Cladding device for the pond of a swimming pool or the like

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6643983
  • Patent Number
    6,643,983
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, January 31, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, November 11, 2003
    20 years ago
Abstract
A cladding device for the pond of a swimming pool or the like includes a slab as well as side walls made of concrete or the like. This device is characterized in that it is formed of tightly juxtaposed glass plates applied, through mounting mechanisms, against the slab and the side walls of the pond, on the inner side of the latter.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The invention relates to a cladding device for the pond of a swimming pool or the like comprised of a slab as well as of side walls made of concrete or the like.




This invention relates to the field of the manufacture and/or renovation of a pond, in particular that of a swimming pool, namely a private swimming pool, an aquarium or the like.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




There are already known such ponds, namely implanted at the level of an excavation, and defined by a slab bordered by side walls, such a pond being generally made of concrete or the like.




This pond is usually completed with a cladding of a waterproof type that covers the concrete and is aimed at impeding water from leaking out of this pond. In a complementary way, this cladding can also contribute to the esthetic nature of said pond by ensuring an enhancement of the latter.




Thus, it is known to carry out such a cladding by applying, through gluing, the pieces of a filing or mosaic on the concrete of said pond. In this respect one should note that such an embodiment results into a particularly high cost price of such a pond. In addition, the glue capable of ensuring the adhesion of the tiles or the mosaic suffers from degradations in the course of time, which causes water to leak at the level of the concrete.




Another embodiment consists in applying on the concrete of the pond a synthetic waterproof coating formed, e.g., by a resin layer spread over this concrete. The spreading of this resin is a tiresome work and often results into a non-constant thickness, even lacks of it at the level of the applied layer.




Such a coating can also be formed by a film in the form of rolls of a determined width, which are unwound over the surface of the concrete of the pond and which are welded edge to edge, in order to achieve the tight nature. In the course of time, the coating weakens in particular at the level of these welding seams.




The non-homogeneity of the thickness of the resin layer, the lacks of it at the level of the latter as well as the weakening of the welding seams result into leaks that are particularly difficult to be localized and which are difficult to be repaired.




BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is aimed at coping with the drawbacks of the cladding devices of the state of technique.




To this end, this invention relates to a cladding device for the pond of a swimming pool or the like comprised of a slab as well as of side walls made of concrete or the like, characterized in that said cladding device is formed of tightly juxtaposed glass plates applied through mounting means, against the slab and the side walls of said pond, on the inner side of the latter.




According to an embodiment the mounting means are defined by a frame, on the one hand, defined by an assembly of profile bars taking the shape of an angle iron, on the other hand, inside which a glass plate is inserted and tightly fixed and, furthermore, provided or designed so as to be capable of co-operating with means allowing fixing it at the level of the slab and/or of a side wall of said pond.




According to another embodiment the mounting means are defined by a frame formed of an assembly of profile bars, namely of a metallic type, fixed to the slab and/or to a side wall of the pond, against this frame being inserted said glass plates.




Another feature consists in that two adjacent plates are juxtaposed at the level of a profile bar extending longitudinally with respect to the juxtaposed edges of said plates.




In fact, two adjacent plates, which clad as the case may be, the slab or a side wall, are inserted above a profile bar fixed to said slab or to said side wall.




However, at the level of the union between the slab and a side wall, the frame includes at least one profile bar taking the shape of an angle iron against which is inserted a first glass plate cladding said slab and defining, in combination with said angle iron, means for encasing a second glass plate cladding a side wall.




According to another feature, the mounting means also include at least one fixing organ taking the form of a fastening lug, on the one hand, made integral with a profile bar of the frame and, on the other hand, designed so as to be capable of cooperating with the edge of at least one glass plate, at the upper portion of the latter, in order to fasten and/or to maintain such a plate at the level of a side wall of the pond.




According to another feature, between two juxtaposed glass plates is defined a gap into which is inserted a fir-type seal coated with a silicone-type seal.




An additional feature consists in that the mounting means also include a compressive seal inserted against said profile bar and including means forming suction pads designed so as to be capable of co-operating with at least one glass plate, in order to ensure an immobilization of the latter on said profile bar.




Another feature is that each glass plate is defined by a superposition of at least two glass plates, preferably separated by a reinforcing element, namely a shielded, armored or laminated glass plate.




According to an additional feature, such a glass plate is of a transparent type and completed with an enameled or lacquered-glass film, layer or plate having, as the case may be, particular patterns and/or a particular color.




Another feature is that the cladding device includes optical means capable of creating light effects or of transmitting a particular illumination light, such means being arranged at the level of the slab or of a side wall of the pond even interposed between the latter and said cladding device.




