STRUCTURAL FOAM POOL SYSTEMS

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 63/592,625, filed Oct. 24, 2023, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to structural foam pool systems and, more particularly, to an improved structural foam indoor pool system.

Currently available pools are generally heavy and hard to build, made of concrete and rebar. An elevated pool needs to be lightweight. Concrete is much too heavy. Moreover, an existing building generally cannot be retrofitted to contain a concrete pool. The weight of a concrete pool requires the existing structure to be reinforced which can be cost prohibitive.

The base of a building foundation is called a footer or footing. A footer, generally wider than a building foundation wall and typically made of concrete reinforced with rebar, is located approximately 305 millimeters (12 inches) below a frost line, since the purpose of a footer is to create an attachment point between a building foundation and the ground. Footers prevent buildings from “settling” (e.g., tilting, moving laterally, sinking into the ground), and are designed to stabilize building foundations, prevent foundations from moving, and thus provide a means for stabilizing an entire building, from the ground up.

Since construction expenses involved with structurally strengthening footers of a building having an indoor pool can be considerable, depending on the pool dimensions, structural foam has been used for reducing pool weight when constructing indoor pools. In some cases, structural foam forms have been filled with concrete.

Using structural foam as a building component for pool systems, in general, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,324 to Cornelius; U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,809 to Bertsch; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,614; U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,819 and US reissue patent 29,936, all to Arp.

Structural foam pool wall sections are disclosed, in addition to the Arp patents, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,084 to Brunton. Braced structural foam pool wall sections are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,802; U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,005; and U.S. reissue Pat. No. 32,181, all to Glonek et al. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,831 to Tippmann et al. discloses an enclosed swimming pool having a floor, roof, and the side members formed of panels of polyurethane material covered on the interior and exterior surfaces thereof with a layer of fiberglass reinforced resinous material to form a monolithic enclosure for holding a predetermined quantity of water, with an opening in a side wall member to permit access to the enclosure interior.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,215,069 and 8,505,247—both to Epple—each disclose swimming pool systems with reinforced composite structural components that typically include a polymer, resins, and reinforcement fibers that may, e.g., be carbon, fiberglass, graphite, and/or aramid fibers. In the Epple patents, an SMC (Sheet Molding Compound) thermoset plastic is said to allow tighter tolerances not possible with structural foam plastic panels.

U.S. Pat. No. 10,774,554 to Foster et al. discloses a swimming pool consisting of panels that withstand water pressure in both a concave and convex configuration to create any freeform shape or size. Each panel consists of an adhered wall of a layer of metal or plastic over expanded polystyrene or expanded urethane foam. The density of the foam is adjusted as necessary to increase wall strength based on static loading of water after the swimming pool is assembled as a whole and thereafter filled with water.

Regardless of what Epple discloses in the '069 and '247 patents about structural foam as a building component for pool systems, and regardless of what Foster et al. disclose in the '554 patent, the prior art remains problematic since application of a layer of metal or plastic to substantially cover structural foam (e.g., expanded polystyrene or polyurethane foam) involves an extra step, at extra cost, and since any reinforcing fibers (e.g., carbon, fiberglass, graphite, and/or aramid fibers) not only involve an extra step at an associated extra cost, also negatively impact product liability when fiberglass is used.

Currently available indoor and outdoor pool systems tend to have natural fracture points due to the installation method of the forms and/or fill material. They have been proven to have issues with fracturing during temperature/pressure shifts due to dissimilar materials and cold joints. Moreover, they may present a fire hazard and give off toxic fumes when system components are welded together.

As can be seen, there is a need for an easy-to-assemble-and-install structural foam pool system that is durable and designed for indoor and outdoor use

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a structural foam pool system (10) comprises sidewall panels (14A), wherein a first one of the sidewall panels (14A) is adhered to a second one of the sidewall panels (14A); and floor panels (24), wherein an nth one of the sidewall panels (14A) is adhered to a first one of the floor panels (24), and a second one of the floor panels (24) is adhered to the first one of the floor panels (24).

