INSULATING PANELS FOR ABOVE GROUND SWIMMING POOL

PANNEAUX ISOLANTS DESTINES A UNE PISCINE HORS-TERRE

English Abstract

An assembly comprising an above ground swimming pool having a circular wall and a plurality of support posts; a number of insulating panels configured and sized to fit between the plurality of support posts on the circular wall, wherein each of the number of insulating panels are held in place by arcuate bands and mounting brackets; and a number of decorative cladding sections positioned and placed over the insulating panels.

French Abstract

Un ensemble comprenant une piscine hors sol ayant une paroi circulaire et une pluralité de poteaux de support. Un certain nombre de panneaux isolants sont configurés et dimensionnés pour sadapter entre la pluralité de poteaux de support sur la paroi circulaire, chacun des panneaux isolants étant maintenu en place par des bandes arquées et des supports de montage, et un certain nombre de sections de gaine décoratives sont positionnées et placées sur les panneaux isolants.

Claims

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CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. An assembly comprising:
an above ground swimming pool having a circular wall and a plurality of
support posts;
a number of insulating panels configured and sized to fit between the
plurality of support posts
on the circular wall, wherein each of the number of insulating panels are held
in place by
arcuate bands and mounting brackets;
a number of decorative cladding sections positioned and placed over the
insulating panels;
each of the number of insulating panels is held in place by at least two
arcuate bands;
each arcuate band is attached to each of the number of insulating panels via a
pair of mounting
brackets and a first set of mechanical fasteners;
each mounting bracket is Z-shaped comprising a first section, a second
section, and a third
section;
the first section is inserted between the circular wall and a support post of
the plurality of
support posts;
an insulating panel of the number of insulating panels has a first thickness,
and an arcuate band
of the at least two arcuate bands has a second thickness, wherein the second
section extends
perpendicularly from the first section and encompasses the first thickness of
the insulating panel
and the second thickness of the arcuate band.

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2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a third section extends perpendicularly
from the second
section and parallel to the first section while covering an edge portion of
the arcuate band, allowing the
arcuate band to apply pressure and secure the insulating panel against the
circular wall.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the number of decorative
cladding sections is
attached via a second set of mechanical fasteners.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the number of insulating panels
is constructed from
an insulating material comprising a high thermal resistance value.
5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the insulating material is expanded
polyethylene.

