Standards compliant unblockable Anti-entrapment pool main drain cover

Abstract

Anti-entrapment drain cover [A] for pools is formed by a molded wheel-like cover unit [10] of radial dimensions greater than the radius of any pool sump or drain [10] to be covered, so as to extend over the drain floor radially beyond the drain. Radial ribs [14] below the cover unit define channels opening at the periphery to provide a side inlet [18] between each rib pair so that the periphery stands off the surface sufficiently for water flow through the inlets but with spacing insufficient for user grasping of the cover. Arcuate inlet recesses [20] open periphery between rib pairs, so water flows into the channels for draining without potential for pool user entrapment even if a pool user attempts to block them. Securements are such that the cover, which is user unbreakable, cannot be pulled away by the user.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is based upon and claims the priority of Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 519660, Filed May 26, 2011, for ANTI-ENTRAPMENT SWIMMING POOL AND WADING POOL MAIN DRAIN COVER and Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 572,090, Filed Jul. 11, 2011, for ANTI-ENTRAPMENT SWIMMING POOL AND WADING POOL MAIN DRAIN COVER, both of the present inventor, Harry W. Newhard, and both of which applications are incorporated by reference herewith.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to swimming pool and wading pool drains and spas, more particularly, to a standards compliant or standards-setting drain cover which is of universal character but capable not only of providing anti-entrapment drain protection for users in an extremely wide variety of facilities which include such drains but also meeting newly established regulatory standards, which have come into being because of the dangers associated with inadequately protect...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014]Accordingly, among the several objects, features and advantages of the invention include the provision of drain cover for swimming pool and / or wading pool drains (suction fittings) which is standards compliant in being is anti-entrapment, suction-avoiding, and injury-preventing device for providing drain protection for users of such pools by precluding limb / body entanglement; and which is unblockable and is thus is a safety device which avoids any danger or potential hazard for pool users, and in particular, children, even when a high volume of water flows into a drain with which the new device is used; which is inherently non-entrapping, as well as avoiding development of usual suction conditions which may develop as water enters the drain which it covers protectively; which alters of the way in which water enters the drain it protects by providing widely dispersed water entrance passages, each of small cross-sectional area, and each preferably designed so as themselves to be inherently non-entrapping; which accordingly does not have any dangerous concentrated areas of flow that might entrap the hand, foot, hair, other body member or clothing of a child even when a child comes into contact with the new device; which can prevent drain-related drownings and other serious injuries; and which protects not only children but all persons; which is easy to install in connection with a wide range of sizes of conventional drains and yet does not extend into a drain opening; which does not require modification of existing drains; which does not require installation of additional drains; which is extremely easily and rapidly installed in place of existing drain covers; which is simple, reliable, inexpensive and highly durable in construction; and which is aesthetically pleasing. The new drain cover is designed to retrofit to all round or square pool sumps having dimensions from 5 inches to 12 inches, providing the new drain cover the capability to achieve the status of an unblockable system It is designed for use with both vertical and horizontal mount types. It is also pool cleaner friendly, being designed to avoid interference with pool cleaner devices and practices.

Problems solved by technology

Such standards as described above have come about because conventional drain covers used in swimming pools and wading pools have been found to create a danger and potential hazard for pool or spa users, and in particular, children, because the high volume of water flowing into sumps beneath conventional drains tend to create suction (with characteristic flow) and / or such concentrated areas of flow that a child, for example, can literally be unable to remove a hand, foot or other body member from the drain cover with which the child has come into contact.

There have been tragic drownings and other serious injuries, including a most hideous injury of actual disembowelment, of children in swimming pools and wading pools.

The risks, loss of life, and injuries have resulted in demands in many regions and localities and jurisdictions throughout the United States of America and elsewhere in the world for protection against entrapment and injury at drains of swimming pools and wading pools.

Multiple drains are, however, not a good solution to the problems and resultant dangers of existing drains in swimming pools and wading pools, because this overlooks the fact that water pressure exerts force proportional to the cross-sectional open area of a drain.

It is important to understand that the mere provision of one or more additional main drains of comparable area does not reduce the force of water pressure across the area of a drain, and does not solve a problem of entrapment resulting from suction developed in the pool circulation system which draws water in through the drain, from which pool or spa users must be protected from entrapment.

The new drain cover is secure and cannot be removed by a swimmer through mischief or curiosity.

Curiosity and mischievousness, such as sometimes characteristic of young swimmers, might always be expected to lead to misguided attempt by such a swimmer to determine how firmly attached is the drain cover, and so such a swimmer might grasp an edge of the drain cover and attempt to pull it away from the pool floor or wall to which the drain cover is attached.

This disk unit arrangement is limited in size and usually limited to attachment to the drain itself, and there is come concern that it is not completely unblockable in the sense that, in theory, a very large person could block it by completely covering it with the body.

Also, there is now a question whether a person of extreme strength could, at least as presently believed, tear this existing device loose from the drain securement.

The drain cover shown in that patent did not disclose various information such as dimensions and relationships or flow characteristics, nor did it disclose specific securement to a drain.

Even if so attempted, the new drain cover still operates safely, as it will not permit flow of water into the drain cover to be interrupted or significantly reduced.

Its design features and method of operation are such that it can be used in place of myriads of previously known installed conventional drain covers which are now regarded by regulatory agencies as unsafe and present risk of entrapment or which are not unblockable.

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