Method for manipulation with a thermo-insulating spa or swim spa cover and a device for performing the method

Abstract

A system and method are used for manipulation of a spa cover between a closed position, an open position, and a parking position, whereby the cover has a first carrier segment coupled to an actuator and a second carried segment rotatably connected to the first carrier segment. An axis of rotation of the first carrier segment is first raised from a resting position to an upper position, thereby raising the first carrier segment and creating a gap between the first carrier segment and an edge of the spa vessel. The first carrier segment is then rotated about the axis of rotation, which is situated outside of a ground plan of the spa. The second carried segment is pulled towards the first carrier segment as the first carrier segment is rotated. The first carrier segment is rotated to the open position wherein the segments are in a vertical position with their respective lower bearing surfaces facing each other.

Claims

1. A method for manipulation of a cover relative to a spa vessel of a spa or swim spa between a closed position, an open position and a parking position, whereby the cover has a first carrier segment coupled to an actuator and a second carried segment rotatably connected to the first carrier segment, the method comprising: for manipulation of the cover from the closed position to the open position, raising an axis of rotation of the first carrier segment from a resting position to an upper position above a level of the resting position, thereby raising a rear portion of the first carrier segment and creating a gap between a lower bearing surface at the rear portion of the first carrier segment and an edge of the spa vessel while maintaining the lower bearing surface of a front portion of the first carrier segment and a lower bearing surface of the second carried segment in contact with the edge of the spa vessel; subsequently rotating the first carrier segment about the axis of rotation with a rotation device, wherein the axis of rotation is situated outside of a ground plan of the spa or swim spa, the second carried segment being pulled towards the first carrier segment as the first carrier segment is rotated; and rotating the first carrier segment to the open position wherein the first carrier segment and the second carried segment are in a vertical position with lower bearing surfaces thereof facing each other.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein after reaching the vertical position, the first carrier segment, the second carried segment, and the rotation device are lowered to their parking position.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein for subsequently closing the cover, the method further comprises moving the first carrier segment, the second carried segment, and the rotation device vertically from the parking position until the axis of rotation of the carrier segment is at the upper position above the level of the resting position, then rotating the first carrier segment until the front portion of the first carrier segment abuts the edge of the spa vessel and subsequently moving the axis of rotation of the first carrier segment to the resting position such that the first carrier segment and the second carried segment are against the edge of the spa vessel.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation of the first carrier segment is raised by a device for vertical manipulation that also serves to vertically move the first carrier segment and the second carried segment between the open position and the parking position.

5. A system for automatic manipulation of a cover of a spa or swim spa between a closed position, an open position, and a parking position, the system comprising: a cover having a first carrier segment and a second carried segment rotatably connected to the first carrier segment; a rotational device fixedly attached to the first carrier segment to rotate the first carrier segment between a closed position and an open position wherein the first carrier segment and the second carried segment are in a vertical position; and a device for vertical manipulation of the first carrier segment and the second carried segment between the open position and the parking position connected to the first carrier segment; and the rotational device connected to the device for vertical manipulation in manner such that, for manipulation of the cover from the closed position to the open position, the first carrier segment and the rotational device are first raised such that an axis of rotation of the rotational device is raised from a resting position relative to a spa vessel to an upper position above a level of the resting position, thereby raising a rear portion of the first carrier segment and creating a gap between a lower bearing surface of the rear portion of the first carrier segment and an edge of the spa vessel while maintaining the lower bearing surface of a front portion of the first carrier segment and a lower bearing surface of the second carried segment in contact with the edge of the spa vessel.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the rotational device comprises a pair of rotary actuators mounted on the device for vertical manipulation, and the device for vertical manipulation is supported by a frame of a control device.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the device for vertical manipulation comprises flexible support members guided upwards over pulleys mounted on the frame above the upper position of the rotary actuators, the flexible support members connected at one end to the rotary actuators and at an opposite end to a lifting and lowering actuator.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the lifting and lowering actuator comprises one of a rotary winding device or a linear actuator.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein the device for vertical manipulation comprises a beam movable in a vertical direction on a frame, the rotational device comprising a swinging coulisse mounted on the movable beam, the swinging coulisse comprising rotatably mounted rods connected to angular levers rotatably arranged at ends of the movable beam, each angular lever connected to a rotary lever, and each rotary lever fixed to a rear portion of the first carrier segment.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the movable beam is connected to flexible support members guided upwards over pulleys mounted on the frame above the upper position of the rotational device, the flexible support members connected at one end to the rotational device and at an opposite end to a lifting and lowering actuator.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the lifting and lowering actuator comprises one of a rotary winding device or a linear actuator.