This pool system may be elevated/above-ground and/or in-ground. This pool system is more cost-efficient and lightweight than currently available with other pool systems. The structural foam pool system of the present subject matter offers an environmentally friendly, safe alternative that is faster and easier to build and more lightweight than prior art pools, while being extremely insulative. It does not contain varied materials that can cause fracture points.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a prior art pool system, shown in use;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a pool system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view of a panel joint thereof;

FIG. 4 is another detail cross-sectional view of a corner joint thereof;

FIG. 5 is another detail cross-sectional view of a pipe penetration thereof;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a structural slab of the pool system of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of plaster, reinforcing fiberglass mesh, and waterproofing layers of the pool system of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is an improved structural foam pool system.

Floor sections, sidewall sections, and cove pieces may be manufactured, for example, from expanded polystyrene (EPS) structural foam. The grades and/or density of the structural foam may be selected to achieve a predetermined structural integrity. The foam pieces may be cut to size.

In embodiments, floor or bottom sections may have any suitable dimensions, for example, about 203.2-mm. (8-in.) high. Floor sections may be supported by a structural slab. A construction adhesive may be used to secure each floor section to the slab.

Pool modules or sections are assembled to form a pool having preselected dimensions and a preselected configuration. Adjacent bottom sections are joined together. Adjacent sidewall sections are joined together. Each sidewall section is joined to a bottom section. Assembly continues until the pool is complete.

The pool sections may be joined using, for example, a mitered joint or a tongue and groove joint. The joint may have any suitable dimensions, such as about 101.6-mm. (4-in.) wide by 76.2-mm. (3-in.) deep.

Joints and penetrations may be sealed using a sealant, such as an elastomeric joint sealant, to ensure that water does not escape the system.

A conduit adapted for plumbing or for an electrical component may be disposed horizontally between sidewall sections for a predetermined plumbing or electrical purpose. An effective amount of sealant may circumferentially surround the conduit, providing a fluid-tight seal between the conduit and the adjacent sidewall sections.

Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB) and code compliant polyvinyl chloride (PVC) fittings and plumbing pieces (e.g., to circulate sanitary water through the pool system) may be incorporated into the system to meet hydraulic needs of the system. The fittings and plumbing pieces may be cut to fit. Foam filler may be used to fill around PVC pipes and fittings, to secure pipes to adjacent structure, to back-fill void spaces and gaps, reinforce gaps, and to fill voids in areas cut-out to fabricate the system, ensuring tight structural rigidity.

In embodiments, a cove piece may be disposed in a corner niche where a sidewall section and a floor section are joined together.

An effective amount of adhesive or glue is applied to form a fluid-tight bond between the sidewall sections as well as between the sidewall sections and the bottom sections. In some embodiments, the adhesive serves as a joint sealant. The type of adhesive or glue is selected to effectively adhere to the foam components and to adhere the foam components together.

The sidewall sections of the present subject matter may be covered with a coating layer and may include a layer or band opposite the coating layer along a sidewall. For example, the opposite layer may be about 254-mm. (10-in.) wide.

In some embodiments, a selected amount of sealant, such as an elastomeric joint sealant, is disposed around and closely adjacent to the adhesive layer, where the amount of sealant is effective to prevent fluid leakage from the adhesive layer.

An upper surface of each sidewall may include a keyway with a concrete fill having a 4,000-pound per square-inch (PSI) rating. The keyway may have any suitable dimensions, such as about 101.6-mm. (4-in.) by 101.6-mm. (4-in.).

A reinforcing layer may overlay each adjacent pair of sidewall sections, and a reinforcing layer may overlay each joined sidewall section and bottom section. The structural foam system with reinforcing layers comprising a plaster layer and/or a mesh material, such as fiberglass, may be rated to withstand a pressure in the range of about 3,000 to 4,000 pounds per square-inch or higher.

