Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to outdoor enclosures and more
specifically to a
telescopic enclosure providing a plurality of transparent rolling sections
that can roll on
their own designated tracks to extend into a car port and reversibly contract
to the size of
an awning. The sections could be arches or planar.
The present invention is comprised of a set of overlapping transparent
sections positioned
on parallel tracks. The sections can be selectively moved to any position on
the parallel
tracks. Each section is positioned within an independent track via a set of
wheels
engaging in a set of individual spaced apart track for each section.
The set of tracks is fixedly positioned to the ground or foundation structures
in a spaced
apart parallel configuration. Each section can roll to the desired position on
its respective
track.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aqua Shield Inc. discloses in the US patent 6637160 Telescopic Enclosures
optimized
for Pool Covers and Sunrooms. Their patented design allows the enclosure to
slide over
swimming pools or patios. To be observed that in the fully compressed format,
the
structure in patent 6637160 has no utilization. In addition, based on my
knowledge, no
structure of the type I claim in the present invention has been built in
canda, nor the rest
of the world. The US patent 6637160 presents a comprehensive review of prior
art, in
addition to the provided solution within this invention. In their description
of prior art,
there are other enclosures designed to enclose pool areas and deck areas, but
no structures
designed to reversibly switch between two useful structures, such as the
carport/awning.
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Section 2.1 below is extracted from the prior art description of US patent
6637160, for
easier documentation:
Section 2.1. Prior Art cited in US patent 663 7160
Typical of these is US. Pat. No. 3,979,782 issued to Lamb on Sep. 14, 1976.
Another patent was issued to Kumode on Nov. 27, 1979 as US. Pat. No.
4,175,361. Yet another US. Pat.
No. 4,381,629 was issued to Ahn on May 3, 1983 and still yet another was
issued on Apr. 21, 1987 to
Martin et al. as US. Pat. No. 4,659,136.
Another patent was issued to Ozdemir on Aug. 4, 1987 as US. Pat. No.
4,683,686. Yet another patent was
issued to Wardell eta/on Aug. 20, 1996 as US. Pat. No. 5,546,972 and still yet
another patent was issued
to Lonnberg on Nov. 3, 1998 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,204.
Another patent was issued to Last on Dec. 8, 1998 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,343.
Another patent was issued to Last on Sept. 14, 1999 as US. Pat. No. 5,950,253.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,782
Inventor: Joe Lamb
Issued: Sep. 14, 1976
A protective swimming pool covering apparatus is disclosed wherein the
apparatus includes a flexible
impervious cover sheet capable of being extended and retracted over a swimming
pooL Each lateral side of
the cover sheet is adapted with a longitudinally beaded side edge which is
slidably held in a longitudinal
open channel or track cut into a slide way member fixed to the longitudinal
margins of the swimming pool.
The longitudinal opening of the slide way means is sized such that it is
slightly smaller than the diameter of
the beaded side edge such that under normal operating conditions the bead will
be slidably held within the
track or channel. However, under conditions of excessive lateral stress, the
bead will be sufficiently
compressed and be pulled through the opening and away from the channel. In
addition, the end sections of
the slide way means is adapted with a stationary channeled guide piece having
a pair offlared end sections
and a longitudinal side opening. The stationary guide piece is mounted such
that the channels of the guide
piece and the slide way means are in aligned registry with each other. The
longitudinal side opening of the
stationary guide piece is substantially smaller than the longitudinal side
opening of the slide way means
making disengagement of the bead from the channel opening substantially more
difficult than that from the
slide way means.
US. Pat. No. 4,175,361
Inventor: Masami Kumode
Issued: Nov. 27, 1979
An openable canopy housing having a series of movable, telescoping transparent
arched panels which form
the combination roof and sides. Part of the roof of the housing is formed by a
horizontal beam which runs
the length of the structure. The transparent panels can be selectively opened
or closed to provide a
structure which can be used for indoor as well as outdoor use.