12. The device according to claim 5, wherein the device for vertical manipulation comprises a beam movable in a vertical direction on a frame, the movable beam connected to a flexible support member guided upwards over pulleys mounted on the frame above the upper position of the rotational device, the flexible support member comprising two branches, wherein a first branch is guided from a first one of the pulleys to a tightening member mounted on the frame, the first branch wrapping around the tightening member and becoming a second branch that is guided from the tightening member over an auxiliary pulley to a second one of the pulleys, the tightening member comprising a rotary winding device or linear actuator component of the device for vertical manipulation.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the rotary winding device or linear actuator is arranged in a bottom corner of the frame.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments in different phases of operation are schematically represented in the drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a view of a device for manipulation with a spa cover with the first variant of a rotational device for vertical manipulation in the closed position,

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the device according to FIG. 1 in the closed position,

(4) FIG. 3 is view of the device according to FIG. 1 with a raised rear portion of the cover,

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the device in the position according to FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of the device after starting rotation of the carrier segment in a partially open position,

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of the device after the rotation of the carrier segment is completed, both the carrier segment and the carried segment being in the vertical position,

(8) FIG. 7 is a side view of the device with a cover in the parking position,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a view of the device for manipulation with a spa cover having an alternative variant of the device for vertical manipulation,

(10) FIG. 9 represents a schematic view of one of the alternative embodiments of the rotational device of the cover, and

(11) FIG. 10 is a view of another variant of the device for vertical manipulation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

(13) A spa or swim spa, hereinafter referred to as a spa, comprises a suitably shaped vessel 1, which is thermally insulated and is arranged in a support structure 10 schematically represented in FIGS. 2, 4-7 and in the arrangement above ground level the spa vessel is provided with a shell, the so-called cabinet (not shown). In another embodiment, the spa vessel 1 is mounted in a pit, whereby its edge 11, formed in the upper part of the spa vessel 1, rests on the edges of the pit, and its bottom part lies at the bottom of the pit. A thermo-insulating cover 2 is mounted on the edge 11, consisting of two thermo-insulating segments 21, 22, which in a closed position abut with their bottom surfaces against the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1. The thermo-insulating segments 21, 22 are rotatably connected (hinged) to each other in a known manner, whereby the connection allows their rotation towards each other with their bottom surfaces. One of the thermo-insulating segments is a carrier segment 21 and the other is a carried segment 22, which is carried due to being connected to the carrier segment 21. The carrier segment 21 is coupled to a control device of the spa cover 2, which is mounted on a special frame 31, connected to a support structure 10 of the spa. The control device comprises a rotational device 4 which is coupled to a device 5 for vertical manipulation at the same time/together with the rotational device 4 and the cover 2. Both the control device and the frame 31 are arranged outside the ground plan of the spa vessel 1 defined by the edge 11, which means that also the axis 40 of rotation of the rotational device 4, which is at the same time the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21, is situated outside the ground plan of the spa vessel 1. The frame 31 of the control device contains at least two struts 310 and at least two crossbeams 311.

(14) In an embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 3, the rotational device 4 of the carrier segment 21 comprises a pair of rotary actuators 41, mounted on the housings 51 of the device 5 for vertical manipulation, which are adjustably mounted on both side struts 310 of the frame 31. In an unillustrated embodiment, the rotational devices 4 are mounted on other suitable parts of the device 5 for vertical manipulation. The rotary actuators 41 are in a known manner mutually synchronized and connected to a known unillustrated control unit, and so after receiving a command of the control unit they are capable of rotating at the same angular speed and at the same time. The rotary actuator 41 is directly or via suitable gear members (in FIGS. 1 and 3 unillustrated) connected to a rotary lever 42, which is terminated by a supporting plate 421. The supporting plate 421 is fixedly attached to the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21.

