Inflatable Pool Cover with Progressive Inflation and Free-Rolling Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pool covers, both flexible and inflatable, face issues with thermal insulation, safety, and complex storage or retraction methods, which can lead to damage or injury, and often result in incomplete deployment.
Innovation Solution
A device with an inflatable cover that includes a storage means with a rotatably mounted shaft, allowing the cover to be rolled up and unrolled, and features progressive inflation from the front to the rear, with a free-rotating shaft to avoid synchronization issues, and optional motorized drive for easy storage and deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inflatable cover is used to improve thermal insulation and safety, then the safety and insulation performance are improved, but the storage and retraction methods become complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is divided into multiple independent air chambers that can be inflated sequentially. This segmentation allows the cover to be stored in a compact rolled state while enabling controlled inflation that reduces complexity of the storage system by allowing gradual deployment rather than requiring complex mechanical handling of a fully inflated cover.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft is prepared in advance to rotate freely in the unwinding direction, allowing the cover to unroll automatically as it inflates. This preliminary preparation of the rotation mechanism eliminates the need for complex synchronized control systems during deployment.
2Reliability
If the cover is inflated completely before storage to ensure proper deployment, then the deployment reliability is improved, but the forces during inflation can damage the pool or injure users
Solution Approach 1:
The inflation process is divided into periodic stages, inflating one air chamber at a time in sequence from front to rear. This periodic inflation approach ensures the cover deploys reliably along the pool surface while controlling the force exerted at any moment, preventing damage to the pool structure or injury to users.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft rotation mechanism is prepared in advance to move freely in the unwinding direction during inflation. This beforehand preparation allows the cover to unroll smoothly as each chamber inflates, cushioning against sudden force spikes that could cause damage.
3Manufacturing precision
If the shaft rotation is constrained to synchronize with inflation to ensure proper deployment, then the deployment precision is improved, but the system complexity and risk of malfunction increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft rotation characteristic is changed from constrained/synchronized to dynamic/free rotation during inflation. The shaft is designed to rotate freely in the unwinding direction, allowing the cover to unroll at the exact rate needed as each air chamber inflates. This dynamic approach achieves precise deployment without complex synchronization mechanisms.
4Temperature
If the cover is made fully inflatable for better thermal insulation, then the insulation performance is improved, but the storage and handling become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is segmented into multiple air chambers that can be inflated sequentially. When stored, the cover remains deflated and can be easily rolled around the shaft. The segmentation allows the cover to transition from a compact stored state to a fully inflated insulated state, combining ease of storage with effective thermal insulation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates safe, efficient, and reliable deployment and storage of inflatable pool covers, minimizing damage and ensuring proper positioning, while providing thermal insulation and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a protective device which is configured to inflate the cover progressively from the front end to the rear end
Implementation Method 2
leaving a shaft of the storage means free to rotate in a direction of unwinding of the inflatable cover
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a protection device (1) for a pool (2) comprising water (3), preferably a swimming pool, the device (1) comprising: - an inflatable cover (4) extending, in the inflated state, substantially in a longitudinal direction between a front side (4a) and a rear side, the inflatable cover (4) comprising a front portion comprising the front side, and a rear portion comprising the rear side, and - a storage means (6), intended to be mounted near an edge of the pool, for example outside the pool (2), and comprising a shaft (32) mounted in rotation connected to the rear portion of the inflatable cover (4). Said protection device (1) is configured to deflate and roll up the inflatable cover (4) around the shaft in order to store it, and to unroll and inflate the inflatable cover (4) in order to deploy it on the surface of the water of the pool (2).The invention also relates to a method for protecting a basin (2) comprising water, preferably a swimming pool, using such a device (1).