GB2519244A - Inflatable pool - Google Patents

Abstract

An inflatable pool comprises an annular air chamber formed by top and bottom walls and inner and outer side walls, and a plurality of laminated web elements arranged in an array in the air chamber. The webs are connected to the inner and outer side walls and each comprise a first layer of a pattern of crossed fibres and an attaching layer. The webs may be laminated interval or bracing panels and are vertically arranged in the air chamber in an annular array. The web first layer may be a woven fabric with pores defined by crossed fibres, the first layer may be sandwiched between two attaching layers. When the pool is inflated a space or passage may be formed between the top and bottom walls and the webs. The attaching layer may be pvc, a thermoplastic elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate or cloth. The webs may be connected to the side walls using high frequency radiation, hot coupling or by adhering.

Description

Inflatable Pool

Description

S HELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an inflatable pool. The present disclosure relates to an inflatable pool or spa. More particularly, the present disdosure relates to an inflatable pool or spa having improved strength, and to a method for using the same.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The inflatable pool is convenient to carry, and consumers love it.

Known inflatable pools are commonly made from a PVC air chamber Because of good flexibility and low rigidity of PVC cloth, the strength of the pool is often not enough, the shape can be easily rhanged after inflating, bumps can be present under ow pressure, and the comfort of the product is affected.

Inflatable pools or spas are generally constructed of material having high flexibility and low rigidity. Although such inflatable spas are generally more affordable than permanent spas, inflatable spas generally lack the strength, comfort, clean appearance, and useful life of permanent spas Also inflatable spas may be difficS to assemble, dissemble, store, and transport.

The present disclosure relates to an inflatable pool having improved strength. A water cavity of the inflatable pool may receive massaging air bubbes and'or jetted water so as to create a spa pool.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an inflatable product is provided including a porous sheet coupled to a wall of the inflatable product.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an inflatable product is provided including a porous sheet coupled to a wall of the inflatable product via an attachment sheet.

According to yet another emoodiment of the present disclosure, an inflatable product is provided including a porous tensioning structure in an air chamber of the inflatable product.

According to still yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, ar inflatable product is provided including a first wall, a second wall an inflatable air chamber defined by the first wall and the second wall, and a plurality af tensioning structures located in the air chamber and coupled to the first wal and the second wall Each tensioning structure includes at least one attachment sheet having an outer perimeter and a porous sheet coupled to the at least one attachment sheet, the porous sheet including a plurality of enclosed pores located entirely within the outer perimeter of the at least one attachment sheet.

In certain embodiments, the porous sheet includes a plurality of frame members that intersect to define the plurality of enclosed pores.

In certain embodiments, the plurality of frame members of the porous sheet are interwoven.

In certain embodiments, the plurality of frame members of the porous sheet are arranged ri a grid pattern.

In certain embodiments, the porous sheet includes a plurality of open spaces that are partiaUy surrounded by the frame members.

In certain embodiments, the at least one attachment sheet has a lower melting point than the porous sheet.

In certain embodiments, the at least one attachment sheet, the first wall, and the second wall have similar melting points.

In certain embodiments, the porous sheet includes a second plurality of enclosed pores located beyond the outer perimeter of the at least one attachment sheet.

In certain embodiments, the porous sheet has an outer perimeter that substantially overlaps the outer perimeter of the at least one attachment sheet.

In certain embodiments, the product is a spa In oher embodiments, the product is a mattress. In other embodiments, the product is a pool.

In certain embodiments, the first wall is an internal waU of the pool or spa, and the S second vall is an external wall of the pool or spa, the pool or spa further including a bottom wall that cooperates with the internal wall to define a water cavity.

According to stifi yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, an inflatable product is provided including a first wall, a second wall, an inflatable air chamber defined by the first wall and the second wall, and a plurality of tensioning structures located in the air chamber. Each tensiorJng structure is coupled to the first wall along a first seam that extends along a first line and to the second wall along a second seam that extends along a second line.

Each tensioning structure includes a porous sheet with a plurality of pores, wherein any line parallel to the first line intersects the plurality of pores in the porous sheet.

In certain embodiments, the porous sheet includes a plurality of frame members that cooperate to define the plurality of pores, wherein the plurality of frame members are oriented transverse to the first line.

In certain embodiments, the plurality of frame members are oriented transverse to a third line that is perpendicular to the first line.

In certain embodiments, the first line is parallel to the second line.

