Upslope Pool Deck Inner Edge Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional swimming pool designs feature a high deck inner edge that obstructs the aesthetic appeal and makes it difficult for swimmers to enter and exit, while zero-edge pools are costly and expensive to maintain.
Innovation Solution
A swimming pool design with an upslope pool deck section that forms an obtuse angle with the pool shell, featuring a minimal height deck inner edge and a surface gradient that allows water to flow towards the pool, eliminating the need for gutters and reducing maintenance costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional swimming pool deck is constructed with the deck inner edge rising about 6 inches above the water line, then the pool deck provides functional drainage away from the pool, but the deep deck inner edge retracts from the beauty of the pool and makes it difficult for swimmers to get into and out of the pool
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the critical parameter of deck inner edge height from the traditional 6 inches above water line to a minimal height configuration where the deck inner edge is substantially level with or slightly above the water line. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by improving swimmer access while maintaining aesthetic appearance through the upslope deck design that directs water toward the pool.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional drainage approach by changing the deck slope direction. Instead of sloping away from the pool (traditional design), the deck slopes toward the pool, creating an upslope configuration that directs water toward the water line and into the pool, thereby eliminating the need for gutters while achieving minimal edge appearance.
2Shape
If a zero-edge pool or infinity pool is constructed to achieve an elegant look with water running over the edge, then the pool has aesthetic beauty, but it is costly to build and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a cost-effective alternative to expensive zero-edge pools by using a minimal edge design with upslope deck section. This design achieves similar aesthetic appearance without requiring the complex overflow systems, gutters, and recirculation infrastructure of zero-edge pools, thereby significantly reducing construction and maintenance costs while maintaining the desired visual appeal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the expensive gutter and recirculation system components from the zero-edge pool design. By using the upslope deck configuration that naturally directs water into the pool, the design removes the need for artificial overflow collection systems, achieving the aesthetic effect at a fraction of the cost.
3Ease of manufacture
If a traditional swimming pool deck slopes away from the swimming pool, then water runs away from the pool providing functional drainage, but the deck inner edge becomes the high point of the pool deck creating a deep edge effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional deck slope direction from away-from-pool to toward-pool. The upslope deck section slopes in the opposite direction of conventional design, directing water flow toward the water line and into the pool rather than away from it. This inversion eliminates the deep edge effect while providing drainage functionality through the reversed slope configuration.
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 design provides an aesthetically pleasing, easy-to-access pool area with reduced maintenance costs compared to zero-edge pools, as the deck inner edge is minimally obtrusive and water flows seamlessly into the pool without overflowing.
Implementation Method 1
The upslope pool deck section has a surface gradient such that water runs from the crown line to the deck inner edge
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed swimming pool includes an upslope pool deck section. The upslope pool deck section extends from the deck inner edge to a crown line, where the crown line, which is further from the water than the deck inner edge, is the high point of the upslope pool deck section. The upslope pool deck section has a surface gradient which slopes upwards in a direction away from the pool water. The deck inner edge is the low point in elevation of the upslope pool deck section. The crown line is the high point in elevation of the upslope pool deck section. This configuration of pool deck allows the water line to approach the deck inner edge without water overflowing over the deck inner edge. The pool has an appealing look similar to a zero-edge pool because the deck inner edge does not extend much higher than the water line.