In fact, such a glass plate can be completed with an anti-slip coating.




The advantages of this invention reside in that the cladding device is formed of juxtaposed glass plates.




In this respect, one should note that glass is a material that is particular resistant to chemical (cleaning and maintenance products for a swimming pool or the like . . . ) and physical attacks (maintenance equipment objects of any kind entering into contact, whether intentionally or not with the glass . . . ).




In addition, cladding a pond by means of a glass material considerably facilitates the maintenance of a swimming pool or the like, namely because this material does not require particular precautions to be taken or a specific equipment to be used to clean it.




One should note that these glass plates are inserted against a frame comprised of profile bars, this through means authorizing an easy and individual removal of each plate, namely with a view to its replacing.




The present invention will be better understood when reading the following description, with reference to the attached drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a schematic perspective and partly cross-sectional view of part of the pond of a swimming pool receiving a cladding device according to the invention.





FIG. 2

is a schematic view corresponding to a cross-section along II—II of the pond shown in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a schematic view of a detail corresponding to the juxtaposition of two plates inserted against a profile bar fixed to the slab of the pond.





FIG. 4

is a schematic view similar to the previous one and corresponding to a detail of the juxtaposition of a plate cladding the slab and a plate cladding a side wall of the pond.





FIG. 5

is a schematic view similar to FIG.


3


and corresponds to the juxtaposition of two plates inserted against a profile bar fixed to a side wall of the pond.





FIGS. 6 and 7

are schematic views similar to

FIGS. 2 and 3

and correspond to another embodiment of the invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to the field of the manufacture and/or the renovation of a pond aimed at containing water and its object is a cladding device for such a pond.




One should note that in the further description reference will be made more in particular to a cladding device for a swimming pool. It is obvious that this corresponds to a particular application of this invention, whereby it must be understood that the latter is in no way limited to such a swimming pool and that it can also be used in a pond of another type, namely an ornament pond, a tank, an aquarium or the like.




As can be seen in the figures of the attached drawings, this invention relates to a pond


1


, namely that of a swimming pool


2


or the like.




In fact this pond


1


is comprised, on the one hand, of a slab


3


, namely defined by a preferably reinforced poured concrete


4


and, on the other hand, by side walls


5


defined by a masonry or by a concrete


4


, namely similar to that forming said slab


3


.




As known per se, such a pond


1


is usually completed with a device


6


allowing ensuring a cladding of this pond


1


on its inner side


7


. Such a cladding device


6


forms a waterproof barrier aimed at retaining the water poured into the swimming pool


2


by impeding any water leakage.




According to the invention, said cladding device


6


is comprised of glass plates


8


,


9


aimed at forming the cladding, for some


8


of them, of the slab


3


and, for the other ones


9


, of a side wall


5


of the pond


1


.




These glass plates


8


,


9


are designed so as to be capable of being tightly juxtaposed and inserted, through mounting means


10


, against the slab


3


and the side walls


5


of said pond


1


, on the inner side


7


of the latter.




As can be seen in the figures of the attached drawings, the mounting means


10


are defined by a frame


11


, made integral with the slab


3


and the side walls


5


of said pond


1


, and against which said glass plates


8


,


9


are inserted.




In fact, this frame


11


is comprised of an assembly of profile bars


12


made integral, through fastening means


13


, with the slab


3


and/or at least one side wall


5


of the pond


1


.




Such fastening means


13


can be defined by anchoring means, namely in the form of a lug, aimed at being sealed at the level of said pond


1


. However, according to a preferred embodiment which can be seen in

FIGS. 3 and 4

of the attached drawings, such fastening means


13


are comprised of at least one fastening screw


14


capable of cooperating with the concrete


4


or the masonry of the pond


1


.




One should note that such profile bars


12


are made out of a rigid corrosion-proof material, preferably a metallic material, namely of a rust-proof type, for instance aluminum or an aluminum alloy.




According to another feature of this invention, these profile bars


12


are implanted in a particular way at the level of said pond


1


, so that two adjacent glass plates


8


,


9


, inserted against the frame


11


, are juxtaposed at the level of such a profile bar


12


.




More exactly, as can be seen in

FIG. 1

, such a profile bar


12


is implanted at the level of said pond


1


so that upon mounting the juxtaposed glass plates


8


,


9


on the frame


11


, this profile bar


12


extends longitudinally with respect to the juxtaposed edges


15


of these plates


8


,


9


.




