victim sinks with the shutter, possibly even being trapped in it.

Furthermore, as with a floating cover, a lot of dirt ends up in the water after passing through the periphery of the shutter. The solution is 40 brought by the installation of rails on the two lengths of the pool. This is however _Λ ,. „,„ PCT / TR00

WO 00/71839

unsightly, annoying to bathers and assumes the operation of an upgrade of ^the automatic water. Improved security is also available with thick blades ^for better buoyancy: ^the winding of ^such a strand n ^'is even more unattractive. A solution to pollution, aesthetics only, is offered with the ς ^~ realization ^of a specific underwater housing, which heavily increases the cost and does not solve the problem of environmental pollution.

Except as represented by a winding made of height system between four poles, other ^systems do not allow the winding bathing that if the surface is partly or wholly released. The above mentioned winding system 10 reveals an unsightly skeleton, connecting the posts, once the pool has been discovered. Covering by a shelter, telescopic or not, does not allow to stand on the sides of the pool, except shelter of dimensions and large windward. A floating cover is necessary to limit evaporation and heat loss.

The mobilization ^of a convertible shelter is difficult for a single person. IT Once discovered, the surroundings of the swimming pool are limited by the stacking of the elements of the shelter, even by rails on the ground.

Covering with a fixed shelter prevents you from enjoying the particular advantages of a completely open swimming pool.

All the above-mentioned systems, finally, are impossible, lo or delicate and expensive to produce, for complex surface shapes to be covered.

The present invention pretends to be capable ^of providing a solution to all the defects encountered in the field of removable covers, in particular in the field of swimming pools. It aims to meet the requirements of:

. safety, vis-à-vis children or animals of all sizes, by the total closure of the basin, systematically carried out.

. cleanliness, of the swimming pool and the cover, by an accordion folding,. insulation, by a mattress of ^air confined between the surface ^water and cover. economy, with the ^installation as ^the maintenance of the pool as the coverage by the widespread nature of the materials used and the control of pollution

. adaptability to all forms of pools,

. ease, with possible implementation by one person,. simply by the ^absence ^of motor response

. aesthetic with an implementation by winches and ropes, evoking the environment of the 3f pleasure,

. amenity with a pool and surrounding areas completely free in the open position.

To this end, the invention relates to a discoverable shelter. more particularly to a swimming pool enclosure, consisting ^of a size slatted cover covering the surface of the basin and top ledges or the equivalent of two poles and two anchor points, ψ rope, winches, and bars reception, characterized in that: . coverage is mobilized after it has been raised. . the elevation is carried out after tensioning of ropes by means of winches. the cover is stored by folding accordion-style, away from the pool, on the receiving bars fixed to the posts, j-. the coverage of the surface is secured by the re-tension cables after passing through bevel ^gearboxes fixed to the ground.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the two posts and the two anchoring points supporting the ropes on which the cover slides must be arranged in a rectangle whose two widths must be located beyond the basin, the lo two lengths being able go over it, which is particularly useful in case of stress related to the situation of posts or ^anchor point, or in case of complex shaped basin.

The benefits of the present invention consist in that position totally uncovered, the shelter will reveals that the two poles and If two ^anchor points, and elegantly folded concertina cover and resting on sleepers perpendicular to ends of the slats, with its ropes and winches giving a marine touch.

The other advantages will appear in the description which follows, relating to an indicative example. lo The understanding of this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached drawings and in which:

. Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the entire system, pillar, winch, receiving bars, ropes, battened cover, anchor point.

. Figure 2 is a schematic top view of this assembly as shown v; fig. 1.

. FIG. 3 is a view of FIG. 1 after release of the tension of the ropes and the angle gear, release of the fasteners as shown in fig. 11, attachment to the anchor points, re-tensioning of the ropes.

. FIG. 4 is a view of FIG. 3 after advancement of any bars} o reception and sliding of the cover on the ropes by means ^of a rope along the length of the sheet, tied around the bars thereof. as shown in fig. 7.

. FIG. 5 is a view of FIG. 4 after release of the tension of the ropes, release of the anchor points, and repatriation of the ropes on the tarpaulin. there. FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. 5.

. Figure 7 is a top view of the passage of the mobilization rope of the system through the cover and around a bar.

. FIG. 8 is a side view of an example of a batten roofing system and of a sliding means. C _f O. Figure 9 is a top view ^of one end of the first bar. The first one bar ^s' hearing side posts.

. Figure 10 is a top view of Figure 8

. Figure 1 1 is a top view of one end ^of last bar. The last bar ^s' hearing next ^points anchors. . Figure 12 is a front view ^of a pole, basin side.

. Figure 13 shows the lifting ^of one side, for a swim in out of the wind or the sun, or for cleaning the tank.