US. Pat. No. 4,381,629
Inventor: Min H. Ahn
Issued: May 3, 1983
A greenhouse comprising walls defining an area. A roof covers a portion of the
area. Track means are
interposed between the roof and the walls so that the roof may be moved along
the track to cover a selected
part of the area.
US. Pat. No. 4,659,136
Inventor: John Martin et al.
Issued: Apr. 21, 1987
An improved apparatus for covering at least a part of the open bed of a land
or marine vehicle or the like
includes an enclosure structure telescopically collapsible and extendable with
an access opening and door
assembly rearward longitudinally movable portion thereof An improved end gate
assembly is selectively
positionable and releasably securable at a number of continuously variable
longitudinal locations on the
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open bed, corresponding with the movable rearward section of the enclosure.
The apparatus also includes
an improved track assembly for the telescopically collapsible and extendable
enclosure sections, with
apparatus for substantially preventing or minimizing the accumulation of
corrosion, water or other foreign
materials that would hinder the smooth and free operation of the enclosure
structure.
US. Pat. No. 4,683,686
Inventor: Veli Ozdemir
Issued: Aug. 4, 1987
A removable enclosure cover for a swimming pool or the like is disclosed. The
enclosure cover includes a
plurality of rigid frame members of rectangular panel sections. The frame
members are spaced apart and
extend parallel to one another transversely across the pool area. A flexible
material is stretched between
the frame members. A pair of spaced parallel channel-shaped track members
extend along the sides of the
pool and guide means is attached to the lower ends of each of the frame
members. The guide means has
rollers which extend into the interior of the track members. One roller rolls
along the bottom of the track
members and is mounted on a vertically movable carriage, permitting the frame
members to be moved
together to one end of the pool deck and collapsing the flexible material to
uncover the pool. A threaded
adjustment is provided for raising and lowering the carriage with the roller
thereon so that the top portion
of the track may be clamped between the roller carriage and the bottom of the
frame member. The other
roller is adapted to engage the sides of the track member to longitudinally
guide the frame members.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,972
Inventor: Jacqueline R. Wardell et al.
Issued: Aug. 20, 1996
A collapsible cover system and kit therefore are removably mounted to a
plurality of spaced stake sockets
secured within longitudinally extending areas on opposite sides of a swimming
pool or hot tub. Stakes,
disposed in the stake sockets, are slidingly connected to two lengths of
spaced guide tracks that extend
along the sides of the pool or hot tub. Inverted bow-shaped members having
free ends are removably
secured to carrier means that slidingly connect the bow-shaped members to the
guide. In additional
embodiments the spaced guide tracks are deposed either in a trough that may be
covered when the
particular rail sections are not in use, or hingedly deposed adjacent a trough
into which rail particular rail
sections may be stored when they are not in use.
US. Pat. No. 5,829,204
Inventor: Benth Lonnberg
Issued: Nov. 3, 1998
An arrangement for openable roofs, especially for glazed verandas and
balconies. The arrangement is a
horizontal supporting section (10) which defines an elongated guiding channel
(11) having an elongated
side opening (12), and a horizontal roofing panel (20) which is movable in the
longitudinal direction of the
supporting section (10). The roof panel (20) has a lateral edge (21) that
extends into the guide channel (11)
of the supporting section (10). A plurality of separate guiding and spacing
members (40) are mounted
spaced from each other in a direction of the guiding channel (11), on the
lateral edge (21), received in the
guiding channel (11), and abuts against the inner wall of the guiding channel
(11) to thereby ensure that
there is a play both upwards and downwards in the side opening (12) between
the panel (20) and the
supporting section (10). The guiding and spacing members (40) are designed so
as to allow a turning
movement of the panel (20). Compressible sealing means (50) are arranged in
the guiding channel (11)
between the side opening (12) and the guiding and spacing members (40).
