Stackable spa for above-ground swimming pool

Abstract

A spa for an above-ground pool, the spa comprising a shell adapted to receive water therein and including a perimeter wall, an opening in the perimeter wall, a support structure adapted to support the shell so that the opening corresponds with a pool opening to define a passage providing fluid communication between the pool and the spa, and a removable partition for closing the passage. Also, a spa comprising a shell including an enclosure for receiving water therein, at least one bench defining a seating surface at an adequate height, a top coping defining a top end of the shell, and an outer wall extending downwardly from the top coping and having a bottom end which is lower than the seating surface, such that the shell is stackable onto a similar shell with the bottom end of the outer wall resting on the top coping of the similar shell.

1 . A spa for an above-ground swimming pool having a first opening in a wall panel thereof, the spa comprising: 
 a shell adapted to receive water therein, the shell including a perimeter wall;    a second opening in the perimeter wall;    a support structure adapted to support the shell adjacent to the swimming pool so that the first opening corresponds with the second opening, thereby defining a passage providing fluid communication between the swimming pool and the spa; and    a removable partition for closing the passage such that the spa becomes an independent body of water from the swimming pool.    
   
   
       2 . The spa according to  claim 1 , wherein the shell is integrally molded.  
   
   
       3 . The spa according to  claim 1 , wherein the shell is sized so as to be stackable over a second similar shell.  
   
   
       4 . The spa according to  claim 3 , wherein the perimeter wall is a double wall including an inner wall extending from a top coping to a floor surface of the shell and an outer wall extending downwards from the top coping and having a bottom end which is higher than the floor surface, and the shell is stackable over a second similar shell such that the bottom end of the outer wall rests against the top coping of the second similar shell.  
   
   
       5 . The spa according to  claim 4 , wherein a first height defined between the top coping and the bottom end of the outer wall is less than one half of a second height defined between the top coping and the floor surface.  
   
   
       6 . The spa according to  claim 1 , wherein the removable partition is slidably mounted into grooves in the shell provided in vertical sides of the second opening.  
   
   
       7 . The spa according to  claim 1 , wherein the spa also comprises a retractable protective covering.  
   
   
       8 . The spa according to  claim 7 , wherein the shell has an at least partly circular section, and the retractable protective covering is a dome defined by a plurality of semi-circular ribs covered by a flexible material, the semi-circular ribs being mounted on two hinges located in a diametrically opposed fashion with respect to the shell.  
   
   
       9 . The spa according to  claim 8 , wherein the flexible material is a translucent UV-proof material.  
   
   
       10 . A spa comprising a shell, the shell including: 
 an enclosure for receiving water therein, the enclosure defining a floor surface;    at least one bench defining a seating surface at an adequate height for receiving a user in a seated position such as to be comfortably immersed when the enclosure is filled with water;    a top coping defining a top end of the shell; and    an outer wall extending downwardly from the top coping, the outer wall having a bottom end which is lower than the seating surface and higher than the floor surface, such that the shell is stackable onto a similar shell with the bottom end of the outer wall resting on the top coping of the similar shell.    
   
   
       11 . The spa according to  claim 10 , wherein the shell is a single integrally molded shell.  
   
   
       12 . The spa according to  claim 10 , wherein the spa is adapted to be in fluid communication with an above-ground swimming pool.  
   
   
       13 . The spa according to  claim 12 , wherein the fluid communication between the spa and the swimming pool can be interrupted by a removable partition.  
   
   
       14 . The spa according to  claim 10 , wherein the spa also comprises a retractable protective covering.  
   
   
       15 . The spa according to  claim 14 , wherein the top coping is at least partly annular, and the retractable protective covering is a dome defined by a plurality of semi-circular ribs covered by a flexible material, the semi-circular ribs being mounted on two hinges located in a diametrically opposed fashion on the top coping.  
   
   
       16 . The spa according to  claim 15 , wherein the flexible material is a translucent UV-proof material.  
   
   
       17 . An enclosure adapted to receive water therein and having a height of H, the enclosure having an outer wall extending downwardly from a top thereof for a height of HW, HW being smaller than H, and the enclosure being stackable on similar enclosures such that a stack height is defined by H+(n-1)*HW, where n is the number of enclosures in the stack.  
   
   
       18 . A combined above-ground swimming pool and spa assembly comprising: 
 a. an above-ground swimming pool comprising a wall and an upper ledge;    b. a spa comprising a wall and an upper ledge, the upper ledge of the spa abutting the upper ledge of the above-ground swimming pool, the wall of the spa having an opening aligned with an opening of the above-ground swimming pool so as to allow fluid communication between the spa and the above-ground swimming pool;    c. an insertable, removable partition configured, when inserted, to close the aligned openings of the walls of the spa and the above-ground swimming pool; and    d. an upper ledge portion configured to connect to either or both of the upper ledges of the spa and above-ground swimming pool above the aligned openings.    
   
   
       19 . A combined above-ground swimming pool and spa assembly according to  claim 18  further comprising at least one seat connected to the spa external to the wall of the spa.  
   
   
       20 . A ladder for use in connection with a swimming pool or spa, the ladder comprising: 
 a. spaced rails;    b. a plurality of rungs; and    c. a cover moveable along the spaced rails from a first position covering the plurality of rungs and rendering them inaccessible for climbing to a second position in which one or more of the plurality of rungs is uncovered and accessible for climbing.    
   
   
       21 . A combined above-ground swimming pool and spa assembly comprising: 
 a. an above-ground swimming pool comprising a wall and an upper ledge;    b. a spa comprising a wall and an upper ledge, the upper ledge of the spa abutting the upper ledge of the above-ground swimming pool, the wall of the spa having an opening aligned with an opening of the above-ground swimming pool so as to allow fluid communication between the spa and the above-ground swimming pool;    c. an insertable, removable partition configured, when inserted, to close the aligned openings of the walls of the spa and the above-ground swimming pool; and    d. a water spillway configured to cause water to spillover from the spa to the above-ground swimming pool.