Pool filtration system

Abstract

A pool filtration system for filtering foreign matter such as leaves and other debris from a swimming pool includes a skimmer, a pump, and a return hose. The pump draws water from a swimming pool through the skimmer and out the return hose back to the swimming pool. The skimmer has a barrier filter for filtering out foreign matter. A weight is attached to a distal end of the return hose with respect to the pump such that the distal end of the return hose is maintained below a top side of a volume of water in the swimming pool.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A pool filtration system comprising:
 a swimming pool being configured for containing a volume of water;   a skimmer being positioned in the swimming pool, the skimmer comprising:
 a container having a base wall and a perimeter wall, the perimeter wall being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base wall, the base wall and the perimeter wall defining a cavity therein, a top edge of the perimeter wall defining an opening to the cavity, the container having an aperture extending therethrough into the cavity; and 
 a barrier filter being mounted in the container, the barrier filter being water permeable, the barrier filter being positioned such that water passing into the cavity through the opening and out of the cavity through the aperture must pass through the barrier filter; and 
   a pump being in fluid communication with the aperture of the skimmer and being configured for drawing water from the volume of water through the container of the skimmer;   a return hose being in fluid communication with the pump, a distal end of the return hose with respect to the pump being open, the distal end of the return hose being positioned in the swimming pool, the pump being configured for urging the water from the skimmer mount and into the volume of water through the distal end of the return hose, the return hose having a size and a mass such that the pump is configured to urge the water through the return hose at a flow rate sufficient to cause the return hose to move in a random whipping fashion; and   a weight being mounted to the return hose adjacent to the distal end, the weight being configured to maintain the distal end below the top side of the volume of water without retaining the distal end only to a bottom side of the volume of water during operation of the pump.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the skimmer further comprises a mount being coupled to the container and the swimming pool, the mount securing the container at a distance below a rim of the swimming pool. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the mount is configured to position the top edge of the perimeter wall of the container below and proximate to a top side of the volume of water such that the water passes over the top edge of the perimeter wall and through the opening into the cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the mount comprises a telescopic member and an attachment member, the telescopic member being coupled to and extending between the attachment member and the container, the attachment member being attached to the rim of the swimming pool, the telescopic member being alternately extendable and retractable relative to the attachment member to adjust the distance below the rim of the swimming pool. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the attachment member comprises a clamp. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an inlet hose being coupled to the skimmer and the pump such that the pump is in fluid communication with the aperture of the skimmer via the inlet hose. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a pair of hose mounts being mounted to the swimming pool and an associated one of the inlet hose and the return hose, each hose mount of the pair of hose mounts comprising a pool engagement member being positioned on the rim of the swimming pool and a hose engagement member being positioned on a middle portion of the associated one of the inlet hose and the return hose. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the pool engagement member comprises a clamp. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the hose engagement member comprises a C-shaped clip. 
     
     
         10 . A pool filtration system comprising:
 a swimming pool being configured for containing a volume of water;   a skimmer being positioned in the swimming pool, the skimmer comprising:
 a container having a base wall and a perimeter wall, the perimeter wall being coupled to and extending upwardly from the base wall, the base wall and the perimeter wall defining a cavity therein, a top edge of the perimeter wall defining an opening to the cavity, the container having an aperture extending therethrough into the cavity; 
 a barrier filter being mounted in the container, the barrier filter being water permeable, the barrier filter being positioned such that water passing into the cavity through the opening and out of the cavity through the aperture must pass through the barrier filter; and 
 a mount being coupled to the container and the swimming pool, the mount securing the container at a distance below a rim of the swimming pool, the mount being configured to position the top edge of the perimeter wall of the container below and proximate to a top side of the volume of water such that the water passes over the top edge of the perimeter wall and through the opening into the cavity, the mount comprising a telescopic member and an attachment member, the telescopic member being coupled to and extending between the attachment member and the container, the attachment member being attached to the rim of the swimming pool, the telescopic member being alternately extendable and retractable relative to the attachment member to adjust the distance below the rim of the swimming pool, the attachment member comprising a clamp; 
   a pump being in fluid communication with the aperture of the skimmer and being configured for drawing water from the volume of water through the container of the skimmer;   a return hose being in fluid communication with the pump, a distal end of the return hose with respect to the pump being open, the distal end of the return hose being positioned in the swimming pool, the pump being configured for urging the water from the skimmer mount and into the volume of water through the distal end of the return hose, the return hose having a size and a mass such that the pump is configured to urge the water through the return hose at a flow rate sufficient to cause the return hose to move in a random whipping fashion;   a weight being mounted to the return hose adjacent to the distal end, the weight being configured to maintain the distal end below the top side of the volume of water without retaining the distal end only to a bottom side of the volume of water during operation of the pump;   an inlet hose being coupled to the skimmer and the pump such that the pump is in fluid communication with the aperture of the skimmer via the inlet hose; and   a pair of hose mounts being mounted to the swimming pool and an associated one of the inlet hose and the return hose, each hose mount of the pair of hose mounts comprising a pool engagement member being positioned on the rim of the swimming pool and a hose engagement member being positioned on a middle portion of the associated one of the inlet hose and the return hose, the pool engagement member comprising a clamp, the hose engagement member comprising a C-shaped clip.