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1. Technical Field
The subject matter relates to swimming pools. It further relates to a flow diverting weir for a swimming pool skimmer.
2. Description of Related Art
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Typically, water filtration and circulation systems for above ground or in ground pools include skimmer baskets with openings provided in a sidewall of such pools to evacuate floating debris, for example such as objects and contaminants. The opening in a conventional skimmer is substantially co-planar with the pool sidewall and draws surface water into the skimmer body, mainly as a function of the power of the pump motor. To increase the efficiency of surface cleaning and removal of floating debris, flow diverting weirs are being used.
Some traditional flow diverting weirs of a rigid construction may be attached, for example by a snap action, to a specially-formed peripheral edge of skimmer face plate. Some traditional flow diverting weirs may include an enclosed scoop member having an opening on one side to allow entry of water from the pool into the skimmer opening, further having a lower peripheral edge which carries flexible lip for attachment to the flange of the skimmer face plate, a surface carrying slot and additionally having an elongated rigid paddle removably received in the slot and being adapted to extend outwardly into the pool. Some traditional flow diverting weirs may include a mounting bracket with a length adjusting nuts and a mail spline to receive a female end of the weir blade. Some traditional flow diverting weirs may include a mounting bracket with upper and lower bracket housings, each of the housings having a bore, that is removably attached to a skimmer inlet opening of the swimming pool filtration system and a diverter releasably attached to a mounting bracket and including upper and lower diverter housings each diverter housing having an upwardly extending pin that is received within a respective bracket housing. Other traditional flow diverting weirs may include hinged connections by way of suction cups and a brace to hold the weir arm in an operative position.
However, there is a need for additional and improved flow diverting weirs for a swimming pool skimmer that are cost effective to manufacture and are easy to install and adjust without special tools.
The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification and illustrate various embodiments. In the drawings:
Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described examples or the application and uses of the described examples. As used herein, the words “example”, “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “example”, “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “exterior,” “interior,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in the Figures. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, or the following detailed description. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply examples of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the examples disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
The particular exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide devices and methods directed to a flow diverting weir configured to divert floating debris into a skimmer opening of above ground or in ground pools or prevent flow of debris into the skimmer opening.
The particular exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a flow diverting weir device comprising a mounting member sized for insertion into an opening of a pool skimmer and an elongated arm at least temporarily attached to the mounting member and extending in a direction generally normal to the plane of the pool skimmer opening during use of the flow diverting weir device.
In particular exemplary embodiments, the mounting member is attached to a vertical surface of the pool skimmer opening.
In particular exemplary embodiments, the mounting member is retained between the opposite horizontal surfaces of the pool skimmer opening.
In particular exemplary embodiments, the mounting member is provided integral with a vertical surface of the pool skimmer opening.
The particular exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure additionally provide a flow diverting weir device comprising an elongated arm at least temporarily attached to a surface of the pool skimmer opening and extending outwardly therefrom during use of the flow diverting weir device.
In one example of
In another example of
The elongated arm 60 may be attached, at least temporarily, to the mounting member 30 in a number of different ways. In one example of
In another example, the flanges 46 may be upset, mechanically or by application of heat and force to crimp the surface portion of the elongated arm 60 to the surface of the body 32 to provide a permanent attachment of the elongated arm 60 to the mounting member 30.
Each terminal end of the elongated arm 60 may be either curved as is shown, for example, on the right side in
The elongated arm 60 being illustrated in
It would be well understood that the mounting bracket 30 may be omitted in the exemplary embodiment of
Although the elongated arm 60 is illustrated as having one end thereof in a close proximity to an edge of the mounting bracket 30, such one end can be positioned at any distance so as to adjust the length portion of the elongated arm 60 extending outwardly from the skimmer opening 6.
In another example of
In another exemplary embodiment, the elongated arm 60 may be attached or connected to the vertical surface 10 without the use of the body 32 of the mounting member 30.
In another exemplary embodiment, the mounting member 30 may be integrated into one or both vertical surfaces 10 of the skimmer opening 6.
In one example of
In another example, the at least one suction cup 50 may have a base portion 54 thereof attached to the vertical surface 10 of the skimmer opening 6 and the working portion 52 thereof adhered directly to a surface of the arm 60 during use of the flow diverting weir device 20. In yet another example, the suction cup 50 may be provided with dual working portions 52 of
In another example of
In another example of
In another exemplary embodiment the mounting member 30 may be caged between the horizontal surfaces 12 of the skimmer opening 6.
