US20090113819A1

US20090113819A1 - Support frame unit for swimming pool assembly

Info

Publication number: US20090113819A1
Application number: US12/153,384
Authority: US
Inventors: Kwon Lee
Original assignee: LEGACY POOLS Inc
Current assignee: LEGACY POOLS Inc
Priority date: 2007-11-01
Filing date: 2008-05-19
Publication date: 2009-05-07
Also published as: KR100824053B1

Abstract

Disclosed is a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, which stably withstands hydraulic pressure, transmitted from a wall of the swimming pool assembly. The support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, in which a plurality of support frame units is disposed along the periphery of a surrounding wall of a pool body of the swimming pool assembly filled with water so as to prevent the surrounding wall from being sunken due to hydraulic pressure, includes first and second vertical rods having a rectilinear shape, upper ends of which are detachably attached to horizontal rods maintaining the shape of the upper end of the surrounding wall; a prop pipe including a central part inserted into a loop part formed on the bottom of the pool body, and first and second branch parts bent from both sides of the central part in the same direction; and first and second shoes respectively formed in single pieces having inclined holes, into which lower ends of the first and second vertical rods are respectively inserted, formed in upper surfaces thereof, and horizontal holes, into which the first and second branch parts of the prop pipe are respectively detachably inserted, formed in side surfaces thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a swimming pool assembly, and more particularly to a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, which is installed along the periphery of a surrounding wall of a pool body so as to prevent the pool body from being sunken due to hydraulic pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, swimming pool assemblies are formed by sewing a vinyl tent into a designated shape to form a pool body, fixing the pool body to poles mounted on the ground, and filling the inside of the pool body with water. In the case that side walls of the pool body are sunken by hydraulic pressure, the water stored in the pool body may flow out of the swimming pool assembly and thus an amount of the water as much as the outflow amount needs to be frequently supplied to the inside of the swimming pool assembly.
In order to solve the above problem, a swimming pool assembly, which includes a plurality of support frames for supporting the outer surface of a surrounding wall 10 of a pool body 1 so as to prevent the surrounding wall 10 from being sunken by hydraulic pressure, is proposed, as disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 416215 (with reference to FIG. 1).
The support frames of the conventional swimming pool assembly include horizontal rods 20 inserted into a pocket 11 for maintaining the shape of the upper end of the pool body 1, a plurality of vertical rods 30 supporting the horizontal rod 20 s, and shoes 40.
Each of the vertical rods 30 is provided with an extension 31, which is bent, at the lower end thereof, and the vertical rod 30 and the bending portion of the extension 31 are fixed by the shoe 40. The shoe 40, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a lower piece 41 mounted on the ground, and an upper piece 43 provided with a pair of connection protrusions 43 a slidably inserted into a pair of connection holes 41 a formed in the upper portion of the lower piece 41.
When the pool body 1 is filled with water, the surrounding wall 10 is pushed to the outside of the pool body 1 by the hydraulic pressure of the water, and thus the hydraulic pressure is finally transmitted to the shoes 40 through the horizontal rods 20 and the vertical rods 30.
Here, stress generated from the shoes 40 is mainly concentrated upon the upper pieces 43. Thereby, the upper ends of the vertical rods 30 are pushed to the outside of the pool body 1, and are revolved upwardly with respect to the connection portions between the extensions 31 and the vertical rods 30, thus lifting up the upper pieces 43. Particularly, when the ground on which the shoes 40 are mounted is not level and each of the shoes 40 is inclined in the longitudinal direction of the extension 31 due to gravel, force, which is applied to the upper piece 43 by the extension 31, is maximized and stress is concentrated upon the connection protrusions 43 a being thinner than the central portion of the upper piece 43. Thereby, the connection protrusions 43 a are damaged and thus the upper piece 43 is separated from the lower piece 41.
This problem is fundamentally caused by the vertical rods 30, which are respectively provided with the bending extensions 31, and the shoes 40, which respectively include two pieces, i.e., the lower and upper pieces 41 and 43.
Further, since the shoes 40 respectively include two pieces, when the swimming pool assembly is assembled, the upper pieces 43 coincide with the upper portions of the extensions 31 and then are fixed to the lower pieces 41, under the condition that the lower portions of the extensions 31 are fixed to the lower pieces 41. Thereby, the installation of the shoes 40 is complicated, and requires a long time. When the swimming pool assembly is disassembled, the same problems are generated.
Further, since the shoes 40 are manufactured in a pair of lower and upper pieces 41 and 43, when any one of the lower and upper pieces 41 and 43 is missing, a new pair of lower and upper pieces needs to be purchased.
