Pool or other below grade fluid containment
AssigneeBlue Tomato, LLC
InventorBrian D. Morrow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Below grade fluid containment structures, which may include a foam floor and a foam wall extending upward from the floor, the foam wall being formed from foam panels and optionally a plurality of metal splines. A foam buttress is provided as part of or adjacent to the foam wall, for reducing pressure against an exterior face of the foam wall that would otherwise be exerted by the soil, in the absence of the foam buttress, which places a top portion of the soil at an angle of repose, to minimize inward pressure. A concrete footing can be provided below the foam wall, where the splines of the wall are vertically oriented in the foam wall, with a bottom of the splines anchored into the concrete footing. The interior surface of the pool or other structure can be coated with any desired finish coating.
Claims20
A pool or other below grade fluid containment structure comprising:
- a foam floor;
- a foam wall extending upward from the floor, the foam wall being formed from a system of modular foam panels;
- a foam buttress positioned adjacent a top of the foam wall, extending laterally outward from the foam wall, the foam buttress being shaped to reduce soil load by putting soil at no more than an angle that approximates an angle of repose for the soil;
- wherein an interior face of the foam wall and the foam floor are coated with a cement, plaster, or other coating to provide a finished interior surface for the pool or other below grade fluid containment structure.
A pool or other below grade fluid containment structure comprising:
- a foam floor;
- a foam wall extending upward from the floor, the foam wall being formed from a system of modular foam panels with each panel positioned between a pair of metal splines on either side of the panel, wherein the modular foam panels comprise:
- a foam body;
- and
- a pair of channels extending vertically along a height of the panel, each channel being configured to receive a flange of a spline therein, wherein each flange once received in the channel is disposed within the foam body, so that the spline is restrained once received within the channel;
- a concrete footing positioned below the foam wall, wherein the splines are vertically oriented in the foam wall, with a bottom of the splines being anchored into the concrete footing;
- wherein the foam wall includes a foam buttress positioned adjacent a top of the foam wall, extending laterally outward from the foam wall, the foam buttress being shaped to reduce soil load by putting soil at no more than an angle that approximates an angle of repose for the soil;
- wherein an interior face of the foam wall and the foam floor are coated with a cement, plaster, or other coating to provide a finished interior surface for the pool or other below grade fluid containment structure.
A method for fabricating a pool or other below grade fluid containment structure having a foam floor and foam walls, the method comprising:
- (a) excavating a hole in ground for the pool or other below grade fluid containment structure;
- (b) leveling a pea gravel or other granular material in a bottom of the excavated hole;
- (c) excavating a trench for a footing around a perimeter of the excavated hole;
- (d) positioning one or more foam floor panels of the foam floor on the leveled pea gravel or other granular material;
- (e) positioning a flange of a horizontal metal spline of the foam floor into a channel of the foam floor panel to form the foam floor on the leveled pea gravel or other granular material;
- (f) connecting a vertical metal spline of the foam wall to the horizontal metal spline of the foam floor, a bottom of the vertical metal spline extending into the trench for the footing below the foam floor;
- (g) sliding a foam wall panel of the foam wall so that flanges of the vertical metal spline are received within corresponding channels of the foam wall panel, wherein the foam wall panel ensures that the vertical metal spline is and remains vertical;
- repeating one or more of steps (d)-(g) to complete fabrication of the foam floor and foam walls for the pool or other below grade fluid containment structure;
- and
- once fabrication of the foam floor and foam walls for the pool or other below grade fluid containment structure have been completed, filling the trench for the footing with concrete, to anchor the bottom ends of the vertical splines in place.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.