METHOD FOR OPENING A SWIMMING POOL WITH A COVER

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a method according to claim 1 for manipulation with a thermo-insulating cover of a spa or swim spa between a closed position, an open position and a parking position and vice versa.Background art

[0002] Nowadays, there are numerous types of massage pools, also known as whirlpools or spas and swimming massage pools or swim spas, which are massage pools of larger dimensions suitable especially for active swimming. Spas or swim spas are used for relaxation and rehabilitation and they are also designed to complement houses and villas, both in the interior and the exterior. Spas and swim spas range in ground plan size from approximately 1 x 2 m for a spa up to 3 x 6 m for a swim spa. The structure of spas and swim spas is designed to keep the water clean and warm for a long time. This is achieved by an insulated structure of a shell and a thermo-insulating cover, which prevents leakage of moisture and heat from the spa or swim spa, thus reducing the operation costs. Moreover, it prevents injuries of young children and pets, protects the massage pool from contamination with impurities and dust and prevents penetration of solar radiation which causes microorganisms to multiply in the water. Even though thermo-insulating covers are made from a lightweight material, their weight is still relatively high with respect to their dimensions, which makes these covers difficult to handle. The most commonly used thermo-insulating covers consist of two thermo-insulating segments, which are rotatably connected to each other and are manually moved from a closed position to an open position and vice versa. In the closed position, at the beginning of the handling operation one thermo-insulating segment is folded over the other, and so they touch each other with their originally upper sides, and subsequently they are removed, whereby two persons are usually necessary for the removal. Another disadvantage of manual removal of the thermo-insulating cover is a problem of storing the thermo-insulating cover while the spa or swim spa is used.

[0003] Therefore, devices for manipulation with the segments of thermo-insulating covers between their closed position and open position have been developed, including both manually controlled mechanical devices and semiautomatic devices, as well as automatic devices reacting only to commands from an operator.

[0004] US5689841, for example, discloses a mechanism for lifting a two- segment thermo-insulating cover from a spa or swim spa by means of a device with which is provided the first thermo-insulating segment, rotatably connected to the spa. When moving the thermo-insulating cover to a storage position, at first the second thermo-insulating segment is raised and folded back over the first thermo-insulating segment, and so both segments touch each other with their originally upper sides. After that the first thermo-insulating segment is raised to a vertical position along with the second thermo-insulating segment by means of a lifting device and, as a result, the spa is uncovered.

[0005] Similar mechanisms have been described, for example, in documents US6795984, US2007 / 0209104 and US6000071. Nevertheless, in all these solutions, during the time when the spa is used, the thermo-insulating cover remains on the edge of the spa in a vertical, i.e. storage position, in which it impedes access to the massage spa from one of its sides and restricts the view. Storing the thermo-insulating cover in another position while the spa is used is partially solved, for example, by solutions disclosed in US7155756, US5048153, US5974600 or WO2007 / 058953, in which the thermo-insulating cover, after being raised from the upper circumference of the spa, is lowered or dropped to a space outside the ground plan of the massage pool, for example, beside the back wall of the spa. However, similarly as in the case of the above-mentioned solutions, it is first necessary to fold the second thermo-insulating segment over the first thermo-insulating segment so that they touch each other with their originally upper sides, which is in most cases performed manually. Still, there is a problem with the difficult manipulation with the thermo-insulating cover, the weight of which is considerably high.

[0006] US7155756 discloses a mechanism for automatic folding of a second thermo-insulating segment over a first thermo-insulating segment to a position described in the above-mentioned solutions. This mechanism is rather complicated and puts great demands on the construction of the entire lifting device, which also increases its acquisition and operating costs. Moreover, the aesthetic impression is significantly worsened. All the devices for manipulation with thermo-insulating covers according to the background art must be dimensioned for lifting the entire weight of both thermo-insulating segments or for rotating the entire weight of both thermo-insulating segments, which means that these devices are bulky and their cost increases.

