Underwater Platform Retrofit Using Pool Ladder Rails
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The installation of conventional swim outs in existing swimming pools is expensive and time-consuming, requiring pool drainage and wall reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
Modifying existing pool ladder structures to support an underwater swim out platform by replacing treads with a platform structure or using new tubular platform rails, allowing for quick and inexpensive retrofitting of in-ground and above-ground pools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional swim out is installed in an existing pool, then a functional underwater platform is provided, but the installation requires pool drainage and wall reconstruction, making it expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the swim out platform into modular components (platform deck, support legs, mounting brackets) that can be independently assembled and attached to the pool wall without requiring complete reconstruction. This segmentation enables rapid installation by simply attaching pre-fabricated modules to the existing pool structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces mounting brackets and support legs as intermediary elements between the existing pool wall and the new platform deck. These intermediaries transfer loads and provide attachment points, allowing the platform to be installed on the existing wall without direct structural modification or wall reconstruction.
2Ease of manufacture
If a conventional swim out is installed in an existing pool, then a functional underwater platform is provided, but the installation requires pool drainage and wall reconstruction, making it expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The platform components are pre-fabricated and pre-assembled off-site before installation. The support legs, mounting brackets, and platform deck are manufactured separately and prepared in advance, allowing for quick on-site assembly without requiring complex construction procedures, pool drainage, or wall reconstruction during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses inexpensive, easily replaceable components such as aluminum or PVC extrusions for the platform frame and acrylic or composite panels for the deck. These materials are cost-effective and can be easily cut and assembled using basic tools, significantly reducing installation costs compared to conventional stone or concrete swim outs.
Data Source
AI summary
A retro-fit installation modifies the existing pool ladder structure of an existing in-ground or above-ground swimming pool to support an underwater “swim out” platform structure. In some versions, the ladder rails of the existing pool ladder are used to support the underwater platform, while in others the existing pool ladder rails are replaced with new tubular platform rails specifically designed to support the underwater platform structure. Other versions are adapted for installations in a round pool or at a corner of a rectangular pool.