Moreover, each of support frame units forming the support frames of the conventional swimming pool assembly includes a pair of the vertical rods 30 respectively provided with the extensions 31, which are bent, at the lower ends thereof, and a C-shaped prop pipe having both ends connected to the extensions 31 of the vertical rods 30 using elastic fixing protrusions and a central part connected to a loop part 13.
Thus, the support frame unit for the conventional swimming pool assembly requires a bending process and a tube reducing process for forming the bending extensions, and requires elastic connection structures for interconnecting the vertical rods and the prop pipe, thus increasing a production cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, which allows vertical rods to be designed in a rectilinear shape without a bending portion so as to reduce a load and stably withstand hydraulic pressure transmitted from a wall of the swimming pool assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, which has a simple frame structure so as to reduce an overall time taken to assemble and disassemble the swimming pool assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, which has a simple frame shape and a simple manufacturing process, and directly interconnects vertical rods and a prop pipe using shoes without elastic connection structures for interconnecting the vertical rods and the prop pipe so as to increase productivity and promote cost-cutting.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, which allows vertical rods to vertically slide along inclined holes of shoes, even though force is applied to horizontal and vertical rods in the outward direction and/or in the upward direction due to the load of water surging in the swimming pool assembly, so as to prevent the shoes from being damaged or the lower ends of the vertical rods to be bent.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, in which a plurality of support frame units is disposed along the periphery of a surrounding wall of a pool body of the swimming pool assembly filled with water so as to prevent the surrounding wall from being sunken due to hydraulic pressure, comprising first and second vertical rods having a rectilinear shape, upper ends of which are detachably attached to horizontal rods maintaining the shape of the upper end of the surrounding wall; a prop pipe including a central part inserted into a loop part formed on the bottom of the pool body, and first and second branch parts bent from both sides of the central part in the same direction; and first and second shoes respectively formed in single pieces having inclined holes, into which lower ends of the first and second vertical rods are respectively inserted, formed in upper surfaces thereof, and horizontal holes, into which the first and second branch parts of the prop pipe are respectively detachably inserted, formed in side surfaces thereof.
Each of the inclined holes of the first and second shoes may have a tapered shape such that the diameter of the lower portion thereof is smaller than the diameter of the upper portion thereof and the diameter of the inclined hole is gradually increased from the lower portion thereof to the upper portion thereof.
In this case, it is preferable that the diameter of the lower ends of the first and second vertical rods is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the lower portions of the inclined holes of the first and second shoes, so that the lower ends of the first and second vertical rods respectively slid along the inclined holes of the first and second shoes and is lifted to a designated distance in the vertical direction when the upper ends of the first and second vertical rods are pushed in the outward direction of the pool body and/or in the upward direction due to the hydraulic pressure.
Further, free terminals of the first and second branch parts are elastically snap-connected to the horizontal holes of the first and second shoes respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional swimming pool assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support frame for supporting a surrounding wall of the swimming pool assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, illustrating the insertion of a lower end of a first vertical rod into a connection hole;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the portion ‘VI’ of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, illustrating the lifting of the lower end of the first vertical rod, inserted into the connection hole, upwardly from the connection hole.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings.
A support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly of the present invention is disposed such that the support frame unit surrounds the periphery of a pool body 1, and supports a surrounding wall 10 so as to prevent the surrounding wall 10 from being sunken due to hydraulic pressure applied to the surrounding wall 10 of the pool body 1.
With reference to FIG. 3, the support frame unit in accordance this embodiment includes first and second vertical rods 110 and 120, first and second shoes 210 and 220, and a prop pipe 300, which are prepared in a set. Thus, plural sets of the support frame units are disposed at regular intervals along the surrounding wall 10 of the pool body 1.