The invention in a first aspect provides an inflatable pool compnsing a top wail; a bottom wall; an inner side wall and a n outer side wall, wherein the outer side wall surrounds the inner side wall; and wherein the top wall is connected to the top of the inner side wall and the ton of the outer side wal the bottom wall is connected lo the bottom of the inner side wall and the bottom of the side wall, and an inflatable air chamber is defined by the top wall, the bottom wall, the inner side wall and the outer side wall; and wherein, the pool also comprises a plurality of laminated elements arranged in the air chamber in an annular array manner and connected to the inner side wall and the outer side wall, and wherein the laminated elements each comprise a first layer of a pattern of crossed fibers and an attaching layer to which the first ayer is attached.

Certain preferred or alternative embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent daims to which reference should now be made.

Embodiments of the invention in its various aspects will now be described by way of non-hm!ting example with reference to the attached figures, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary inflatable pool or spa of the present disclosure, the inflatable pool or spa inciudng a plurality of tensioning structures; Figure 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the inflatable product of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the inflatable product of Figure 1, Figure 4 is an elevational view of the tensioning structure of Figure 1: Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the tensioning structure including a porous layer and two attachment layers: Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the tensioning structure including a porous layer and an attachment layer; Figure 7 is a top cross-sectional view of the tensioning structure coupled directly to the inflatable product; and Figure 8 is a top cross-sectional view of the tensioning structure coupled indirectly to the inflatable product via intermediate connecting layers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The tern-i:top' bottom' and "side' and other terms used to describe relative positions of components of pools or spas according to the invention refer to the pool or spa in its upright inflated position and defining a water cavity (as shown in,for example, Figure 3. The terms pool and spa are used interchangeably in the following description with a. spa being a particular type of pool which may include a supply of aerated water.

With the foflowing description of the drawings and specific embodiments, the invention shall be further described in details.

According to Figures 1, 2 and 3 the infiathble pool I in the present invention comprises top wail or panel 10, bottom wall or panel 20, nner surmunding or side wall 30, outer surrounding or side waD 40 and a plurahty of laminated interval or bracing elements 50.

The interval or bracing elements 50 may also be walls or panels.

S The diameter of the outer side wall 40 is longer than that of the inner side wall 30, and the outer side wall 40 is sleeved out of the inner side wall 30, and a circular trough structure.

The outer side wall 40 surrounds and may be substantially concentric with the inner side wall The top wall 10 is annular, and is connected to the top of the inner side wall 30 and the outer side wall 40.

The bottom wall 20 is connected to the bottom of the inner side wall 30 and the outer wall 40. An air chamber 60 is generated by the top wall 10, the bottom wall 20, the inner or internal wall 30 and the outer or external wall 40 The laminated walls 50 are vertically arranged in the air chamber 60 in an annular array manner, and are connected to the inner wall 30 and the outer wall 40 through suitable coupling techniques, such as high-frequency coupling (or welding), hot coupling (e.g. melting or welding), or adhering (e.g. gluing), for example. An interval 70 is formed between the top of the laminated elements 50 and the top wall 10 A gap 80 is formed between the bottom of the laminated elements 50 and the bottom wall 20.

According to Figure 4 and Figure 5, the laminated wall 50 comprises a pattern or screen layer 52 formed by a porous open pattern of crossed or interwoven yarns or fibers (e g a cloth or textile having an open weave) and two attaching ayers 54 The two attaching layers 54 are attached to the upper and lower surface of the first layer 52 respectively to hold the first layer 52. The attaching layer or layers 54 can be made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), TPR (thermoplastic rubber), EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) or cloth.

According to Figure 6, the laminated layer 50 can also comprise one attaching layer 54, and the pattern layer 52 is attached to the attaching layer 54.

According to Figure 7, the laminated layer 50, the outer wall 40 and the inner wall 30 can be connected through suitable coupling techniques, such as high-frequency coupling (or 5: welding), hot coupling (ag. meThng or welding), or adhering (ag. gluing), for example.

According to Figure 8, the laminated interval wall 50, the outer wall 40 and the inner wall 30 can be connected by a connecting element, strip, wall or panel in a transition manner, namely the laminated element 50 is connected to the connecting element 90 through, for example, high-frequency coupling (or welding), hot coupling (e.g. melting or welding), or adhering (e.g. gluing), then the connecting element 90 is connected to the inner wall 30 and the outer wall 40 through high4requency coupling (or welding), hot coupling (e.g. melting orwelding), or adhering (e.g. gluing).

Now describing the embodiments shown in the figures in a little more detail and referring initially to Figures 13, an inflatable pool or spa 1 is shown including a top wall 10, a bottom wall 20, an internal or inner wall 30, and an external or outer wall 40. The top wall 10 is an annular wall arid is cor1nected to the top ends of both the internal wall 30 and the external wall 40. The bottom wall 20 is also an annular wall and is connected to the bottom ends of both the internal wall 30 and the external wall 40. The diameter of the external wall 40 is larger than the diameter of the internal wall 30. The top wall 10, the bottom wall 20, the internal wall 30, and the external wall 40 of the spa or pool may be constructed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU), or other suitable materials.

