United States Patent [19J
`Peterson
`
`I lllll llllllll Ill lllll lllll lllll lllll lllll 111111111111111111111111111111111
`US005924144A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,924,144
`Jul. 20, 1999
`
`[54]
`
`INFLATABLE SWIMMING POOLAND
`SUPPORTING SHELL
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Leroy L. Peterson, Omaha, Nebr.
`
`[73] Assignee: Sportsstuff, Inc., Omaha, Nebr.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 09/054,116
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Apr. 2, 1998
`
`[51]
`[52]
`[58]
`
`[56]
`
`Int. Cl.6
`..................................................... A47C 27/08
`U.S. Cl. ......................................... 4/488; 4/506; 4/503
`Field of Search ................................ 4/488, 506, 513,
`4/498, 499, 503, 588, 599, 600; 220/653;
`441/40, 66
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2,876,467
`3,608,099
`3,631,544
`4,000,749
`4,366,963
`4,535,490
`
`3/1959 Lund ......................................... 441/66
`9/1971 Wall ............................................ 4/503
`1/1972 Tytel ........................................... 4/506
`1/1977 Busco .......................................... 4/498
`1/1983 Reeves et al. ............................ 441/40
`8/1985 Wright ........................................ 4/488
`
`4,538,311
`4,547,919
`4,756,032
`5,729,840
`
`9/1985 Hall et al. ................................... 4/488
`10/1985 Wang .......................................... 4/588
`7/1988 Wang .......................................... 4/588
`3/1998 Wu .............................................. 4/588
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`438622 12/1967 Switzerland ............................... 4/588
`
`Primary Examiner-Charles R. Eloshway
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henderson & Sturm
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An inflatable swimming pool having a plurality of vertical
`interior supporting webs extending between and connecting
`the inner and outer vertical side walls of the pool. The side
`walls and connecting webs are fabricated from polyvinyl(cid:173)
`chloride or similar materials. A supporting shell, preferably
`fabricated from a tough, durable synthetic fabric such as
`nylon, includes a top gusset, a side wall, a bottom gusset,
`and a reinforcing bottom wall for added strength. A safety
`cover, also fabricated from nylon, includes a number of
`hooks that attach to loops on the shell to secure the cover in
`position when the pool is not in use.
`
`19 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
`
`BESTWAY EXHIBIT 1002-0001
`IPR2017-01655
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 20, 1999
`
`5,924,144
`
`50
`
`30
`', .-/
`Fig. 1
`
`34
`
`32-
`
`----
`
`Fig. 3
`
`Fig. 4
`
`Fig. 2
`
`BESTWAY EXHIBIT 1002-0002
`IPR2017-01655
`
`

`

`5,924,144
`
`1
`INFIATABLE SWIMMING POOLAND
`SUPPORTING SHELL
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`5
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to the field of inflatable
`swimming pools, and more particularly to an inflatable
`swimming pool and supporting shell for enclosing an inflat(cid:173)
`able swimming pool for improved strength, puncture 10
`resistance, and durability.
`2. Description of Related Art
`Inflatable swimming pools are well known in the art and
`generally comprise an inflatable ring with a flooring sealed
`to the ring around its lower edge and typically fabricated
`from various plastics, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC).
`With the increasing costs of in-ground concrete swimming
`pools, however, larger above-ground pools with increased
`depth have become more popular. Inflatable pools, however,
`have heretofore been unsuitable with the increased depth 20
`due to the tremendous increase in water pressure on the sides
`of the pool which causes the walls to deform and tear. This
`has lead to above-ground pools with wooden or metal
`superstructures generally supporting a plastic liner which is
`more expensive and more difficult to assemble, disassemble 25
`and store.
`Those concerned with these and other problems recognize
`the need for an improved inflatable swimming pool.
`
`2
`10. FIG. 1 shows the inflatable swimming pool 10 received
`in the supporting shell 30, with the safety cover 50 partially
`secured to the shell 30.
