Reusable Pool Coping Molding System with Friction Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for forming and installing pool coping, such as using Styrofoam forms, result in waste and inefficiency, as these forms are disposable and not reusable.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising L-shaped support sections with track flanges and locking clips that form a friction fit with the pool's track, allowing for the placement of a molding form to receive uncured concrete, which is removable after curing, enabling reusable installation of pool coping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If Styrofoam forms are used for forming pool coping, then the forming process is simple and disposable, but the forms are wasted after each installation and cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The support section is divided into distinct functional segments: an L-shaped base portion for positioning, a back portion for form support, and a track flange for attachment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall reusability of the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables recovery and reuse of the support section and locking clips after the coping installation is complete. The disposable element is actually the concrete coping itself, while the support structure is recovered and reused for subsequent installations, reversing the traditional disposable approach.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If reusable support sections with locking clips are used, then the system can be reused for multiple installations, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking clip incorporates a rotatable protrusion that transitions from a horizontal insertion position to a vertical locked position. This dynamic movement allows the clip to be easily installed by simply rotating it 90 degrees, providing a quick-connect mechanism that reduces assembly complexity despite the reusable design.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction fit between the vertical protrusion and the track slot automatically locks the support section in place without requiring additional fastening steps. The system self-secures through the interference fit, eliminating the need for complex locking mechanisms or multiple fasteners.
3Reliability
If the locking clip uses a friction fit mechanism, then the support section is securely locked into place, but the removal process may require additional force
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable protrusion design allows the locking clip to be easily removed by rotating it back to the horizontal position, which disengages the protrusion from the track slot. This dynamic reversal of the locking action provides a simple removal process that requires minimal force despite the secure locking during installation.
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 allows for efficient and reusable formation of pool coping, reducing waste and enabling the reuse of support sections and clips for multiple installations, thus lowering costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
locked into place by a friction fit between the protrusion and the track
Data Source
AI summary
The system includes support sections and locking clips. Each support section has an L-shaped base portion, a back portion, and a flange for insertion into a slot in a track around the pool. so that when the track flange is inserted in the slot, part of the base portion extends down near the pool wall, part of the base portion extends away from the pool wall to a distal end, the back portion being attached to the distal end, the back portion extends above the track, and the locking hole is proximate to the slot. Each locking clip has a protrusion sized and configured to extend through the locking hole in the support section and into the slot in the track so that the clip abuts and supports the support section and is locked into place by a friction fit between the protrusion and the track.