Above-ground pool wall installation apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Above ground pool installation typically requires three or more people due to the need for multiple individuals to manage the unrolling and positioning of the galvanized steel wall, which is delivered in a tightly wound roll and must be inserted into a bottom rail.
Innovation Solution
A single-handed installation apparatus featuring a turntable with retainer and guide posts equipped with low friction rollers to securely hold and guide the pool wall roll, allowing the wall to rotate and unreel without falling, enabling a single person to manage the entire process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple people are used to install the pool wall, then the wall can be properly managed and positioned, but the installation process becomes complex and requires coordination of multiple workers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wall installation apparatus as an intermediary device between the worker and the pool wall. This apparatus includes a support structure with rollers that facilitates wall insertion into the bottom rail, allowing a single worker to perform tasks that previously required multiple people. The apparatus acts as a mechanical mediator that simplifies the coordination complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation apparatus is designed to be self-contained and portable, allowing the single worker to move and position it independently. The apparatus includes features like a handle for mobility and self-adjusting components that reduce the need for additional helpers during the installation process.
2Productivity
If the pool wall is delivered in a tightly wound roll, then it is easier to transport, but it requires multiple people to unroll and position it correctly
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is positioned and prepared in advance at the installation location. The support structure and rollers are set up before the wall installation begins, creating a ready-to-use system that guides the wall as it is unrolled. This preliminary setup allows the worker to simply feed the wall through the apparatus without needing additional people to manage positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The rollers and guide structures in the apparatus serve as intermediaries between the rolled wall and the bottom rail. They facilitate the transition from the compact roll form to the installed position, controlling the unrolling process and maintaining proper alignment without requiring manual handling by multiple workers.
3Device complexity
If a single person performs all installation tasks, then labor requirements are reduced, but it becomes difficult to manage the wall roll and maintain vertical position
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus includes support posts and rollers that act as mechanical intermediaries to hold and guide the wall. These components provide the stability and positioning control that would otherwise require multiple workers to maintain manually, ensuring reliable wall installation with a single operator.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus is designed to be self-stabilizing and self-positioning through its structural features. The support structure maintains its own stability, and the guide rollers automatically maintain wall alignment, reducing the need for active human intervention to maintain stability 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
Enables solo assembly of above ground pools by maintaining the pool wall in a vertical position and guiding its unrolling, reducing the need for multiple workers and allowing for easier and more efficient installation.
Implementation Method 1
The retainer posts will preferable have a low friction or friction free inner surface that contacts the roll outer surface but allows the roll to rotate on the turntable
Data Source
AI summary
An above-ground pool wall assembly apparatus is disclosed which allows the single handed mounting of the pool wall along the pool wall bottom rail. The rolled up pool wall is mounted on a turntable and kept upright by a plurality of retainer posts. As the wall is unreeled a series of guide posts help separate the unreeled portion of the wall from the roll and guide the wall into position on the bottom rail. As the pool wall is progressively mounted along the bottom rail, the apparatus can be kept in the proper position by wheeling the apparatus around the bottom rail in coordination with the progress of the installation.