Inflatable pool cover system, and methods of operation thereof

A pool cover system, configured to cover a top opening of a pool when the pool is not in use, the pool comprising a pool cavity accessible through the top opening, the pool cover system comprising:

• a cover assembly, inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state through an air inlet of the cover assembly, the air inlet in fluid communication with an interior space of the cover assembly;
• a cover hose, connectable between the air inlet of the cover assembly and an access point opening at a sidewall of the pool, from an inner side of the access point opening facing the pool cavity;
• and
• an air supply hose, connectable between a pressurized air source arranged outside the pool and the access point opening at the sidewall of the pool, from an outer side of the access point opening opposite the inner side;
• wherein
• the pool cover system is configured to adopt:
• an inflation configuration in which the cover assembly is deployed over and fully covers the top opening of the pool, with the air inlet of the cover assembly accessible from the pool cavity, and the cover hose is arranged entirely within the pool cavity and is connected to the air inlet of the cover assembly and to the access point opening from the inner side of the access point opening, and further in which the air supply hose is arranged outside the pool and is connected to the access point opening from the outer side of the access point opening and to a pressurized air source, and further in which fluid communication is established from the pressurized air source to the interior space of the cover assembly through the air supply hose and the cover hose, and
• an inflated configuration reachable from the inflation configuration by operating the pressurized air source to inject compressed air into the air supply hose and thereby inflating the cover assembly to the inflated state, wherein, in said inflated configuration, an outer, top side of the cover assembly opposite the pool cavity is shaped to direct water and debris falling thereon towards an outer peripheral edge of the cover assembly by gravity.

A pool cover system, configured to cover a top opening of a pool when the pool is not in use, the pool comprising a pool cavity accessible through the top opening, the pool cover system comprising:

• a cover assembly, inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state through an air inlet of the cover assembly, the air inlet in fluid communication with an interior space of the cover assembly;
• a cover hose, connectable between the air inlet of the cover assembly and an access point opening at a sidewall of the pool, from an inner side of the access point opening facing the pool cavity;
• and
• an air supply hose, connectable between a pressurized air source arranged outside the pool and the access point opening at the sidewall of the pool, from an outer side of the access point opening opposite the inner side;
• and
• a cap, disconnectably connectable to the access point opening at the sidewall of the pool, from the outer side of the access point opening and in lieu of the air supply hose, to sealingly close the access point opening;
• wherein
• the pool cover system is configured to adopt:
• an inflation configuration in which the cover assembly is deployed over and fully covers the top opening of the pool, with the air inlet of the cover assembly accessible from the pool cavity, and the cover hose is arranged entirely within the pool cavity and is connected to the air inlet of the cover assembly and to the access point opening from the inner side of the access point opening, and further in which the air supply hose is arranged outside the pool and is connected to the access point opening from the outer side of the access point opening and to a pressurized air source, and further in which fluid communication is established from the pressurized air source to the interior space of the cover assembly through the air supply hose and the cover hose,
• an inflated configuration reachable from the inflation configuration by operating the pressurized air source to inject compressed air into the air supply hose and thereby inflating the cover assembly to the inflated state, wherein, in said inflated configuration, an outer, top side of the cover assembly opposite the pool cavity is shaped to direct water and debris falling thereon towards an outer peripheral edge of the cover assembly by gravity, and
• a sealed configuration reachable from the inflated configuration by disconnecting the air supply hose from the access point opening and instead connecting the cap to the access point opening with the cover assembly in the inflated state, the cap sealingly closing the access point opening and preventing air in the inflated cover from escaping through the access point opening.