In this respect one should note that such a profile bar


12


extends over at least a portion, but preferable over the full length, of the edge


15


of said juxtaposed glass plates


8


,


9


.




As can be seen in

FIG. 1

, the cladding device


5


includes a plurality of glass plates


8


,


9


that are juxtaposed two by two, in the direction of both their length and their width. These plates


8


,


9


then connect with each other at the level of a junction nod


16


at the level of which at least a profile bar portion


12


is provided for.




According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, such a profile bar


12


is capable of extending between two side walls


5


located in front of each other, this over the full length or over the full width of the pond


1


and at the level of the slab


3


of the latter. In such a case, said profile bar


12


can be comprised of several profile bar lengths


12


, namely joined end to end or between which is arranged a profile bar


12


that is for example perpendicular to them.




In

FIG. 2

is also shown a partly cross-sectional view of the pond


1


as well as of the device


6


capable of ensuring the cladding of the latter. In this figure, one should note that the slab


3


of this pond


1


is clad with a plurality of glass plates


8


,


8


A juxtaposed above a profile bar


12


fixed to said slab


3


, as shown more in detail in FIG.


3


.




In this respect one should note that in

FIG. 5

has been shown the juxtaposition of two glass plates


9


,


9


A capable of ensuring a cladding of a side wall


5


of the pond


1


. These glass plates


9


,


9


A are juxtaposed above a profile bar


12


fixed to the side wall


5


of said pond


1


.




In

FIG. 4

, corresponding to a detail of

FIG. 2

, has been shown the juxtaposition between two glass plates


8


,


9


ensuring the cladding of the slab


3


and of a side wall


5


, respectively.




As can be seen in these same figures, these glass plates


8


,


9


are then juxtaposed at the level of a profile bar


12


said frame


11


includes, such proffie bar


12


taking the shape of an angle iron


17


, on the one hand, implanted at the level of the junction between the slab


3


and said side wall


5


and, on the other hand, fixed to at least one of the latter


3


,


5


.




Such an angle iron


17


includes a first wing


18


, inserted against said slab


3


, against which is inserted a first glass plate


8


cladding said slab


3


.




Said angle iron


17


includes a second wing


19


, inserted against said side wall


5


, against which is inserted a second glass plate


9


cladding said side wall


5


.




As can be seen in

FIG. 4

corresponding to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this first glass plate


8


defines, in combination with said angle iron


17


, means


20


for encasing said second glass plate


9


.




This first glass plate


8


is indeed inserted against the first wing


18


of the angle iron


17


so that the end edge


21


of this first plate


8


is located at some distance


22


from the second wing


19


, this distance


22


being larger than the thickness


23


of the second glass plate


9


at the level of its edge


15


at the end


24


.




Such an embodiment authorizes, when placing this second glass plate


9


on the frame


11


, an insertion through encasing of the edge


15


at the end


24


of this plate


9


between said first plate


8


and the second wing


19


of the angle iron


17


. Upon insertion of the edge


15


at the end


24


of this second glass plate


9


, the latter


9


is inserted against at least one profile bar


12


fixed to the side wall


5


.




In this respect, one should note that the insertion of this second glass plate


9


allows immobilizing, even locking, laterally, said first glass plate


8


cladding the slab


3


.




As can be seen in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the glass plates


9


cladding a side wall


5


extend, preferably, over the full height


25


of this wall


5


. In this respect, one should note that the frame


11


includes, at the upper portion of such a wall


5


, at least one profile bar


12


against which such a glass plate


9


is aimed at being inserted.




Therefore, upon placing such a glass plate


9


at the level of the side wall


5


, its fixing to the latter should be ensured.




A first embodiment consists in gluing this plate


9


, namely by means of a silicone seal or the like, this at the upper portion


26


of this glass plate


9


, in particular at the level of the upper edge


27


of the latter


9


and over its full length. Such a gluing occurs, preferably, to the profile bar


12


implanted at the upper portion of said side wall


5


.




However, according to a preferred embodiment, the mounting means


10


for such a glass plate


9


also include at least one fastening organ


28


taking the form of a fastening lug, on the one hand, made integral with a profile bar


12


of the frame


11


and, on the other hand, designed so as to be capable of co-operating with the edge


15


of at least one glass plate


9


, at the upper portion


26


of the latter.




Such a fastening lug


28


can adopt a L-shape and be made integral with a profile bar


12


, as the case may be, implanted at the upper portion of said side wall


5


or above which are juxtaposed two glass plates


9


,


9


A.




This L-shaped fastening lug then co-operates with a glass plate


9


at the upper portion


26


of the latter, namely with its upper edge


27


or with its edge


15


at the level of which said plate


9


is contiguous to another glass plate


9


A.




