Inflatable Dome Cover for Above-Ground Pools

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

None.

The present invention relates to inflatable covers of recreational swimming pools, particularly above-ground pools.

The present invention relates to covers for above-ground pools.

Above ground pool covers keep the pools free of dirt and debris, so the pool is clean and ready to use. A pool cover can also reduce evaporation, which can help maintain the chemical balance of the pool. An uncovered pool can lose between 2-40 mm of water each week, depending on the climate.

A pool cover can maintain the temperature of the pool as the vast majority of a pool's heat is lost through the water surface. A regularly used pool cover can help maintain the temperature of the pool and conserve water, thus reducing the costs and use of chemicals to maintain the pool.

There are two main types of covers for above-ground pools. Both come with their advantages and disadvantages. A temporary soft solar cover is ideal for use during the swimming season. A winter cover is designed as more permanent solution during the winter months or off season.

A solar cover is designed to increase the temperature of the pool by absorbing the sun's warmth and transferring the energy into the water. It then prevents the heat from evaporating by serving as a physical barrier to prevent heat loss.

A solar cover protects the water from UV rays, thus reducing chlorine consumption as chlorine decays faster with UV rays.

However, most solar pool covers lack thickness and durability. Thus, they wear out quickly and and must be replaced. They also cannot maintain the heat of the pool if the ambient temperature drops significantly. disadvantages of solar pool covers include

A solar blanket, or thermal pool blanket, is a more expensive thicker insulation that is designed to retain the heat in a pool. However, they are harder to install and/or remove, and might require a roller or even professional assistance. Moreover, they tend to retain heat as opposed to heating the pool itself.

Another option is a liquid solar cover, which is an alcohol-based chemical to slow the evaporation of the pool's water. It does not add heat, but only helps to retain the heat. One drawback for this is that it cannot be used in windy areas. If the water is too choppy, then the effectiveness of the chemical covering is reduced. Further, it cannot be used to keep debris out of the pool.

A winter cover is designed to protect the pool during the off season. It protects against ice, snow, and freezing temperatures. Slime, algae, and debris can build up over the winter of an unprotected pool. Once installed, a winter pool cover is held in place with cable tighteners.

The art has other examples of attempting to create inflatable domes. One example is an inflatable dome tent for events or exhibitions. One example on the market is sold by TH JOY LIMITED™ at https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803633082453.html?gatewayAdapt-glo2usa4itemAdapt (last accessed Sep. 21, 2023). However, these and other similar products are not designed for use with pools.

There are examples of pool domes on the market. One such is the air pillow sold by EASYDOME™ at https://www.easydomepoolcovers.com/products/full-size-domed-pillow?variant=42025319137477 (last accessed Sep. 21, 2023). This product is made of heavy duty vinyl and has a five foot long air trunk, which enables inflation using a shop vac, leaf blower, or air compressor.

Another example is the Inflatable Swimming Cover Transparent dome sold by FUNWORLD™. Another example is the Inflatable PVC Swimming Pool dome cover tent sold by DH GATE™. However, both of these products require installation around the pool itself, but do not connect directly to the pool.

Each of the aforementioned domes would require a constant flow of air to maintain its shape. If the air flow is turned off, the structure will collapse and the plastic will go into the pool and disrupt swimming. This constant flow of air is also a nuisance for those within the dome, both in terms of added noise and a direct flow of air that must be avoided. The constant air flow also uses more energy.

Another prior art dome is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0246818 (the “Dautrich '818 application”). However, the Dautrich '818 application does not disclose a dome covering which can be used during recreational swimming.

While the prior art disclosed pool covers, including domed-shaped ones, they have significant drawbacks. However, there still remains a need of a pool cover that can be attached to an above-ground pool and maintain its dome shape without constant air flow.

In light of the above-stated discussion, there is a need to provide a technical solution that overcomes the aforementioned problems of the traditional pool cover.

The present invention relates to a self-inflatable dome cover for above-ground pools. The present invention utilizes an air pump that inflates the cover itself and maintains rigidity, as opposed to inflating the air pocket beneath the dome.

