Floatable swimming pool cover

Abstract

In one of its aspects, the invention provides a cover for a body of water, the cover comprising one or more tiles. Each tile comprises a generally flattened tile body floatable atop the body of water to cover a surface area thereof. The tile body defines an enclosure wherein at least a portion of the tile body that defines the enclosure is deformable. Each tile also comprises a ballast having a density greater than water and a port for conveying a fluid having a density less than water into and out of the enclosure. Upon conveying the fluid into the enclosure via the port, the portion of the tile body deformably expands to increase a volume of the enclosure and increase a buoyancy of the tile and, upon conveying the fluid out of the enclosure via the port, the portion of the tile body deformably contracts to decrease the volume of the enclosure and decrease the buoyancy of the tile.

1 . A cover for a body of water, the cover comprising one or more tiles, each tile comprising: 
 a generally flattened tile body floatable atop the body of water to cover a surface area thereof, the tile body defining an enclosure wherein at least a portion of the tile body that defines the enclosure is deformable;    a ballast having a density greater than water;    a port for conveying a fluid having a density less than water into and out of the enclosure;    wherein, upon conveying the fluid into the enclosure via the port, the portion of the tile body deformably expands to increase a volume of the enclosure and increase a buoyancy of the tile and wherein, upon conveying the fluid out of the enclosure via the port, the portion of the tile body deformably contracts to decrease the volume of the enclosure and decrease the buoyancy of the tile.    
   
   
       2 . A cover according to  claim 1  comprising a deformation sensing system for sensing deformation of the portion of the tile body, the deformation sensing system operatively coupled to a first fluid flow limiter located between the port and the enclosure for discontinuing conveyance of the fluid into the enclosure when the deformation of the portion of the tile body is greater than an upper deformation threshold.  
   
   
       3 . A cover according to  claim 1  comprising a deformation sensing system for sensing deformation of the portion of the tile body, the deformation sensing system operatively coupled to a fluid flow limiter located between the port and the enclosure for discontinuing conveyance of the fluid out of the enclosure when the deformation of the portion of the tile body is less than a lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       4 . A cover according to  claim 2  wherein the deformation sensing system is operatively coupled to a second fluid flow limiter located between the port and the enclosure for discontinuing conveyance of the fluid out of the enclosure when the deformation of the portion of the tile body is less than a lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       5 . A cover according to  claim 4  wherein the deformation sensing system comprises one or more arms which engage the tile body such that deformation of the portion of the tile body causes movement of the one or more arms.  
   
   
       6 . A cover according to  claim 5  wherein the one or more arms are mechanically coupled to the first and second fluid flow limiters, such that movement of the one or more arms actuates the first and second fluid flow limiters.  
   
   
       7 . A cover according to  claim 6  wherein the one or more arms are located in the enclosure and engage one or more interior surfaces of the tile body which define the enclosure.  
   
   
       8 . A cover according to  claim 5  wherein the deformation sensing system comprises a pair of arms that pivot relative to one another about one or more pivot joints and wherein the pair of arms engage the tile body, such that deformation of the portion of the tile body changes a relative pivotal orientation of the arms.  
   
   
       9 . A cover according to  claim 8  wherein at least one of the pair of arms are mechanically coupled to the first and second fluid flow limiters, such that movement of the at least one of the pair of arms actuates the first and second fluid flow limiters.  
   
   
       10 . A cover according to  claim 4  wherein the deformation sensing system comprises a pivotable arm, a portion of the pivotal arm engaging the portion of the tile body, such that deformable expansion of the portion of the tile body causes the arm to pivot in a first angular direction and deformable contraction of the portion of the tile body causes the arm to pivot in a second angular direction.  
   
   
       11 . A cover according to  claim 10  wherein the arm is mechanically coupled to the first flow limiter and wherein pivotal movement of the arm in the first angular direction causes the first flow limiter to discontinue conveyance of the fluid into the enclosure when the deformation of the portion of the tile body is greater than the upper deformation threshold.  
   