(15) In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, each device 5 for vertical manipulation comprises a lifting actuator consisting of a suitable linear actuator, such as a rack gearing, whose rack 510 is in the illustrated embodiment embedded in the struts 310 of the frame 31 and a motor with a pinion, whose teeth engage with the teeth of a respective rack 510. The motor and the pinion are not illustrated and are mounted in a known manner in the housings 51 of the devices 5 for vertical manipulation, whereby the two motors are in a known manner mutually synchronized and connected to the known control unit, which means that upon the control unit command they are capable of rotating at the same angular speed and at the same time.

(16) In the closed position, both segments 21, 22 abut the thermo-insulating cover 2 against the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 along its entire circumference and, consequently, the inner space of the spa is insulated from the outer space. At the beginning of opening the thermo-insulating cover 2 from the closed position, at first the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21 raises from its resting position to its upper position, thereby raising the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21 along with the rotational device 4 of the carrier segment 21. Consequently, the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 gets out of contact with the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 and the inner space and the surrounding environment are interconnected through the gap which has been formed, thereby reducing the force required to initiate the rotation of the carrier segment 21, since it is no longer necessary to overcome the vacuum in the closed space between the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1.

(17) For this purpose, upon a command from an unillustrated control unit, both devices 5 for vertical manipulation simultaneously move from their resting position in which the thermo-insulating cover 2 is closed, to their upper position, carrying both rotational devices 4 and at the same time, via the rotary lever 42 carrying the rear portion of the carrier segment 21, until a gap is created between the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The front portion of the carrier segment 21 along with the carried segment 22 maintain on the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1. At the same time, the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21 and of the rotational device 4 has been displaced to its upper position.

(18) In the second step of the opening of the spa thermo-insulating cover 2 the rotational device 4 of the carrier segment 21 starts to operate and begins to rotate the carrier segment 21 away from the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 about the axis 40. At the same time, the front portion of the carrier segment 21 is raised and carries the rear portion of the carried segment 22, whose front portion provided with wheels or gliders is in contact with the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 for a certain period of time and moves on it, as shown in FIG. 5.

(19) As the rotational movement of the rotational device 4 and of the carrier segment 21 continues, the front portion of the carried segment 22 moves away from the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 due to being shorter in comparison with the carrier segment 21.

(20) The rotational device 4 will terminate its activity as soon as the carrier segment 21 reaches its vertical position, whereby the carried segment 22 also settles at the same position, as is shown in FIG. 6, which means that both segments 21, 22 are in their open position.

(21) Subsequently, both devices 5 for vertical manipulation of the thermo-insulating cover 2 and the rotational device 4 are actuated simultaneously and start lowering the rotational device 4 and the cover 2 in the vertical position, both being lowered at the same time and at the same speed to their parking position in the parking space 6, which is formed next to the spa vessel 1, as shown in FIG. 7. The parking space 6 may be designed in a different manner according to the spa design, for example by enlarging the spa cabinet, or by increasing the pit in which the spa is installed, or in another suitable manner.

(22) When closing the thermo-insulating cover 2, the procedure is opposite.