The first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 have a rectilinear shape having a designated length. Upper ends of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are detachably connected to a plurality of horizontal rods 20 inserted into a pocket 11 formed at the circumference of the upper end of the pool body 1, and lower ends 111 and 121 of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are inserted into inclined holes 211 and 221 of the first and second shoes 210 and 220.
The first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are disposed such that the upper ends of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are inclined to the pool body 1 under the condition that the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are installed between the vertical rods 20 and the first and second shoes 210 and 220. The first and second shoes 210 and 220 are respectively formed in single pieces and have the same shape, and thus only the first shoe 210 will be described below and the description of the second shoe 220 will be omitted.
With reference to FIG. 4, the inclined hole 211, into which the lower end 111 of the first vertical rod 110 is inserted, is formed in the upper surface of the first shoe 210, and a horizontal hole 213, into which a free terminal 321 of a first branch part 320 of the prop pipe 300 is inserted, is formed in one side surface of the first shoe 210. An angle of inclination between the inclined hole 211 and the horizontal hole 213 of the first shoe 210 determines the mounting angle of the first vertical rod 110.
In this case, the inclined hole 211 has a tapered shape such that the diameter (D1) of the lower portion of the inclined hole 211 is smaller than the diameter (D2) of the upper portion of the inclined hole 211 and the diameter of the inclined hole 211 is gradually increased from the lower portion thereof to the upper portion thereof, as shown in FIG. 5. Here, the diameter (D3) of the lower end 111 of the first vertical rod 110 is equal to or smaller than the diameter (D1) of the lower portion of the inclined hole 211. This shape of the inclined hole 211 allows the lower end 111 of the first vertical rod 110 to slide along the inclined hole 211 and thus lift up to a designated distance in the vertical direction, when the upper portion of the first vertical rod 110 is pushed in the outward direction of the pool body 10 by hydraulic pressure.
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a fixing recess 215, to which a locking protrusion 323 installed in the free terminal 321 of the first branch part 320 is elastically connected, is formed in the horizontal hole 213. In this case, the locking protrusion 323 is elastically installed in the free terminal 321 of the first branch part 320 by a return spring 325, and is protruded to the outside of the free terminal 321 of the first branch part 320 through a through hole 322 and exposed upwardly through the fixing recess 215. Thus, in order to separate the first branch part 320 from the horizontal hole 213, the first branch part 320 is taken out of the horizontal hole 213 under the condition that the exposed locking protrusion 323 is pressed, and thereby is easily separated from the horizontal hole 213.
In FIG. 6, non-described reference numeral 323 a is a stumbling sill, and non-described reference numeral 325 is a fixing protrusion supporting the return spring 325.
The prop pipe 300 has an approximately C shape, and includes a central pipe 30 fixed to a loop part 13 formed on the bottom of the pool body 10, and first and second branch parts 320 and 330 bent from both ends of the central pipe 30 in parallel in the same direction. Here, free terminals 321 and 331 of the first and second branch parts 320 and 330 are respectively inserted into horizontal holes 213 and 223 of the first and second shoes 210 and 220.
A process for mounting the above support frame unit will be described as follows.
First, the upper ends of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are respectively connected to the horizontal rod 20, and the lower ends 111 and 121 of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are inserted into the inclined holes 211 and 221 of the first and second shoes 210 and 220.
Under the above state, the prop pipe 300 is inserted into the loop part 13. Then, when the free terminals 321 and 331 of the first and second branch parts 320 and 330 are pressingly inserted into the horizontal holes 213 and 223 at a designated force, the locking protrusions 323 are elastically inserted into the fixing recesses 215, and the free terminals 321 and 331 of the first and second branch parts 320 and 330 are stably inserted into the horizontal holes 213 and 223 of the first and second shoes 210 and 220.
As described above, since the connection of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 to the first and second shoes 210 and 220 in the support frame unit for the swimming pool assembly of the present invention is much more simple compared with the support frame unit for the conventional swimming pool assembly, the support frame unit for the swimming pool assembly of the present invention is rapidly assembled and disassembled.
In the above support frame unit, when the pool body 1 is filled with water, the hydraulic pressure applied to the surrounding wall 10 is transmitted to a plurality of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 through the horizontal rods 20. That is, force is applied to the horizontal rods 20 and the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 in outward direction and/or the upward direction due to the load of the surging water in the swimming pool assembly.