. Figure 14 is a top view ^of another embodiment, showing that the system can s ^adapt to existing constraints. i. Figures 15 and 16 are top views of ^other embodiments showing the system can be adapted to other forms of basin.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 of the attached drawings, the present invention relates to a removable shelter, which will find a very particular utility for covering a swimming pool type pool. Ic This shelter includes a cover 9. batten 8, the shape of the basin to be covered, and capable ^of being raised in order to ^be mobilized by sliding on two strings stretched 4 by means of two winches on both sides ^of the large coverage axis.

This system requires the proximity of walls 29, or the realization of posts 1 for use to support winches 2 and the delivery bars 3 of the cover 9. lo II also requires near ^anchoring points on a wall 31 or on light posts 16.

According to one embodiment preferred, the cover flexible batten 9 is made of synthetic material, equal in size to the top surface of the basin and its possible coping, ^that is to say approximately 30 cm beyond the limits of the -this. She

25 "may be transparent or opaque, it must have sleeves 26, regularly spaced in the width direction, for holding the slats 8. A sheath must be provided at each end of the cover and ^the spacing of the sleeves must be chosen according to two constraints: not too short so as not to increase the number of bars

8 and therefore the total weight intended to be raised and then mobilized, and not too long so as not to reduce the ability of the blanket to effectively protect an adult person after falling on it. A good compromise is generally between 1 m and 1.6 m depending on the slats, the covering, the total surface to be covered. The sleeves can be made under or on the surface of the cover. It is preferable to carry them out above to minimize heat losses and possible entry of dirt by the raised areas.

3S "edges that would otherwise appear, the cover in place being intended to be stretched.

The internal diameter of the sleeves must be large enough for easy sliding of the bar 8, but not excessive for better aesthetics of the sheet 9 once stretched. The sheaths can s ^stop to about 5 cm from the edges of the cover, to facilitate the passage of a cord 24 through two holes 25 t o practices in the tank to ^the upright edges of each bar and each end of these (fig. 10). A hole being sufficient for each of the ends of the two end bars (fig. 9, 1 1). The cords 24 are tied tightly around the bars and each receive a carabiner 7 or a pulley on the upper side of the sheet. This carabiner must have an internal diameter sufficient to be able to slide easily on the ç rope 4 once raised and tensioned, and sufficient mechanical strength to support its share of the total weight of the cover. It can be replaced by any other system allowing translation, such as a pulley whose groove would be adapted to the diameter of the rope (fig. 8).

According to a preferential embodiment, the slats are bar 8 lo hollow aluminum, with ^a diameter of 40 mm for a thickness of 2 mm, for example, a cantilever between two edges of the basin up to 5 or 6 m. Any other material is suitable if it is able to bear to support the overhang without buckle under his weight added to that of the cover and that ^of a mass human or animal, accidentally fell on it . The length of the bars must be greater than l? minus 40 cm to the width of the cover, to protrude at least 20 cm from the edges of the cover, in order to be able to stand independently on the receiving bars 3 (fig. 4 to 6).

The cover 9 must be able to be immobilized in tension on the surface of the basin to be covered. It is therefore necessary to provide a fixing system on the ends of the two external lo bars. This system is set receiving side bars 3, and only for limiting ^the distance of the cover when it covers the basin. It consists of a rope 6 connecting the first bar to a fixed point on the ground 23 or the post (fig. 3, 9). This system is against open or closed on the other end bar, consisting for example ^of a ring 1 1 attached to the bar by a cord 27 and a hook 12 fixed on the rope lζ 4, permanently by a ring screw 13, at the precise location that allows a correct tension of the cover once ^the ring bracketed (fig. 1 1).

Finally, the cover 9 must be able to be mobilized by traction once raised. For opening, a flexible cord 10 is knotted between each bar, equidistant from the carabiners 7, through a hole 28 made in each sheath (fig. 7).

} o This flexible rope is intended to bring each bar individually to the receiving bars 3, with of course. all the bars remaining to be brought back. It is knotted at a length equal to or barely greater than the space defined between the sleeves (fig. 2). For closing, a rope 18 is passed through the last bar and to a length equal to the distance between the receiving of bars 3 and ^the opposite end of the basin. The

3çr cover can thus be hauled until its total deployment with the total closure of the basin by lowering it. A ring 19 is knotted on this rope so as to stretch the middle of the cover in the closed position and covers a peg 20 placed at the end of the range.

The system for removing, receiving, then installing and blocking the

<-o cover thus defined consists of two winches 2, two ropes 4 and points of fixation. 1 and 16.

According to a preferred embodiment, the winch 2 are mounted on the posts 1, which allows to identify ^the space sufficient for operating the crank winches 2 on the side of the post 1 and set movably receiving bars 3 , 8 of the cover bars 9 through rings 21 to reduce ^the congestion of receiving bars (fig.12). The winches are placed at a sufficient height so that the sheet is raised and frankly s ^chasm not by friction on the top ledges 17 at its mobilization. It is possible to fix the winches 2 on a wall 29 and to have foldable or removable reception bars 30 (fig. 14 to 16). The bars 3 are fixed ιo lower than the winch 2 and a little laterally ^outwardly to their plumb for receiving optimally rods 8 when they exist.

