Corrosion-proof pool deck connector system

• US 7,372,014 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technology Service Corporation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Technology Service Corporation, Inc.
• Inventors: Stebbins, Michael S., Crouch, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MONBLEAU, DAVIENNE N
• Application Number:
  US10/947,725
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/227.11, 385/100, 368/110, 368/113, 340/323.R, 340/309.16, 200510-512, 200/52.R, 449/6, 448/8, 377/5, 377/24.2
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/74 with powered illuminating means, e.g. lights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/20 Swimming
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/12 Arrangements in swimming pools for teaching swimming or for training
• CPC Class Codes: G04F 8/08 Means used apart from the time-piece for starting or stopping same
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders

Abstract

A poolside connector system and method for use with swimming pool race timing systems and signaling devices. A deck plate or similar poolside signal junction is provided with an optical receiver terminal, and a cable connection from a poolside signaling device such as a touchpad or backup button is provided with an optical transmitter terminal that can be plugged into the deck plate terminal. Electrical signals from the touchpad and backup button representing completed laps are transmitted as optical signals to the deck plate junction. The optical connection at the deck plate is non-conductive and electrically sealed from the poolside environment, and thus has no exposed electrical terminals to corrode. The low voltage DC current on which the optical terminals operate is provided in sealed fashion to the electrically insulated optical terminals, in a preferred form via an inductive power coupling whose halves are sealed in the deck plate and the removable cable connection.

Claims

1. A connector system for a poolside race timing system, comprising:

a photoelectric signal receiving junction located at an exposed portion of the pool deck adjacent a swimming lane, the signal receiving junction comprising a first photo-receiver plug terminal including a photo-receiver device electrically sealed from the poolside environment and capable of generating a low voltage direct current signal, the photo-receiver plug terminal being electrically connected to a race timing system;

a poolside signal generating device associated with the swimming lane and comprising a low voltage direct current circuit, the poolside signal generating device further comprising a switch for closing the low voltage direct current circuit, the poolside signal generating device having a temporary cable connection to the signal receiving junction, the cable connection including a photo-transmitter plug terminal with an associated photo-transmitter device powered by low voltage direct current in response to the switch closing the low voltage direct current circuit, and electrically sealed from the poolside environment, the photo-transmitter plug terminal being temporarily matable with the photo-receiver plug terminal at the signal receiving junction to deliver an optical signal to the photo-receiver plug terminal at the signal receiving junction in response to the closing of the signal generating device switch.

2. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the signal receiving junction comprises a deck plate.

3. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the signal receiving junction comprises a deck cable.

4. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the signal generating device comprises a touchpad.

5. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the signal generating device comprises a backup button.

6. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the low voltage direct current for the photo-transmitter device is derived from a non-conductive power coupling between the photo-receiver plug terminal and the photo-transmitter plug terminal at the signal receiving junction when the plug terminals are mated.

7. The connector system of claim 6, wherein the non-conductive power coupling comprises an inductive coupling with a transmitting portion in the signal receiving junction and a receiving portion in the photo-transmitter plug terminal.

8. The connector system of claim 6, wherein the inductive power coupling comprises a transmitter coil in the signal receiving junction associated with the photo-receiver plug terminal, and a receiving coil in the photo-transmitter plug terminal.

9. The connector system of claim 7, wherein the inductive power coupling comprises a DC-AC inverting circuit in the signal receiving junction and an AC-DC converting circuit in the photo-transmitter plug terminal.

10. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the DC-AC inverting circuit in the signal receiving junction comprises an oscillator circuit, and the AC-DC converting circuit comprises a rectifying circuit.

11. The connector system of claim 9, wherein the rectifying circuit includes a charging capacitor.

12. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the photo-receiver device in the signal receiving junction and the photo-transmitter device of the photo-transmitter plug terminal are powered by low-voltage direct electrical current from the race timing system.

13. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the photo-receiver device in the signal receiving junction is powered by low-voltage direct electrical current from the race timing system, and the photo-transmitter device of the photo-transmitter plug terminal is powered by a battery associated with the poolside signal device.

14. A method for transmitting signals from poolside signal devices to a race timing system at a pool deck, comprising the steps of:

generating an electrical signal at the poolside signal device, converting the electrical signal to a corresponding optical signal, and transmitting the optical signal across a temporary, non-conductive optical plug connection at an exposed portion of the pool deck to a photo-receiver in a sealed signal receiving junction at the exposed portion of the pool deck connected to the race timing system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the step of converting the optical signal received by the photo-receiver to an electrical signal readable by the race timing system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the step of supplying electrical power to the poolside signal device for the electrical signal through the non-conductive optical connection at the pool deck.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises the step of supplying the electrical power through the non-conductive optical connection at the pool deck with an inductive coupling.