Patent Application
20080016611
It is to be understood that the drawings are solely for purpose of illustration and do not define the limits of the invention. Furthermore, the components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The following detailed description, which references to and incorporates the drawings, describes and illustrates one or more specific embodiments of the invention. These embodiments, offered not to limit but only to exemplify and teach the invention, are shown and described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Thus, where appropriate to avoid obscuring the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those of skill in the art.
The deck construction 21 includes a movable deck 17, tracks 5 and drive sources 8 mounted to surrounding structure for moving the deck 17 horizontally along the tracks 5. In operation, the deck 17 is moved in either direction along the tracks 5 to selectively cover and uncover the pool 22.
The tracks 5 are located on opposite sides of the pool 22 and depression 24.
The deck 17 includes a single, rigid unitary platform 20 and wheels 3 rotatably mounted to the bottom side of the platform 20. The wheels 3 roll along the tracks 5 to allow horizontal movement of the platform 20 over the pool 22 and within the depression 24. The length of the deck 17 is somewhat greater than the length of the pool 17 so that the drive sources 8 remain continuously engaged with the deck 17. The deck 17 is structurally designed to support loads normally supported by equivalent conventional flooring areas in buildings and residences.
The drive sources 8 are mounted in driving engagement with opposite sides of the deck 17. The sources 8 include rotary power sources, such electric motors combined with gear operators. Each of the sources 8 also includes one or more drive mechanisms 11 (see
The drive sources 8 include a common control interface that synchronizes operation of the sources 8. The control interface further includes one or more switches permitting a user to selectively activate the drives 8 and to select the direction of deck travel. The switches can be located away from the pool construction 19 and wired to the sources 8 if so desired. Also, an optional wireless remote control feature can be included to allow a user to remotely control movement of the deck 17.
The depression 24 extends from one end of the pool 22 and is formed to create a lowered area in the surface area 26 surrounding the pool construction 19. The purpose of the depression 24 is to keep the deck 17 level with the surrounding surface 26 when it is moved into the depression 24 to uncover the pool 22. The depth of the depression 24 corresponds to the height of the movable deck 17 and is selected so that the top of the deck 17 is substantially level with the surrounding surface 26. The length of the depression 24 is preferably equal to or greater than the length of the deck 17 so that the deck 17 can be moved to fully uncover the pool 22. The depression's width is slightly greater than that of the deck 17 so that no substantial gaps occur between the side of the deck 17 and surrounding surface area 26.
When the deck 17 is moved to cover the pool 22, one or more insert platforms (not shown) can be placed in the depression 24 to fill it so that the depression area is level with the surrounding surface area 26. The inserts are substantially the same height as the deck 17 and provide a level surface. The inserts allow the depression area to be fully utilized without presenting a hazard. They are particularly useful when the pool 22 is not used for an extended period of time, such as being closed for the winter season.
The pool 22 includes support ledges 30 formed along opposite sides 32 above pool side walls 35 and preferably above the pool water 28, terminating at the pool end walls 36. The ledges 30 are level with the bottom of the depression 24. The ledges 30 are designed to support the weight of the deck 17 and any deck load, and to securely mount the tracks 5. The width of the ledges 30 is generally a matter of design choice, but should be sufficient to adequately support the tracks 5, deck 17 and load weight. The pool 22 can be of any suitable design or shape, and can be made of any suitable construction materials, including those typically used in conventional pool constructions.
The deck platform frame includes plural transverse steel beams 1 spanning across between the two opposite sides 32 of the pool 22. The beams 1 are welded at each end to longitudinal continuous steel members 6 spanning along structural sides 32 of the pool 22. A deck flooring layer 4 spans over the transverse steel beams 1, covering the deck frame. The flooring layer 4 can be a layer of transparent tempered glass. The glass provides a significant ascetic enhancement because it allows people to use the deck 17 for recreational purposes, while at the same time enjoying the lights and water of swimming pool scenery beneath the deck 17.
Transverse support members 76 span the ends of the deck 17 and edge support members 2 are attached to longitudinal members 6 between the transverse beams 1 to support the edges of the flooring layer 4.
