Patent Application
20060144391
The present disclosure relates to components that have thermal mechanisms to heat a pool.
Pools can have various types of floatation devices. The floating devices can be used to enhance the safety of the pool, and/or can be used for recreational activities in or around the pool. Decorative devices may also be made to enhance the aesthetics of the pool area.
The present disclosure describes a pool heating apparatus that, in one implementation, includes a thermal mechanism for producing thermal energy in a region of water in the pool from light energy received from above the pool, and a flotation mechanism, coupled with the thermal mechanism, for maintaining the thermal mechanism afloat on the surface of the water in a substantially horizontal position.
Also described is an implementation of an apparatus that includes a thermal mechanism to use light to heat water in an area of a pool, and a floating member to attach to the thermal mechanism to provide buoyancy to the apparatus to float in water, and to keep the apparatus floating in a substantially horizontal alignment with the water in the pool. The apparatus is a free-floating apparatus to allow recreational use of the pool while the apparatus is in the water.
In another implementation, a system has multiple free-floating devices to use light to heat water in a pool. Each free-floating device has at least one solar heating element to use light to heat water in a pool, in which the solar heating element retains thermal energy in water in proximity to the solar heating element. Each free-floating device also has at least one floating element to attach to the solar heating element to allow the free-floating device to float in the water in a substantially horizontal alignment with the water.
Also described is a method that, in one implementation, uses light energy to heat water in a pool. The method involves attaching a floating element to a solar heating element to enable the solar heating element to float in a substantially horizontal alignment in water, and placing the attached elements in water to enable the elements to freely float in the water. The method also involves applying light on the solar heating element to focus light energy in the water in an area underneath the solar heating element.
The systems and techniques described here may provide one or more of the following advantages. For example, a floating, aesthetically-pleasing device can be used for water heating and heat retention. The device can heat the pool without external electrical components. The device can decorate the pool and seamlessly blend into the surrounding environment for the pool area.
Details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like members and mechanisms.
The following detailed description makes reference to the accompanying drawings. Other implementations of the present invention are possible and modifications may be made to the implementations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not meant to limit the invention. Rather the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.
Moreover, for convenience in the ensuing description, some explanations of terms are provided herein. However, the explanations contained herein are intended to be exemplary only. They are not intended to limit the terms as they are described or referred to throughout the specification. Rather these explanations are meant to include any additional aspects and/or examples of the terms as described and claimed herein and/or as used by one of skill in the art.
The following describes various techniques and systems relating to a thermal device for a pool.
The implementations shown in
FIG.4 shows an implementation in which the floatation device 400 has a luminescent member 440 in the thermal generating mechanism 350. Such a luminescent member 440 may be used at nighttime when the luminescent member 440 has collected solar energy from the daylight and emits a low-intensity light at night. The luminescent member 440 may be made of a material that glows in the dark, such as a phosphor or a substance that radiates visible light after being energized. In another implementation, the glow-in-the-dark member 440 may be coupled to electronics (not shown) that can be used to store the solar energy. Alternatively, the luminescent member may be a light-emitting diode (LED) that can be energized from the thermal generating mechanism.
The floatation device depicted in FIGS. 1, 2A-3B may be designed differently than as depicted and/or stated. The illustrations shown herein are merely exemplary of the designs of the device. The floatation device may be designed from a number of different materials. For example, some materials may be materials, such as a soft rubber or foam, which may be deemed safe for children and pets. In another implementation, the floating member and the thermal generating mechanism are made from the same materials. In other implementations, floatation devices may have multiple floating members and/or multiple thermal generating mechanisms. Other implementations may be within the scope of the following claims.