However, according to a preferred embodiment said fastening lug


28


adopts a T-shape and is made integral with a profile bar


12


above which two glass plates


9


are juxtaposed.




This T-shaped fastening lug


28


then co-operates with the two juxtaposed glass plates


9


,


9


A, at the upper portion


26


of the latter, namely in the vicinity of their upper edges


27


and, in particular, with their edges


15


at the level of which said plates


9


,


9


A are contiguous.




As can be seen in

FIG. 2

, said cladding device


6


can be completed with curbs


29


, also formed of glass plates


30


and inserted, either directly or through a profile bar, at the level of the upper end of a side wall


5


. Such a curb


29


can be so designed as to cover the upper edge


27


of a glass plate


9


. One should note that the said fastening organ


28


is implanted namely below and, preferably, in the close vicinity of this curb


29


.




Such a fastening organ


28


is capable of forming, in combination with the means


20


for encasing the lower end


24


of the glass plate


9


, means for fastening the latter to a side wall


5


of the pond


1


.




One should note that said fastening organ


28


is preferably so designed as to be capable of being removed, which allows, should such be necessary, proceeding to removing such a glass plate


9


with a view to its replacing.




As described above, two juxtaposed glass plates


8


,


9


are inserted against the frame


11


at the level of namely above, a profile bar


12


this frame


11


includes.




One should note that between these two glass plates


8


,


9


is defined a gap


31


that should be filled, in order to ensure the tightness of the cladding device


6


.




Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, into this gap


31


is inserted a fir-type seal


32


coated with a silicone-type seal


33


.




Such an embodiment advantageously allows, should such be necessary, cutting out at least said silicone seal


33


, in order to proceed to removing a glass plate


8


,


9


, namely with a view to its replacing.




According to another feature, the mounting means


10


also include at least one gasket


34


the profile bars


12


of said frame


11


are provided with. Such a gasket


34


is interposed between such a profile bar


12


and the glass plate or plates


8


,


9


inserted against this profile bar


12


.




Such a gasket


34


is of a compressive type and is inserted against said profile bar


12


, namely through gluing.




This compressive gasket


34


includes means


35


forming suction pads designed so as to be capable of co-operating with at least one glass plate


8


,


9


, in order to ensure an immobilization of the latter against said profile bar


12


.




In this respect one should note that these means


35


forming suction pads can be designed so as to ensure, alone, the immobilization of a glass plate


8


,


9


, namely under the action of the water pressure.




Thus, a glass plate


9


ensuring the cladding of a side wall


5


is capable of being immobilized against this wall


5


under the action of only these means


35


forming suction pads. In such a case, the fastening organ


28


can merely define an organ capable of retaining, should such be necessary, such a glass plate


9


when the pond


1


is emptied.




According to another feature of this invention, each glass plate


8


,


9


is preferably defined by a superposition of at least two glass plates


36


,


37


.




The latter can then be made out of glass with properties of resistance specifically adapted to the pressure exerted namely by the water. A preferred embodiment consists in using diamond-type glass.




According to a preferred embodiment these glass plates


36


,


37


can be separated by a reinforcing element


38


.




The latter


38


can consist of a film of synthetic material or even of another glass plate, namely of a shielded armored or laminated type.




According to another feature, such a glass plate


8


,


9


can be completed with means


30


capable of providing it a particular esthetic aspect namely in the form of particular patterns (grooves, sand grain aspect, sand waves, fauna or flora . . . ) and/or a particular color.




Such means


39


are for example in the form of a film, namely a synthetic film, applied on the surface of such a glass plate


8


,


9


, namely of a transparent or translucent type.




Another embodiment can consist in pot coloring such a plate


8


,


9


.




However, according to a preferred embodiment, such a glass plate


8


,


9


is of a transparent type and completed with means


39


capable of providing it a particular esthetic aspect and defined by an enameled or lacquered-glass layer or even by an enameled or lacquered-glass plate having, as the case may be, particular patterns and/or a particular color (coloring, silver aspect . . . ).




Such a layer or such a plate is preferably applied at the level of the external face


40


of the glass plate


8


,


9


oriented towards the pond


1


and not being into contact with the water.




These esthetic means


39


can also adopt the form of optical means capable of creating light effects or of transmitting a particular illumination light.




One should note that such optical means can also be arranged at the level of the slab


3


or of a side wall


5


of the pond


1


. However, according to a particular embodiment these optical means are interposed between said pond


1


and said cladding device


6


, in particular at the level of an interval


41


remaining between said pond


1


and the glass plates


8


,


9


.




