Covered Pool

Abstract

A pool and mechanisms for raising and lowering a platform mechanism within the pool can include a water container with an open top defined by a peripheral edge, a bottom, and at least one sidewall. One or more receiving cavities can be arranged in the bottom of the water container. The bottom can have a contour shape with a first downward slope between the sidewall and a lowest point in the bottom and a second downward slope between the single receiving cavity and the lowest point. The lowest point can include an egress port from the water container. One or more platforms can have a top side and a bottom side and be being sized and adapted to fit within the peripheral edge of the water container. A single column connected with the bottom side of each platform and arranged in a corresponding single receiving cavity can be at least partially displaceable from the single receiving cavity to move the corresponding platform upward and at least partially replaceable in the single receiving cavity to move the corresponding platform downward.

1 . A pool comprising:
 a water container comprising an open top defined by a peripheral edge, a bottom, and at least one sidewall, a single receiving cavity being arranged in the bottom of the water container, the bottom having a contour shape comprising a first slope having a first downward pitch between the sidewall and a lowest point in the bottom and a second slope having a second downward pitch between the single receiving cavity and the lowest point, the lowest point comprising an egress port from the water container;   a platform with a top side and a bottom side, the platform being sized and adapted to fit within the peripheral edge of the water container; and   a single column connected with the bottom side of the platform and arranged in the single receiving cavity, the single column being at least partially displaceable from the single receiving cavity to move the platform upward, and at least partially replaceable in the single receiving cavity to move the platform downward.   
   
   
       2 . The pool in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of at least a portion of an outer surface of the single column corresponds with a cross-sectional shape of at least a portion of an inner surface of the single receiving cavity. 
   
   
       3 . The pool in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the outer surface of the single column and the cross-sectional shape of the inner surface of the single receiving cavity is a shape selected from a group of shapes consisting of: circle, square, triangle, ellipse, rhombus, trapezoid, and parallelogram. 
   
   
       4 . The pool in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a water flow mechanism to pump water into the single receiving cavity below the single column to at least partially displace the single column from the single receiving cavity, and to pump water out of the single receiving cavity to at least partially replace the single column into the single receiving cavity. 
   
   
       5 . The pool in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the water flow mechanism includes at least one pump, an inlet into the single receiving cavity, and an outlet from the single receiving cavity. 
   
   
       6 . The pool in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the second downward pitch is greater than the first downward pitch. 
   
   
       7 . The pool in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the single column includes a pressure release channel having an inlet in the bottom of the single column and an outlet on the outer surface of the single column at a distance above the bottom of the single column, the pressure release channel being configured to allow water to flow from the single receiving cavity into the water container when the outlet of the channel extends above a top edge of the single receiving cavity to release a predetermined amount of pressure in the single receiving cavity. 
   
   
       8 . The pool in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall comprises a plurality of interlocking blocks, each block having at least one groove that, when aligned and combined with at least other groove on an adjacent block, defines a channel. 
   
   
       9 . The pool in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of blocks is formed of foam. 
   
   
       10 . The pool in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the water container comprises a unitary piece that comprises the peripheral edge, the bottom, and the at least one sidewall. 
   
   
       11 . The pool in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the unitary piece comprises one or more materials selected from a group consisting of plastic, fiberglass, fiber-reinforced material, stainless steel, metal, and foam. 
   
   
       12 . The pool in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the single receiving cavity includes a single aperture proximate a bottom of the single receiving cavity that defines the inlet into and the outlet from the single receiving cavity. 
   
   
       13 . A pool comprising:
 a water container comprising an open top defined by a peripheral edge, a bottom, and at least one sidewall;   two or more platforms, each with a top side and a bottom side, the two or more platforms being sized and adapted to fit adjacently within the peripheral edge of the water container;   two or more receiving cavities arranged in the bottom of the water container, each of the two or more receiving cavities being sized and adapted to receive a corresponding single column connected with the bottom side of a corresponding one of the two or more platforms; and   one or more water flow mechanisms to flow water into the two or more single receiving cavities to at least partially displace the corresponding single column from its single receiving cavity to move the corresponding platform upward, and to flow water out of the two or more single receiving cavities to at least partially insert the corresponding single column further into its single receiving cavity to move the corresponding platform downward.   
   
   
       14 . The pool in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the bottom of the water container has a contour shape comprising a first slope having a first downward pitch between the sidewall and a lowest point in the bottom and a second slope having a second downward pitch between the single receiving cavity and the lowest point, and the lowest point comprises an egress port from the water container. 
   
   
       15 . The pool in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the corresponding single columns are at least partially displaced from the two or more single receiving cavities when water received into the two or more single receiving cavity produces, in at least one of the two or more single receiving cavities below the corresponding single column, a pressure that exceeds a threshold pressure. 
   
   
       16 . The pool in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the threshold pressure is five pounds per square inch. 
   
   
       17 . The pool in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising a pool deck controller that controls raising and lowering of the two or more platforms by passing commands to the one or more water flow mechanisms. 
   
   
       18 . The pool in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the pool deck controller raises and lowers the two or more platforms independently of each other. 
   
   
       19 . The pool in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the pool deck controller raises and lowers the two or more platforms in a coordinated manner. 
   
   
       20 . An apparatus for use with a pool, the pool comprising a water container having an open top defined by a peripheral edge, a bottom, and at least one sidewall, a single receiving cavity being arranged in the bottom of the water container, the bottom having a contour shape comprising a first slope having a first downward pitch between the sidewall and a lowest point in the bottom and a second slope having a second downward pitch between a second point on the bottom and the lowest point, the lowest point comprising an egress port from the water container;
 the pool further comprising a water flow mechanism to flow water, the apparatus comprising:   a platform with a top side and a bottom side, the platform being sized and adapted to fit within the peripheral edge of the water container;   a single receiving cavity adapted to be arranged at the second point in the bottom of the water container and having a mechanism to receive and expel water from the water container; and   a single column connected with the bottom side of the platform and placed in the single receiving cavity, the single column configured to be at least partially displaced from the single receiving cavity to move the platform upward when the water flow mechanism flows water in to the single receiving cavity, and configured to be at least partially replaced in the single receiving cavity to move the platform downward when the water flow mechanism flows water out of the single receiving cavity.