[0007] Another similar solution is disclosed in DE 10 2008 032158, in which a spa cover comprises a carrier segment, coupled to a rotatable actuator, and a carried segment, rotatably connected to the carrier segment. Before the start of the rotation of the carrier segment, the carried segment is tilted onto the carrier segment and, consequently, both segments abut each other with their originally upper surfaces. It is only then that the rotation of the carrier segment is started around an axis which lies outside the ground plan of the spa but does not change its position. After rotation by 90 ° from the spa edge, that is, after reaching the first vertical position of the segments, the rotation continues by further 180 ° until the second vertical position of the segments is reached. The rotation is terminated as soon as both segments reach the vertical position next to the side wall of the spa. The disadvantage is the need for great force to rotate both segments at the same time. Another disadvantage is the fact that by tilting the segments on top of each other, the originally bearing surface of one of the segments gets to the top and so it can become dirty and after the cover closure the dirt will be transferred to the bath in the spa.

[0008] US 2010 / 313352 describes a spa cover operating in the same manner. Before starting the rotation of the carrier segment, the carried segment is tilted by appropriate means onto the carrier segment which then tilts the two segments to the vertical position. The drawbacks of this embodiment are the same as mentioned above.

[0009] WO 91 / 13224 describes a spa cover comprising two segments which are rotatably connected to each other. To open the cover, one of the segments rotate with its originally outer side to the outer side of the other segment, and the two segments move to a rotating device mounted on one outer wall of the spa, whereupon the device rotates by 90 ° and moves the two segments to the vertical position.

[0010] US 5 819 332 discloses a spa cover comprising a carrier segment coupled to a rotatable drive and a carried segment which is coupled to it and is rotatably connected to the carrier segment. The horizontal axis of rotation, arranged at approximately half the spa height, is situated outside the ground plan of the spa and is connected to the carrier segment by two drive levers. During the start of opening the cover, the carried segment is tilted onto the carrier segment. As a result, both segments abut each other with their originally upper surfaces. Thereafter, the rotation of the drive levers is initiated, by which the carrier segment is brought to a position adjacent to the respective side wall of the spa. In the open position of the cover, the segments are situated next to the side wall of the spa, but partially protrude above the upper edge of the spa, thus restricting the view of the spa users. The disadvantage of the above-described solutions is the fact that when the segments are tilted up on top of each other, the originally bearing surface of one of the segments will get to the top, and since in the vertical position of the segments the two originally bearing surfaces are outside the segments, they can become dirty and, after closing the cover, the dirt is transferred to the bath of the spa.

[0011] In all these cases of manipulation, it is always the bottom side of the cover that remains visible after the cover is lifted and folded. The bottom side is always degraded in terms of appearance and surface, since it is exposed to the aggressive wet environment and chemical substances in the water and vapors under the cover when closed. The bottom side of these covers may be non-hygienic for touch as well as for breathing.

[0012] FR 2 966 857 discloses a spa cover comprising a carrier segment the carrier segment being coupled to a carried segment which is rotatably connected to the carrier segment. The carrier segment is mounted rotatably around an axis which lies outside the ground plan of the spa. The aim of the invention is to ensure that the free end portion of the carried segment does not contact the spa edge when opening the cover because otherwise it may be damaged. During the start of the opening of the cover, the carrier segment starts to rotate, raising the carried segment above the spa edge without its free end portion contacting the spa edge. The mutual position of the segments is controlled by a cable which passes through the carrier segment and is fastened in the carried segment. Once the carrier segment has reached a vertical position, both segments abut each other with their bearing surfaces, that is, with the surfaces which in the closed position of the cover abutted the spa edge. In this position, both segments move vertically downwards alongside the outer edge of the spa. The disadvantage is that it is necessary to carry over the heavy mass of both segments, especially in the initial phase of opening and overcoming the vacuum force in the interior of the spa when starting the opening operation. Another drawback is the installation of a control device for opening the cover outside the spa without any interconnection between the device and the spa.