In one example of
In another example of
The elongated arm 60 has one end thereof attached to one of the pair of telescopically movable portions 70, 72 and may be manufactured from a flexible material sufficient to move the elongated arm 60 between a coiled position, wherein the elongated arm 60 is wrapped around a peripheral surface of the one of the pair of telescopically movable portions 70, 72 and an uncoiled position, wherein the elongated arm 60 extends outwardly from the skimmer opening 6.
In another example of
The terminal end surfaces 80 of the resilient elastomeric members 78 may be provided with the above described projections 76 to further enhance retention of the mounting member 30 during use of the flow diverting weir device 20.
In either of the above described examples, the elongated arm 60 may include an arcuate cross-section in a plane normal to the length thereof.
In either of the above described examples, the elongated arm 60 may be manufactured from a material being sufficiently flexible to wrap or coil around a peripheral surface of the mounting member 30 or follow a curved interior surface 8 of the skimmer 2 and being sufficiently resilient to divert floating debris into the skimmer opening 6 while the elongated arm 60 extends outwardly from the skimmer opening 6. Such flexible material may be butyrate or polycarbonate material and may be 0.040 thick. In either of the above described examples, the flexible elongated arm 60 may be extruded, particularly when provided with a curved shape. In either of the above described examples, the end of the elongated arm 60 inserted into the skimmer opening 6 flattens to connect or attach to the surface (s) thereof.
In either of the above described examples, the elongated arm 60 may be manufactured from a rigid material and may further include the above described channel(s) 36, 82 so as to receive the base portion 52 of the suction cup(s) 50.
In either of the above described examples, the elongated arm 60 is supported sufficiently so as to extend outwardly from the skimmer opening 6 and guide debris into the skimmer opening 6 without the need for additional braces, even when the elongated arm 60 is manufactured from the above described flexible material.
In the above described examples of
In another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of diverting floating debris into the opening 6 of the skimmer 2. The method comprises the step of attaching an elongated arm 60 of the flow diverting weir device 20 to one or several surfaces of the skimmer 2. In some examples, the method may comprise a step of attaching the elongated arm 60 to the surface(s) of the skimmer opening 6 by way of the mounting member 30 and suction cup(s) 50. In some of the above examples, the method may comprise a step of attaching the elongated arm 60 directly to the surface(s) of the skimmer opening 6 with the suction cup(s) 50 but without the mounting member 30. In some of the above examples, the method may comprise a step of attaching the elongated arm 60 directly to the surface of the skimmer opening 6 with the plug(s) 86. In some of the above examples, the method may comprise a step of attaching the elongated arm 60 into a channel provided by a pair of flanges on the surface of the skimmer opening 6.
In another exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for preventing ingress of floating debris, for example such as the leaves, small branches and the like, into the skimmer opening 6.
The reader is respectfully requested to note that the elongated arm 60 of the exemplary embodiments of
It is contemplated herewithin that only two suction cups 50, spaced apart in a vertical direction, may be selected and/or sized sufficient to maintain the elongated arm 60 in an operative position for either diverting flow of the debris into the skimmer opening 6 or preventing the flow of debris thereinto.
The chosen exemplary embodiments of the claimed invention have been described and illustrated for practical purposes so as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same. It is therefore intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It will be understood that variations, modifications, equivalents and substitutions for components of the specifically described exemplary embodiments of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Furthermore, the Abstract is not intended to be limiting as to the scope of the claimed invention and is for the purpose of quickly determining the nature of the claimed invention.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3152076 | Kreutzer | Oct 1964 | A |
4140634 | Harry | Feb 1979 | A |
4369109 | Edge | Jan 1983 | A |
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4904379 | Ward | Feb 1990 | A |
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5391296 | Rotundo et al. | Feb 1995 | A |
5392472 | Maxfield | Feb 1995 | A |
5510020 | Gronlund | Apr 1996 | A |
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5753113 | Hendricks | May 1998 | A |
5804064 | Desrochers | Sep 1998 | A |
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8282416 | Imazu | Oct 2012 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2131320 | Feb 1996 | CA |
Entry |
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Confer Plastics Inc., Skim-It, Printed in U.S.A., Publication Date Unknown. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160123030 A1 | May 2016 | US |