Appeal No. 97-2243
Application 08/222,584
The invention relates to an above-ground swimming pool
having a light-weight plastic wall which “requires no internal
reinforcement or external support of any kind against the outward
pressure of the water contained therein” (specification, page 1).
Claim 1 is illustrative and reads as follows:
1. An above-ground frameless swimming pool comprising:
(a) a self-standing flexible semi-rigid upstanding
catastrophic failure proof cylindrical plastic wall;
(b) said wall being formed of polypropylene having
lamiminated thereto a reinforcing woven mesh fabric of
polypropylene, said laminated wall having a sufficient
weight-to-strength ratio and semi-rigidity that the wall is
self-supporting;
(c) a water-retaining right cylindrical liner disposed
within and supported by said wall; and
(d) a coping member disposed over the upper part of said
wall to secure upper portions of said liner thereto.
The references relied upon by the examiner as evidence of
obviousness are:
Jaschek et al. (Jaschek) 4,405,341 Sept. 20, 1983
Trower 1,049,272 Nov. 23, 1966
(British Patent Document)
Neuenschwander 2,145,560 Apr. 19, 1973
(German Patent Document)2
2An English language translation of this reference,
prepared by the Patent and Trademark Office, is appended hereto.
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