[0013] CZ PV 2008-243 (WO 2009 / 129756) discloses a method of manipulation with a thermo-insulating cover of a spa or a swim spa between its covering position and opened position. The cover comprises a pair of thermo-insulating segments consisting of a carrier thermo-insulating segment and a carried thermo-insulating segment, which are rotatably connected to each other and in the covering position are lying with their bottom surfaces on the circumference of the spa or swim spa. The carrier thermo-insulating segment is rotatably mounted on the spa or swim spa. During the phase of opening, the carrier thermo-insulating segment rotates and its front end is raised, carrying the carried segment. After the carrier segment reaches a vertical position, the carried segment is drawn by force to the carrier segment, until both segments touch each other with their bottom surfaces. In the opened position, therefore, the original upper sides of the segments are on the outside side of the raised pair of segments, which is advantageous compared to the previous solutions. Although the method allows the thermo-insulating spa or swim spa cover to be opened and closed reliably, the operation of opening as well as closing is performed in two steps, each step requiring a separate device arranged on each side of the cover - two devices for the rotation of the carrier segment and two devices for bringing the carried segment closer and removing it, which increases costs and reduces reliability. Both segments can be lowered together to a storage position in a storage space, but two additional means for lowering and extending the thermo-insulating segments are needed.

[0014] It is therefore a goal of the invention to simplify the method for manipulation with a spa or swim spa thermo-insulating cover and, in particular, to simplify the device for the cover-handling operations, thereby increasing their reliability and reducing manufacturing and operating costs of the device for performing the method.Principle of the invention

[0015] The goal of the invention is achieved by a method according to claim 1, whose principle consists in that in the closed position of the thermo-insulating cover the bearing surfaces abut the edge of the vessel and close the vessel, both segments are in a horizontal position and the axis is situated in a resting position, in the open position of the thermo-insulating cover the bearing surfaces face each other, both segments are in a vertical position and the axis is situated in an upper position above the resting position of the axis, in the parking position of the thermo-insulating cover the bearing surfaces face each other, both segments are in a vertical position and are situated together with the rotation device next to the vessel in the parking position below the open position of the thermo-insulating cover and below both upper and resting positions of the axis, and between the closed position and the open position the carrier segment rotates about the axis and between open positon and the parking position both segments move together in vertical direction, and between the closed position and the open position the axis at first is raised from the resting positon into the upper position and raising the first end of the carrier segment, whereby the rear portion of the bearing surface of the carrier segment gets out of contact with the edge of the spa vessel and the front portion of the carrier segment along with the bearing surface of the carried segment maintain on the edge of the spa vessel and the inner space of the spa vessel and the spa surrounding environment are interconnected through thus created a gap to reduce an initial force required to subsequent start of the rotation of the carrier segment about the axis to the open position of the cover. The inner surface of the spa or swim spa is connected by means of the gap to the surrounding environment and pressures are balanced, and so it is only the force derived by the weight of both segments of the thermo-insulating cover and any resistors that is overcome when rotating by means of the carrier segment. This reduces performance requirements of the rotating means.

[0016] Using the method according to the invention has greatly improved the reliability of manipulation with the spa cover.

[0017] Preferred embodiments of the invention are in dependent claims.Description of drawings

[0018] Exemplary embodiments in different phases of operation are schematically represented in the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows a view of a device for manipulation with a spa cover with the first variant of a rotation device for vertical manipulation in the closed position, Fig. 2 is a side view of the device according to Fig. 1 in the closed position, Fig. 3 is view of the device according to Fig. 1 with a raised rear portion of the cover, Fig. 4 is a side view of the device in the position according to Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a side view of the device after starting rotation of the carrier segment in a partially open position, Fig. 6 is a side view of the device after the rotation of the carrier segment is completed, both the carrier segment and the carried segment being in the vertical position, Fig. 7 is a side view of the device with a cover in the parking position, Fig. 8 shows a view of the device for manipulation with a spa cover having an alternative variant of the device for vertical manipulation, Fig. 9 represents a schematic view of one of the alternative embodiments of the rotation device of the cover and Fig. 10 is a view of another variant of the device for vertical manipulation.Examples of embodiment