(23) First, the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the thermo-insulating cover 2 and with the rotational device 4 lift the rotational device 4 along with the cover 2 from the parking position to the upper position, in which the device 5 for vertical manipulation stops. Subsequently, the rotational device 4 is initiated and starts to rotate the carried segment 21 towards the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1. The carried segment 22, which is shorter than the carrier segment 21, in the initial phase of the rotation of the carrier segment 21 assumes the vertical position, which means it hangs freely on the carrier segment until the moment when the wheels or gliders of the carried segment 22 abut the edge 11. As the carrier segment 21 continues to rotate, the carried segment 22 starts to open away from the carrier segment 21, until its bearing surface 220 comes into contact with the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1. Simultaneously, the front portion of the carrier segment 21 abuts the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1 as well. Both the rotational device 4 and the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the thermo-insulating cover 2 and the rotational device 4 remain in their upper position during the rotation of the carrier segment 21, and so after the rotation of the carrier segment 21 is completed, a gap is formed between the rear portion of its bearing surface 211 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1. In the last step of closing the thermo-insulating cover 2 the device 5 for vertical manipulation is lowered to its resting position and the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 abuts the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1.

(24) The actual design of the rotational device 4 of the carrier segment 21 and/or the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the cover 2 and the rotational device 4 may vary and may employ both rotary actuators and linear actuators.

(25) One of the possible variants of the device 5 for vertical manipulation is shown in FIG. 8, which schematically represents the rotational device 4 of the carrier segment 21 hinged on flexible support members 52, which are guided upwards from the respective rotational device 4 over the carrying pulleys 53 which are rotatably mounted on the frame 31 of the control device above the upper position of the rotational devices 4. The flexible support members 52 are guided over the guide pulleys 54, which are rotatably mounted on the frame 31 towards the lifting and lowering actuator, which is also mounted on the frame 31. In the illustrated embodiment, the lifting and lowering actuator comprises a winding device 55, to which are attached both the support members 52 and which is composed of a suitable electrical winch, which is rotatable in either direction. The winding device 55 is coupled to a known unillustrated motor and the control unit, whereby in the resting position it can rotate in either direction.

(26) In an unillustrated embodiment, the lifting and lowering actuator is linear and at the end of its movable portion is arranged a tightening member, to which support members 52 are coupled. In a preferred embodiment, the tightening member is composed of a rotatably mounted tightening pulley, whereby in this embodiment the two support members 52 meet and merge into one which passes over the tightening pulley.

(27) In the first step of the opening of the thermo-insulating cover 2 the winding device 55 is started briefly in the winding direction and the flexible support members 52 simultaneously lift both rotation devices 4 from their resting position to their upper position and with them the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21 is also lifted, thereby creating a gap between the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1. After the rotation of the carrier segment 21 and of the carried segment 22 to the vertical position, the winding device 55 is started in the unwinding direction and the rotational device 4 along with the cover 2 are lowered to the parking position. To close the cover 2 all the steps are performed in reverse order, the last step being closing the gap between the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11.

(28) One of the possible variants of the rotational device 4 is shown in FIG. 9. On the side struts 310 of the frame 31 of the control device is mounted, adjustably in the vertical direction, a movable beam 500, on which is mounted the rotational device 4. The movable beam 500 is part of the unillustrated device 5 for vertical manipulation with the thermo-insulating cover 2 and the rotational device 4, for example, according to any of the above or below described embodiments. On the movable beam 500 is rotatably mounted a swinging coulisse 43, on which are arranged two pins 431, on which rods 44 are rotatably mounted with one of their ends, whereby their other ends are each rotatably connected to one first arm 451 of an angular lever 45. The angular levers 45 are rotatably mounted on the opposite sides of the beam 500.

(29) The swinging coulisse 43 is coupled to a rotary actuator 41, which may be formed, for example, by a rotary motor, or may be provided with teeth disposed about its periphery, the teeth being coupled to a rack of the linear actuator and the like.

(30) The second arms 452 of the angular levers 45 are coupled by means of adjustable rods 46 to the first arm 422 of the rotary lever 42, which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 47 mounted on the beam 500. On the second arm 423 of the rotary lever 42 is provided a supporting plate 421, to which the carrier segment 21 is attached fixedly, for instance by means of screws. The shaft 47 is situated outside the ground plan of the spa and its axis is the axis 40 of rotation of the carrier segment 21 and, at the same time, also the axis of rotation of the rotational device 4.

(31) In the first step of the opening of the thermo-insulating spa cover 2 the beam 500 is moved from its resting position to upper position by means of the device 5 for vertical manipulation, in which a gap is created between the rear portion of the bearing surface 210 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11.