The spa or poo1 includes an inflatabe air chamber 60 ormed between the top wall 10, the bottom wall 20, the internal wall 30, and the external wall 40. The air chamber 60 includes one or more suitable air vents (not shown) for inflating and deflating the air chamber 60. In certain embodiments, the air chamber 60 may be inflated to a relatively high pressure greater than about 08 psi For example, the air chamber 60 may be inflated to a pressure of about 09 psi 1 0 psi 1 1 psi, 1 2 psi, 3 psi, 1 4 psi, 1 5 psi, 1 6 psi, or more Such pressures may be about 1.5 or 2 times greater than pressures used to inflate traditional inflatable products.

The spa pool also includes a water cavity 112 formed by the bottom wall 20 and the internal wall 30.

Inside the air chamber 60, the pool also includes a plurality of internal tensioning, interval or bracing elements or structures 50 that maintain the shape of the pooi when the air chamber 80 is pressurized. The tensioning structures 50 may enhance the strength of the pooL allowing the air chamber 60 to withstand relatively high internal pressures, as discussed above, while also providing comfort to a user sifting on or in pool or spa.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tensioning structures 50 are arranged vertically and radially in the air chamber 60 in an annular array pattern. As shown in Figure 3, each tensioning structure 50 may be coupled to the internal wall 30 and the external wall 40, as discussed further below with reference to Figures 7 and 8 Also, each ten oning structure 50 may be spaced apart from top wall 10 and the bottom wall 20 to define an upper gap 70 relative to the top wall 10 and a lower gap 80 relative to the bottom wall 20.

Referring next to Figures 4-6, each tensioning structure 50 may include a porous layer or sheet 52 and one or more attachment layers or sheets 54 attached (e.g., laminated) to the porous layer 52 In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 5, the porous layer 52 is sandwiched between two attachment layers 54, with the attachment layers 54 being attached to both the upper surface and the lower surface of the porous layer 52. In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 6, the porous layer 52 is attached to a single attachment layer 54, with the single attachment layer 132 being attached to either the upper surface 160 or the lower surface 162 of the porous layer 52.

Except for the upper gap 70 and the lower gap 80 in the tensioning structure 50, the tensioning structure 50 may be generally rectanguLar in shape, as shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, the porous layer 52 includes a generally rectangular outer perimeter 150 formed by edges 1 52a-d, and the attachment layer 54 includes a generally rectangular outer perimeter 154 formed by edges 156a-d The attacnment layer 54 may span across he entire porous layer 52, as shown in Figure 5, such that the outer perimeter of the attachment layer generally overlaps the outer perimeter of the porous layer. It is also within the scope of the present disclosure that the attachment layer may span across a portion of the porous layer.

The porous layer 52 may be formed from a plurahty of ligaments or frame members 134 that define a plurality of holes or pores 136 therebetween, as shown in Figure 4. When the air chamber 60 is pressurized, frame members 134 may be placed in tension to help maintain the shape of spa 100. Adjacent frame members 134 may be spaced apart at regular intervals to provide the tensioning structure 50 with a substantially constant tensile strength.

Each pore 136 of the porous layer 52 may be enclosed or entirely surrounded by intersecting frame members 134 over a 360 degree range. A plurality of pores 136 may be located entirely within the outer perimeter 154 of the attachment layer 54 to facilitate attachment to the attachment layer 64, as discussed further below It is also within the scope of the present disclosure that other pores 136 may be located outside of the outer perimeter 154 of the attachment layer 54. The size and shape of each pore 136 may vary depending on the thickness and orientation of the surrounding frame members 134. The porous layer 52 may also include a plurality of open spaces 158 that are partially surrounded by frame members 134 and parfially exposed along the outer perimeter 150, for example.

In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 4, the frame members 134 are arranged in a gnd pattern, including a first set of space&apart and parallel frame members 138 and a second set of spaced-apart and parallel frame members 139. In this grid pattern, the first set of frame members 138 is transverse to the second set of frame members 139 such that the first set of frame members 138 intersects the second set of frame members 139. In Figure 4, is the grid pattern is rotated by about 45 degrees from a horizontal axis to resemble a lattice, such that the first set of frame members 138 are angled upward from the horizontal axis (e.g., about 445 degrees from the horizontal axis), and the second set of frame members 139 are angled downward from the horizontal axis (e.g., about -45 degrees from the horizontal axis) and substantially perpendicular to the first set of frame members 138. Between adjacent frame members 134. evenly spaced, diamond-shaped pores 136 are formed in Figure 4.

