US20090260147A1

US20090260147A1 - Decorative spa surround

Info

Publication number: US20090260147A1
Application number: US12/107,686
Authority: US
Inventors: Jake Dragovich
Original assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corp
Current assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corp
Priority date: 2008-04-22
Filing date: 2008-04-22
Publication date: 2009-10-22

Abstract

A decorative kit for a spa or pool comprising first, second, third and fourth side panels, each having a decoratively surfaced outer face; first, second, third and fourth decoratively surfaced corner panels so shaped and dimensioned as to integrally mate with the side panels to form a decorative enclosure about a spa or pool; and a front step dimensioned to integrally mount adjacent a selected side of the enclosure. The kit further includes first and second side rails and a rear side rail for mounting about the upper edge of an enclosed spa to create a ledge around the upper perimeter of the spa.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field
This disclosure relates to water containing vessels such as spas, whirlpools, pools and the like and more particularly to a decorative spa surround for a portable spa.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable spas have become quite popular as a result of their ease of use and multiplicity of features such as varied jet and seating configurations. Typically, such portable spas have been self-contained, above-ground units shipped from the factory complete with their exterior surfacing in place.

SUMMARY

The following is a summary description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention. It is provided as a preface to assist those skilled in the art to more rapidly assimilate the detailed design discussion which ensues and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the claims which are appended hereto in order to particularly point out the invention.
According to the illustrative embodiment, a decorative surround kit for a spa or pool is provided, which includes first, second, third and fourth side panels, each having a decoratively surfaced outer face and first, second, third and fourth decoratively surfaced corner panels so shaped and dimensioned as to integrally mate with the side panels to form an enclosure about a spa or pool.
The kit may further include a front step dimensioned to integrally mount adjacent a selected side of the enclosure. In such an embodiment, the height of the first side panel and first and second corner panels may be selected to be less than that of each of the remaining side and corner panels to facilitate mounting of the front step adjacent the enclosure. The kit may further include first and second side rails and a rear side rail for mounting about the upper edge of an enclosed spa to create a ledge about the spa perimeter.

DRAWINGS

The features and objects of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a decorative spa surround kit according to an illustrative embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the spa kit of FIG. 1 after assembly;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the assembled kit of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front side view of the assembled kit of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a spa kit on a deck prior to assembly about a spa;

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view illustrating attachment of a front panel of the spa kit;

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view illustrating installation of a right top side rail component;

FIG. 8 is another perspective view illustrating side rail installation;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating installation of a left corner panel;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating installation of a back panel component; and

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view illustrating installation of a front step component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A decorative panel surround spa kit 11 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. The kit 11 includes four side panels, 13, 15, 17, 19; four corner panels 21, 23, 25, 27; three side rails 29, 31, 33 and a front step 35. Each of the panels and side rails is provided with suitable screw holes, e.g. 12, to facilitate attachment to a spa unit, e.g. 51 (FIG. 5).
Each of side panels 13, 15, 17, 19 is generally rectangular in shape and has tongue and grooved side edges, e.g. 37, 39. The front panel 19 is of a height “h₁” less than that of the other three side panels 13, 15, 17 to accommodate insertion and attachment of the front step 35 beneath its lower edge 44. The front panel 19 also has an opening 45 formed therein to facilitate access to a spa control panel 63 (FIG. 5).
The panel 19 further has a lip 46 formed at the top edge thereof, which is recessed back from the front face 48 of the panel 19. In an illustrative embodiment, the lip may be, for example, 0.88 inches high, 0.75 inches wide and recessed 0.75 inches from the front face 48. In one embodiment, the lip 46 fits up and behind the overlapping edge of a spa shell when the front panel is installed in the manner as shown in FIG. 6.
Each of the corner panels 21, 23, 25, 27, has tongue and grooved side edges, e.g. 41, 43 and is radially curved or arched through ninety degrees so as to mate at each end in tongue and groove fashion with a respective edge, e.g., 37, 39, of one of the side panels 13, 15, 17, 19. In an illustrative embodiment, the two front corner panels 21, 27 are shorter in height “h₂” than the height of “h₃” of the rear corner panels 23, 25, again to accommodate insertion of the front of step 35 into its assembled position. The height “h₂” of the front corner panels 21, 27 is also less than the height “h₁” of the front panel 19 in order to accommodate the width of the side rails 29, 33 in the embodiment under discussion. The various heights h₁, h₂, h₃and their relationship to one another may differ in various embodiments.
Two of the side rails 29, 33 have respective curved ends, 55, 57, 59, 61, two of which curve into and abut respective ends 58, 60 of the back side rail 31. Each of the rails 29, 31, 33 is of a width “w” selected to extend beyond the lip 101 of a spa shell, e.g. 50, FIG. 5, to form a ledge 104, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.
All of the components illustrated in FIG. 1 may be made of urethane foam and may be finished or decoratively surfaced on their outer faces to give the appearance, for example, of brick or stone facing. Such decorative surfacing is illustrated in FIGS. 5-11, but is omitted in FIGS. 1-4 for clarity of illustration. The side panels 13, 15, 17, 19 and corner pieces 21, 23, 25, 27 may be fabricated from 15 lb. density urethane foam, while the front step 35 may be fabricated from 60 lb. density foam.
In an illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the height “A” of the panel and step assembly may be, e.g. 20 inches, with respect to the height “B” of a spa 51 of, e.g. 48 inches. Thus, the surround kit of the illustrative embodiment can be installed on a spa 51 which is sunk into a surrounding deck 103 to form an attractive and highly functional spa recreational facility. Alternatively, spa surround panels such as illustrated may run the full height of the spa in an entirely out-of-ground or out-of-deck installation.
The manner of installation of the illustrative spa surround kit is further illustrated in FIGS. 5-11. Initially, as shown in FIG. 5, the spa unit 51 is provided with an outer perimeter side surface comprising a flat wood facing, e.g. 65, 66, such as, for example, ¾″ plywood suitably cut to provide access to the spa control panel 63 and spa equipment compartment 65 (FIG. 6) containing, for example, a pump and filter and/or other controls.
As further shown in FIG. 5, the panels, side rails, and corner pieces, e.g. 17, 19, 27, 33 are first laid out on the deck 103 around the spa unit 51. Then the front panel 19 may be installed around the control panel 52 using, e.g. screw fasteners, as shown in FIG. 6.
Next, the side rails 29, 31, 33 are each installed, beginning, for example, with attachment of the right side rail 33 and then the left side rail 29, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, and then the back side rail 31. After installation, the side rails 29, 31, 33 are each positioned flush against the plywood facing, e.g. 65, and flush against the overlapping spa edge 101 and screwed or otherwise fastened into suitably disposed wood framing.
After installation of the side rails 29, 31, 33, the remaining panels, 21, 13, 23, 15, 25, 17, 27 are successively installed beginning, for example, with the left corner panel 21 (FIG. 9) and proceeding clockwise around the spa unit 51, see e.g. FIGS. 9, 10. The top edges of the panels 21, 13, 23, 15, 25, 17, 27 are positioned with their top edges flush against the underside of the side rails 29, 31, 33 and with their inner side surfaces flush against the plywood side panels and then screwed or otherwise fastened into place. Finally, the front step 35 is placed against the left side of the unit (FIG. 11), then pushed into its finished position, and finally fastened in place, e.g. by suitable screws or other fasteners.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just described embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.