`As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the swimming pool 10
`is formed of polyvinylchloride (PVC) material including an
`inner vertical side wall 12, an outer vertical side wall 14, a
`plurality of interconnecting vertical support webs 16, and a
`floor 18, all being secured together by thermo-welding. The
`inner side wall 12 and the outer side wall 14 are formed of
`concentric rings of material attached at their top and bottom
`edges 22, 24. The vertical support web 16 extends radially
`between the inner and outer side walls 12, 14 at spaced
`intervals of approximately 15° to form a series of I-beam
`supports around the circumference of the interior annular
`15 cavity 20. The interior cavity 20 is defined by the spacing
`between the side walls 12, 14 when the pool 10 is inflated.
`Inflation of the pool 10 is done through an air valve (not
`shown) formed in one of the side walls 12, 14.
`As illustrated in FIG. 4, the supporting webs 16 do not
`extend to the top and bottom edges 22, 24 so that air
`admitted through the air valve communicates with all points
`around the circumference of the annular cavity 20. As shown
`in FIG. 2, slight vertical indentations 17 in the exterior
`surface of the inner and outer side walls 12, 14 correspond
`to the location of the interior support webs 16. The support
`webs 16 forming the I-beam support columns provide
`increased strength to the inflated pool 10 so that water of
`greater depths can be supported within the pool 10 before the
`side walls 12, 14 deform.
`The protective shell 30, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
`includes a side wall 32, top and bottom gussets 34, 36, and
`a bottom 38. The shell 30 is preferably made of durable
`fabric such as nylon, polyester, or Dacron. The side wall 32,
`the gussets 34, 36, and the bottom 38 may, for example, be
`made of 840D, 420D, and 210D nylon, respectively. Accept(cid:173)
`able nylon fabrics may range from approximately 210D to
`approximately lOOOD. The side wall 32 is formed of a ring
`of material with one or more vertical sewn seams. The top
`and bottom gussets 34, 36 are sewn to the top and bottom
`edges 44, 46, respectively, of the side wall 32. The top and
`bottom gussets 34, 36 are formed of a number of inwardly
`directed wedge-shaped segments sewn together at their
`adjacent edges. The bottom 38 is sewn to the inner edge of
`the bottom gusset 36. A series of loops 48 are sewn at spaced
`intervals around the side wall 32 near its top edge 44.
`The safety cover 50 is also made of a suitable fabric such
`as nylon. The cover 50 includes a fiat circular sheet 52
`having a number of hooks 54 at spaced intervals. The sheet
`50 52 is sized to slightly extend over the inner edge of the top
`gusset 34. As shown in FIG. 3, each hook 54 is attached to
`the sheet 52 by an elastic connector 56. When the cover 50
`is in position, the hooks 54 on the edge of the sheet 52
`engage corresponding loops 48 on the shell 30 to secure the
`cover in position.
`To assemble, the pool 10 is first partially inflated. It is then
`placed within the shell 30 and fully inflated to provide a tight
`fit between the pool 10 and the shell 30. The pool 10 is then
`filled with water to the desired depth. The supporting webs
`60 16 of the pool 10 provide support for the water as discussed
`above. Also, the supporting shell 30 provides further support
`to allow for water at even greater depths. The safety cover
`50 is secured in position when the pool 10 is not in use.
`Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention
`has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art
`will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible
`without materially departing from the novel teachings and
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention discloses an inflatable swimming
`pool having a plurality of vertical interior supporting webs
`extending between and connecting the inner and outer
`vertical side walls of the pool. The side walls and connecting
`webs are fabricated from polyvinylchloride or similar mate(cid:173)
`rials. A supporting shell, preferably fabricated from a tough,
`durable synthetic fabric such as nylon, includes a top gusset,
`a side wall, a bottom gusset, and a reinforcing bottom wall
`for added strength. A safety cover, also fabricated from
`nylon, includes a number of hooks that attach to loops on the
`shell to secure the cover in position when the pool is not in
`use.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL
`VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`These and other attributes of the invention will become
`more clear upon a thorough study of the following descrip(cid:173)
`tion of the best mode for carrying out the invention, par(cid:173)
`ticularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings,
`wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inflatable pool and
`supporting shell with the safety cover in the process of being
`fully secured to the shell;
`FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the shell, 55
`the pool, and the cover in their relative assembled positions;
`FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view illustrating
`the hook on the cover as it engages the loop on the shell; and
`FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG.
