Underwater swimming pool illumination systems

• US 3,955,076 A
• Filed: 06/06/1974
• Issued: 05/04/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank D. Shaw
• Original Assignee: Frank D. Shaw
• Inventors: Shaw, Frank D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moses, R. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/477,003
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 240/26, 240/10.5, 240/10.6 R, 240/10.6 CH, 240/41.55, 240/52.1, 240/73 QD, 240/52 R
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools

Abstract

An underwater swimming pool illumination system includes a lighting assembly having a lamp unit installed witin its rear portion in a waterproof enclosure; and the lamp is connected to a low voltage battery. The waterproof enclosure may be at the bottom of a strut in an inverted L-shaped assembly, where the upper portion is a base which is fitted to a pad by a bayonet-type connection. The battery may be installed in the base, in which case the lighting assembly may be removed away from the pool to have the battery charged; or the battery may be remotely installed with a wire connection to the pad and lighting assembly. In either case, the installation is such that the lamp is completely electrically isolated from an alternating or ripple currents; either by physically removing the lamp from the pool for battery charging, or by a DPDT switch which either connects the battery to the lamp or to the charging circuit. Thus, in either case the battery is charged in a place remote from the swimming pool.

The waterproof lamp enclosure seals the rear portion of a seated beam lamp in a bowl-shaped body by an O-ring seal, when a retaining ring around the lamp is tightened against it. The retaining ring may be of a light diffracting material. The waterproof enclosure may also be attached to the wall of a swimming pool.

Claims

1. For use in underwater swimming pool illumination, an underwater lighting assembly comprising:

a waterproof lamp enclosure formed in the lower portion of a strut which is associated with a base in a generally L-shaped assembly;

where said strut is adapted to be lowered into a swimming pool over the edge thereof, and said base is adapted to be secured to the swimming pool deck;

said waterproof lamp enclosure having a generally bowlshaped body portion adapted to receive the rear portion of a conically-shaped lamp unit, an O-ring seat formed around the outer part of said body portion and a compressible O-ring fitted in said O-ring seat, retainer means to fit over the outer part of said lamp unit, a flange formed around the outer part of said bowl-shaped body portion, and fastener means associated with said flange and said retainer means to cause the rear portion of said lamp unit to be forced against said compressible O-ring when said fastener means are tightened;

electrical wires attached to said lamp unit and passing rearwardly from said body portion, and contained within said strut;

and a low voltage battery connected to said electrical wires to provide low voltage, ripple-free direct current power to said lamp unit;

said base being adapted to be fitted to a pad and being substantially rectangular in plan and having at least two spaced-apart projections from each side thereof;

said pad having a first surface adapted to underlie at least a portion of said base, and having upstanding sides spaced from each other at a distance substantially the same as the distance between the sides of said base;

each of said upstanding sides of said pad having at least two undercuts formed therein to accommodate at least two of said projections on each side of said base, and to permit a sliding relationship between said base and said pad, the interference between said projections and the upper portion of said undercuts serving to preclude upward movement of said base away from said pad.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where said low-voltage battery is enclosed in said base, and where a first pad is secured to a swimming pool deck and a second pad is secured in another place remote from said swimming pool to accommodate said L-shaped assembly when it is placed thereon;

each pad having three electrical contact elements on a first surface thereof, and the underside of said base having three electrical contact elements in positions to make physical contact with the contact elements on said pads;

first and second contact elements on said underside of said base being electrically connected to said battery;

said first and a third contact element on said base being electrically connected to said lamp;

second and third contact elements on said first pad being electrically connected beneath said first surface to each other, said contact elements making physical and electrical contact with the second and third contact elements on the underside of said base;

said second pad being electrically connected at its first and second contact elements to a battery charging circuit, and having contact elements to make physical and electrical contact with the first and second contact elements on the underside of said base;

so that when said base is positioned on said second pad, said battery is connected to a battery charging circuit; and

when said base is positioned on said first pad, said battery is connected to said lamp.

3. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where said low-voltage battery and a battery charging circuit are each remotely situated from a swimming pool, and said battery is connected to two electrical contact elements on a pad secured to said swimming pool deck;

said base having two electrical contact elements in positions adapted to physically and electrically contact said elements on said pad, said two electrical contact elements being electrically connected to said lamp;

said contact elements on said pad being connected to first contact elements of the first and second poles of a double-pole, double-throw switch;

the output of said battery charging circuit being connected to second contact elements of the first and second poles of said double-pole, double-throw switch, and said battery being connected to the first and second switch elements of said double-pole, double-throw switch;

so that when said switch is in its first pole position, said battery is electrically connected to said pad and not to said battery charging circuit;

and when said switch is in its second pole position, said battery is electrically connected to said battery charging circuit and not to said pad.

4. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where said strut has a box-like interior, and a foamed plastics material is placed at least in the lower portion of said box-like interior of said strut.

5. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where a bumper is formed on the rear side of said strut.

6. The lighting assembly of claim 2 where each electrical contact member in each of said pads projects above the respective first surfaces thereof;

and where each electrical contact member on the underside of said base comprises an elongated metallic strip mounted so as to be spring-biassed in a direction away from said underside and placed so as to make a wiping contact with a mating electrical contact member on said pads when said base is positioned on either of said pads.

7. The lighting assembly of claim 3 where each electrical contact member on said pad projects above said first surface thereof;

and where each electrical contact member on the underside of said base comprises an elongated metallic strip mounted so as to be spring-biassed in a direction away from said underside and placed so as to make a wiping contact with a mating electrical contact member on said pad when said base is positioned thereon.

8. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where said lamp unit is a low-voltage sealed beam lamp.

9. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where said retainer means is a light diffracting lens ring, of a material having an index of refraction different from that of glass or of water.