Reversible gear and spool system for pool cover assembly

Abstract

A reversible drive assembly for a retractable pool cover apparatus having a drive shaft extending along a longitudinal axis. The drive shaft is selectively rotated in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction about the longitudinal axis by a drive motor and includes a first pin aperture and a second pin aperture. A first gear engages the drive shaft and forms a first slot angled at a first guide angle in a first direction relative to the longitudinal axis. A second gear engages the drive shaft and forms a second slot angled at a second guide angle in a second direction relative to the longitudinal axis. A gear pin is configured to engage the first pin aperture and the first slot in a first configuration or the second pin aperture and the second slot in a second configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reversible drive assembly for a retractable pool cover apparatus, the reversible drive assembly comprising:
 a drive shaft forming an outside diameter extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end portion configured to rotationally couple with a drive motor to an opposing second end portion, wherein the drive shaft is selectively rotated in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction about the longitudinal axis by the drive motor and comprises a first pin aperture and a second pin aperture disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion;   a first annular drive gear forming a first shaft opening that slidably engages the outside diameter of the drive shaft and comprises a first slot angled at a first guide angle in a first direction relative to the longitudinal axis;   a second annular drive gear forming a second shaft opening that slidably engages the outside diameter of the drive shaft and comprises a second slot angled at a second guide angle in a second direction relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second direction opposes the first direction; and   a gear pin configured to engage the first pin aperture and the first slot in a first configuration or the second pin aperture and the second slot in a second configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first driven gear configured to mesh with the first annular drive gear; and   a second driven gear configured to mesh with the first annular drive gear, first and second annular gears are interposed between the first driven gear and the second driven gear between along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         3 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein in the first configuration:
 the first annular drive gear engages the first driven gear responsive to the drive shaft rotating the gear pin in the first rotational direction.   
     
     
         4 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein in the first configuration:
 the second annular gear is disengaged from the first annular gear responsive to the drive shaft rotating the gear pin in the first rotational direction.   
     
     
         5 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein in the first configuration:
 the first annular gear and the second annular gear engage the second driven gear responsive to the drive shaft rotating the gear pin in the second rotational direction.   
     
     
         7 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the first driven gear is rotationally coupled to a roll tube of the pool cover and the second driven gear is rotationally coupled to a rope wheel. 
     
     
         8 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the rope wheel forms a spool configured to receive a draw line in response to an extension of the pool cover. 
     
     
         9 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first annular gear and the second annular gear are interchangeable and mirrored along the longitudinal axis about a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the reversible drive assembly is enclosed within a winding drum of a rope wheel from the first end portion to the second end portion of the drive shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the winding drum comprises a first access aperture aligned with the first pin aperture and a second access aperture aligned with the second pin aperture along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         12 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second access apertures are selectively aligned with the first and second pin apertures about the longitudinal axis to interchangeably receive the gear pin. 
     
     
         13 . A method for controlling a reversible drive assembly for a pool cover system, the method comprising:
 rotating a drive shaft comprising a first gear and a second gear extending along a longitudinal axis in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction;   selectively configuring the reversible drive assembly in a first configuration or a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration the gear pin engages a first guide slot of the first gear, and in the first configuration, the method comprises:
 engaging the first guide slot in the first rotational direction thereby retracting a pool cover; and 
 engaging the first guide slot in the second rotational direction thereby rotating the first gear and the second gear and extending the pool cover. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 selectively configuring the reversible drive assembly in a first configuration, wherein the gear pin engages a second guide slot of the second gear.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein in the second configuration, the method further comprises:
 engaging the second guide slot of the second gear in the second rotational direction, thereby retracting the pool cover.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein in the second configuration, the method further comprises:
 engaging the second guide slot of the second gear in the first rotational direction, thereby extending the pool cover.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein in the first configuration or the second configuration, the method comprises:
 rotating the first gear and the second gear in the second direction; and   rotating only one of the first gear and the second gear in the first direction.   
     
     
         18 . A reversible drive assembly for a retractable pool cover apparatus, the reversible drive assembly comprising:
 a drive shaft extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end portion to an opposing second end portion, wherein the drive shaft is selectively rotated in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction about the longitudinal axis and comprises a first pin aperture and a second pin aperture disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion;   a first annular drive gear that slidably engages the drive shaft and comprises a first guide slot angled at a first guide angle in a first direction relative to the longitudinal axis;   a second annular drive gear that slidably engages the outside diameter of the drive shaft and comprises a second guide slot angled at a second guide angle in a second direction relative to the longitudinal axis; and   a gear pin configured to engage the first pin aperture and the first slot in a first configuration or the second pin aperture and the second slot in a second configuration.   
     
     
         19 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein in either of the first configuration or the second configuration, the first annular gear and the second annular gear rotate in combination responsive to the drive shaft rotating in the first rotational direction and only one of the first annular gear or the second annular gear rotate responsive to the drive shaft rotating in the second direction. 
     
     
         20 . The reversible drive assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein the combination of the first annular gear and the second annular gear engages the first driven gear in the first configuration and the second driven gear in the second configuration.