[0019] A spa or swim spa, hereinafter referred to as a spa, comprises a suitably shaped vessel 1 , which is thermally insulated and is arranged in a support structure 10 schematically represented in Figs. 2, 4 - 7 and in the arrangement above ground level it is provided with a shell, the so-called cabinet (not shown). In another embodiment, the spa vessel 1 is mounted in a pit, whereby its edge 11, formed in the upper part of the spa vessel 1 , rests on the edges of the pit, and its bottom part lies at the bottom of the pit. A thermo-insulating cover 2 is mounted on the edge 11, consisting of two thermo-insulating segments 21, 22, which in a closed position abut with their bottom surfaces the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 . The thermo-insulating segments 21, 22 are rotatably connected to each other in a known manner, whereby the connection allows their rotation towards each other with their bottom surfaces. One of the thermo-insulating segments is a carrier segment 21 and the other is a carried segment 22, which is carried due to being connected to the carrier segment 21 . The carrier segment 21 is coupled to a control device of the spa cover 2, which is mounted on a special frame 31, connected to a support structure 10 of the spa. The control device of the spa cover 2 comprises a rotation device 4 of the carrier segment 21, which is coupled to a device 5 for vertical manipulation at the same time / together with the rotation device 4 and the cover 2 . Both the control device of the spa cover 2 and the frame 31 of the control device are arranged outside the ground plan of the spa vessel 1 defined by the edge 11, which means that also the axis 40 of rotation of the rotation device 4 , which is at the same time the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21, is situated outside the ground plan of the spa vessel 1 . The frame 31 of the control device contains at least two struts 310 and at least two crossbeams 311 .

[0020] In an embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 3, the rotation device 4 of the carrier segment 21 comprises a pair of rotary actuators 41, mounted on the housings 51 of the device 5 for vertical manipulation, which are adjustably mounted on both side struts 310 of the frame 31 . In an unillustrated embodiment, the rotation devices 4 are mounted on other suitable parts of the device 5 for vertical manipulation. The rotary actuators 41 are in a known manner mutually synchronized and connected to a known unillustrated control unit, and so after receiving a command of the control unit they are capable of rotating at the same angular speed and at the same time. The rotary actuator 41 is directly or via suitable gear members (in Figs. 1 and 3 unillustrated) connected to a rotary lever 42, which is terminated by a supporting plate 421 . The supporting plate 421 is fixedly attached to the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21 .

[0021] In an embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 7, each device 5 for vertical manipulation comprises a lifting actuator consisting of a suitable linear actuator, such as a rack gearing, whose rack 510 is in the illustrated embodiment embedded in the struts 310 of the frame 31 , and a motor with a pinion, whose teeth engage with the teeth of a respective rack 510. The motor and the pinion are not illustrated and are mounted in a known manner in the housings 51 of the devices 5 for vertical manipulation, whereby the two motors are in a known manner mutually synchronized and connected to the known control unit, which means that upon the control unit command they are capable of rotating at the same angular speed and at the same time.

[0022] In the closed position both segments 21, 22 abut the thermo-insulating cover 2 against the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 along its entire circumference and, consequently, the inner space of the spa is insulated from the outer space. At the beginning of opening the thermo-insulating cover 2 from the closed position, at first the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21 raises from its resting position to its upper position, thereby raising the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21 along with the rotation device 4 of the carrier segment 21 . Consequently, the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 gets out of contact with the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 and the inner space and the surrounding environment are interconnected through the gap which has been formed, thereby reducing the force required to initiate the rotation of the carrier segment 21, since it is no longer necessary to overcome the vacuum in the closed space between the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 .

[0023] For this purpose, upon a command from an unillustrated control unit both devices 5 for vertical manipulation simultaneously move from their resting position in which the thermo-insulating cover 2 is closed, to their upper position, carrying both rotation devices 4 and at the same time, via the rotary lever 42, carrying the rear portion of the carrier segment 21, until a gap is created between the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The front portion of the carrier segment 21 along with the carried segment 22 maintain on the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 . At the same time, the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21 and of the rotation device 4 has been displaced to its upper position.

[0024] In the second step of the opening of the spa thermo-insulating cover 2 , the rotation device 4 of the carrier segment 21 starts to operate and begins to rotate the carrier segment 21 away from the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 about the axis 40 . At the same time, the front portion of the carrier segment 21 is raised and carries the rear portion of the carried segment 22, whose front portion provided with wheels or gliders is in contact with the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 for a certain period of time and moves on it, as shown in Fig. 5.

[0025] As the rotation movement of the rotation device 4 and of the carrier segment 21 continues, the front portion of the carried segment 22 moves away from the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 due to being shorter in comparison with the carrier segment 21 .

[0026] The rotation device 4 will terminate its activity as soon as the carrier segment 21 reaches its vertical position, whereby the carried segment 22 also settles at the same position, as is shown in Fig. 6, which means that both segments 21, 22 are in their open position.