`
`2.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in 65
`particularly to FIG. 1, that forms the basis of the present
`invention is designated generally by the reference number
`
`BESTWAY EXHIBIT 1002-0003
`IPR2017-01655
`
`

`

`5,924,144
`
`15
`
`3
`advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifi(cid:173)
`cations are intended to be included within the scope of this
`invention as defined in the following claims.
`I claim:
`1. An inflatable swimming pool, comprising:
`an inner side wall formed by a inner ring of flexible
`material, the inner side wall having an upper edge and
`a lower edge;
`an outer side wall formed by an outer ring of flexible
`material disposed out from and concentric to the inner
`ring, the outer side wall having an upper edge and a
`lower edge, the respective upper and lower edges of the
`inner and outer rings being secured to each other to
`form a closed annular cavity and a central open area;
`a plurality of radially directed vertical support webs
`disposed within the annular cavity and attached to and
`interconnecting the inner side wall and the outer side
`wall;
`a floor attached near the lower edges of the inner and outer 20
`side walls, the floor being disposed to extend over a
`lower end of the central open area to form an open top
`container for receiving water; and
`a supporting shell formed by a ring of flexible material
`having a top and bottom edge, a top gusset section 25
`attached to the top edge of the ring and disposed to
`extend radially inward, and a bottom gusset section
`attached to the bottom edge of the ring and disposed to
`extend radially inward, the shell being disposed to
`matingly receive and support the closed annular cavity
`when the cavity is fully inflated by a pressurized fluid.
`2. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 1 further
`including a bottom panel attached to the bottom gusset
`section and extending between opposing sides thereof.
`3. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 2 further
`including a removable safety cover releasably attached to
`the shell.
`4. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 3 wherein loops
`attached to the ring of the shell are engaged by hooks
`attached to the safety cover.
`5. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 1 further
`including a removable safety cover releasably attached to
`the shell.
`6. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 5 wherein loops
`attached to the ring of the shell are engaged by hooks 45
`attached to the safety cover.
`7. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 1 wherein the
`support webs are spaced at about 15° intervals around the
`annular cavity.
`
`10
`
`4
`8. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 1 wherein the
`support webs are disposed below the upper edge of the inner
`and outer rings.
`9. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 8 wherein the
`5 support webs are disposed above the lower edge of the inner
`and outer rings.
`10. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 1 wherein the
`support webs are disposed above the lower edge of the inner
`and outer rings.
`11. An inflatable swimming pool, comprising:
`an inflatable ring having a lower edge;
`a floor sealingly attached to the lower edge of the inflat(cid:173)
`able ring, to form an open top container for receiving
`water; and
`a supporting shell formed by a ring of flexible material
`having a top and bottom edge, a top gusset section
`attached to the top edge of the ring and disposed to
`extend radially inward, and a bottom gusset section
`attached to the bottom edge of the ring and disposed to
`extend radially inward, the shell being disposed to
`matingly receive and support the inflatable ring when it
`is fully inflated by a pressurized fluid, the supporting
`shell further including a bottom panel attached to the
`bottom gusset section and extending between opposing
`sides thereof to form a fully closed bottom.
`12. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 11 wherein the
`bottom panel is formed of a durable fabric.
`13. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 12 wherein the
`30 durable fabric is nylon.
`14. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 12 wherein the
`bottom panel is sewn to the bottom gusset.
`15. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 11 further
`including a removable safety cover releasably attached to
`35 the shell.
`16. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 15 wherein
`loops attached to the shell are engaged by hooks attached to
`the safety cover.
`17. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 16 wherein an
`40 elastic connector interconnects the hooks and the safety
`cover.
`18. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 16 wherein the
`loops are attached to the shell adjacent the top edge of the
`ring.
`19. The inflatable swimming pool of claim 18 wherein an
`elastic connector interconnects the hooks and the safety
`cover.
`
`* * * * *
`
`BESTWAY EXHIBIT 1002-0004
`IPR2017-01655
`
`