Structural plaster, formulated to adhere to the foam components, may be applied after the pool system has been assembled, PVC plumbing and fixtures installed, and the joints sealed. Polymers and fortifiers may be added to achieve a material operative to withstand a pressure of about 3,000 pounds per square-inch to about 5,000 pounds per square-inch or about 6,000 pounds per square-inch, and any value therebetween. A structural plaster coating over the pool system components provides surface rigidity and structural strength to pool system areas contacted by swimmers and other pool users. Rasping surfaces of the structural foam may enhance bonding between the plaster and the foam.

Fiberglass mesh may be used to reinforce joints. The fiberglass mesh reinforcement may be embedded into a base coat of structural plaster. The base coat layer, and each subsequent layer, may have a thickness of about 4.75 mm ( 3/16 in.) to about 9.5 mm (⅜ in.), for example. The fiberglass mesh may be used to add rigidity to surfaces of structural foam components and to strengthen plaster layers on such surfaces. The grade of fiberglass mesh may be selected to achieve predetermined surface tension and structural integrity parameters. In embodiments, the fiberglass mesh may be about 4.75 mm ( 3/16 in.) or about 9.5 mm (⅜ in.) to about 19 mm (¾ in.) thick depending upon whether the installation is residential or commercial.

More structural plaster may be applied on top of the embedded fiberglass mesh. These steps may be repeated to achieve structural coating having a thickness and number of structural layers that exhibit a selected structural integrity. The number of plaster layers is not particularly limited and may be, for example, 2 layers, 3 layers, 4 layers, 5 layers, etc., up to n layers. In an example, each floor section may have two layers of a plaster mesh and/or a fiberglass mesh material rated to withstand a pressure up to about 4,000 PSI. In another example, the floor section may include two layers of waterproofing coating atop the plaster mesh or the fiberglass mesh material layers.

After the structural plaster cures, layers of waterproofing material may be applied to structural foam components over the coatings to prevent leakage. The type and thickness of the waterproofing material and the number of coatings applied may vary to achieve specified parameters. Hydrophilic waterproofing may be used to ensure a finish coat of plaster or tile adhesive will bond.

A finish coating product, plaster, or tile may be applied to achieve product look/specification, in a manner that retains structural integrity and does not damage the waterproofing.

Referring to the Figures, a prior art structural foam pool system 11, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,774,554 and incorporated by reference in its entirety, includes a plurality of sidewall sections and a plurality of bottom sections, as shown in FIG. 1.

Turning to FIGS. 2-7, a structural foam pool system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a pool 12 formed of structural foam wall panels 14A and structural foam floor panels 24 adhered together at tongue-and-groove joints with a foam panel adhesive 14B. Joint sealant 16 may be applied along each joint as shown in FIGS. 3-5.

FIG. 5 illustrates a plumbing or electrical conduit 20 placed obliquely through a structural foam wall panel 14A. Adhesive 14B and joint sealant 16 may also be applied around the conduit 20.

One or more plaster/fiberglass reinforced layers 18 may be applied along the surface of the panels 14A, overlapping the joints. See FIGS. 3-5 and 7. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the reinforcement layers 18 may be applied to on one surface of a panel 14A or, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the reinforcement layers 18 may be present on both opposite surfaces of a panel 14A.

The floor panels 24 may be mounted on a structural slab 26, as FIG. 6 illustrates. The sidewall panel 14A may have a rebar keyway 22 extending longitudinally along an upper surface. The lower surface of the sidewall panel 14A may flare to meet an abutting floor panel 24, forming a curved inner circumference around the bottom of the pool. As can be seen, adhesive 14B lines the juncture from the outer abutting surfaces of the panels 14A, 24 to the inner abutting surfaces of the panels 14A, 24 to form a waterproof seal.

As shown in FIG. 7, one or more waterproofing layers 28 may be present over the reinforcement layers 18, such that the reinforcement layers 18 are sandwiched between the waterproofing layers 28 and the respective panel 14A.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.