Solar pool heater
AssigneeEngineering & Research Assocs., Inc.
InventorLoren C. Acker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stackable solar pool heater is formed of a semi-rigid self-cleaning centrally raised aerodynamically response membrane which membrane includes a depending integral perimeter. Flotation elements, providing a flotation ratio of approximately two to one, are secured periodically about the perimeter to maintain the perimeter partially submerged and the main body of the membrane raised above the water surface. A centrally located aperture is disposed in the membrane to equalize the pressure internal to the membrane with ambient and reduce the pressure therein in response to the low pressure extant the central part of the membrane created by the wind blowing across the raised surface of the membrane.
Claims36
A solar pool heater for heating the water in a pool, said solar pool heater comprising in combination:
- (a) a semi-rigid membrane for defining an air cavity adjacent a circumscribed surface of the water, said membrane including an apex, a surface thereabout sloping downwardly therefrom and a depending perimeter wall;
- (b) means for allowing diametrically oriented flexing of said membrane along predetermined locations in response to non-uniform distribution of upward or downward forces applied to said perimeter wall;
- (c) flotation means disposed upon said perimeter wall for maintaining a portion of said perimeter wall above the surface of the water;
- (d) means for maintaining and urging said apex to a location above said perimeter wall, said maintaining and urging means comprising a plurality of troughs, each of which extends from proximate said perimeter wall to a point proximate said apex;
- and
- (e) means for venting a flow of air into and out of the air cavity.
A solar pool heater for heating the water in a pool, said solar pool heater comprising in combination:
- (a) a solar energy transmissive membrane for circumscribing and defining an air cavity adjacent the water surface, said membrane including a depending perimeter wall;
- (b) flotation means associated with said perimeter wall for maintaining said membrane sufficiently raised above the water surface to define the air cavity;
- and
- (c) means for submerging said perimeter wall proportionally commensurate with the velocity of any wind blowing across said membrane to more firmly anchor said solar pool heater and increase the resistance of said pool heater to blow off in response to the wind, said submerging means comprising means for increasing the velocity of any air flow across the exterior surface of said membrane as a function of the membrane shape to develop a lower than ambient pressure adjacent the external surface of said membrane and means for inducing a reduction of the pressure within the air cavity interior of the membrane to a lower than ambient pressure, whereby the relative pressure differential between ambient pressure and the pressure within the air cavity will bring about a commensurate submersion of said solar pool heater.
A solar pool heater for heating the water in a pool, said solar pool heater comprising in combination:
- (a) a solar energy transmissive semi-rigid membrane hexagonal in planform for circumscribing and defining an air cavity adjacent the water surface, said membrane including a depending perimeter wall having six serially joined perimeter walls and each junction defining a corner;
- (b) flotation means associated with said perimeter wall for maintaining said membrane sufficiently raised above the water surface to define the air cavity;
- (c) means for allowing flexing of said membrane and said perimeter wall along predetermined locations to permit raising at least a segment of said perimeter wall above the water surface in response to an upward or downward force applied to said solar pool heater, said flexing means comprising six troughs disposed in said membrane each said trough extending from one of said corners toward the center of said membrane;
- and
- (d) said membrane, said depending walls and said troughs comprising a sheet of polycarbonate plastic material;
- whereby, upon application of an upward or downward force, the air cavity comes into direct fluid communication with the ambient air and lift off from the water surface of said solar pool heater is unrestrained by suction.
A plurality of stackable solar pool heaters, each of said solar pool heaters comprising in combination:
- (a) a solar energy transmissive semi-rigid membrane for circumscribing and defining an air cavity adjacent the water surface, said membrane including an apex having an aperture, a surface extending about said apex and sloping downwardly therefrom and a perimeter;
- (b) flotation means disposed adjacent said perimeter for maintaining said membrane sufficiently above the water surface to form the air cavity;
- (c) means for nesting said solar pool heaters to form a stack of said solar pool heaters;
- (d) means for channeling a flow of air intermediate adjacent ones of said membranes upon stacking of said solar pool heaters which air flow cools said membranes and precludes heat build up within the stacked ones of said solar pool heaters, said channeling means accommodating an inflow of water intermediate stacked and submerged or partially submerged ones of said solar pool heaters to stabilize and prevent tipping of a plurality of said solar pool heaters stacked and floating in water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.