   
       12 . A cover according to  claim 11  wherein the arm is mechanically coupled to the second flow limiter and wherein pivotal movement of the arm in the second angular direction causes the second flow limiter to discontinue conveyance of the fluid out of the enclosure when the deformation of the portion of the tile body is less than the lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       13 . A cover according to  claim 1  wherein each tile comprises a buoyancy control valve assembly in fluid communication between the port and the enclosure, the buoyancy control valve assembly comprising: 
 first and second fluid paths between the port and the enclosure;    a first one-way valve configured to allow fluid flow from the port to the enclosure via the first fluid path and to prevent fluid flow from the enclosure to the port via the first fluid path; and    a second one-way valve configured to allow fluid flow from the enclosure to the port via the second fluid path and to prevent fluid flow from the port to the enclosure via the second fluid path.    
   
   
       14 . A cover according to  claim 13  wherein the buoyancy control valve assembly comprises at least one selectively-actuatable valve mechanism configurable to a first state wherein fluid flow between the port and the enclosure via the first fluid path is prevented and to a second state wherein fluid flow between the enclosure and the port via the second path is prevented.  
   
   
       15 . A cover according to  claim 14  wherein the buoyancy control valve assembly comprises a first mechanism for configuring the at least one selectively-actuatable valve mechanism into its first state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount greater than an upper deformation threshold.  
   
   
       16 . A cover according to  claim 15  wherein the first mechanism is operable to configure the at least one selectively-actuatable valve mechanism into its second state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount less than a lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       17 . A cover according to  claim 15  wherein the buoyancy control valve assembly comprises a second mechanism for configuring the at least one selectively-actuatable valve mechanism into its second state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount less than a lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       18 . A cover according to  claim 16  wherein the tile is in a state of positive buoyancy when the deformation of the portion of the tile is greater than the upper deformation threshold and the tile is in a state of negative buoyancy when the deformation of the portion of the tile is less than the lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       19 . A cover according to  claim 16  wherein the first mechanism comprises one or more arms which engage the tile body such that deformation of the portion of the tile body causes movement of the one or more arms.  
   
   
       20 . A cover according to  claim 16  wherein the first mechanism comprises a pair of arms that pivot relative to one another about one or more pivot joints and wherein the pair of arms engage the tile body, such that deformation of the portion of the tile body changes a relative pivotal orientation of the arms.  
   
   
       21 . A cover according to  claim 13  wherein the buoyancy control valve assembly comprises: 
 a first selectively-actuatable valve configurable to allow fluid flow between the port and the enclosure via the first fluid path when the first selectively-actuatable valve is in a first flow state and to prevent fluid flow between the port and the enclosure via the first fluid path when the first selectively-actuatable valve is in a flow-prevention state; and    a second selectively-actuatable valve configurable to allow fluid flow between the enclosure and the port via the second fluid path when the second selectively-actuatable valve is in a second flow state and to prevent fluid flow between the enclosure and the port via the second fluid path when the second selectively-actuatable valve is in a second flow-prevention state.    
   
   
       22 . A cover according to  claim 21  wherein the buoyancy control valve assembly comprises a first mechanism for putting the first selectively-actuatable valve in the first flow-prevention state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount greater than an upper deformation threshold.  
   
   
       23 . A cover according to  claim 22  wherein the first mechanism is operative to put the second selectively-actuatable valve in the second flow-prevention state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount less than a lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       24 . A cover according to  claim 22  wherein the buoyancy control valve assembly comprises a second mechanism for putting the second selectively-actuatable valve in the second flow-prevention state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount less than a lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       25 . A cover according to  claim 23  wherein the tile is in a state of positive buoyancy when the deformation of the portion of the tile is greater than the upper deformation threshold and the tile is in a state of negative buoyancy when the deformation of the portion of the tile is less than the lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       26 . A cover according to  claim 23  wherein the first mechanism comprises one or more arms which engage the tile body such that deformation of the portion of the tile body causes movement of the one or more arms.  
   
