US20060162063A1

US20060162063A1 - Prefabricated swimmingpool

Info

Publication number: US20060162063A1
Application number: US11/333,187
Authority: US
Inventors: Hermann Weissenecker
Original assignee: Polytherm Kunststoff und Metalltechnik GmbH
Current assignee: Polytherm Kunststoff und Metalltechnik GmbH
Priority date: 2005-01-25
Filing date: 2006-01-17
Publication date: 2006-07-27
Also published as: AT8243U1; CN1827984A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a prefabricated swimming pool made of metal, especially stainless steel, or of plastic, that is made of one piece or made up of individual segments (1′) and has a water circulation system (8) that, either continuously or at regular intervals, removes parts of the pool water from the swimming pool, runs it through a dirt filter and returns it to the pool, which achieves a flow in the pool water created by the circulation of the pool water. The swimming pool is characterized by the fact that the pool floor (1) is curved, at least in part, along one of its axes, preferably along its lateral axis, with at least 25 percent, preferably at least half, and especially preferably with the entire surface of the pool floor (1) being curved along this axis.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES

None.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a prefabricated swimming pool made of metal, especially stainless steel, of plastic, of plastic with ceramic inlays, or of prefabricated concrete components, and is transported to the construction site either completely prefabricated or in factory-prefabricated parts that are assembled at the construction site. The swimming pool is characterized in that the pool floor is curved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Swimming pools made of stainless steel or of plastic that are prefabricated at the factory and assembled at the site of their installation by crane, have been known for a long time. Analogous to the swimming pools made of formed blocks that are lined with watertight plastic, they have the disadvantage that the circulating water flow in the area of the floor corners and floor edges, in particular, is slowed down because of the shear force created between the pool water and the side walls or the pool floor. This favors the development of deposits in these areas and leads to a preferred accumulation of solid impurities whose removal requires additional cleaning effort.
In order to remedy this situation, at least to a large degree, the goal of the present invention is to configure the swimming pool such that at least in the area of one axis of the pool, preferably along its longitudinal axis, no increased shear forces occur.
It has already been attempted in the past to achieve this by rounding off the floor edges, but with insufficient success. Despite the rounding of the floor edges and floor corners, these areas still collect increased accumulations of solid impurities or allow easier algae formation than the other border areas of the pool. The reason is that the dimensions of the known roundings of the edges are much too small to be able to affect the shear forces. Conventional edge roundings usually have a side length of 10 centimeters. This small dimension of the edge rounding is knowingly accepted in conventional pools so as to not interfere with the optical impression of a flat pool floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the problem by configuring the pool floor in a curved manner, at least along its longitudinal axis, and at least in a wide enough area so that the shear forces are not increased in relation to the side surfaces near the pool edge.
This problem is solved by a curved configuration of the pool floor along at least one axis, with the curved surface covering at least 25%, preferably 50%, and particularly preferably 100% of the entire floor surface. The change in the optical appearance is knowingly accepted here. The curvature covers such a large area that it is optically clearly detectable.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pool floor's curvature is barrel shaped with the radial section through the pool floor having the outline of a semicircle or a half ellipse. Of course, the advantage according to the invention may also be achieved with a pool floor whose radial section has the outline of a quarter circle or a quarter ellipse. This embodiment, however, again has the known disadvantages along a floor edge, but has the advantage of providing a larger area of appropriate depth for unimpaired swimming. The use of this embodiment variant is preferred where the available property area is rather limited.
An optimum embodiment is a pool floor whose cross section has the shape of a half ellipse and which has a continuous curvature along its lateral axis. Here, both longitudinal edges are broken up, and in the middle there is a wide area having sufficient swimming depth, i.e. the pool depth allows unimpaired breaststroke swimming without having to be afraid that the feet may make contact with the pool floor while swimming.
Various variants of this optimum embodiment are represented in the figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the pool having a continuously-curved pool floor and vertical side walls that are, at the same time, configured as support ribs;
FIG. 2 is the same view of the pool with additional support ribs distributed over the pool floor;
FIG. 3 is an oblique view from above the pool according to FIG. 2, with an overflow gutter formed at one pool edge. Of course, several pool edges may have such overflow gutters;
FIG. 4 shows another variant having so-called Roman stairs at a narrow end; and
FIGS. 5 and 6 show two possible pool cross-sections. A pool floor according to FIG. 5, completely curved along one axis has—as shown here—the cross-section of a half ellipse. On the other hand, another variant has the cross-section of a quarter ellipse with adjoining flat area as shown in FIG. 6. Half and quarter circles are also conceivable in the place of half or quarter ellipses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An optimum embodiment is a pool floor having a cross-section in the shape of a half ellipse and a continuous curvature along its lateral axis. Here both longitudinal edges are broken up with a wide area of sufficient swimming depth in the middle, i.e. the pool depth allows unimpaired breaststroke swimming without having to be afraid that the feet may make contact with the pool floor while swimming.
The embodiment according to FIG. 1 has a pool floor 1, continuously curved along the lateral axis, having a half ellipsoidal cross-section. Depending on the desired pool length, pool floor 1 is made of several segments. The two narrow ends are formed by vertical side walls 2 and 3 having molded-on support ribs 4 and 5 which support the pool against the ground.
In the preferred embodiment variant according to FIG. 2, additional support ribs 6, 7 are distributed evenly across the pool floor, increasing the shape stability of the pool during backfilling.
Of course, the pool according to the invention can be equipped with all known additional accessories such as skimmer 8 or overflow gutters 9, as shown in FIG. 3. But molded-on housings for rolling covers, integrated underwater lights, underwater massage jets and much more are certainly feasible.
Other embodiment variants are also possible such as the Roman stairs 10 shown in FIG. 4. Such access stairs can also be very advantageously integrated into a curved side wall.
It is also possible to configure the pool such that the curvature runs along the lateral axis as well as the longitudinal axis. Other variants of access stairs are also conceivable. They could also be installed in a corner area.
Various changes may be made to the configuration, size, relative proportions, and materials of construction of the different invention elements disclosed and described herein without departing from the scope, meaning, or intent of the claims which follow.