4 Strings must be ^of sufficient diameter to withstand the voltage, extensible, rot-proof and resist ultraviolet. They are preferable to cables for safety reasons, the failure ^of a cable stretched by taking risks

(largest f. However, a cable 22 ^of about 1 m in length and small diameter can start the rope 4 side winches 2 to facilitate winching (Fig. 12).

At ^the opposite end of the sheet, a hook 12 is attached to the rope 4 with a screw ring 13. At ^the end of the rope 4, a ring 14 is placed to be able to quickly fix the rope on a stud 15 secured to the foot of the anchoring points, and which allows, with the angular gear 5 fixed to the foot of the post 1 to put the rope under tension and to press the bars 8 to the ground. In case ^of absence of the wall 31. The ^anchor points 16 are preferably constituted by poles garden fence type whose top may be capped by the ring 14.

The operation of the system therefore takes place as follows: IÇ To discover the basin:

. release the tension of the ropes 4 at the level of the two winches 2 and the bevel gear 5.

. release the tension of the last bar on the rope 4 at the hooks 12 and release the rings 14 of the studs 15 to hang them on the anchor points 16. lo. release the rope 18 giving the center voltage level of ^the ring 19 and the stud 20. Asking this string in the last inter-space ducts,

. raise the cover 9 by means of the two winches 2 and deploy the receiving bars 3,

. haul the cover at the middle part of the first bar and then each bar which arrives by means of the rope 10.

. release the tension of the two winches 2: the ends of the cover bars 8 are placed on the receiving bars 3

. fetch the ends of the strings 4 at the level of the rings 14. To close the basin i _f θ. causing the rings 14 of the ^anchorage points 16 . tension the ropes 4 using the winches 2

. haul the cover with the rope 18 remaining in the last interval between the sleeves.

. release the tension of the winches 2 Ç. pass the rings 14 from the anchor points 16 to the studs 15

. tensioning the cover by fixing the ring binder 1 1 of the last bar on the hooks 12 and the strings 4 by covering the peaks 20 with ^the ring 19 of the rope 18.

. passing the cords 4 in the bevel gears 5 and restore the tension on the strings 4 with the winches ιθ 2. According to another characteristic of the ^invention, it is possible to operate ^that one side of the cover for swim at ^the shelter from the wind or the sun, or to clean it (fig.13). S It can ^be adapted to local possibilities (Fig 14). It can be adapted to different shapes of basin (fig. 15 and 16).

While the ^invention has been described in ^an embodiment IS ^"particular, it is understood that n ^'there is no way limited and ^that can be devised various technical amendments, materials and combinations of these elements without it ^moves away from the scope and spirit of the ^invention.

The device according to ^the invention is particularly intended for covering swimming pools.

Claims

Mobilization system and immobilizing ^a cover 9 slat 8, more particularly suitable for covering a swimming pool, in particular comprising four anchoring points 1 and 16, two winches 2, ropes, characterized in that :

. it plates and blocks the cover on the ground in the deployed position, in a single operation ιu. it raises the cover and completely releases the exposed surface and its surroundings, after folding the cover.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with means for blocking the cover 9 by ropes 4 stretched by winches 2 placed high and passed through bevel gears 5 on the one hand , pegged to pitons 15

IV ^" by rings 14 on the other hand.

3. System according to claim 1 characterized in that it is provided with means for raising the cover 9 by ropes 6 stretched between winches 2 placed high on poles 1 or walls on the one hand, and anchoring points by rings 14 on stakes 16 on the other hand.

IC 4. System according to claim 2 characterized in that the tension of the cover 9 in the deployed position is ensured by ropes 6 fixed between the first bar 8 of the cover 9 and pegs 23 at ground level under the winches 2 on the one hand and by fixing the last bar 8 by rings 1 1 on hooks 12 fixed on the strings 4 by screwed rings 13 on the other hand.

15 5. System according to claim 3 characterized in that additional tension is provided by a rope 18 fixed to a stud 20 by a ring 19.

6. System according to claim 3 characterized in that the lifting of the bars 8 of the cover 9 by the ropes 4 and the sliding of the bars on the ropes are ensured by means of carabiners 7 or pulleys fixed on the bars by cords 24.

7. System according to claim 6 characterized in that the hauling of the cover is ensured by a rope 10 knotted around each bar 8 through holes 28 made in the middle part of the sleeves.

8. System according to claim 7 characterized in that the storage of the ^ cover operates by depositing on receiving bars 3 fixed below the winches 2 and more or less laterally outward.