Siphon assembly and method of use thereof

Abstract

Siphon assembly and method of use thereof to drain water from a pool cover. The siphon assembly includes a pad of fibrous threads surrounded by air spaces. An intake member embedded in the pad includes multiple inlets and one outlet. A hose is engaged with the intake member. When the pad is submerged in the water, a siphoning action set up in the hose sucks water through the pad’s air spaces, into the intake member’s inlets, through the outlet, and into the hose’s bore. The fibrous threads prevent debris in the water from reaching the inlets and clogging them. Water is sucked into the pad’s interior from multiple directions and providing at least one pad surface is not exposed to air or blocked by debris, the siphon assembly will continue to drain water therethrough until all of the inlets of the intake member are exposed to air.

1 . A siphon assembly for draining accumulated water from a pool cover, wherein the siphon assembly comprises:
 a pad having a first layer and a second layer opposed to the first layer, wherein both the first laver and the second laver are made from a water and air pervious material;   an intake member extending through an interior of the pad defined between the first layer and the second layer;   wherein a first surface of the intake member is in direct contact with an interior surface of the first layer and an opposed second surface of the intake member is in direct contact with an interior surface of the second layer;   a passageway defined by the intake member, and   a hose operably engaged with the intake member, wherein a bore of the hose is placed in fluid communication with the passageway, and wherein the hose is configured to enable a siphoning action to drain the accumulated water from the pool cover through the pad, the passageway, and the bore.   
     
     
         2 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the water and air pervious material is an open-mesh or open-weave material. 
     
     
         3 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the material of the pad comprises a plurality of fibrous material threads and a plurality of air spaces between the threads, wherein the plurality of air spaces permit air and water to move through the pad. 
     
     
         4 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fibrous material threads are formed of a waterproof material. 
     
     
         5 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the intake member is a pipe fitting. 
     
     
         6 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the pipe fitting defines at least one inlet opening to the passageway and one outlet opening to the passageway. 
     
     
         7 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein a first portion of the pipe fitting which includes the at least one inlet opening is located within an interior of the pad between the interior surface of the first layer and the interior surface of the second layer, and wherein a second portion of the pipe fitting which includes the outlet opening is located outside of the pad. 
     
     
         8 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the pipe fitting is a 4-way cross fitting having a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm, wherein the at least one inlet opening includes an inlet opening defined by each of the first arm, the second arm, and the third arm, and wherein the one outlet opening is defined by the fourth arm. 
     
     
         9 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the pad defines an aperture which extends between the interior of the pad and outside the pad, and wherein at least part of the fourth arm extends through the aperture such that the one outlet opening is located outside of the pad. 
     
     
         10 . A method of draining accumulated water off a pool cover, said method comprising:
 forming a siphon assembly by providing a pad having a first layer and a second layer opposed to the first layer, wherein both the first layer and the second layer are made from a water and air pervious material;   placing an intake member into an interior of the pad such that an exterior surface of the intake member contacts the first pad and the second pad;   extending part of the intake member outwardly from between the first layer and the second layer;   engaging a first end of a hose with the part of the intake member;   placing the second layer of the pad of the siphon assembly onto an upper surface of the pool cover;   submerging at least a portion of the siphon assembly in the accumulated water to be drained from the pool cover;
 placing a bore of the hose in fluid communication with a passageway defined through the intake member and thereby placing the bore of the hose in fluid communication with air spaces defined in the pad; 
 causing accumulated water from the pool cover to flow from outside the pad into interior of the pad; and 
 causing water in the interior of the pad to flow through the passageway and subsequently through the bore of the hose. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising providing more than one inlet opening in the intake member and through which water flows from the interior of the pad to the passageway of the intake member. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising providing only one outlet opening in the intake member and through which water flows from the passageway and into the bore of the hose. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein providing the pad includes manufacturing the pad from an open-mesh or open-weave of a plurality of fibrous threads and wherein the air spaces are interspersed between the plurality of fibrous threads. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 surrounding the intake member with the plurality of fibrous threads of the pad; and   preventing debris in the accumulated water from clogging the intake member with the plurality of fibrous threads.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising causing water to flow from outside the pad to the interior of the pad through both of the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 initiating a siphoning action in the hose to cause accumulated water from the pool cover to flow from outside of the pad into the interior of the pad.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the siphoning action continues even when the first laver of the pad is exposed to air or when the first laver becomes clogged with debris in the accumulated water. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising providing more than one inlet opening in the intake member and through which water flows from the interior of the pad to the passageway of the intake member; and wherein the siphoning action in the hose continues until all of the more than one inlet openings in the intake member are exposed to air. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the pad includes a three-dimensional exterior surface that faces an external environment which completely surrounds the pad, and wherein the entire exterior surface permits accumulated water from the pool cover to flow from the external environment through the pad and into the interior. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 draining accumulated water from off the pool cover and into the interior of the pad through a three-dimensional exterior surface of the pad, where the exterior surface is entirely surrounded by an environment external to the pad.   
     
     
         23 . A siphon assembly comprising:
 a length of material comprising a plurality of fibrous threads with air spaces located therebetween;   wherein the length of material is folded back upon itself to form a pad having a first layer and a second layer;   a pipe fitting located in an interior of the pad which is defined between the first layer and the second layer;   at least one securement member securing the first layer and the second layer to one another;   wherein an exterior surface of the pad is completely surrounded by an environment external to the pad and the air spaces place the external environment and the interior of the pad in fluid communication with one another; and   wherein the entire exterior surface of the pad enables water accumulated on a pool cover to flow through the air spaces and into the interior.   
     
     
         24 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein the pipe fitting defines a passage therethrough which extends from more than one inlet opening to an outlet opening, and wherein the passage is placed in fluid communication with the interior of the pad through the more than one inlet opening. 
     
     
         25 . The siphon assembly according to  claim 24 , wherein the outlet opening is located outside of the exterior surface of the pad.