Claims

1. Prefabricated swimming pool made of metal, especially stainless steel, of plastic, of plastic with ceramic inlays, or of prefabricated concrete components and is transported to the construction site either completely prefabricated or in factory-prefabricated parts that are assembled at the construction site, and which has a water circulation system that continuously or at regular intervals removes part of the pool water from the swimming pool, runs it through a dirt filter and returns it to the pool, achieving a flow in the pool water, caused by the circulation of the pool water, wherein the pool floor (1) is curved, at least in part, along one of its axes, preferably along its lateral axis, with at least 25 percent, preferably at least half, and especially preferably with the entire surface of the pool floor (1) being curved along this axis.

2. The swimming pool according to claim 1, wherein a section through the curved pool floor (1) has the outline of a semicircle or a half ellipse.

3. The swimming pool according to claim 1, wherein a section through the curved pool floor (1) has the outline of a quarter circle or a quarter ellipse, with this curved area preferably adjoined by a flat area (11).

4. The swimming pool according to one of claim 1, wherein the pool floor (1) is curved along its lateral axis or along its longitudinal axis or along both axes.

5. The swimming pool according to claim 1, wherein the swimming pool is bordered perpendicularly to the curved area by vertical side walls (2, 3).

6. The swimming pool according to claim 5, wherein vertical side walls (2, 3) have one support rib (4, 5) each below the pool.

7. The swimming pool according to claim 1, wherein the pool floor (1), below its curved surface, has several support ribs (6, 7) distributed over this surface at a distance to one another.

8. The swimming pool according to claim 1, wherein near the upper edge of the pool (12) at least one skimmer (8) is installed.

9. The swimming pool according to claim 5, wherein one of the vertical side walls (2, 3) has a housing for a rolling cover molded onto it.

10. The swimming pool according to claim 5, wherein one of the vertical side walls (2, 3) has access stairs (10) molded thereon.

11. The swimming pool according to claim 1, wherein one of the vertical side walls or at least one corner of the curved pool floor has integrated access stairs that may be angular or rounded.

12. The swimming pool according to claim 5, wherein at least one part of one of the vertical side walls (2,3) is configured as a semicircular side wall.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. The swimming pool according to claim 12, wherein the semicircular side wall has integrated access stairs (10).

16. The swimming pool according to claim 1, wherein the continuous edge (12) of the swimming pool is at least in part configured as an overflow gutter (9).