[0027] Subsequently, both devices 5 for vertical manipulation the thermo-insulating cover 2 and the rotation device 4 are actuated simultaneously and start lowering the rotation device 4 and the cover 2 in the vertical position, both being lowered at the same time and at the same speed to their parking position in the parking space 6 , which is formed next to the spa vessel 1 , as shown in Fig. 7. The parking space 6 may be designed in a different manner according to the spa design, for example by enlarging the spa cabinet, or by increasing the pit in which the spa is installed, or in another suitable manner.

[0028] When closing the thermo-insulating cover 2, the procedure is opposite.

[0029] First, the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the thermo-insulating cover 2 and with the rotation device 4 lift the rotation device 4 along with the cover 2 from the parking position to the upper position, in which the device 5 for vertical manipulation stops. Subsequently, the rotation device 4 is initiated and starts to rotate the carried segment 21 towards the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 . The carried segment 22, which is shorter than the carrier segment 21, in the initial phase of the rotation of the carrier segment 21 assumes the vertical position, which means it hangs freely on the carrier segment until the moment when the wheels or gliders of the carried segment 22 abut the edge 11 . As the carrier segment 21 continues to rotate, the carried segment 22 starts to open away from the carrier segment 21, until its bearing surface 220 comes into contact with the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 . Simultaneously, the front portion of the carrier segment 21 abuts the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 as well. Both the rotation device 4 and the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the thermo-insulating cover 2 and the rotation device 4 remain in their upper position during the rotation of the carrier segment 21, and so after the rotation of the carrier segment 21 is completed, a gap is formed between the rear portion of its bearing surface 211 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 . In the last step of closing the thermo-insulating cover 2, the device 5 for vertical manipulation is lowered to its resting position and the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 abuts the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 .

[0030] The actual design of of the rotation device 4 of the carrier segment 21 and / or the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the cover 2 and the rotation device 4 may vary and may employ both rotary actuators and linear actuators.

[0031] One of the possible variants of the device 5 for vertical manipulation is shown in Fig. 8, which schematically represents the rotation device 4 of the carrier segment 21 hinged on flexible support members 52, which are guided upwards from the respective rotation device 4 over the carrying pulleys 53 which are rotatably mounted on the frame 31 of the control device above the upper position of the rotation devices 4 . The flexible support members 52 are guided over the guide pulleys 54, which are rotatably mounted on the frame 31, towards the lifting and lowering actuator, which is also mounted on the frame 31 . In the illustrated embodiment, the lifting and lowering actuator comprises a winding device 55, to which are attached both the support members 52 and which is composed of a suitable electrical winch, which is rotatable in either direction. The winding device 55 is coupled to a known unillustrated motor and the control unit, whereby in the resting position it can rotates in either direction.

[0032] In an unillustrated embodiment, the lifting and lowering actuator is linear and at the end of its movable portion is arranged a tightening member, to which support members 52 are coupled. In a preferred embodiment, the tightening member is composed of a rotatably mounted tightening pulley, whereby in this embodiment the two support members 52 meet and merge into one which passes over the tightening pulley.

[0033] In the first step of the opening of the thermo-insulating cover 2 , the winding device 55 is started briefly in the winding direction and the flexible support members 52 simultaneously lift both rotation devices 4 from their resting position to their upper position and with them the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21 is also lifted, thereby creating a gap between the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 . After the rotation of the carrier segment 21 and of the carried segment 22 to the vertical position, the winding device 55 is started in the unwinding direction and the rotation device 4 along with the cover 2 are lowered to the parking position. To close the cover 2 , all the steps are performed in reverse order, the last step being closing the gap between the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11 .

[0034] One of the possible variants of the rotation device 4 is shown in Fig. 9. On the side struts 310 of the frame 31 of the control device is mounted adjustably in the vertical direction a movable beam 500, on which is mounted the rotation device 4 . The movable beam 500 is part of the unillustrated device 5 for vertical manipulation with the thermo-insulating cover 2 and the rotation device 4 , for example, according to any of the above or below described embodiments. On the movable beam 500 is rotatably mounted a swinging coulisse 43, on which are arranged two pins 431, on which rods 44 are rotatably mounted with one of their ends, whereby their other ends are each rotatably connected to one first arm 451 of an angular lever 45 . The angular levers 45 are rotatably mounted on the opposite sides of the beam 500.

