DE20005487U1 - Current pool for swimmers - Google Patents

Description

HiEBSCH ·:·&Rgr;&Eacgr;·&egr; G ^# -e"'

&ngr;&ngr;

PATENT ATTORNEYS
EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Application for registration of a utility model

(31) Priority Application Number:

(32) Priority Date:

(33) Priority Country:

Our reference: R243DE7 H/mü

(54) Title:

Current pool for swimmers

(71) Applicant:

Alexander Ruh Upper Gießwiesen 2

78247 Hilzingen Germany

(74) Representative I Agent:

Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard F. Hiebsch Dipl.-Ing. Dr. oec. Niels Behrmann M.B.A. (NY) Heinrich-Weber-Platz 1

78224 Singen

Verbal agreements must be confirmed in writing at all times. . "*. &Idigr;"* PerkernmMciuse«(Brjfahi:fj^iheitJtrgBe1,.· .* : '".

&Bgr;&sfgr;)&ogr;&Egr;&Ngr;5&Egr;&zgr;&Rgr;5&Tgr;&Egr;&idiagr;5&tgr;®·:·: : : ^: *

. &Idigr;

R243DE7 .:..'..■* 1\V

Current pool for swimmers

The invention relates to a flow pool for swimmers with a swimming pool through which water can flow and a backflow chamber running underneath, which is connected to the swimming pool at both ends; between this and the backflow chamber, an intermediate space is arranged at one end, which contains a pumping device with a screw arranged on a pump shaft.

DE 39 21 015 A1 discloses a two-story flow pool consisting of an upper pool and a return flow channel running underneath; these two zones are connected to one another at one end, since the bottom plate of the pool runs at a distance from the common front wall and thus forms a flow edge. At the other end there is a tower in which a pumping device is arranged; this contains a motor sitting on the tower with a vertical drive shaft for a propeller screw that can be rotated at the end in a riser pipe of the tower. In order to achieve a turbulence-free flow through the flow pool, two riser pipes with a pumping device pass through the bottom plate and each form a channel for rising water, which exits from an outlet opening of the riser pipe above the water level of the pool and forms a water level horizon in the tower above this. The hydrostatic pressure of the water in the tower is intended to cause it to flow into the pool in a calm state through a pipe-like tower outlet.

DE 197 36 079 A1 describes a device for generating a water flow in a swimming pool with a circulation pump that communicates with the pool water on the suction side and flows into the pool on the pressure side via an outlet opening designed as a nozzle - operated at a speed-determining working frequency.

R243DE7

pump and with an arrangement for adjusting the water flow exiting the outlet opening. The adjustment arrangement for the water flow has a frequency converter that controls the drive of the circulation pump with a variable operating frequency. The water flow can be adjusted at a control input of this frequency converter using a current or voltage value present there.

Knowing this complicated state of the art, the inventor set himself the goal of creating a simple and reliable flow tank of the type described above.

The teaching of the independent claim leads to the solution of this problem; the subclaims indicate advantageous further developments. In addition, all combinations of at least two of the features disclosed in the description, the drawing and/or the claims fall within the scope of the invention.

According to the invention, the backflow chamber is connected at both ends to the inner wall of a hollow front wall; both inner walls are open to the inner wall of the pool near the edge of the pool -- i.e. provided with openings -- and in addition, the inner wall upstream of the backflow chamber is equipped with at least one pump device. It has proven advantageous to connect the hollow front walls to the backflow chamber by means of curved areas.

According to a further feature of the invention, a gallery of several pump devices, each with a screw at the lower end of the essentially parallel pump shafts, is provided in the wall interior or intermediate space upstream of the return flow chamber. The screw is to be rotatably arranged in a receiving tube coaxial to the pump shaft, which forms a flow path for water guided downwards therein. This receiving tube is advantageously

R243DE7 .!..·..-* 3'

usually fixed in a surrounding box in the hollow front wall.

It has proven to be advantageous to equip the inner wall of the front wall upstream of the return flow chamber in the area of the receiving pipes or the boxes surrounding them with at least one service flap or similar access device in order to simplify access. A protective grille should be installed above the service flap in a wall opening and should be adjacent to the upper edge of the inner wall.

According to the invention, the end wall arranged downstream of the return flow chamber has an opening in its upper region, through which at least one flow conductor spans. The opening of one or the other hollow end wall preferably runs at an acute angle to the vertical in order to promote the flow direction.

The drive device can in particular be an electric drive of the pump device and can be arranged in a box profile which is placed on the hollow front wall. In order to protect against flow influences, it has proven advantageous to surround the pump shaft with a casing tube at least outside the receiving tube.

