WATER POWERED SWIMMING POOL LIGHT

• US 3,845,291 A
• Filed: 02/08/1974
• Issued: 10/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raymond E. Portyrata
• Original Assignee: Raymond E. Portyrata
• Inventors: Portyrata, Raymond E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Greiner, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US05/440,832
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 240/26,7.6 340/239R 73/229
• US Class Current: 362/192
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/046 driven by hydropower, e.g. by water powered turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools

Abstract

A water powered light is provided which is particularly suited for use in association with a swimming pool to provide illumination thereto. The light includes a lamp assembly which is powered from a generator that is driven by a water powered turbine element. The lamp assembly includes a lens housing which is mountable in a swimming pool so as to project into the interior thereof. The lens housing provides a support for a light bulb. In addition, the lens housing is provided with water outlet means operable to enable water to exit from the light to the swimming pool. The light bulb is connected in electrical circuit relation with the generator. The latter generator includes a coil to which the light bulb is connected electrically in electrical circuit relation therewith. A shaft having a multipole magnet supported at one end thereof is mounted for rotation relative to the coil whereby the coil lies in the magnetic field produced by the magnet. The other end of the shaft has operatively connected thereto one of the elements of a turbine wheel, the latter including a plurality of rows of blades. Water which has been drawn from the swimming pool and passed through a filter is returned to the swimming pool through the light. This water is utilized to generate power to operate the light. More specifically, the water in its return path is caused to flow through the open end of the housing of the light whereupon it strikes the aforementioned blades of the turbine wheel. As the water strikes the latter blades, the force imparted thereby is sufficient to cause the shaft operatively connected thereto to rotate. This rotation in turn is imparted to the magnet supported at the other end of the shaft. The rotation of the shaft causes an electrical current to be generated in the coil. This electrical current flows through the electrical circuit in which the light bulb is connected and is sufficient to power the latter to provide illumination for the swimming pool.

Claims

1. A self-powered light particularly adapted for use in a swimming pool to provide illumination thereof comprising:

a. a housing having intake means formed therein at one end thereof operable to permit fluid to flow into the light, passage means provided in the interior of said housing connected at one end in fluid flow relationship with said intake means, and outlet means formed in said housing at the other end thereof connected in fluid flow relationship with the other end of said passage means operable to permit fluid to exit from the light;

b. a lamp assembly mounted in said housing at said other end thereof including reflector means, a light bulb supported in said reflector means, and a lens operatively connected to said reflector means operable as a cover therefor;

c. generator means supported in said housing in proximity to said lamp assembly including magnetic means and coil means supported for rotation relative to each other, and electrical circuit means connecting said coil means and said light bulb in electrical circuit relationship, said magnetic means being operable to produce a magnetic field, said coil means being positioned in said magnetic field wherein when relative rotation of said magnetic means and said coil means occurs an electrical current is produced in said coil means and is provided through said electrical circuit means to said light bulb to turn said light bulb ON;

d. shaft means supported in said housing for rotation relative thereto having one of said magnetic means and said coil means mounted thereon at one end thereof for rotation therewith; and

e. a turbine wheel assembly supported within said housing at said one end thereof including propellor means mounted on said shaft means at the other end thereof for rotation therewith, said propellor means including blade means provided on the periphery thereof so as to be in the path of flow of fluid through said housing wherein the force of fluid striking said blade means is operable to cause said propellor means and thereby said shaft means to rotate within said housing.

2. The light as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises mounting means formed on the periphery thereof intermediate the ends thereof operable for receiving a fastener in engagement therewith to mount the light within a side wall of a swimming pool.

3. The light as set forth in claim 1 wherein said intake means comprises the open end of said housing at said one end thereof, and said outlet means comprises at least one inlet port formed around a portion of the rim defining said other end of said housing.

4. The light as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shaft means comprises an elongated shaft supported in said housing coaxially with the major axis of the light.

5. The light as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coil means comprises a coil fixedly mounted within the light, and said electrical circuit means includes a pair of tabs each having one end thereof connected to a portion of said light bulb and the other end thereof connected to a portion of said coil.

6. The light as set forth in claim 1 wherein said magnetic means comprises a four-pole ceramic magnet mounted on said shaft means for rotation therewith.

7. The light as set forth in claim 1 wherein said turbine wheel assembly further includes a stator supported in said housing against rotation relative thereto adjacent to said propellor means, said stator having a plurality of blades provided on the periphery thereof extending radially thereoF arranged so as to be positioned in the path of flow of fluid through said housing wherein fluid entering said housing strikes said plurality of blades of said stator and is directed at the most efficient angle against said blade means of said propellor means from whence the fluid flows through said housing and exits into the swimming pool through said outlet means.

8. A water-powered light particularly adapted for use in a swimming pool to provide illumination thereof comprising:

a. a housing having a multiplicity of outlet ports formed therein at one end thereof operable to permit water to flow from the light into the swimming pool, passage means provided in the interior of said housing connected at one end in fluid flow relationship with said multiplicity of outlet ports, and intake means formed in said housing at the other end thereof connected in fluid flow relationship with the other end of said passage means operable to permit the water to enter the light;

b. a lamp assembly mounted in said housing at said other end thereof including relfector means, a light bulb supported in said reflector means, and a lens operatively connected to said reflector means operable as a cover therefor;

c. generator means supported in said housing in proximity to said lamp assembly including a multipole magnet and a coil supported for rotation relative to each other, and electrical circuit means connecting said coil and said light bulb in electrical circuit relationship, said multipole magnet being operable to produce a magnetic field, said coil being positioned in said magnetic field wherein when relative rotation between said multipole magnet and said coil occurs an electrical current is produced in said coil and is provided through said electrical circuit means to said light bulb to turn said light bulb ON;

d. a shaft supported coaxially with the major axis of the light in said housing for rotation relative thereto, said shaft having one of said multipole magnet and said coil mounted thereon at one end thereof for rotation therewith; and

e. a turbine wheel assembly supported within said housing at said one end thereof including propellor means mounted on said shaft at the other end thereof for rotation therewith, said propellor means including blade means provided on the periphery thereof so as to be in the path of flow of the water flowing through said housing wherein the force of the water striking said blade means is operable to cause said propellor means and thereby said shaft to rotate within said housing.

9. The light as set forth in claim 8 wherein said coil is stationary and said multipole magnet is mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith.

10. The light as set forth in claim 8 wherein said turbine wheel assembly further includes a stator supported in said housing against rotation relative thereto adjacent to said propellor means, said stator having a plurality of blades provided on the periphery thereof extending radially thereof arranged so as to be positioned in the path of flow of the water flowing through said housing wherein the water entering said housing strikes said plurality of blades of said stator and is directed at the most efficient angle against said blade means of said propellor means from whence the water flows through said passage means to said multiplicity of outlet ports exiting therefrom into the swimming pool.