[0035] The swinging coulisse 43 is coupled to a rotary actuator 41, which may be formed, for example, by a rotary motor, or may be provided with teeth disposed about its periphery, the teeth being coupled to a rack of the linear actuator and the like.

[0036] The second arms 452 of the angular levers 45 are coupled by means of adjustable rods 46 to the first arm 422 of the rotatable lever 42, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 47 mounted on the beam 500. On the second arm 423 of the rotary lever 42 is provided a supporting plate 421, to which the carrier segment 21 is attached fixedly, for instance by means of screws. The shaft 47 is situated outside the ground plan of the spa and its axis is the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21 and, at the same time, also the axis of rotation of the rotation device 4.

[0037] In the first step of the opening of the thermo-insulating spa cover 2 the beam 500 is moved from its resting position to upper position by means of the device 5 for vertical manipulation, in which a gap is created between the rear portion of the bearing surface 210 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11.

[0038] In the upper position, 4 the rotary actuator, which is is started by means of the rotation device, rotates the swinging coulisse 43, setting into motion the pins 431 with the rods 44 mounted on them. The rods 44 rotates the angular levers 45 on both sides of the rotation device 4 and via the adjustable rod 46 start to rotate the two-armed rotary lever 42, which rotates the carried segment 21, which is fixedly attached to it and which carries the carried segment 22 until both segments 21, 22 reach the vertical position. Subsequently, the device 5 for vertical manipulation is started and the rotation device 4 along with the opened cover 2 are lowered to the parking position next to the spa vessel 1.

[0039] When closing the thermo-insulating cover 2, the procedure is opposite.

[0040] Fig. 10 shows another variant of the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the cover 2 and the rotation device 4, which is suitable especially when combined with the rotation device 4 according to Fig. 9. However, Fig. 10 shows a movable beam 500 from Fig. 9, which is mounted adjustable only vertically, on which are arranged parts of the rotation device according to Fig. 9 and a shaft 47, about which rotates the rotary lever 42 with the carried segment 21 of the cover 2. The other parts of the rotation device 4 have been omitted for the sake of clearer representation and better understanding of this embodiment of the device 5 for vertical manipulation.

[0041] The movable beam 500 is hinged at two points of the flexible support member 52, which is from the points of the hinge guided upwards from the movable beam 500 over the carrying pulleys 53, which are rotatably mounted on the frame 31 of the control device above the upper position of the movable beam 500 . The first branch 521 of the flexible support member 52 is guided from the first carrying pulley 531 to the tightening member 56, which is wrapped by it and afterwards the first branch becomes a second branch 522, which is guided from the tightening member 56 over the auxiliary pulley 57 to the second carrying pulley 532, which is wrapped by it and the second branch is terminated in the hinge on the movable beam 500. The tightening member 56 is mounted on the movable portion 5501 of the linear actuator 550 constituting the lifting and lowering actuator of the device 5 for vertical manipulation. In an unillustrated embodiment, the tightening member 56 is composed of a rotatably mounted tightening pulley. The fixed portion 5502 of the linear actuator 550 is mounted on the frame 31 of the control device, in an embodiment shown in Fig. 10 in the righthand bottom corner of the frame 31. The linear actuator 550 is coupled to an unillustrated control unit along with the other members of the control device and is composed of any suitable type of a linear actuator.

[0042] The carrying pulleys 53 are mounted on the frame 31 of the control device in any other suitable manner which ensures their unchanging position and sufficient bearing capacity in the illustrated embodiment on the shims 312, which are fastened to the frame crossbeam 311 or may be mounted on an auxiliary crossbeam 31 of the frame arranged in the upper part of the frame 31.

[0043] In the first step of opening, the linear actuator 550 is started briefly in the lifting direction Z and its movable portion 5501 starts to shift from its resting position into its retracted position. Consequently, also the tightening member 56 is moved in the same manner, pulling the flexible support member 52 , thereby raising the movable beam 500 to its upper position, which results in raising the rotation device 4 and the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21 into their upper positions. Thus, a gap is formed between the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 . In this position, the rotation device 4 begins to rotate and after the carrier segment 21 along with the carried segment 22 are rotated into the vertical position, the linear actuator 550 is started in the lowering direction S and its movable portion 5501 with the tightening member 56 begins to extend, by which means the flexible support member 52 is released and the movable beam 500 , which is hinged on it, starts to lower to the parking position along with the rotation device 4 and the cover 2.

