Underwater lighting fixture with color wheel and method of control

• US 6,811,286 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pentair Pool Products, Inc. (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Pool Products, Inc. (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Potucek, Kevin, Bachman, Robert, Mateescu, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US10/128,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 362/35, 362/101, 362/145, 362/158, 362/267, 362/293, 362/310, 362/16, 362/17, 362/96, 362/147, 362/227, 362/234, 362/235, 362/236, 362/242, 362/243, 362/284, 362/296, 362/307, 362/311, 362/317, 362/319, 362/322, 362/323, 362/324, 362/277, 362/282, 362/327, 318/34, 318/41, 318/49, 318/50, 318/53, 318/59, 318/62, 318/66, 318/85, 318/101, 318/102, 318/103, 318/272, 318/277, 318/278, 318/248, 318/696, 315/32, 315/363
• US Class Current: 362/293
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/007 using rotating transparent or colored disks, e.g. gobo wheels
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• 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: F21V 11/08 using diaphragms containing one or more apertures
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0016 on lighting devices that also provide for direct lighting, e.g. by means of independent light sources, by splitting of the light beam, by switching between both lighting modes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/40 with provision for controlling spectral properties, e.g. colour, or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

An underwater lighting fixture adapted for installation in a lamp receiving recess in the wall of a swimming pool. The fixture includes a lamp housing having a pair of reflector-mounted incandescent lamps mounted therein. A plate having a pair of a apertures is mounted in the housing with the apertures mounted in alignment with the lamps. A pair of secondary reflectors are mounted to face the plate apertures and are provided with light-transmitting portals. A color wheel having dichroic filter segments is mounted so that identically colored pairs of segments pass the portals when the color wheel is driven by a motor. The motor is controlled by a circuit by disconnecting power to an input of the circuit, reconnecting power to the input to control the motor to move at a first speed. The control circuit stops the motor when the driven element reaches an index position. After the step of reconnecting power and after a predetermined period of time, the control circuit controls the motor to move the driven element at a second speed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a motor operated by a control circuit comprising the steps of:

disconnecting power to an input of the control circuit;

reconnecting power to the input of the control circuit;

the control circuit controlling the motor to move a driven element at a first speed;

the control circuit stopping the motor when the driven element reaches an index position; and

at a predetermined period of time after the step of reconnecting power, the control circuit controlling the motor to move the driven element at a second speed.

2. The method according to claim 1 where in the driven element is a color wheel in a lighting fixture.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

a second step of disconnecting power to the input of the control circuit;

a second step of reconnecting power to the input of the control circuit; and

the control circuit stopping the motor after the second step of reconnecting power.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first speed is faster then the second speed.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the power connected to the input of the control circuit is the power used to power the motor.

6. A method of operating a control circuit for a lighting fixture comprising the steps of:

disconnecting power to the control circuit;

reconnecting power to the control circuit;

the control circuit causing the lighting fixture to emit a predetermined color of light; and

at a predetermined period of time after reconnecting the power, the control circuit controlling the lighting fixture to emit changing colors of light at a predetermined rate of change.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

a second step of disconnecting the power to the control circuit;

a second step of reconnecting the power to the control circuit; and

the control circuit causing the lighting fixture to emit the color of light emitted when the second step of disconnecting power was performed.

8. A lighting fixture comprising of:

a lighting system; and

a control circuit connected to control the lighting system wherein disconnecting and reconnecting power to an input of the control circuit a first time causes the lighting system to emit a predetermined color of light and then change the color of light emitted at a predetermined rate of change and further wherein disconnecting and reconnecting power to the input of the control circuit a second time causes the lighting system to emit the color of light emitted when the power was disconnected the second time.

9. An underwater lighting fixture adapted for installation in a lamp receiving recess in the wall of a swimming pool, said lighting fixture comprising:

a lamp housing having an interior cavity;

a plate mounted within said housing and being transverse to a longitudinal axis of said housing, said plate defining an opening;

a lamp having a reflector positioned at said opening on a first side of said plate so that said reflector is directed toward said open mouth;

a color wheel within said housing and mounted for rotation about said longitudinal axis, said color wheel having a plurality of dichroic radial filter segments, a driver mechanism for rotating said wheel, said color wheel sequentially positioning successive filter segments to the opening of said plate upon rotation of said wheel;

a transparent cover sealing the open mouth of said housing;

an electrical supply conduit extending through said lamp housing and into said interior cavity; and

a fluid seal between said supply conduit and said lamp housing and a power transformer within the lamp housing.

10. The lighting fixture according to claim 9 wherein the lamp is positioned within the reflector.

11. The lighting fixture according to claim 9 wherein the plate defines a second opening and further comprising a second reflector positioned at said second opening on the first side of said plate so that said second reflector is directed toward said open mouth.

12. The lighting fixture according to claim 9 wherein said driver mechanism comprises a worm gear for transmission of power to the color wheel.