   
       27 . A cover according to  claim 23  wherein the first mechanism comprises a pair of arms that pivot relative to one another about one or more pivot joints and wherein the pair of arms engage the tile body, such that deformation of the portion of the tile body changes a relative pivotal orientation of the arms.  
   
   
       28 . A cover according to  claim 23  wherein the first mechanism comprises a pivotable arm, a portion of the pivotal arm engaging the portion of the tile body, such that deformable expansion of the portion of the tile body causes the arm to pivot in a first angular direction and deformable contraction of the portion of the tile body causes the arm to pivot in a second angular direction.  
   
   
       29 . A cover according to  claim 28  wherein the arm is mechanically coupled to the first selectively-actuatable valve and wherein pivotal movement of the arm in the first angular direction causes the first selectively-actuatable valve to enter the first flow-prevention state when the deformation of the portion of the tile body is greater than the upper deformation threshold.  
   
   
       30 . A cover according to  claim 29  wherein the arm is mechanically coupled to the second selectively-actuatable valve and wherein pivotal movement of the arm in the second angular direction causes the second selectively-actuatable valve to enter the second flow-prevention state when the deformation of the portion of the tile body is less than the lower deformation threshold.  
   
   
       31 . A cover according to  claim 1  wherein the cover comprises a plurality of tiles and at least one coupler, the coupler comprising: 
 four deformable branches that extend outwardly from a central region in four angularly spaced apart directions, each branch comprising one or more fastener components;    wherein, the coupler is coupleable to one of the plurality of tiles by extending a corner of the tile into an angular region between first and second adjacent branches of the coupler, fastening the first branch to a first side of the tile using at least one of the fastener components of the first branch and fastening the second branch to a second side of the tile on using at least one of the fastener components of the second branch, the first and second sides of the tile on opposing sides of the corner.    
   
   
       32 . A cover according to  claim 31  wherein the coupler is coupled to four of the plurality of tiles.  
   
   
       33 . A cover according to  claim 32  wherein the coupler comprises a conduit for conducting the fluid between at least two of the four tiles.  
   
   
       34 . A cover according to  claim 21  wherein the buoyancy control valve assembly comprises a first mechanism for putting the first selectively-actuatable valve in the first flow-prevention state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount where a volume of the enclosure is greater than an upper volume threshold.  
   
   
       35 . A cover according to  claim 34  wherein the first mechanism is operative to put the second selectively-actuatable valve in the second flow-prevention state in response to the portion of the tile being deformed by an amount where a volume of the enclosure is less than a lower volume threshold.  
   
   
       36 . A method for controlling a buoyancy of a pool cover having one or more tiles, the method comprising: 
 providing a tile having a tile body which defines an enclosure wherein at least a portion of the tile body that defines the enclosure is deformable;    conveying a fluid having a density less than water into the enclosure to deformably expand the portion of the tile body, thereby increasing a volume of the enclosure and increasing a buoyancy of the tile;    sensing deformation of the portion of the tile body; and    discontinuing conveying the fluid into the enclosure upon sensing that the deformation of the portion of the tile body is greater than an upper deformation threshold.    
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 31  comprising: 
 conveying the fluid out of the enclosure to deformably contract the portion of the tile body, thereby decreasing the volume of the enclosure and decreasing a buoyancy of the tile; and    discontinuing conveying the fluid out of the enclosure upon sensing that the deformation of the portion of the tile body is less than a lower volume threshold.    
   
   
       38 . A pool cover comprising: 
 at least one hollow, flattened tile body having a deformable cover; and    a valve for controlling admission of a fluid into the hollow, flattened tile body, the valve actuated by motion of the deformable cover.    
   
   
       39 . A cover according to  claim 38  wherein the tile body comprises a rigid frame that is non-deformable relative to the deformable cover.  
   
   
       40 . A cover according to  claim 39  wherein the tile body comprises a plurality of hollow, flattened tile bodies interconnected by deformable connectors, each tile body comprising a corresponding deformable cover and a corresponding valve for controlling admission of the fluid into its hollow, flattened tile body, the corresponding valve actuated by motion of the corresponding deformable cover.