An inflatable pool cover, including a main body to cover a pool, an inflatable bladder disposed on at least a portion of the main body to store air therein, such that the main body floats on water in the pool in response to the inflatable bladder being inflated with the air to a predetermined air level, and an air transfer unit, including an air channel connected at a first end to at least a portion of the inflatable bladder to direct movement of the air to or from the inflatable bladder, and a cap connected to at least a portion of a second end of the air channel to prevent the air from escaping the inflatable bladder in a closed position, and facilitate movement of the air through the inflatable bladder and the air channel in an opened position.

A pool cover includes a flexible, water impervious sheet of material having a centrally located float disposed on an upper surface of the material. In an embodiment the float member comprises a closed cell polymeric foam member. In an embodiment the polymeric foam float member is disposed within a pocket formed by a cover sheet attached to the water impervious sheet of the pool cover.

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, which comprises a cover, a set of frame segments, and a set of foam segments. The cover has a circular cross section. The cover defines a set of spaced slots disposed around an outer circumference of the cover. The set of frame segments is coupleable to the outer circumference of the cover.

A pool cover deployment apparatus is provided. A pool cover deployment apparatus for assisting in manual overlay of a pool cover onto a surface of a pool, comprising an elongated member comprising one or more first attachment members affixed to a front side of the elongated member and one or more second attachment members affixed to a back side of the elongated member. The elongated member is coupled to a leading edge of the pool cover via one or more fasteners and the one or more first attachment members. A pulling mechanism and a means of attaching the cover to the pulling mechanism wherein the pulling mechanism is manually employed by a user such that the pool cover is extended over the pool.

A pump system or device is provided for removing water from a pool cover or sump, featuring a controller configured to respond to a signal containing information about the ambient temperature in relation to a pump and to provide a controller signal containing information to control the operation of the pump based at least partly on the ambient temperature. The pumping system or device me be configured to include some combination of the following: temperature sensing, including a Thermistor, to change control logic at temperatures below a specific level (e.g. below 35 degrees F.); the initiation of impeller cycling at low operating temperatures to avoid ice formation in the impeller cavity and/or hose, but not for level sensing; the use of temperature feedback to turn off pump at low temperatures that may result in damage to the system; the addition of control logic to ignore torque increases due to contamination or flow-back Inclusion of soft-start of motor to reduce stress on impeller/motor; the option to connect Garden-style hose with an integral heating element to avoid freezing; a heating element to receive power from the pump via, e.g., a plug connector, where power to the heating element is supplied only when the temperature device is activated at some specified setting; the addition of a temperature sensor to render the pump inoperative if the temperature should fall below a set point (freezing); and/or the use of a field effect level sensor, such that the temperature sensing is substantially independent of the level sensing device.

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, which comprises a cover, a set of frame segments, and a set of foam segments. The cover has a circular cross section. The cover defines a set of spaced slots disposed around an outer circumference of the cover. The set of frame segments is coupleable to the outer circumference of the cover.

An inflatable pool cover assembly includes a top disk that is positionable in a pool and float on water in the pool. A bottom disk is positionable in the pool and float on the water in the pool. A bladder is positioned between the top disk and the bottom disk and the bladder is inflatable to a selected diameter. The bladder is inflated to engage an inside surface of a perimeter wall of the pool thereby covering the water in the pool. A plurality of engaging members is each coupled to the bladder and each of the engaging members releasably engages the perimeter wall of the pool. An inflation unit is coupled to the top disk and the inflation unit is in fluid communication with the bladder. A cartridge is provided that is filled with a compressed gas. The cartridge is fluidly coupled to the inflation unit thereby facilitating the compressed gas to exit the cartridge and inflate the bladder.

An inflatable pool cover assembly includes a top disk that is positionable in a pool and float on water in the pool. A bottom disk is positionable in the pool and float on the water in the pool. A bladder is positioned between the top disk and the bottom disk and the bladder is inflatable to a selected diameter. The bladder is inflated to engage an inside surface of a perimeter wall of the pool thereby covering the water in the pool. A plurality of engaging members is each coupled to the bladder and each of the engaging members releasably engages the perimeter wall of the pool. An inflation unit is coupled to the top disk and the inflation unit is in fluid communication with the bladder. A cartridge is provided that is filled with a compressed gas. The cartridge is fluidly coupled to the inflation unit thereby facilitating the compressed gas to exit the cartridge and inflate the bladder.

A floating cover for a body of water has a flexible, impermeable substrate with a bottom face and a top face opposite the bottom face. The substrate is secured laterally across the surface of the body of water while being permitted to move vertically as the level of the body of water changes. A float is affixed to the bottom face of the substrate and a structure is rigidly mounted above the float. The structure extends above the top face of the substrate. The substrate is sealed between the float and the structure. The buoyant force of the float acts against the weight of the structure to maintain the substrate immediately adjacent to the float above the top surface of the body of water so as not to interfere with precipitation drainage.

The present invention provides a pool cover support system for installing a pool cover without touching the water in the pool. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a flotation device including a frame extending upwardly from a base of the flotation device. The perimeter of the frame can be attached with a plurality of attachment cords to the outside ledge of the pool. Clips at one end of the attachment cords can be used for expeditiously attaching the frame to the ledge of the pool. The attachment cords and the frame can be used to support a light weight pool cover.