(32) In the upper position, 4 the rotary actuator, which is started by means of the rotational device, rotates the swinging coulisse 43, setting into motion the pins 431 with the rods 44 mounted on them. The rods 44 turn the angular levers 45 on both sides of the rotational device 4 and via the adjustable rod 46 start to rotate the two-armed rotary lever 42, which rotates the carried segment 21, which is fixedly attached to it and which carries the carried segment 22 until both segments 21, 22 reach the vertical position. Subsequently, the device 5 for vertical manipulation is started and the rotational device 4 along with the opened cover 2 are lowered to the parking position next to the spa vessel 1.

(33) When closing the thermo-insulating cover 2, the procedure is opposite.

(34) FIG. 10 shows another variant of the device 5 for vertical manipulation with the cover 2 and the rotational device 4, which is suitable especially when combined with the rotational device 4 according to FIG. 9. However, FIG. 10 shows a movable beam 500 from FIG. 9, which is mounted adjustable only vertically, on which are arranged parts of the rotational device according to FIG. 9 and a shaft 47, about which rotates the rotary lever 42 with the carried segment 21 of the cover 2. The other parts of the rotational device 4 have been omitted for the sake of clearer representation and better understanding of this embodiment of the device 5 for vertical manipulation.

(35) The movable beam 500 is hinged at two points of the flexible support member 52, which is from the points of the hinge guided upwards from the movable beam 500 over the carrying pulleys 53, which are rotatably mounted on the frame 31 of the control device above the upper position of the movable beam 500. The first branch 521 of the flexible support member 52 is guided from the first carrying pulley 531 to the tightening member 56, which is wrapped by it and afterwards the first branch becomes a second branch 522 which is guided from the tightening member 56 over the auxiliary pulley 57 to the second carrying pulley 532, which is wrapped by it and the second branch is terminated in the hinge on the movable beam 500. The tightening member 56 is mounted on the movable portion 5501 of the linear actuator 550 constituting the lifting and lowering actuator of the device 5 for vertical manipulation. In an unillustrated embodiment, the tightening member 56 is composed of a rotatably mounted tightening pulley. The fixed portion 5502 of the linear actuator 550 is mounted on the frame 31 of the control device, in an embodiment shown in FIG. 10 in the right-hand bottom corner of the frame 31. The linear actuator 550 is coupled to an unillustrated control unit along with the other members of the control device and is composed of any suitable type of a linear actuator.

(36) The carrying pulleys 53 are mounted on the frame 31 of the control device in any other suitable manner which ensures their unchanging position and sufficient bearing capacity in the illustrated embodiment on the shims 312, which are fastened to the frame crossbeam 311 or may be mounted on an auxiliary crossbeam 31 of the frame arranged in the upper part of the frame 31.

(37) In the first step of opening, the linear actuator 550 is started briefly in the lifting direction Z and its movable portion 5501 starts to shift from its resting position into its retracted position. Consequently, also the tightening member 56 is moved in the same manner, pulling the flexible support member 52, thereby raising the movable beam 500 to its upper position, which results in raising the rotational device 4 and the rear face 210 of the carrier segment 21 into their upper positions. Thus, a gap is formed between the rear portion of the bearing surface 211 of the carrier segment 21 and the edge 11 of the spa vessel 1. In this position, the rotational device 4 begins to rotate and after the carrier segment 21 along with the carried segment 22 are turned into the vertical position, the linear actuator 550 is started in the lowering direction S and its movable portion 5501 with the tightening member 56 begins to extend, by which means the flexible support member 52 is released and the movable beam 500, which is hinged on it, starts to lower to the parking position along with the rotational device 4 and the cover 2.

(38) When closing the thermo-insulating cover 2, the procedure is opposite.

(39) Both the method and the device according to the invention are intended for automation of the opening and closing of thermo-insulating covers, especially of large swim spas, providing maximum comfort to the user of the swim spa when operating the spa and allowing unrestricted view from the spa after displacement of the spa cover into parking position.