US. Pat. No. 5,845,343
Inventor: Harry Last
Issued: Dec. 8, 1998
A track assembly for allowing movement of a flexible enclosure cover over an
area to be enclosed as, for
example, a body of water in a swimming pool. The assembly comprises a pair of
spaced apart tracks
mounted on opposite sides of the area to be enclosed with each being comprised
of an elongate strip. Each
track strip comprises a cable receiving channel with a gutter or debris trough
located generally beneath
the channel for collection of debris. Preferably, a slider can be located in
the cable receiving channel for
locking to the cable and for securement of the cover to the cable. The track
can be constructed to also
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allow for lubrication of the cable receiving channel enabling a slider
mechanism to freely move therein.
When a slider is used, it extends into each channel at approximately a 45-
degree angle with respect to a
vertical direction. In accordance with this construction, debris which might
otherwise collect in the cable
receiving channel will drop into the gutter and will not interfere with
movement of the slider mechanism or
the leading edge of the cover. The slider may be adjustably secured to a rigid
body which is, in turn,
secured to the leading edge of the cover, and which allows side-to-side
adjustment of the leading edge.
Adjustment in the 45 degree. angulated plane could reduce bending moment
forces on the slider and track.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,253
Inventor: Harry Last
Issued: Sep. 14, 1999
A track assembly for allowing movement of a flexible enclosure cover over an
area to be enclosed as, for
example, a body of water in a swimming pool. The assembly comprises a pair of
spaced apart tracks
mounted on opposite sides of the area to be enclosed with each being comprised
of an elongate strip. Each
track strip comprises a cable receiving channel with a gutter or debris trough
located generally beneath
the channel for collection of debris. Preferably, a slider can be located in
the cable receiving channel for
locking to the cable and for securement of the cover to the cable. The track
can be constructed to also
allow for lubrication of the cable receiving channel enabling a slider
mechanism to freely move therein.
When a slider is used, it extends into each channel at approximately a 45
degree. angle with respect to a
vertical direction. In accordance with this construction, debris which might
otherwise collect in the cable
receiving channel will drop into the gutter and will not interfere with
movement of the slider mechanism or
the leading edge of the cover. The slider may be adjustably secured to a rigid
body which is, in turn,
secured to the leading edge of the cover, and which allows side-to-side
adjustment of the leading edge.
Adjustment in the 45 degree. angulated plane could reduce bending moment
forces on the slider and track.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. la is an illustrative view of the present invention showing sliding
sections frilly
deployed. (four sections shown, the number of sections can be any number
between 2 and
unlimited. This embodiment comprises the smaller section attached to the wall
of the
building. This embodiment is preferred when the slope of the driveway is
inclined
towards the building.
FIG. lb is an illustrative view of the present invention showing sliding
sections almost
fully collapsed, or nested (four sections shown).
FIG. 1 c is an illustrative front view (street view) of the present invention
showing sliding
section of various arched profiles, from a half of a circle to various ellipse
curvatures
(four sections shown).
FIG. ld is an illustrative top view, showing the mobility of the independent
sections
(illustrated for two sections in this figure, but the independent mobility is
a characteristic
of each section, excluding only the fixed section permanently attached to the
wall of the
building.
FIG. 1 e. The arched profile is not mandatory, linear profiles are also
covered by this
invention.
FIG. if. The continuous profiling of the cover is not mandatory, sectioned
covers to
allow for venting and/or to diminish wind pressure are also covered by this
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following section describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and
several
variations of that embodiment. The preferred embodiment is not limiting the
invention to
those particular cases.
FIG. la-f shows an illustrative view of the present invention attached to a
proximate
building-wall, such as a residence. The figure showing multiple movable arched
(Fig. 1c)
or planar (Fig. 1 e) sections, fully deployed (Fig. I a) and almost fully
nested/collapsed
onto each other (Fig. lb). Sections slide on a set of individual and parallel
tracks
presented in Fig.ld. The top view of the sections shows generally rectangular
and
transparent panels, such as in Fig. 1 d. Four sections are shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment comprising the larger section attached to the wall
of the
building. This embodiment is preferred when the slope of the driveway is
inclined
towards the street.
FIG. 3 shows a possible street view of a building extended with an imaginary
structure at
its fully extended length (car port).
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