Modular Polygonal Floats for Pool Thermal Insulation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing pool covers are cumbersome to deploy and retract, especially on irregularly shaped pools, and often require frequent maintenance, while also being expensive to manufacture and maintain.

Innovation Solution

A system of small, polygonal floats with radial spokes and webs that form air cells, allowing them to interlock and cover the pool surface, with a mechanism for deployment and retrieval using a water pump and current control system to ensure complete coverage and insulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If traditional curtain or web type covers are used to cover the pool surface, then thermal insulation effectiveness is improved, but deployment complexity and maintenance requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat lossVSAvoiddeployment mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pool cover is segmented into multiple independent modular floats, each capable of floating and interlocking separately. This segmentation allows simple deployment by releasing floats into the pool where they automatically assemble into a complete covering, eliminating complex deployment mechanisms while maintaining effective thermal insulation across the entire pool surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If polygonal floats with flat tangential surfaces are used to cover irregularly shaped pools, then adaptability to pool shapes is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to irregular pool shapesVSAvoidfloat surface flatness precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The float design incorporates asymmetric faceted surfaces with specific geometric configurations that enable interlocking and adaptation to various pool shapes without requiring high manufacturing precision. The asymmetric geometry allows the floats to self-adjust and conform to irregular pool contours while maintaining structural integrity and coverage effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the float structure have different geometric properties - the rim portion has specific faceted geometry for interlocking, while the body portion has different characteristics for buoyancy and stability. This local differentiation allows the float to adapt to various pool shapes without requiring the entire float to be manufactured with high precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If individual floats are deployed to cover the pool surface, then ease of deployment is improved, but complete surface coverage effectiveness decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of deploymentVSAvoidcovered pool surface area

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual floats are designed to interlock and merge together, forming a continuous unified covering across the entire pool surface. The interlocking mechanism ensures that when floats are deployed, they automatically connect with neighboring floats to eliminate gaps and achieve complete surface coverage, combining the simplicity of individual float deployment with the effectiveness of a continuous cover.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The system provides effective thermal insulation and reduces heat loss, maintaining pool temperature with minimal maintenance and cost, while being adaptable to irregular pool shapes and easy to deploy and retract.

Implementation Method 1

capture air in alternating ones of the downwardly opening cells to cooperate in providing an insulating blanket across the surface of the fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 2

when they are deployed across the fluid surface the facets of the respective floats will engage facets of neighboring floats to cooperate in covering the pool surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS8099804B2Thermally insulating blanket constructed of individual floats and system for deploying and retrieving same

Publication Date: 2012.01.24 GREGG JOHN M

AI summary

A blanket of many floats of like configuration and each incorporating a polygonal parametrical rims housing a plurality of radial spokes configured to, in alternate axial relationship, form cells closed at the respective one ends and opening axially at their respective opposite ends. The system of the present of invention includes plumbing with a series of water jets for generating a current to flow fluid in a controlled fashion from and to a storage tank to selectively deploy and retrieve the floats.