Description

1
INSULATING PANELS FOR ABOVE GROUND SWIMMING POOL
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to swimming pools, but more
particularly to insulating
panels for an above ground swimming pool.
2. Description of Related Art
121 During cold nights, the water temperature in an above ground pools
drops significantly in
comparison to the water temperature in an in-ground pool because above ground
pools do not get the
benefit of the soil as insulation. Some manufacturers found a partial solution
by using wood instead of
steel, which improves the insulation between the water and the outside air.
The wood also adds a
decorative element. However, wood is rather expensive and is not the best
insulating material when
you take into account cost, weight, and R-value. Consequently, a better way to
insulate above ground
pools is described herein.
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BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[3] In one embodiment of the present invention an assembly is provided,
comprising an above
ground swimming pool having a circular wall and a plurality of support posts;
a number of insulating
panels configured and sized to fit between the plurality of support posts on
the circular wall, wherein
each of the number of insulating panels are held in place by arcuate bands and
mounting brackets; and
a number of decorative cladding sections positioned and placed over the
insulating panels.
[4] In one embodiment, each of the number of insulating panels is held in
place by at least two
arcuate bands. In another embodiment, each arcuate band is attached to each of
the number of
insulating panels via a pair of mounting brackets and a first set of
mechanical fasteners. In one
embodiment, each mounting bracket is Z-shaped comprising a first section, a
second section, and a
third section. In yet another embodiment, the first section is inserted
between the circular wall and a
support post of the plurality of support posts.
[5] In one embodiment, an insulating panel of the number of insulating
panels has a first thickness,
and an arcuate band of the at least two arcuate bands has a second thickness,
wherein the second
section extends perpendicularly from the first section and encompasses the
first thickness of the
insulating panel and the second thickness of the arcuate band. In another
embodiment, the third section
extends perpendicularly from the second section and parallel to the first
section while covering an edge
portion of the arcuate band, allowing the arcuate band to apply pressure and
secure the insulating panel
against the circular wall.
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[6] In one embodiment, each of the number of decorative cladding sections
is attached via a second
set of mechanical fasteners. In another embodiment, each of the number of
insulating panels is
constructed from an insulating material comprising a high thermal resistance
value. In yet another
embodiment, the insulating material is expanded polyethylene (EPE).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[7] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent when the
following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[8] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of insulating panels for an above
ground swimming pool
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[9] FIG. 2A illustrates a top view an above ground pool according to an
embodiment of the present
invention.
[10] FIG. 2B is a detailed view of a mounting bracket for an insulating panel
for the above ground
pool of FIG. 2A.
[11] FIG. 3A is a top view of a section of an above ground pool according to
an embodiment of the
present invention.
[12] FIG. 3B is an exploded view of FIG. 3A.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[13] The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in
the art to make and use the
invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of
carrying out their invention.
Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled
in the art, since the
general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to
specifically provide insulating
panels for an above ground swimming pool.
[14] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of insulating panels 10 for an
above ground swimming
pool 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to
FIG. 1, the above
ground swimming pool comprises a circular wall 24 and support posts 16,
wherein the circular wall is
constructed from a metallic material for retaining water as well known in the
art. The insulation panels
are configured and sized to fit between the support posts of the above ground
pool. In one
embodiment, the insulating panels are held in place by arcuate bands 18 and
brackets 20 inserted
between the support posts and the circular wall.
[15] In one embodiment, the insulating panels are constructed from an
insulating material chosen
for its R-value and higher thermal resistance. An exemplary selection of the
insulating material is
Expanded Polyethylene (EPE), but other insulating materials may be used. When
selecting the
insulating material, aesthetic and durability properties are less critical
than thermal resistance.
Therefore, it is preferable to include a decorative cladding 22 positioned and
placed over the insulating
panels. In one embodiment, the decorative cladding is mechanically fastened to
the brackets. In one
embodiment, the decorative cladding is preferably constructed from a polymer
having properties of
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Ultra Violet (UV) resistance, durability, and a material suitable for printing
designs. However, it
should be understood that as new material technologies emerge a single,
integrated insulating panel and
cladding may be used, and the step of including cladding for decorative
purposes could be obsolete.
Currently, the addition of decorative cladding is a viable option.
[16] Referring to FIGS. 2A-B, a holding bracket 20 is insulated. The holding
brackets are generally
Z-shaped comprising a first section 26, a second section 28, and a third
section 30. The first section is
inserted between the circular wall and the support posts. The second section
extends perpendicularly
from the first section and encompasses the thickness of the insulating panel
and the arcuate band. The
third section extends perpendicularly from the second section and parallel to
the first section, while
covering an edge portion 19 of the band allowing the band to apply pressure
and secure the insulating
panels against the circular wall.
[17] In one embodiment, there are preferably two parallel bands per insulating
panel, but more bands
may be included, especially for very deep above ground pools. Any variety of
mechanical fasteners 32
can be used for attaching the arcuate bands 18 to the insulating panels. In
one embodiment, a separate
set of mechanical fasteners 34 may be used to attach the decorative cladding.
[18] FIGS. 3A-B show a top view and an exploded view illustrating how the
insulating panels,
arcuate bands, and decorative cladding are held and attached to the above
ground pool via the brackets
and mechanical fasteners.
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[19] Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in
language specific to
structural features and or method acts, it is to be understood that the
invention defined in the appended
claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described.
Rather, the specific features
and acts are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of implementing the
claimed invention. Stated
otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology
employed herein, as well as the
abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as
limiting. Therefore, while
exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described,
numerous variations and
alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such
variations and alternate
embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the
spirit and scope of the
invention.
[20] It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the
labels such as left, right,
front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up,
down, or other similar
terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique,
proximal, distal, parallel,
perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience
purposes only and are not
intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they
are used to reflect relative
locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an
object.
[21] In addition, reference to "first," "second," "third," and etc. members
throughout the disclosure
(and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical
limitation but instead are used to
distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
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Representative Drawing