Above Ground Pool Filter

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements made to pool skimmers able to be fixed to a wall of an above-ground pool. More particularly, the present invention relates to device which dynamically adjusts to water levels to remove floating debris from the surface of the water in above-ground swimming pools.

In the description that follows, a “wall” is to be understood as denoting both an actual side wall of an above ground walled pool either of the self-supporting type or of the type supported by a framework, and the sealed liner arranged in a pool with rigid peripheral walls.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

All in-ground swimming pools have a scupper, and water inlet, with a designed floating device to control the water level and a skimmer basket to trap out debris. Currently, the known method to automatically collect debris floating on top of water in above-ground swimming pools is combersome. The current process of using a hand net is tedious and time-consuming.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,542 discloses a floating weir skimmer with a pivoting flap that can be fixed to a flexible wall of an above-ground pool. The patent discloses a flexible pouch with an open front face that can be sealed to the exterior face of the flexible wall to correspond with an opening therein, and a removable rigid cassette in the flexible pouch, with a water inlet facing the opening and at the bottom a water outlet which connects to by way of a hose to an existing filtration outlet disposed in the wall sub water level. The skimmer is secured to the flexible side wall, supported by a framework, of an above-ground pool.

While this improvement in the field is helpful, there remains a need to improve the simplicity of such above ground skimmers. A major disadvantage with the known above ground skimmers lies in the fact that they require adjustment to meet water level in order to maintain working as an effective skimmer. As water levels rise and fall, these current designs require continues adjustment of the device to assure the inlet of such devices meet the water level in a way which permits the skimmer to work.

In short, such a skimmer described is not, because of its design, able to operate dynamically. Further, such prior skimmer and like designs require more parts and installation time than is desired.

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies in the art by providing a skimmer structure which is a simple in its design and installation and reliable solution for forming an external skimmer for an above-ground pool which dynamically adjusts to water surface levels to readily clean the pool water surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object to improve pool skimmers.

Another object is to improve above ground pool skimmers by providing a dynamically adjusting skimmer.

It is another objective of the invention to propose an improved technical solution to the forming of a skimmer with a float to maintain a buoyancy level to operate reliably and effectively.

Still another object is to provide a skimmer which slidably mounts about an existing filter conduit which extends subsurface in a pool, particularly above ground pool.

Yet a further object is to provide a skimmer which can be mounted adjacent the wall of above-ground pools slidably connecting to an existing filter pipe rendering without the need for altering existing filter pipe and filter.

Accordingly, the instant invention is directed to an improved above ground pool filter or skimmer for an above ground pool of the type having a conduit and strainer connected thereto which extend from a side of the pool below water surface level. The above ground pool filter includes housing which includes a back side, a front side and lateral sides. The back side includes a slotted surface configured to be slidably received about the conduit. Further, at one of the other sides, preferably the front side, includes an inlet surface to receive water and debris into the housing.

One or more float is connected to the housing to maintain the housing and in turn the inlet surface at a water surface level to enable inflow of the water and debris. Preferably, there are a pair of floats, one on each lateral side.

Inside the housing is a basket retaining structure for a filter basket strainer which is removably retained by the basket retaining structure. A majority of above ground pools have declining sloped pool wall. The housing can preferably be configured with the lateral sides being in a trapezoidal shape to accommodate for the declining slope of the pool wall. Also, the housing is of a sufficient size such that the basket retaining structure is sufficiently laterally spaced from the back side of the housing that when the filter basket is installed and the housing is operably disposed on the conduit, the conduit strainer connected to the conduit is spaced from the filter basket strainer to avoid clogging of the conduit strainer.

A pivoting flap can be provided adjacent the inlet surface and include a float on a back side to permit debris in and trap the debris once inside the housing. The floats of the sides are coordinated with the flap to assure proper inflow of water and debris with retention of debris therein.

By virtue of this arrangement, there is formed an improved skimmer which combines the advantages of traditional skimmers with those of the dynamic skimmer of the instant invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood from reading the detailed description which follows of one preferred embodiment which is given solely by way of non-limiting example. In this description, reference is made to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a section of an above-ground pool;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross section of the skimmer of the invention adjacent a side of an above ground pool;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a the invention;

FIG. 4 is a back view of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, an improved above ground pool filter otherwise referred to as a skimmer of the invention is generally referred to by the numeral 10. The skimmer 10 includes a housing 12 having front side 14, lateral sides16 and 18 and back side 20, and a bottom 22. A top is not required, but is contemplated if so desired. In a preferred embodiment, the skimmer 10 takes on a side trapezoidal configuration. The sides 14, 16, 18 and 20, and bottom 22 form the housing 12.

A removable basket strainer 24 is provided and and support frame 26 formed in the housing 12 receives the basket strainer 24. The housing 12 has a slotted open surface 27 which here is shown key shaped in the back side 20.

It is contemplated that the slotted open surface 27 in the back side 20 may vary depending on a model of the swimming pool. In one example, the slotted open surface 27 can include three-and-one-half inches (3½”) hole 27A contiguous with a one-and-one-half inches (1½”) by four inches (4 ”) long slot 27B. The housing 12 will have an inlet surface 30 four inches (4”) wide by three inches (3”) deep to be located on the front side 14 to allow the surface water to flow into the housing 12 and strainer 56

In this regard, an above ground pool is commonly equipped with a filter system which has a conduit 50 which is of a diameter slightly less than the slot 27B and which extends from a side 52 of a pool wall 54 and has a strainer 56 having a threaded neck is connected to a threaded end of conduit 50. The strainer 56 can be slightly adjusted if needed to allow the hole 27A to receive the strainer 56 and then the slot 27B can slidably receive about the conduit 50. Thus part of the back side 20 is held between the existing pool strainer 56 and pool wall 54.

A pair of floats 50 are fixably disposed on the housing 12, for example, later sides 16 and 18 and are connected at a predetermined height on the housing 12 to maintain the inlet surface 30 at a desired water level height relative thereto and thus control the surface water flow into the housing 12 and strainer 56.

A pivoting flap 70 can be hingedly connected to the housing 12 adjacent the inlet surface 30 and include a float 72 on a back side 74 of a plate 76 to permit debris in the housing 12 and trap the debris once inside to be captured in the basket strainer 24. The operation of the skimmer 10 is dependent upon the correct operation of the pivoting floating flap 70.

The flap 70 is sized in such a way that very small gaps are provided on either side to permit water thereby but not debris. The orientation of the floats 50 is coordinated with the float 72 of the flap 70 relative to the surface of the water and the water can flow in by allowing a thin film of liquid to spill over the upper edge of the flap with debris.

While the instant invention has been set forth the above in a detailed description and embodiment, it is envisioned that other modifications, derivations and improvements will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, other open surface shapes are envisioned for making a connection to the conduit and strainer cover of the above ground pool. Accordingly, the appended claims should be afforded a scope which covers such improvements, derivations, and modifications.