A cover for an above-ground pool comprising,

The cover for an above-ground pool of wherein the inflatable dome cover is circular in shape.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0021] wherein the inflatable dome cover is ovular in shape.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0021] wherein the inflatable dome cover is square in shape.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0021] wherein the inflatable dome cover has at least one detachable segment that contains a top hook and strap connector, a bottom hook and strap connector, and a zipper line, wherein unzipping the zipper line will separate the at least one detachable segment from the rest of the inflatable dome cover.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0021] wherein the inflatable dome cover has at least one mesh-screen that is attached directly behind the at least one detachable segment.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0021] wherein the inflatable dome cover has at least one string of LED lights.

A cover for an above-ground pool through using an inflatable dome comprising,

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0028] wherein the inflatable dome cover is circular in shape.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0028] wherein the inflatable dome cover is ovular in shape.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0028] wherein the inflatable dome cover is square in shape.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0028] wherein the inflatable dome cover has at least one detachable segment that contains a top hook and strap connector, a bottom hook and strap connector, and a zipper line, wherein unzipping the zipper line will separate the at least one detachable segment from the rest of the inflatable dome cover.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0028] wherein the inflatable dome cover has at least one mesh-screen that is attached directly behind the at least one detachable segment.

The cover for an above-ground pool of [0028] wherein the inflatable dome cover has at least one string of LED lights.

The present invention comprises an inflatable dome to cover above-ground pools. The inflatable dome is secured to the top rail of the pool structure via metal clips. The inflatable dome is inflated with an air compressor device. The air compressor device may or may not be permanently attached to the inflatable dome.

Reference is made to. A common numbering system is used for all figures. A comprehensive list of the structures identified in the figures is provided below.

The dome is inflated to keep debris out of the pool and to maintain the pool at a warm temperature.

The inflatable dome is preferably made of such durable materials as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), textile-reinforced urethane plastic, thermoplastic polyurethane, rubber, vulcanized rubber, and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the inflatable dome is made of a translucent or transparent material to allow the users of the pool to see through the inflatable dome.

The inflatable dome is comprised of at least two layers of material, a top layer and a bottom layer, with a space in between the layers to allow for an air pocket when the dome is inflated. While inflated, this air space is encased by the durable material.

The inflatable dome may contain a series of interconnected chambers which provide pockets of air. As the chambers are interconnected, the air can flow between them to provide a uniform level of inflation throughout the dome when inflated. The air chambers can be any shape that is standard in the industry of inflatable support materials.

In one embodiment, the air chambers inflate to become structural pillars of material when filled with air, thus providing vertical support to the dome between the bottom and top layers of material.

In another embodiment, the air chambers are spherical sacs.

In a preferred embodiment, the segmented air chambers are completely interconnected such that the inflation is uniform throughout the inflatable dome.

In another embodiment, the inflatable dome has a single air pocket which is not divided into smaller air spaces. In such an embodiment, it is preferred that the dome covering has vertical material bands within the air space which connect the bottom and top layers, and which function to maintain the shape of the dome when inflated.

In a preferred embodiment, the inflatable dome is inflated with the use a mechanical air pump (Item No.). The pump can be manual or electric. In a preferred embodiment, the air pump is electric. In a preferred embodiment, the pump is detachable and not permanently attached to the dome,

In, this is demonstrated as an external air pump with an external mechanical air pump attachment (Item No.), which is a tube connects the mechanical air pump with the dome that provides the air flow into the inflatable dome. The inflatable dome is inflated by blowing compressed air through a valve (Item No.) that connects with the mechanical air pump attachment.

The valve is closed upon completion of the inflation, which prevents the backflow release of the air and maintaining the level of inflation. The valve can be secured shut if the pump is removed. In a preferred embodiment, the valve is a one-way valve that allows air into the dome, but prevents it's escape. Opening the valve releases the air from the dome covering, which allows it deflate. In a preferred embodiment, deflating the inflatable dome makes it compact for storage.

In another embodiment, the mechanical air pump is attached inside of the dome to allow the dome to be inflated regardless of the environment outside of the dome (i.e., rain or ice). This built-in air mechanical air pump inflates and deflates the dome for convenient set up and take down process.

In a preferred embodiment, the dome covering maintains its inflation after removal of the air pump. In a preferred embodiment, the mechanical air pump is detachable and stored away to protect it from inclement weather, especially rain, which damage electric devices.