Hereinafter, the functions of the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 are the same, and thus only the function of the first vertical rod 110 will be described with reference to FIG. 7.
In the case that force is applied to the horizontal rods 20 and the first and second vertical rods 110 and 120 in the outward direction and/or in the upward direction due to the load of the surging water in the swimming pool assembly, as described above, the inclined hole 211 of the first shoe 210 has a tapered shape such that the diameter of the inclined hole 211 is gradually increased from the lower portion there of to the upper portion thereof, and thus it is possible to prevent the shoe 210 from being damaged or the lower end 111 of the first vertical hole 110 from being bent depending on the lifting of the first vertical rod 110.
That is, the upper ends of the plural first vertical rods 111 are pushed in the outward direction (F) of the pool body 1 and/or in the upward direction to a designated interval, as shown in FIG. 7. Here, one circumferential surface of each of the lower ends 111 of the plural first vertical rods 111, which are inserted into the inclined holes 211 of the plural first shoes 210, slides along one surface 211 a of each of the inclined holes 211 coping with the outward direction (F), and is lifted in the upward direction to a designated distance.
This lifting of the first vertical rods 110 is caused by the tapered shape of the inclined holes 211, and thus prevents the lower ends 111 of the first vertical rods 110 from being bent due to stress concentrated upon the lower ends 111 and the first shoes 210 from being damaged by the first vertical rods 110.
As described above, each of the first and second shoes 210 and 220 is formed in a single piece, and thus is easily kept compared with the conventional shoe including two pieces.
As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, in which each of first and second shoes is formed in a single piece and each of first and second vertical rods inserted into the inclined hole of each of the first and second shoes has a rectilinear shape, and thus the first and second vertical rods are lifted to a designated height along the inclined holes due to force concentrated upon the lower ends of the first and second vertical rods, thereby preventing stress from being concentrated directly upon portions of the first and second shoes and thus preventing the first and second shoes from being damaged.
The support frame unit has a simple frame structure, and thus a process for manufacturing the support frame unit is simple. Further, the first and second vertical rods and a prop pipe are directly connected using the shoes, and thus conventional elastic connection structures for connecting the vertical rods and the prop pipe are omitted. Thereby, the support frame unit has a much more simple process for connecting the first and second vertical rods to the first and second shoes compared with the conventional support frame unit, and is rapidly assembled and disassembled, thus increasing productivity and promoting cost-cutting.
The support frame unit allows the vertical rods to be designed in a rectilinear shape without a bending portion, thus reducing a load and stably withstanding hydraulic pressure transmitted from a wall of the swimming pool assembly.
Each of the first and second shoes is formed in a single piece, and thus is easily kept compared with the conventional shoe including two pieces.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A support frame unit for a swimming pool assembly, in which a plurality of support frame units is disposed along the periphery of a surrounding wall of a pool body of the swimming pool assembly filled with water so as to prevent the surrounding wall from being sunken due to hydraulic pressure, comprising:

first and second vertical rods having a rectilinear shape, upper ends of which are detachably attached to horizontal rods maintaining the shape of the upper end of the surrounding wall;

a prop pipe including a central part inserted into a loop part formed on the bottom of the pool body, and first and second branch parts bent from both sides of the central part in the same direction; and

first and second shoes respectively formed in single pieces having inclined holes, into which lower ends of the first and second vertical rods are respectively inserted, formed in upper surfaces thereof, and horizontal holes, into which the first and second branch parts of the prop pipe are respectively detachably inserted, formed in side surfaces thereof.

2. The support frame unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the inclined holes of the first and second shoes has a tapered shape such that the diameter of the lower portion thereof is smaller than the diameter of the upper portion thereof and the diameter of the inclined hole is gradually increased from the lower portion thereof to the upper portion thereof.

3. The support frame unit according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of the lower ends of the first and second vertical rods is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the lower portions of the inclined holes of the first and second shoes.

4. The support frame unit according to claim 1, wherein free terminals of the first and second branch parts are elastically snap-connected to the horizontal holes of the first and second shoes respectively.