Adjacent pores 136 may also be angled upward and downward relative to the horizontal axis.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the porous, pattem or screen layer 52 may be constructed of a mesh, cloth, or screen having interwoven strings, fibers, or wires as individual frame members 134. Certain embodiments use fibers of a polyester, nylon or cotton. As shown in Figure 4, each frame member 134 may include a first terminal end 170 located at an edge (e g, edge 152a) of the porous layer 130 and a second terminal end 172 located at an opposing edge (e.g., edge 152c} of the porous layer 52.

As discussed above, each tensioning structure 50 may be coupled to the internal wall and the external wall 40 using suitable coupling techniques, such as high-frequency coupling, hot coupling (e g, melting, welding), or adhering (e g, gluing) for example In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 7, the tensioning structure 50 is directly coupled to the internal wall 30 and the external wall 40 along a seam 142, In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 8, the tensioning structure is indirectly coupled to the internal wall 30 and the

S

external waU 40 using intermediate connecting layers 140. More specWcally, the tensioning structure 50 is coupled to the intermediate connecting layers 140 via a first seam 144, and the intermediate connecting layers 140 are coupled to the internal waU 30 and the external waIl 40 via a second seam 146. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the seams 142, 144, 148 may be S located along opposwig eoges (eg, eages 152a, 156a ano edges 152c, 156c of the tensioning structure 50. Returning to Figure 4, the seams 142, 144, 146 are shown extending in a vertical direction along the right-side edges 152a, 156a, of the tensioning struc'ure 50 to attach the tensioning structure 50 to the adjacent internal waIl 30 and aong the left-side edges 152c, 156c of the tensioning structure 50 to attach the tensioning structure 50 to the adjacent external wall 40, for example.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the frame members 134 are oriented transverse (i.e., not parallel) to the seams 142, 144, 146. In Figure 4, the frame members 138 are angled side-to-side in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, as the vertical seams 142, 144, 146 and any line parallel to the vertical seams 142, 144, 146 passes through the tensioning structure 50, the vertical line will intersect at least one pore 136 or open space 158 between the frame members 134 In other words, there is no vertical line that will pass entirely through the tensioning structure 50 along a frame member 134 without intersecting at east one pore 136 or open space 158 adjacent to the frame member 134. In Figure 4, the frame members 138 are also oriented transverse to any horizontal line that is perpendicular to the seams 142, 144, 146. As discussed above, the frame members 138 are ang'ed upward and downward in the honzontal direction In this embodiment, as any horizontal me peroendicular to the vertical seams 142, 144, 146 passes through the tensioning structure 50, the horizontal line Will intersect at least one pore 136 or open space 158 between the frame members 134. In other words, there is no horizontal line that will pass entirely through the tensioning structure 50 along a frame member 134 without intersecting at least one pore 136 or open space 158 adlacent to the frame member 134 To facilitate secure connections between the tensioning structure 50, the internal wall 30, the external waIl 40, and the optional intermediate connecting layers 140, the materials used to construct these adjacent layers may be the same or otherwise compatible. For example, if the internal wad 30, the external wall 40, and the optional intermediate connecting layers 140 are constructed of PVC, TPR, EVA, or TPU, at least a portion of the corresponding tensioning structure 120 may also be constructed of PVC, TPR, EVA, or TPU In embodiments where the adjacent layers are melted using high-frequency radiation, for example, the compatthle maten&s may have the same or simdar melting points to ensure that the materials melt, blend together, and form secure connections. According to an exemplary erribodirrient of the present disclosure, at least the attachment layer 54 of the tensioning structure 50 may be constructed of a compatible material. The porous layer 52 of the tensioning structure 50. by contrast, may be constructed of a different, potentially incompatible (e.g.! higher melting), potentially stronger material, because the pores 136 in the porous layer may accommodate bonding of adjacent compatible materials (e g, one or more attachment layers 132, the internal waIl 30 of spa, the external wall 40 of spa, and/or the optional intermediate connecting layers 140) through the pores 136 in the porous layer 130.

For example, the attachment layer 54 of the tensioning structure 50 may be constructed of a compatible material such as PVC, TPR, EVA, or TPU, whereas the porous layer 52 of the tensioning structure 50 may be constructed of a cloth or screen.

The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments mentioned above, therefore it cannot limit the reference implementation of the invention. It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that structure modification and changes can be carried out without leaving the scope of the claims h ereinafter and the description above