US20030154665A1

US20030154665A1 - Above ground pool with reinforcing member

Info

Publication number: US20030154665A1
Application number: US10/078,151
Authority: US
Inventors: Rong-Jyh Song; Tsung-Ping Yen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Supertrend International Inc
Priority date: 2002-02-19
Filing date: 2002-02-19
Publication date: 2003-08-21
Also published as: FR2836503A3; FR2836503B3

Abstract

An above ground pool includes a pool body, an air inflatable ring member, and a reinforcing member. The pool body has a bottom wall and a surrounding wall that extends upwardly and integrally from a periphery of the bottom wall and that has a distal top edge. The air inflatable ring member has a lower ring part connected integrally to the distal top edge of the surrounding wall. The reinforcing member is mounted in the ring member, and ensures that a central ring axis of the ring member is generally concentric with and does not extend outside a circular area bounded by the distal top edge of the surrounding wall.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an above ground pool, more particularly to an above ground pool with a reinforcing member.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, a conventional above ground pool 9 is shown to comprise a pool body 91 and an air inflatable ring member 92. The pool body 91 is formed from a unitary sheet of water-impermeable material, and has a bottom wall 911 and a surrounding wall 912 that extends upwardly and integrally from a periphery of the bottom wall 911. The surrounding wall 912 has a diameter that decreases gradually from the periphery of the bottom wall 911 to a distal top edge of the surrounding wall 912. The air inflatable ring member 92 is integrally connected to the distal top edge of the surrounding wall 92 of the pool body 91. In view of its simple configuration, the conventional above ground pool 9 is commonly found in households.

During assembly, after the

bottom wall

911 of the above ground pool 9 is spread flat on a ground surface (see FIG. 2), and air is inflated into the air inflatable ring member 92, water can then be filled into the pool body 91 (see FIG. 3). As the water starts to fill the pool body 91, the surrounding wall 912 of the pool body 91 is pulled upwardly by the buoyancy of the air inflatable ring member 92, thereby gradually stretching the surrounding wall 912 until the water fills up the pool body 91 completely, as shown in FIG. 4. However, if the above ground pool 9 is spread unevenly on the ground surface, and when water starts to fill the pool body 91, a stronger outward pressure is present on one side 912′ of the surrounding wall 912, thereby causing a central ring axis of the ring member 92 to extend outside a circular area bounded by the distal top edge of the surrounding wall 912, and thereby spilling the water inside the pool 9 (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, manufacturers often use a material having poor tensile force for the conventional above ground pool 9 so as to lower costs. Thus, when water in the pool 9 reaches the upper part of the air inflatable ring member 92, the distal top edge of the surrounding wall 912 will have a tendency to fold outwardly due to the weaker tensile strength such that the central ring axis of the ring member 92 is disposed outside the circular area bounded by the distal top edge of the surrounding wall 912, thereby spilling the water inside the pool 9 (see FIG. 6).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide an above ground pool with a reinforcing member so as to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Accordingly, an above ground pool of the present invention comprises a pool body, an air inflatable ring member, and a reinforcing member. The pool body is formed from a unitary sheet of pliable water-impermeable material, and has a bottom wall and a surrounding wall. The surrounding wall extends upwardly and integrally from a periphery of the bottom wall, has a distal top edge distal to the bottom wall, and further has a diameter that decreases gradually in a direction from the periphery of the bottom wall to the distal top edge of the surrounding wall. The air inflatable ring member has an upper ring part, a lower ring part that is connected integrally to the distal top edge of the surrounding wall, and a central ring axis. The reinforcing member is mounted in the ring member to ensure that the central ring axis is generally concentric with and does not extend outside a circular area bounded by the distal top edge of the surrounding wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: [0008]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional above ground pool; [0009]
FIGS. [0010] 2 to 4 are schematic views illustrating the consecutive steps for preparing the above ground pool of FIG. 1 in a condition for use;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating how spilling of water occurs when a bottom wall of the conventional above ground pool is spread unevenly on a ground surface; [0011]
FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating how spilling of water occurs when water is filled up to the upper part of an air inflatable ring member of the conventional above ground pool; [0012]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an above ground pool according to the present invention; and [0013]
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional schematic view of the preferred embodiment taken along line [0014] 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 7, the preferred embodiment of an [0015] above ground pool 10 according to the present invention is shown to comprise a pool body 1, an air inflatable ring member 2, and a reinforcing member 3. The pool body 1 is formed from a unitary sheet of pliable water-impermeable material, and has a bottom wall 11 and a surrounding wall 12. The surrounding wall 12 extends upwardly and integrally from a periphery 111 of the bottom wall 11, and has a distal top edge 121 distal to the bottom wall 11. The surrounding wall 12 further has a diameter that decreases gradually in a direction from the periphery 111 of the bottom wall 11 to the distal top edge 121 of the surrounding wall 12.
The air [0016] inflatable ring member 2 has an upper ring part 21, a lower ring part 22 that is connected integrally to the distal top edge 121 of the surrounding wall 12, and a central ring axis.
The reinforcing [0017] member 3 is mounted in the ring member 2, and includes an annular strip bonded to and extending along the upper ring part 21 of the ring member 2, thereby increasing the tensile strength of the above ground pool 10. The reinforcing member 3 ensures that the central ring axis is generally concentric with and does not extend outside a circular area bounded by the distal top edge 121 of the surrounding wall 12, as best illustrated in FIG. 8.
The consecutive steps for preparing the [0018] above ground pool 10 in a condition for use is substantially similar to the aforementioned steps of the conventional pool. Particularly, water is filled into the pool body 1 after the air inflatable ring member 2 is inflated. The surrounding wall 12 of the pool body 1 is pulled upwardly by the buoyancy of the ring member 2, thereby gradually stretching the surrounding wall 12. Regardless of whether or not the bottom wall 11 of the pool body 1 is spread evenly on the ground, and even when water is filled up to the upper ring part 21 of the ring member 2, the presence of the reinforcing member 3 can ensure that the central ring axis of the ring member 2 is concentric with and does not extend outside a circular area bounded by the distal top edge 121 of the surrounding wall 12. Thus, spilling of the water can be prevented. Furthermore, since the reinforcing member 3 is disposed in the ring member 2, it does not affect the appearance of the above ground pool 10.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. [0019]

Claims

I claim:

1. An above ground pool comprising:

a pool body formed from a unitary sheet of pliable water-impermeable material and having a bottom wall and a surrounding wall that extends upwardly and integrally from a periphery of said bottom wall, that has a distal top edge distal to said bottom wall, and that further has a diameter that decreases gradually in a direction from said periphery of said bottom wall to said distal top edge of said surrounding wall;

an air inflatable ring member having an upper ring part, a lower ring part that is connected integrally to said distal top edge of said surrounding wall, and a central ring axis; and

a reinforcing member mounted in said ring member to ensure that said central ring axis is generally concentric with and does not extend outside a circular area bounded by said distal top edge of said surrounding wall.

2. The above ground pool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reinforcing member includes an annular strip bonded to and extending along said ring member.

3. The above ground pool as claimed in claim 2, wherein said annular strip is bonded to and extends along said upper ring part of said ring member.