US5947178A — Movable cover for a roof, pool, or other opening

Claim 1

Independent Claim 157 words

A foldable cover that can be extended across an opening, the foldable cover comprising: a plurality of cover sections, said plurality of cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening each cover section having a surface for covering part of the opening and an aperture extending through the surface of the cover section, each cover section also having an edge that is positioned adjacent to and is hinged together with an edge of another one of the cover sections; a pulling cable having two ends, the pulling cable extending through the apertures in the surfaces of the cover sections, the pulling cable being fixed at one end of the foldable cover such that when the other end of the pulling cable is pulled, the cover sections are folded together; a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 157 words

A foldable cover that can be extended across an opening, the foldable cover comprising: a plurality of cover sections, said plurality of cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening each cover section having a surface for covering part of the opening and an aperture extending through the surface of the cover section, each cover section also having an edge that is positioned adjacent to and is hinged together with an edge of another one of the cover sections; a pulling cable having two ends, the pulling cable extending through the apertures in the surfaces of the cover sections, the pulling cable being fixed at one end of the foldable cover such that when the other end of the pulling cable is pulled, the cover sections are folded together; a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 37 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein the height from which the pulling cable is pulled causes the pulling cable to make an angle of approximately 45° with the opening across which the foldable cover is extended.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein at least one of the apertures through one of the cover sections is elongated.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein at least one of the cover sections includes a slot in which the pulling cable may lie when the foldable cover is extended.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 27 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein when the pulling cable is pulled, only two cover sections are caused to be buckled upwards at any one time.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 40 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein each cover section has at least one top edge and one bottom edge, the hinged-together edges of the cover sections alternating between adjacent top edges and adjacent bottom edges across the foldable cover.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein the hinges between the cover sections rotate with a friction that is low enough so that the cover is extendible primarily by the weight of the cover sections.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

The foldable cover of claim 7, further comprising means for maintaining a tension on the pulling cable while the foldable cover is being extended.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, further comprising wheels on the cover sections to assist with the extension and folding of the foldable cover.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 15 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein the cover sections are generally rectangular in shape.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein the cover sections are generally trapezoidal in shape.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 52 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, wherein said cable pulling structure comprises a hand truck with a winch, the winch being operated to pull the pulling cable so as to fold the cover sections together onto the hand truck, the folded cover thereby being maneuverable on the hand truck to different locations.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

The foldable cover of claim 1, further comprising at least one cable guide attached to at least one of the cover sections for helping to guide the pulling cable through the aperture in the cover section.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 22 words

The foldable cover of claim 13, wherein the cable guide comprises a pair of pulleys located on either side of the aperture.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 205 words

A foldable cover that can be extended across an opening, the foldable cover comprising: a plurality of pairs of first and second cover sections, said plurality of cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening the cover sections of each pair being connected to one another by hinges, each pair of cover sections having a folded and unfolded position and being connected by a hinge to at least one other pair of cover sections, the foldable cover being extended when the pairs of cover sections are unfolded and being retracted when the cover sections are folded; each of the pairs of first and second cover sections having surfaces for covering part of the opening and an aperture extending through each of the surfaces of the first and second cover sections, the apertures being approximately aligned with one another when the pairs of cover sections are in the folded position; and a cable for retracting the foldable cover, the cable extending through the apertures in the surfaces of each of the pairs of first and second cover sections; a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 205 words

A foldable cover that can be extended across an opening, the foldable cover comprising: a plurality of pairs of first and second cover sections, said plurality of cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening the cover sections of each pair being connected to one another by hinges, each pair of cover sections having a folded and unfolded position and being connected by a hinge to at least one other pair of cover sections, the foldable cover being extended when the pairs of cover sections are unfolded and being retracted when the cover sections are folded; each of the pairs of first and second cover sections having surfaces for covering part of the opening and an aperture extending through each of the surfaces of the first and second cover sections, the apertures being approximately aligned with one another when the pairs of cover sections are in the folded position; and a cable for retracting the foldable cover, the cable extending through the apertures in the surfaces of each of the pairs of first and second cover sections; a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 35 words

The foldable cover of claim 15, further comprising at least one cable guide attached to at least one of the cover sections for helping to guide the cable through the aperture in the cover section.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

The foldable cover of claim 16, wherein the cable guide comprises a pair of pulleys located on either side of the aperture.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 53 words

The foldable cover of claim 15, wherein each of the cover sections have lower and upper edges, each of the first and second cover sections in each pair being hinged together at their lower edges, and each pair being hinged to the adjacent pair at the upper edges of the adjacent cover sections.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 33 words

The foldable cover of claim 15, wherein when the cable retracts the foldable cover, each pair of cover sections is caused to be folded into its folded position one pair at a time.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 179 words

A foldable cover having extended and retracted positions, the foldable cover comprising: first, second, third, and fourth cover sections; each cover section having a surface for covering part of an opening and an aperture extending through the surface of each of the cover sections said cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening; the first and second, second and third, and third and fourth cover sections being hingeably joined to one another; a cable for retracting the foldable cover to the retracted position, the cable passing through the aperture in the surface of each of the cover sections such that when the cable is pulled from a position that is vertically displaced from the cover sections, the first and second cover sections are first caused to buckle upwards and fold together, after which further pulling on the cable causes the third and fourth cover sections to buckle upwards and fold together; a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 179 words

A foldable cover having extended and retracted positions, the foldable cover comprising: first, second, third, and fourth cover sections; each cover section having a surface for covering part of an opening and an aperture extending through the surface of each of the cover sections said cover sections defining a substantially horizontal plane when extended across said opening; the first and second, second and third, and third and fourth cover sections being hingeably joined to one another; a cable for retracting the foldable cover to the retracted position, the cable passing through the aperture in the surface of each of the cover sections such that when the cable is pulled from a position that is vertically displaced from the cover sections, the first and second cover sections are first caused to buckle upwards and fold together, after which further pulling on the cable causes the third and fourth cover sections to buckle upwards and fold together; a cable pulling structure, wherein at least part of the pulling cable is pulled toward a height that is vertically displaced from said plane.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 64 words

The foldable cover of claim 20, wherein said cable pulling structure comprises a hand truck and a winch, the first cover section being hingeably attached to the hand truck, the winch being operated to retract the cable so as to retract the foldable cover on to the hand truck so that the foldable cover is thereby maneuverable to different locations on the hand truck.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 34 words

The foldable cover of claim 20, wherein two or more foldable covers are configured for covering predetermined portions of an opening with the two or more covers being extendible to collectively cover the opening.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-09-06	2003-03-08	2003-09-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-09-06	2007-03-08	2007-09-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-09-06	2011-03-08	2011-09-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Movable cover for a roof, pool, or other opening

Abstract

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