Fiber optic illuminated waterfall

• US 6,484,952 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems, LLC (Fluidra, S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Super Vision International Incorporated
• Inventors: Koren, Pinhas Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Application Number:
  US09/742,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20020074420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 239/18, 449/6, 362/562, 362/96
• US Class Current: 239/18
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/085 designed to produce sheets or curtains of liquid, e.g. water walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre

Abstract

A waterfall illuminated by a plurality of optical fibers having their ends disposed into an outlet of the waterfall and directing light from the fiber ends onto water within the waterfall. The waterfall comprises a water conduit having an inlet for receiving water into the interior of the water conduit and having an outlet formed by a top plate and bottom plate for producing a waterfall as the water flows out of the water conduit, a fiber optic cable bundle attached to the water conduit, and the fiber optic cable bundle comprising a plurality of fibers where each fiber adapted to receive light at an input end and to emit light at an output end. The output ends of the respective fibers are disposed within the outlet whereby the output ends are positioned to direct light onto water in the outlet.

Claims

1. A waterfall apparatus comprising:

a water conduit having an inlet for receiving water into the interior of the water conduit and having an outlet formed by a top plate and bottom plate for producing a waterfall as the water flows out of the water conduit;

a fiber optic cable bundle attached to the water conduit, the fiber optic cable bundle comprising a plurality of fibers, each fiber adapted to receive light at an input end and to emit light at an output end;

a plurality of holes formed in at least one of said top plate and said bottom plate;

wherein the output ends of the fibers are disposed in respective ones of the plurality of holes where the fibers direct light onto water in the outlet.

2. The waterfall apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fiber conduit attached to the outlet and operable to contain the fiber optic cable bundle.

3. The waterfall apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light source connected to the fiber optic cable bundle and operable to direct light into the input ends of the plurality of fibers.

4. The waterfall apparatus of claim 1 wherein the water conduit is further formed by side plates and further comprising a plurality of holes formed in at least one of a side plate wherein the output ends of the fibers are disposed in respective ones of the plurality of holes.

5. A waterfall apparatus comprising:

a plate having an inlet for receiving water to flow along an upper surface of the plate for producing a waterfall as the water flows off the plate;

a fiber optic cable bundle comprising a plurality of fibers, each fiber adapted to receive light at an input end and to emit light at an output end;

a plurality of holes formed in the upper surface of the plate;

wherein the output ends of the respective fibers are disposed in respective ones of the plurality of holes.

6. The waterfall apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a fiber conduit attached to the plate proximate the plurality of holes and operable to contain the fiber optic cable bundle.

7. The waterfall apparatus of claim 5, further comprising the output ends being positioned to emit light onto water located on the upper surface of the plate.

8. The waterfall apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a light source connected to the fiber optic cable bundle and operable to direct light into the input ends of the plurality of fibers.

9. The waterfall apparatus of claim 5, further comprising side plates extending upward from opposite side edges of the upper surface and comprising a plurality of holes formed in an opposed side plate wherein the output ends of the respective fibers are disposed in respective ones of the plurality of holes.

10. A method of illuminating a waterfall, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber operable to receive light at an input end and to emit light at an output end;

providing a plurality of holes formed in the waterfall;

disposing the output ends of the respective fibers through each respective hole;

directing water through the waterfall apparatus to form a waterfall; and

illuminating water in the waterfall by providing light into the input ends of the respective fibers.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of positioning the respective output ends to direct light onto water located within the waterfall.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of providing light of a predetermined wavelength into the input ends of the respective fibers.

13. A waterfall apparatus comprising:

a water directing structure having an inlet for receiving a flow of water and having an outlet with an edge for producing a waterfall;

an optical fiber having an output end operable to emit light;

a hole formed in the outlet distant from the edge;

wherein the output end is disposed through the hole.

14. The waterfall apparatus of claim 13 wherein the output end is operable to direct light onto water within the outlet.