Foldable Pool Cover With Rotatable Suspension Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foldable pool covers are not universal and cannot be easily adapted to various swimming pool types, lacking sufficient protection against wind, rain, and dirt, and do not provide optimal stability.
Innovation Solution
The foldable cover features suspension arms with clamps that can be rotated and attached to a pool's rail and legs, allowing for adjustable positioning and improved stability, using flexible materials like fiberglass for supports and PVC or PE cover material, which is transparent and dome-shaped for universal compatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a foldable cover is designed for a specific type of swimming pool, then it can provide adequate protection and stability for that pool type, but it cannot be universally adapted to different pool shapes and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment means are designed with universal functionality to work with multiple pool types. The support units can be attached to rails, legs, or other structural elements of different pool configurations using the same attachment mechanism, eliminating the need for pool-specific cover designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The support units are made rotatable about rotation axes, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position and orientation. This rotational capability enables the same attachment means to accommodate various pool shapes and sizes by simply rotating the support units to the appropriate angles.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cover is designed with fixed support units, then it provides stable attachment to the pool, but it cannot be easily adjusted to different pool configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The support units incorporate rotation axes that allow them to be rotated into different positions. This dynamic feature enables adjustment to match various pool configurations while maintaining stable attachment once positioned, as the rotatable connection provides both flexibility and firm securing.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover material is positioned above the rail in the folded position, then the structure is compact, but it provides insufficient protection from wind and rain
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the cover material above the rail in the folded state, the design inverts this arrangement by positioning the cover material below the rail. This inversion allows the cover to hang down and effectively block wind, rain, and dirt from reaching the pool area.
4Strength
If standard clamps are used for attaching to pool rails, then the attachment is simple and cost-effective, but it may not provide sufficient stability for all pool types
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment means use standard clamp designs that can universally attach to various pool structures including rails and legs. These multi-functional clamps provide strong attachment across different pool types without requiring complex specialized mechanisms for each pool configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a foldable cover (1) for a swimming pool (100). The cover comprises a foldable cover material (2), a number of supports (3) extending over the cover material for folding and unfolding the cover material and two support units (10) to be arranged on opposite sides of the cover (1) for rotatable attachment of outer ends of a number of the supports (3) around first rotation axes. The support units comprise attaching means for attaching the support units to the swimming pool. The attaching means comprise suspension arms, which suspension arms are provided with first suspension means for releasably suspending the support unit (10) on a rail (101) of the swimming pool (100).