Submersible LED light fixture

• US 7,303,301 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zodiac Pool Systems Incorporated (Fluidra, S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Nexxus Lighting, Inc.
• Inventors: Bauer, Michael, Faber, Stephen, Koren, Paul, Archer, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cranson, Jr.; James W
• Application Number:
  US11/265,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20070097675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 362/96, 362/101, 362/362, 362/294, 362/373, 362/267
• 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 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/58 characterised by the coolants
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A submersible light fixture which includes a housing, and an LED light engine mounted to a heat-conducting plate, with the heat conducting plate being supported by the housing. The housing defines an opening adjacent to the heat-conducting plate, and the opening is designed to be in fluid communication with a body of water when the light fixture is submerged such that the water acts as a heat sink to the LED light engine. In one arrangement, the opening is a gap between the heat-conducting plate and a watertight container containing a control module for the LED light engine.

Claims

1. A submersible light fixture, comprising:

a housing for a watertight container containing a control module; and

an LED light engine abutting a heat conducting plate, the heat conducting plate being supported by the housing, wherein the housing defines an opening substantially adjacent to the heat-conducting plate, wherein the opening is designed to be in fluid communication with a body of water when the light fixture is submerged such that the water acts as a heat sink to the LED light engine, and wherein the opening comprises a gap between the heat conducting plate and the watertight container containing the control module for the LED light engine.

2. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the LED light engine is mounted to the heat conducting plate.

3. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the gap is a single continuous gap.

4. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the watertight container located adjacent to the gap is formed of a non-electrically conducting material.

5. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the control module and the LED light engine are electrically connected through a watertight sleeve extending across the gap.

6. The light fixture according to claim 5, wherein the sleeve is positioned off-center to the center of the LED light engine.

7. The light fixture according to claim 5, wherein the sleeve is formed of a non-electrically conducting material.

8. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the opening is additionally in fluid communication with a watertight container containing a control module for the LED light engine.

9. The light fixture according to claim 8, wherein the watertight container for the control module comprises a heat conducting base plate that acts to dissipate heat from the control module to the water.

10. The light fixture according to claim 8, wherein a wall of the watertight container for the control module is ribbed to allow water to flow along the sides of the container.

11. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the LED light engine comprises a plurality of LEDs which produce red, green and blue light.

12. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the LED light engine is protected from contact with water by the heat conducting plate, and by at least one lens positioned over the LED light engine.

13. The light fixture according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting plate is formed of a metallic material.

14. The submersible light fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to have several protrusions extending therefrom which form sleeves to receive screws for securing the watertight container and the LED light engine to create the gap there between.

15. A light fixture submersible in water, the light fixture comprising:

a sleeve;

a cap connected to the sleeve to define a watertight housing for a control module positioned therein;

a heat conducting plate connected to the cap and separated therefrom by a plurality of hollow extensions to define a gap between the heat conducting plate and the cap, the gap being defined between a first surface of the heat conducting plate and an opposing surface of the cap; and

an LED light engine supported by a second surface of the heat conducting plate and in thermal communication with the heat conducting plate, the first and second surfaces being on opposing sides of the heat conducting plate, wherein the gap is in fluid communication with water when the light fixture is submerged thereby allowing the water to flow through the gap.

16. The light fixture of claim 15, wherein an electrical connection passes through at least one of the plurality of hollow extensions.

17. The light fixture of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the plurality of hollow extensions is off center from the watertight housing.

18. The light fixture of claim 15, wherein one or more fastening devices passes through one or more of the plurality of hollow extensions.

19. The light fixture of claim 15, wherein the plurality of hollow extensions are integrally formed with the cap.

20. The light fixture of claim 15, wherein the gap is a single continuous opening between the heat conducting plate and the cap.