According to the invention, the return flow space can be formed by at least one channel profile with a rectangular cross-section in order to generate a vortex-free longitudinal flow.

In the context of the invention, the water falls through a protective grid across the entire width of the pool into the hollow front wall and into the receiving pipe and is pressed by the screws into the return flow chamber -- which consists of square pipes with a square cross-section -- in which the vortex flow is converted into a homogeneous longitudinal flow.

R243DE7 .!.. \.- ^# 4·.-.·

This allows the water to swell comfortably.

The subject matter of the invention is a small swimming pool with countercurrent, which is generated by a gallery of screws with adjustable speed.

The drives are known from boat building and are protected by a cover that also accommodates the pool edge, handrail and insulation. These drives can be installed and removed quickly and easily; they offer the following advantages, for example:

very high water throughput at low speed;

low noise level;
practically maintenance-free;

no sealing problems (drive is above the water surface, pressure on shaft seals missing).

· *■

R243DE7

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawing, which shows in

Fig. 1: longitudinal section through a swimming pool with countercurrent device;

Fig. 2: an enlarged detail of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3: the section through Fig. 2 along line III-III.

A swimming pool 10 of, for example, length a of 3.5 m, a width b of about 2.0 m and a depth h of 1.2 m has -- on the right in Fig. 1 -- a vertical drive wall 12 on one end of the pool, which merges with a curved area 14 into a channel floor 16 of length ai. A rear wall 18 is attached to the other end of the channel floor by means of a curved area 14. A thermal insulation layer is indicated at 21, which is used when installing against the ground 22.

Both the drive wall 12 and the rear wall 18 are hollow; their wall interiors 24 and 28 are each delimited by an inner wall 25 and 29 and an outer wall 26 and 30, respectively. Both hollow walls 12, 18 are connected by simple side walls 20. The interior 28 of the rear wall 18 opens upwards to an opening 32 near the pool edge 11, which - together with an adjustable flow guide 34 spanning it - forms an acute angle w with the vertical Q, i.e. is slightly inclined relative to the pool edge 11. Above the flow guide 34, a pool edge profile 36 can be seen with a desk surface 37 facing the pool, from which console profiles 38 for a handrail 40 protrude.

R? 4 3DF7 · ·-»£·_·» ·

The hollow drive wall 12 is equipped at the ridge with a horizontal box profile 44 which projects into the interior of the pool 42 and which has a cover 48 with a lower desk surface 49 hanging on a hinge 46 towards the interior of the pool 42, which is also provided with a handrail 40. 52 designates a noise insulation layer lining the box profile 44 - with the exception of its base plate 50.

An electric drive 54 is located on the base plate 50 of the box profile 44, which forms a pumping device 60 with adjustable speed with a pump shaft 56 projecting downwards from it and surrounded by a casing tube 58, as well as a screw 59 attached to the end of the shaft 56. A lubricating film surrounding the shaft 56 is indicated at 57 _a ; this is generated via lubricating nipples 57.

In the area of the cladding tube 58 of length i, a grating 62 can be seen in the inner wall 25 of the drive wall 12, and below it a service flap 64 -- extending over the entire width b of the swimming pool 10 -- in front of several receiving tubes 66 of the respective inner diameter d; each of these receiving tubes 66 of length η surrounds the lower part of that shaft 56; the screw 59 sitting on it is arranged approximately in the longitudinal center of the receiving tube 66.

In an embodiment not shown, instead of the vertical grating 62, an upwardly inclined grating-covered opening corresponding to that of the rear wall 18 can also be provided.

Fig. 3 shows boxes 70 of square cross-section surrounding each of the eight receiving tubes 66, which are connected to the receiving tubes 66 by struts 68 which are radial to them. The latter can also be flow plates.

• · t · f t *

R243DE7 .:!.M ^: ^ ^: 7« ^; \. ^: ' ¹ y

The swimming pool 10 can consist of a prefabricated part or a kit of individual parts. The wall elements 20, 25, 26, 29, 30 are preferably made of a light metal alloy, the side walls 20 can accommodate sight glasses, lighting and heating devices, cleaning systems and entry elements (not shown). All parts are provided with sleeves and bonding surfaces and can be easily assembled. The base pool is made like a normal swimming pool. The three individual parts - drive wall 12, channel floor 16, rear wall 18 - are bonded together using paintable PU adhesive.

As electric drive 54 or as pump device 60 a

A drive known from boat building can be used, which

can be replaced quickly and easily. The order of removal is:

• Tilt cover 4 8;

• Remove service flap 64;

• Disconnect the electric motor 54;

• Raise electric motor 54 until screw 59 is above the receiving tube 66;

• Pull out the receiving tube 66;

• Remove screw 59;

• Pull out pump device 60.

