Coping for swimming pool, particularly an above-ground swimming pool, and process for its production

Abstract

Coping for the top edge of a curvilinear wall of a swimming pool, the coping consisting of end-to-end sections and being characterized in that each section of coping ( 1 ) comprises: an approximately planar deck ( 2 ) designed, when the coping is in the installed position, to extend approximately transversely relative to the wall of the swimming pool, the deck ( 2 ) being formed by at least one plate ( 4 ) of a synthetic material thermoformed by flat pressing, at least one longitudinal edge of the deck comprising at least two outwardly directed longitudinal flanges ( 7 ) arranged one above the other with a gap between them, and at least one trim ( 3 ) formed by a profiled strip of extruded plastic fixed to the flanges ( 7 ) on one edge of the deck ( 2 ).

1 . Coping for the top edge of a curvilinear wall of a swimming pool, said coping consisting of end-to-end sections and being characterized in that each section of coping ( 1 ) comprises: 
 an approximately planar deck ( 2 ) designed, when the coping is in the installed position, to extend approximately transversely relative to said wall of the swimming pool, said deck ( 2 ) being formed by at least one plate ( 4 ) of a synthetic material thermoformed by flat pressing, at least one longitudinal edge of the deck comprising at least two outwardly directed longitudinal flanges ( 7 ) arranged one above the other with a gap between them, and    at least one trim ( 3 ) formed by a profiled strip of extruded plastic fixed to said flanges ( 7 ) on one edge of the deck ( 2 ).    
     
     
         2 . Coping according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the deck ( 2 ) consists of two plates ( 4 ) made of synthetic material, individually flat-thermoformed and fixed together, the two respective edges of the two assembled plates ( 4 ) that lie on the same longitudinal side of the deck ( 2 ) forming the abovementioned two flanges ( 7 ).  
     
     
         3 . Coping according to  claim 1 , characterized in that each deck ( 2 ) comprises at least one plate ( 4 ) made of thermoformed synthetic material and at least one profiled strip ( 9 ), part of the cross section of which is L-sectioned, which is fixed to said deck in the vicinity of at least one edge thereof, the respective edges of the deck and of the L-shaped profiled strip forming the abovementioned two flanges ( 7 ).  
     
     
         4 . Coping according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , characterized in that the trim ( 3 ) has, on a face designed to be assembled to the deck ( 2 ), two generally parallel longitudinal grooves ( 5 ) designed to accommodate snugly the abovementioned two flanges ( 7 ) of the respective edge of the deck ( 2 ).  
     
     
         5 . Coping according to  claim 4 , characterized in that, in addition, each flange ( 7 ) accommodated snugly in its respective groove ( 5 ) is fixed, by adhesive bonding or welding, for example, to the trim ( 3 ).  
     
     
         6 . Coping according to any one of  claims 1  to  5 , characterized in that two trims ( 3 ) are fixed to the. two respective longitudinal edges of the deck ( 2 ).  
     
     
         7 . Coping according to  claim 2  and any one of claims  4 ,  5  and  6 , characterized in that at least one plate ( 4 ) of the deck ( 2 ) has at least two longitudinal ribs ( 6 ) that are generally parallel to the respective edges of the plate ( 4 ) and to which the other plate ( 4 ) is fixed in such a way that the deck, comprising two plates spaced apart by said ribs, forms a flattened box.  
     
     
         8 . Process for producing coping in synthetic material for the top edge of a curvilinear wall of a swimming pool and consisting of end-to-end sections ( 1 ), said process being characterized in that 
 each section of said coping ( 1 ) is made in the form of several constituent elements, including: 
 an approximately planar deck ( 2 ) consisting of at least one plate ( 4 ) of a synthetic material that is flat-thermoformed on a mold ( 11 ), said deck ( 2 ) having at least one longitudinal edge treated in such a way as to comprise at least two outwardly directed longitudinal flanges ( 7 ) arranged one above the other with a gap between them, and  
 at least one trim ( 3 ) formed by a profiled strip of synthetic material which is extruded,  
   and the thermoformed deck ( 4 ) is then assembled and fixed to the extruded trim or trims ( 3 ) to form a section of coping ( 1 ).    
     
     
         9 . Process according to  claim 8 , characterized in that two plates ( 4 ) of synthetic material are thermoformed by flat pressing and in that the said two plates ( 4 ) are assembled. one on top of the other, the two respective adjacent edges of said two plates forming the abovementioned two flanges ( 7 ).  
     
     
         10 . Process according to  claim 9 , characterized. in that the two plates ( 4 ) of synthetic material are thermoformed in different molds and are of different shapes.  
     
     
         11 . Process according to  claim 8 , characterized in that a profiled strip ( 9 ) having a cross section that is partly L-shaped is fixed near to at least one longitudinal edge of the plate ( 4 ), the respective edges of the plate and of the L profiled section forming the abovementioned two flanges ( 7 ).  
     
     
         12 . Process according to any one of  claims 8  to  11 , characterized in that the trim ( 5 ) is extruded in the form of a profiled strip having an assembly face provided with at least two generally parallel longitudinal grooves ( 5 ) and in that the abovementioned two flanges ( 17 ) on the corresponding edge of the deck ( 2 ) are accommodated snugly in said respective grooves ( 5 ).  
     
     
         13 . Process according to  claim 12 , characterized in that each flange ( 7 ), once snugly accommodated in its respective groove ( 5 ), is fixed to the trim ( 3 ), for example by adhesive bonding or welding.  
     
     
         14 . Process according to any one of  claims 8  to  13 , characterized in that each plate ( 4 ) of the deck ( 2 ) is produced by thermoforming an initial plate ( 10 ) whose dimensions are such that it extends beyond the longitudinal edges of the thermoforming mold ( 11 ) and in that, after the thermoforming operation the oversized thermoformed plate is cut ( 14 ) to its exact outline.