The tracks 5 are preferably corrosion-resistant cylindrical bars, such as a coated steel or stainless steel, welded to longitudinal steel plates 52 that are fixed to the ledges 30. The plates 52 are coated or made of stainless steel to resist corrosion.
Steel brackets 54 are welded to the bottoms 43 of the longitudinal continuous steel members 6 to support the wheels 3. The wheels 3 can be special Teflon® wheels, or alternatively, they can be made of hard plastic with sealed ball bearings that rotate about axles 10, which are attached to the brackets 54. The concave circumference of the wheels 3 allows them to run on and be guided by the track bars 5.
The longitudinal members 6 are L-shaped beams, each having a side wall 47 and bottom 43. Longitudinal racks 7 are fixed on and extend the length of member side wall 47. The racks 7 include teeth for engaging pinion gears 11 that act as the drive mechanisms of the sources 8. This rack-and-pinion drive arrangement represents a significant advance over prior art moving deck designs because it effectively conceals the racks and pinions from users. With this inventive arrangement, a pool user attempting to exit the pool over a side wall can not be injured by exposed rack teeth running along the edge of the pool. In addition, the rack and pinions are significantly less exposed to pool water, and thus, they are considerably less susceptible to corrosion damage.
Mounting plates 13 are used to fix the drive sources 8 to the ledges 30. The drives 8 include limit switches 12 that limit that travel of the deck 17. The drives 8 can be user activated to begin and continue movement of the deck 17 until the switches 12 are tripped, which automatically terminates deck movement at a desired position. The switches 12 are tripped when they make contact with corresponding tangs (not shown) extending away from the outside of the member side wall 47. The tangs are positioned on the sidewalls 47 so that the switches deactivate the drives 8 when the deck reaches either end of it travel: either in the fully covered position or fully uncovered position.
Although two switches 12 are shown, any other suitable number of limit switches, including a single switch, can be used.
Covers 50, shown in their closed position, are provided to conceal the drives 8. The covers 50 can be opened or removed to gain access to the drives 8.
Transverse beams 1 can have any suitable structural shape, such as tube sections, back-to-back channels, I-beams or the like. Preferably, the transverse beams 1 are corrosion resistant I-beams having upper and lower flanges 56.
Edge support members 2 are L-shaped beams that are attached to the longitudinal beam sidewalls 47 so that the upper flanges of the members 2 are substantially even with the top flanges 56 of the I-beams 1. As shown, the members 2 are attached using bolts 18 or welds. However, other suitable techniques for attachment, such as riveting, may be used.
The deck construction 200 shares many of the same features and structures included in the swimming pool constructions 19, 100 described in connection with
The first additional feature includes support ledges 119 integrally formed in an existing building floor slab 120 on opposite sides of the deck 117. Alternatively, the support ledges 119 can be provided by including an I-beam in the slab 120, where the upper and lower flanges of the I-beam provide the upper ledge 123 and support ledge 119, respectively.
The second additional feature is under-mounted drive sources 8. In this configuration, the drive sources 8 are mounted on a ledge 124 underneath the deck 117 and the racks 7 are mounted to the bottom of the platform longitudinal member 6. The bottom base of the member 6 can be extended to support the rack 7. The ledge 124 is fastened to the building slab 120 using a lag bolt or any other suitable fastening means.
The third additional feature is low profile wheels mounted on the deck 117. To permit low-profile wheels, openings 122 are formed in the base of member 6 so that a portion of the wheels 3 extend into the member base. The wheel brackets 54 can thus be shorted to reduce the overall profile height of the movable deck 117. The wheels 3 can be placed between transverse beams 1 so that the beams 1 do not interfere with the rotation of the wheels 3 when the low-profile mount is used.
The preceding detailed description has illustrated the principles of the invention using specific implementations of a movable pool deck and a movable balcony/canopy. However, the invention is not limited to these particular implementations. For example, the inventive principles disclosed herein can be implemented in other types of structures, such as moving covers on ship decks, containers or underground shelters, or other types of moving floors included in other manmade structures, without departing from the principles of the invention.
Therefore, while one or more specific embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments are possible that are within the scope of this invention. Further, the foregoing detailed description and drawings are considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since other modifications and changes may be or become apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not limited the exact construction and operation shown and described herein, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents are deemed to fall within the scope of the invention.
