Pool systems and methods for making and using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9359781-B2
Application number	US-201314104149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2013
Priority date	Dec 12, 2012
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved pool. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a method of making an improved pool. The pool can comprise an integrated sidewall joined to a floor portion. The integrated sidewall can be constructed from one piece of material, and can have fewer seams than traditional pools, thereby reducing the likelihood that that pool will rupture and leak. In some embodiments, since the pool has fewer seams than traditional pools, fewer manufacturing steps are required to make the pool. This can increase manufacturing speed and decrease cost.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid container, comprising:
a shell comprising:
a unitary sidewall having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the unitary sidewall is formed from a single sheet and defines the entire fluid container area;
the lower portion of the unitary sidewall comprising a lower lip section extending inward; and
a floor portion attached to the lower lip section of the unitary sidewall with a floor seam, the floor seam configured to extend parallel to the ground such that, when the fluid container is filled with fluid, hydrostatic pressure is applied downward on the floor seam to push the lower portion of the integrated sidewall and the floor portion together against the ground; and

a support for keeping the upper portion of the unitary sidewall elevated off the ground.

2. The container of claim 1 , further comprising corner patches attached to both the unitary sidewall and the floor portion.

3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the floor portion is formed from a single sheet.

4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the floor portion comprises a plurality of sheets joined with horizontal seams.

5. The container of claim 1 , wherein the unitary sidewall comprises one or more receiving portions for receiving a support frame.

6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises one or more flotation devices on the upper portion of the unitary sidewall.

7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the floor portion is rectangular, rectangular with rounded corners, square, square with rounded corners, circular, oval, oblong, elliptical, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or decagonal.

8. The container of claim 1 , wherein the seams are created by welding, RF welding, sewing, laminating, gluing, adhering, fastening, attaching, or sticking one portion of the unitary sidewall to a second portion of the unitary sidewall.

9. The container of claim 1 , wherein the unitary sidewall and floor portion comprise polyurethane, PVC, nylon, vinyl, or a textile coated with a material impermeable to water.

10. A method for assembling a fluid container, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of sheets of a flexible material, wherein at least one of the plurality of sheets is an integrated sidewall having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion comprising a lower lip section extending inward, and the integrated sidewall formed from a single sheet and defining the entire fluid container area, and wherein at least another of the plurality of sheets is a floor portion;
joining a first portion of the integrated sidewall to a second portion of the integrated sidewall with a single sidewall seam; and
joining the lower portion of the integrated sidewall to the floor portion with a floor seam, the floor seam configured to extend parallel to the ground such that, when the fluid container is filled with fluid, hydrostatic pressure is applied downward on the floor seam to push the lower portion of the integrated sidewall and the floor portion together against the ground.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method of joining two or more portions of the plurality of sheets comprises welding, RF welding, sewing, laminating, gluing, adhering, fastening, attaching, or sticking the portions together.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises joining two or more of the plurality of sheets to form the floor portion with one or more seams.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:
providing a plurality of corner patches; and
joining the corner patches to the integrated sidewall and the floor portion with a single seam.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises providing a support for keeping an upper portion of the integrated sidewall elevated above the floor portion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the support comprises a frame.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises connecting the upper portion of the integrated sidewall to the frame.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the support comprises a floatation device connected to the upper portion of the integrated sidewall.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein providing a plurality of sheets of a flexible material comprises providing a plurality of sheets of polyurethane, PVC, nylon, vinyl, or a textile coated with a material impermeable to water.

19. A fluid container, comprising:
a shell comprising:
an integrated sidewall formed from a single sheet and defining the entire fluid container area, the integrated sidewall comprising:
an upper portion comprising a receiving portion;
a lower portion comprising a lower lip section extending inward; and
a single seam that attaches a first portion of the integrated sidewall to a second portion of the integrated sidewall;

a floor portion attached to the lower lip section of the integrated sidewall with a floor seam, the floor seam configured to extend parallel to the ground such that, when the fluid container is filled with fluid, hydrostatic pressure is applied downward on the floor seam; and
at least one corner patch attached to both the integrated sidewall and the floor portion; and

a frame connected to the receiving portion for keeping the upper portion elevated off the ground.

Assignees

• Polygroup Macau Ltd Bvi

Inventors

• Lan Chao Long

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• E04H4/0056 Primary

  with a framework combined with a water retaining bag · CPC title

• E04H4/0031 Primary

  with shell type elements · CPC title

• E04H4/0025

  with inflatable parts · CPC title

• E04H4/0043 Primary

  mainly made of panels (E04H4/0031 takes precedence) · CPC title