Another feature consists in that the glass plates


8


,


9


, in particular those


8


cladding the slab


3


, can be completed with an anti-slip coating


42


, namely in the form of a synthetic film.




In

FIGS. 6 and 7

has been shown another embodiment of the means


10


for mounting such glass plates


8


,


9


on the slab


3


and on the side walls


5


of the pond


1


.




These mounting means


10


are defined by a frame


43


, namely of a metallic type, in which such a glass plate


8


,


9


is set.




Such a frame


43


is provided or designed so as to be capable of co-operating with means


44


allowing its fixing at the level of the slab


3


and/or of a side wall


5


of said pond


1


.




According to a preferred embodiment, such fastening means


44


are defined by anchoring means, namely in the form of a lug, associated to said frame


43


and aimed at being sealed at the level of the pond


1


, namely in the concrete


4


.




One should note that such a frame


43


can be defined by an assembly of profile bars


45


adopting the form of an angle iron in which a glass plate


8


,


9


is inserted and tightly fixed.




The latter then applies against a first wing


46


of this angle iron that can advantageously be provided with a compressive gasket including means forming suction pads, as explained above.




The fixing of this glass plate


8


,


9


to the frame


43


can be carried out by means of a silicone seal


47


interposed between the end edge


21


of this glass plate


8


,


9


and a second wing


48


of the angle iron


45


.




Such an embodiment allows, should such be necessary, cutting out the silicone seal


47


, in order to allow removing the glass plate


8


,


9


from its frame


43


, with a view to proceed to its replacing.




According to another feature, two glass plates


8


,


9


are juxtaposed in particular at the level of their frames


43


. In this respect, one should note that between two juxtaposed frames


43


is defined a gap


31


that has to be tightly filled up, namely by inserting into it a fir-type seal


32


coated with a silicone-type seal


33


.



Claims
  • 1. A cladding device for a swimming pool comprising:a slab having a bottom surface with side walls extending upwardly from said bottom surface, said slab being formed of a concrete material; a first glass plate; a second glass plate; a first mounting means for mounting said first glass plate to an inner side of said bottom surface of said slab; and a second mounting means for mounting said second glass plate to an inner side of the side wall of said slab, said first and second glass plates having respective edges tightly juxtaposed together.
  • 2. The cladding device of claim 1, each of said first and second mounting means comprising:a frame formed of an assembly of profile bars, each of said profile bars being an angle iron, the respective glass plate being inserted and tightly fixed within said frame; and fixing means secured to said frame, said fixing means for fixing the frame to said slab.
  • 3. The cladding device of claim 1, said first mounting means comprising a first frame formed of an assembly of metallic profile bars, said first glass plate inserted within said first frame, said second mounting means comprising a second fame formed of an assembly of metallic profile bars, said second glass plate inserted within said second frame.
  • 4. The cladding device of claim 3, said first and second glass plates being contiguous with a profile bar extending longitudinally at the juxtaposed edges of said first and second glass plates.
  • 5. The cladding device of claim 4, said first and second glass plates being inserted above said profile bar, said profile bar being fixed against said slab.
  • 6. The cladding device of claim 4, said first frame having said profile bar at a juncture of the bottom surface and at least one of said side walls, and profile bar being an angle iron, said first glass plate residing against said angle iron.
  • 7. The cladding device of claim 6, said second mounting means further comprising:at least one fastening organ integral with said profile bar, the fastening organ being a fastening lug, the fastening organ being cooperative with an upper edge of said second glass plate so as to fix said second glass plate to the side wall.
  • 8. The cladding device of claim 2, said first and second glass plates having a gap between adjacent edges thereof, said gap receiving a fir-type seal coated with a silicone seal therein.
  • 9. The cladding device of claim 3, each of said first and second mounting means further comprising at least one compressive gasket positioned against the profile bar, each of said first and second mounting means further comprising suction pad means cooperative with the respective glass plate for immobilizing the respective glass plate against the profile bar.
  • 10. The cladding device of claim 1, each of said first and second glass plates comprising a plurality of glass plates superposed together and having a reinforcing element interposed therebetween.
  • 11. The cladding device of claim 1, at least one of said first and second glass plates being transparent and covered with an enameled or lacquered-glass layer.
  • 12. The cladding device of claim 1, further comprising:an optical means positioned on said slab, said optical means for creating a lighting effect in the swimming pool.
  • 13. The cladding device of claim 1, at least one of said first and second glass plates having an anti-slip coating thereon.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
01440023 Feb 2001 EP
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable.

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