Wet niche light

• US 5,483,428 A
• Filed: 03/31/1994
• Issued: 01/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sta-Rite Industries LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: GTY Industries
• Inventors: Poppenheimer, Charles B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan B.
• Application Number:
  US08/221,692
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 174/51, 439/92, 439/94, 439/95, 439/96, 439/97, 439/607, 439/101, 362/21, 362/22, 362/96, 362/101, 362/145, 362/147, 362/218, 362/221, 362/222, 362/223, 362/261-265, 362/267, 362/364, 362/373-375, 362/344
• US Class Current: 362/101
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/024 intended to be recessed in a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools

Abstract

A wet niche light having a nonconductive forming shell 14 with a nonconductive housing 16 mounted therein. A double ended lamp is fixed within the housing in sockets which do not retain the lamp in friction engagement but rather hold the lamp by axial compression. A conductive reflector extends over the sockets and is grounded externally. A planar lens having vertical ribs is positioned within a bezel that attaches to the forward side of the housing by means of resilient clips. The nonconductive forming shell includes a conductive ring about the front opening of the shell with a conductor extending rearwardly for coupling with a pool grounding net. The lamp is positioned far enough within the housing such that no direct light from the lamp will strike the surface of the water in the pool at less than the critical angle of total reflection. The interior of the housing includes a lower portion painted in black such that light will not be reflected therefrom to strike the water surface at an angle less than the critical angle of total reflection.

Claims

1. A wet niche light comprising

an electrically nonconductive housing including a front opening;

two lamp sockets mounted in said housing aligned along an axis not extending through said opening; and

an electrically conductive shield over each said lamp socket between said sockets and said front opening, said shield being light reflective toward said opening and including a ground extending outwardly of said housing.

2. The wet niche light of claim 1 further comprising

a first conductor electrically coupled to one of the lamp sockets;

a second conductor electrically coupled to the other of the lamp sockets, said shield and ground being electrically isolated from said first conductor and said second conductor.

3. A wet niche light comprising

an electrically nonconductive housing including a front opening;

two lamp sockets mounted in said housing aligned along an axis not extending through said opening;

an electrically conductive shield over each said lamp socket between said sockets and said front opening, said shield including a ground extending outwardly of said housing; and

a double ended lamp extending between said lamp sockets in said housing, said lamp sockets receiving said double ended lamp without other than compressive engagement.

4. The wet niche light of claim 3 wherein at least one of said lamp sockets is spring biased toward the other of said lamp sockets to receive said double ended lamp in compression.

5. A wet niche light comprising

an electrically nonconductive housing including a front opening;

two lamp sockets mounted in said housing aligned along an axis not extending through said opening;

an electrically conductive shield over each said lamp socket between said sockets and said front opening, said shield including a ground extending outwardly of said housing wherein said shield includes three portions, two outward socket portions and a central reflective portion, said axis being between said central reflective portion and said opening, said two outward socket portions including holes aligned with said axis.

6. A wet niche light comprising

an electrically a nonconductive forming shell including a first front opening;

an electrically conductive ring extending about said first front opening and including an electrically conductive strap extending away from said first front opening;

a terminal extending through said electrically nonconductive forming shell and being electrically coupled with said strap;

an electrically nonconductive housing mounted within and spaced from said nonconductive forming shell and including a second front opening;

two lamp sockets mounted in said housing aligned along an axis not extending through said second front opening;

an electrically conductive shield over each said lamp socket between said lamp sockets and said second front opening, said shield including a ground extending to outwardly of said housing and electrically coupled with said electrically conductive ring.

7. The wet niche light of claim 6 further comprising

a double ended lamp extending between said lamp sockets in said housing, said lamp sockets receiving said double ended lamp without friction engagement.

8. The wet niche light of claim 7 wherein at least one of said lamp sockets is spring biased toward the other of said lamp sockets to receive said double ended lamp in compression.

9. The wet niche light of claim 6 wherein said shield includes three portions, two outward socket portions and a central reflective portion, said axis being between said central reflective portion and said second front opening, said two outward socket portions including holes aligned with said axis.

10. A wet niche lamp comprising

an electrically nonconductive housing including a first front opening and a flange extending outwardly about the periphery of said first front opening;

a lens positioned across said first front opening;

a bezel having a seat to receive said lens, an outwardly extending portion and clips spaced about said bezel, each of said clips having a leg extending rearwardly from said portion and an interlock to resiliently pass over and engage said flange;

a seal between said lens and said housing;

two lamp sockets mounted in said housing aligned along an axis not extending through said first front opening;

an electrically conductive shield over each said lamp socket between said lamp sockets and said first front opening, said shield including a ground extending to outwardly of said housing.

11. The wet niche light of claim 10 further comprising

a double ended lamp extending between said lamp sockets in said housing, said lamp sockets receiving said double ended lamp without friction engagement.

12. The wet niche light of claim 11 wherein at least one of said lamp sockets is spring biased toward the other of said lamp sockets to receive said double ended lamp in compression.

13. The wet niche light of claim 10 wherein said shield includes three portions, two outward socket portions and a central reflective portion, said axis being between said central reflective portion and said first front opening, said two outward socket portions including holes aligned with said axis.

14. A wet niche light comprising

an electrically noconductive housing including a first front opening and a flang extending outwardly about the periphery of said first front opening;

a lens positioned across said first front opening;

a bezel having a seat to receive said lens, and outwardly extending portion and clips spaced about said bezel, each of said clips having a resilient leg extending rearwardly from said portion and an interlock to engage said flange;

a seal between said lens and said housing;

two lamp sockets mounted in said housing aligned along an axis not extending through said first front opening;

an electrically conductive shield over each said lamp socket between said lamp sockets and said first front opening, said shield including a ground extending to outwardly of said housing;

an electrically nonconductive forming shell including a second front opening, said housing being mounted within and spaced from said electrically nonconductive forming shell;

an electrically conductive ring extending about said second front opening and including an electrically conductive strap extending away from said second front opening, said ground being electrically coupled with said electrically conductive ring;

a terminal extending through said electrically nonconductive forming shell and being electrically coupled with said strap.