[0044] When closing the thermo-insulating cover 2, the procedure is opposite.Industrial applicability

[0045] The method according to the invention is intended for automation of the opening and closing of thermo-insulating covers, especially of large swim spas, providing maximum comfort to the user of the swim spa when operating the spa and allowing unrestricted view from the spa after displacement of the spa cover into parking position.

Claims

1. A method for manipulation with a thermo-insulating cover (2) of a spa or a swim spa between a closed position, an open position and a parking position and vice versa, whereby the thermo-insulating cover (2) comprises a thermo-insulating carrier segment (21) and a thermo-insulating carried segment (22), wherein the carrier segment (21) is by its first end mounted on a rotation device (4), which has an axis (40) of rotation of the carrier segment (21), the carried segment (22) is by its first end rotatably mounted on a second end of the carrier segment (21), and the rotation device (4) is mounted vertically movably on a device (5) for vertical manipulation, wherein the carrier segment (21) and the carried segment (22) each comprise a bearing surface (211, 220) and the spa comprises a vessel (1) with an edge (11) surrounding the entire circumference of the vessel (1), wherein in the closed position of the thermo-insulating cover (2) the bearing surfaces (211, 221) abut the edge (11) of the vessel (1) and close the vessel (1), both segments (21, 22) are in a horizontal position and the axis (40) is situated in a resting position, in the open position of the thermo-insulating cover (2) the bearing surfaces (211, 220 ) face each other, both segments (21, 22) are in a vertical position and the axis (40) is situated in an upper position above the resting position of the axis (40), in the parking position of the thermo-insulating cover (2) the bearing surfaces (211, 220) face each other, both segments (21, 22) are in a vertical position and are situated together with the rotation device (4) next to the vessel (1) in the parking position below the open position of the thermo-insulating cover (2) and below both upper and resting positions of the axis (40), and between the closed position and the open position the carrier segment (21) rotates about the axis (40) and between open positon and the parking position both segments (21, 22) move together in vertical direction, and between the closed position and the open position the axis (40) at first is raised from the resting positon into the upper position and raising the first end of the carrier segment (21), whereby the rear portion of the bearing surface (211) of the carrier segment (21) gets out of contact with the edge (11) of the spa vessel (1) while at the same time the front portion of the carrier segment (21) along with the bearing surface (220) of the carried segment (22) maintain on the edge (11) of the spa vessel (1) and the inner space of the spa vessel (1) and the spa surrounding environment are interconnected through thus created a gap to reduce an initial force required to subsequent start of the rotation of the carrier segment (21) about the axis (40) to the open position of the cover (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that starting the rotation of the carrier segment (21) of the spa cover (2) from the closed position of the cover (2) to the open position of the cover (2), about the axis (40) lifted in the upper position of the axis (40), the whole carrier segment (21) is raised above the edge (11) with the portion of the carried segment (22), which is connected with the carrier segment (21), and the opposite end of the carried segment (22) is provided with wheels or gliders and is moving on the edge (11) of the spa vessel (1) for a certain period of time, after which it moves away from the edge (11) of the spa vessel (1) into the open position of the cover (2).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that for closing the thermo-insulating cover (2), the carrier segment (21), the carried segment (22) and the rotation device (4) are at first moved vertically from the parking position to the open position with the axis (40) in its upper position, then rotation the carrier segment (21) about the axis (40) to the closed position of the cover (2) is started until the entire bearing surface (220) of the carried segment (22) and the front part of the bearing surface (211) of the carrier segment (21) abuts the edge (11) of the spa vessel (1) and subsequently is started the moving the axis (40) from the upper position to the resting position to abuts the rest of the bearing surface (211) of the carrier segment (21) on the edge (11) of the spa vessel (1) and to cover the spa vessel (1) with the thermo-insulating cover (2).

4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axis (40) is raised by a device (5) for vertical manipulation that also serves to vertically move the thermo-insulating cover between the open position of the cover (2) and the parking position of the cover (2).