Pool Cover Tie-Down Anchoring System with Removable Coupling Screw
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for securing tie-downs of in-ground swimming pool covers require anchor replacement when the deck or curbing is repaired or replaced, leading to inefficiencies and additional costs.
Innovation Solution
A method using tubular footing members with flange plates and coupling screws that are installed below the deck, allowing for secure anchoring of tie-downs without embedding anchors in the deck material, enabling easy replacement of individual components without affecting the entire system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If anchors are embedded in the deck or curbing material, then the tie-downs can be secured to the pool cover, but the anchors must be replaced when the deck or curbing is repaired or replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the anchoring function into separate components: the footing member with threaded opening remains embedded in the substrate, while the coupling screw and tie-down can be independently removed and replaced. This segmentation allows the permanent footing to remain in place while only the wearable coupling components need replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling screw acts as an intermediary component between the permanent footing member and the tie-down. It transfers the load from the tie-down through the threaded opening in the footing member to the substrate, enabling the tie-down to be secured without permanently embedding the anchor in the deck material.
2Reliability
If anchors are embedded in the deck material, then the tie-downs can be secured, but the entire deck must be accessed for any anchor replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling screw is designed as a separate, removable component that can be independently accessed and replaced without disturbing the deck material or other anchors. This allows maintenance of individual tie-downs without system-wide intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The footing member with the threaded opening is pre-installed in the substrate during initial construction, positioning the anchoring interface at or near the final deck surface level. This preliminary placement enables future coupling screws to be quickly installed or replaced without extensive excavation or deck removal.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional embedding systems are used, then anchors can be installed in the deck, but the system lacks modularity and component independence
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring system is divided into modular components: the footing member with threaded opening, the coupling screw, and the tie-down. Each component can be manufactured independently and assembled in the field, allowing for easy replacement of individual parts without replacing the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The footing member with its threaded opening serves multiple functions: it provides a permanent mounting point in the substrate, accepts various coupling screws, and maintains structural integrity. This universal design allows different tie-down configurations to use the same footing infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of anchoring multiple tie-downs of a pool cover of an in-ground swimming pool, which is surrounded by stone or concrete pavers, uses a tubular footing member with multiple flange plates laterally extending along its length. The flange plates include a base flange plate which enclosed the distal end of the footing member and one or more medial flange plates surrounding the tubular circumference of the footing member between its proximal and distal ends. The proximal end of the footing member is open and this proximal opening has interior threading which conjugately mates with the threaded shank of a coupling screw to which a tie-down is anchored.