Inflatable Above-Ground Swimming Pool With Drop-Stitch Sidewall
AssigneeAaron Fulton
InventorAaron FULTON
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Abstract
An inflatable above-ground swimming pool includes a continuous circumferential sidewall formed from drop-stitch composite material, having a fixed wall thickness and defining a sealed chamber for inflation. A bottom panel is sealed to the sidewall to form a water-retaining volume. The pool includes fluid inlet and outlet ports extending through the sidewall, each comprising a flange assembly with an inside flange, an outside flange, and a gasket at both ends to couple to the sidewall. The drop-stitch tensile fibers in the sidewall provide restraint, allowing the sidewall to remain substantially vertical under hydrostatic pressure when the pool is filled with water.
Claims27
An inflatable above-ground swimming pool system, comprising:
- a continuous circumferential sidewall formed from drop-stitch material having an inner layer, an outer layer, and a plurality of tensile fibers extending between the inner and outer layers to define a fixed wall thickness with a sealed chamber for inflation;
- a bottom sealed to a lower edge of the sidewall to define a water-retaining volume;
- at least one fluid circulation and filtration system integrated through the sidewall;
- wherein the sidewall, when the sealed chamber is inflated and the pool is filled with water, remains substantially vertical under hydrostatic pressure due to restraint provided by the drop-stitch tensile fibers.
An inflatable above-ground swimming pool, comprising:
- a continuous circumferential sidewall formed from drop-stitch composite material having an inner layer, an outer layer, and a plurality of drop-stitch tensile fibers extending between the inner and outer layers to define a fixed wall thickness forming a sealed chamber for inflation;
- a multi-layer bottom sealed to at least one lower edge of the sidewall to define a water-retaining volume;
- at least one fluid inlet port including a valve extending through the sidewall;
- and
- at least two fluid outlet ports each including another of the valve extending through the sidewall;
- wherein the valves are operably coupled to the inner layer and the outer layer of the sidewall and adapted for connecting filtration assembly hoses, both ends of the valve including at least one inside flange, at least one outside flange, and at least one gasket, said at least one gasket providing watertight seals, and
- wherein the sidewall, when the pool is filled with water, remains substantially vertical under hydrostatic pressure due to restraint provided by the drop-stitch tensile fibers.
A method of manufacturing an inflatable swimming pool, comprising:
- forming a sidewall from drop-stitch composite material forming a sealed chamber for inflation;
- hot-air welding the sidewall into a continuous circumferential ring;
- hot-air welding a plurality of panels to a top and bottom rim of the sidewall;
- hot-air welding a bottom panel to the sidewall to form a water-retaining volume;
- forming a plurality of apertures through the sidewall in a predetermined arrangement on the sidewall for a plurality of fluid ports;
- connecting a surrounding flange of fabric material toward both ends of a valve assembly of each fluid port;
- installing the valve assembly through the apertures, said valve including at least one gasket for sealing the valve assembly;
- and
- hot-air welding each surrounding flange to both vertical outer surfaces of the sidewall,
- wherein the pool is water-tight and structurally stable when the sidewall sealed chamber is filled with air to a pressure of about 10-15 psi, and
- wherein the pool maintains substantially vertical sidewalls under hydrostatic pressure while supporting the valve assemblies and drainage hardware integrated through the sidewalls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.