Claims

1. A decorative kit for a spa or pool comprising:

first, second, third and fourth side panels, each having a decoratively surfaced outer face;

first, second, third and fourth corner panels so shaped and dimensioned as to integrally mate with said side panels to form an enclosure about a spa or pool, said corner panels further each having a decoratively surfaced outer face; and

a front step dimensioned to integrally mount adjacent a selected side of said enclosure.

2. The kit of claim 1 wherein said first side panel mates with said first and second corner panels and wherein the height of said first side panel and said first and second corner panels is selected to be less than that of each of the outer side and corner panels to facilitate mounting of said front step adjacent said enclosure.

3. The kit of claim 1 further including first and second side rails and a rear side rail for mounting about an upper edge of an enclosed spa or pool.

4. The kit of claim 3 wherein each said side rail has a width selected to extend beyond the outer edge of the spa or pool to form a ledge about the spa or pool.

5. The kit of claim 3 wherein, in an installed position, each said rail fits up against the side of the spa between an outer edge of said spa or pool and the upper edge of each of a respective one of said side panels.

6. The kit of claim 1 wherein each of said side panels is generally rectangular in shape.

7. The kit of claim 1 wherein each of said corner panels engages a respective pair of said side panels in tongue and groove fashion.

8. Apparatus comprising:

a fluid containing vessel;

first, second, third and fourth corner panels so shaped and dimensioned as to integrally mate with said side panels to form an enclosure about said vessel, said corner panels further each having a decoratively surfaced outer face; and

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first side panel mates with said first and second corner panels and wherein the height of said first side panel and said first and second corner panels is selected to be less than that of each of the outer side and corner panels to facilitate mounting of said front step adjacent said enclosure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further including first and second side rails and a rear side rail for mounting about an upper edge of an enclosed spa.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each said side rail has a width selected to extend beyond the outer edge of the spa or pool to form a ledge about the spa or pool.

12. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein, in an installed position, each said rail fits up against the side of the spa between an outer edge of said spa or pool and the upper edge of each of a respective one of said side panels.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said side panels is generally rectangular in shape.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said corner panels engages a respective pair of said side panels in tongue and groove fashion.

15. The apparatus comprising:

a spa unit having an outer perimeter side surface of a selected contour; and

a plurality of mating panels each having a decoratively surfaced outer face, the panels being shaped to follow said outer perimeter side surface and being attached to said spa unit.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a front step dimensioned to mount adjacent a selected side of said spa unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a plurality of side rails for mounting about an upper edge of said spa unit.

18. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each said side rail has a width selected to extend beyond the outer edge of the spa unit to form a ledge about the spa unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said panels mates with another of said panels in tongue and groove fashion.