The following advantages arise:

• no dismantling of the swimming pool 10 is necessary;

• there is no need to work in narrow shafts;

• a separate space requirement next to the swimming pool 10 for an assembly shaft is unnecessary;

• the swimming pool 10 can be positioned with the drive side almost against the wall.

R243DE7 - 8.h,

The electric motor 54 preferably operates at low voltage.

In the operating state, water falls through the protective grid 62 or the wall opening spanned by it across the entire width of the pool b into the wall interior 24 at the end of the pool formed by the drive wall 12, through this into the receiving or flow pipe 66 and is pressed by the screws 59 into the interior 17 of the channel base 16 - consisting of a square tube with a square cross-section - which serves as a return flow chamber, in which the vortex flow is aligned in a homogeneous longitudinal flow - return flow direction χ. This process is extremely important in order to enable the water to flow out comfortably at the outlet 32. As mentioned, this outlet 32 is protected by the adjustable flow guide 34 in the form of a louvre grid, from which the water flows in the flow direction y.

The swimming speed can be manual, acoustic or sensory.

For outdoor installation, heating can be provided by solar modules or combined with the house supply.

Entry into and exit from the swimming pool 10 takes place laterally via steps which are aerodynamically embedded in the side wall 20, preferably at the end of the pool with a handrail 40. For small swimmers, a grid floor (not shown) can be inserted, in particular to provide safety for small children.

The possible applications are almost unlimited. Installation is possible on the roofs of high-rise buildings, in winter gardens, terraces, in bathrooms, basements, gardens as well as in hotels and rehabilitation institutions.

Claims (12)

1. Flow pool for swimmers with a swimming pool ( 10 ) through which water can flow and a backflow chamber ( 16 ) running underneath it, which is connected to the swimming pool at both ends, with an intermediate space ( 24 ) being arranged at one end between the latter and the backflow chamber, which contains a pumping device ( 60 ) with a screw ( 59 ) arranged on a pump shaft ( 56 ), characterized in that the backflow chamber ( 16 ) is connected at both ends to the wall interior ( 24 or 28 ) of a hollow front wall ( 12 or 18 ), that both wall interiors near the pool edge ( 11 ) are open to the pool interior ( 42 ) and that the wall interior ( 24 ) upstream of the backflow chamber is provided with at least one pumping device ( 60 ). 2. Flow basin according to claim 1, characterized in that the hollow end walls ( 12 , 18 ) are connected to the return flow space ( 16 ) by curved regions ( 14 ). 3. Flow tank according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the inner wall or intermediate space ( 24 ) upstream of the return flow space ( 18 ) a gallery of several pump devices ( 60 ) each with a screw ( 59 ) at the lower end of the substantially parallel pump shafts ( 46 ) is provided. 4. Flow basin according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the screw ( 59 ) is rotatably arranged in a receiving tube ( 66 ) which is coaxial with the pump shaft ( 56 ) and forms a flow path for water guided downwards therein. 5. Flow tank according to claim 4, characterized in that the receiving tube ( 66 ) is fixed in a surrounding box ( 70 ) in the hollow end wall ( 12 ). 6. Flow basin according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the inner wall ( 25 ) of the end wall ( 12 ) upstream of the return flow chamber ( 16 ) is equipped with at least one service flap ( 64 ) or similar access device in the region of the receiving pipes ( 66 ) or the boxes ( 70 ) surrounding them. 7. Flow basin according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the upper edge of the inner wall ( 25 ) is adjacent to at least one protective grid ( 62 ) mounted above the service flap ( 64 ) in a wall opening. 8. Flow basin according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the end wall ( 18 ) arranged downstream of the return flow space ( 16 ) has in its upper region an opening ( 32 ) through which at least one flow conductor ( 34 ) passes. 9. Flow basin according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the mouth ( 32 ) of the hollow end wall ( 12 , 18 ) is inclined at an acute angle (w) to the vertical (Q). 10. Flow tank according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the drive device ( 54 ), in particular an electric drive, of the pump device ( 60 ) is arranged in a box profile ( 44 ) and this is placed on the hollow end wall ( 12 ). 11. Flow tank according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the pump shaft ( 56 ) is surrounded by a casing tube ( 58 ) at least outside the receiving tube ( 66 ). 12. Flow basin according to at least one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the return flow space ( 16 ) for generating a vortex-free longitudinal flow is formed by at least one channel profile of rectangular cross-section.