Swimming Pool Skimmer Channel Design for Debris Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional skimmers for swimming pools face issues such as snagging during roller cover operation, damage from wind-borne debris, limited debris collection width, and increased risk of damage during transport and installation due to protruding designs and the need for flanges and skimmer weirs.
Innovation Solution
A skimmer design featuring a wide, elongated channel along the side wall that collects debris up to 50 cm beyond the opening, eliminating the need for a skimmer weir and allowing pre-installation without flanges, with collection baskets at channel ends for easy debris removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flange is provided on the skimmer for watertight mounting, then the skimmer can be easily mounted against the inside of the basin, but the roller cover snags against the flange during rolling out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the flange component from the skimmer design entirely. Instead of providing a flange for mounting, the skimmer is designed to be mounted without this protruding element, thereby eliminating the source of snagging during roller cover operation while maintaining watertight mounting capability through alternative means
2Reliability
If a skimmer weir is provided in the skimmer mouth, then debris cannot be blown out by wind, but the skimmer weir is easily damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the skimmer weir component from the design. By removing this fragile floating element, the patent avoids the damage issue while maintaining debris retention through the alternative mechanism of the roller cover itself acting as a barrier when rolled up
3Productivity
If the skimmer mouth is made wide to collect debris over larger distance, then debris collection efficiency improves, but the skimmer becomes voluminous and protrudes far out of the basin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the wide skimmer mouth from protruding outward into the pool space to being integrated flush with the inner surface of the basin wall. By changing the spatial dimension from protruding to recessed/integrated, the patent achieves wide debris collection capability without increasing the protrusion length, thus resolving the contradiction between collection efficiency and physical dimensions
4Area of stationary object
If the skimmer protrudes far out of the basin to collect debris over larger width, then debris collection width increases, but the risk of damage during transport and installation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the wide skimmer mouth flush with the inner surface of the basin wall rather than allowing it to protrude outward. This dimensional repositioning maintains the wide collection area capability while eliminating the protrusion that causes damage during transport and installation, thus resolving the contradiction between collection width and transport reliability
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
Enables efficient debris collection over a wider area without protruding components, reducing damage risks during transport and installation, and simplifies maintenance by eliminating the need for skimmer weirs and flanges.
Implementation Method 1
the channel has a length, in use, of at least 50 cm beyond both openings, so that floating debris that has been collected in the skimmer can float through the channel up to a distance of at least 50 cm from the respective opening
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
The swimming pool comprises a preformed basin suitable for being placed in the ground (1), wherein in one side wall (5), at the height of the water level, two openings are provided for a skimmer (12) installed against the outside of the basin (1). The skimmer (12) comprises a closed channel extending along the outside of the basin (1) over the width of the skimmer opening and further over a distance of at least 50 cm from this opening. In this way, wide skimmer openings can be provided in the swimming pool without causing the skimmer (12) to protrude far out of the side wall (5) of the basin. The skimmer (12) can thus be preinstalled onto the preformed swimming pool basin (1) without increasing the risk of damages during transport and entrenchment of the swimming pool. The customary skimmer weirs can also be omitted to thus prevent the risk of damage to the skimmer weirs.