Selectable beam lens for underwater light

• US 7,744,237 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Dunn, Dennis, Potucek, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunwiddie; Maghan K
• Application Number:
  US12/357,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20090129082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 362/101, 362/244, 362/267, 362282-284, 362322-325, 362/374, 362/477, 362/645
• US Class Current: 362/101
• 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 5/02 of prismatic shape F21V5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/02 with non-spherical faces G02B3/10 takes precedence

Abstract

A lens for a wet environment lighting device that has a fixture with an interior that has an opening, and at least one light source located within the fixture interior. Light from the light source proceeds out through the opening. The lens is for location in front of the fixture and the light source located therein and the lens encloses the opening from the wet environment. The lens has a first light-directing area for directing light in a first beam pattern. The lens also has a second light-directing area, distinct from the first light-directing area, for directing light in a second beam pattern, distinct from the first beam pattern. The lens is positioned relative to fixture and light source therein to select from the distinct beam patterns based on the alignment of the light-directing areas relative to the light source resulting from a positioning of the lens.

Claims

1. A lighting device for a wet environment, the lighting device comprising:

a fixture for location within the wet environment and having an interior with an opening;

multiple light sources located within the fixture interior; and

a lens located in front of the fixture and the light sources located therein, the lens enclosing the opening from the wet environment;

wherein the relative position between the lens and the light sources is variable to align different light-directing areas with the light sources and provide different light beam patterns for light proceeding from the light source through the lens and into the wet environment dependent upon the different light-directing areas and light source alignments resulting from the position variation,

wherein one of the light-directing areas includes elongate protrusions that are parallel to each other, and another of the light-directing areas includes hemi-spheroid protrusions.

2. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the relative position between the lens and the light source is varied by a 90 degrees relative reposition of the lens and the fixture.

3. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lens has a circular periphery and variation of positioning of the lens includes rotation of the lens on a central axis of the lens.

4. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lens position is variable without change of distance between the lens and the light sources.

5. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device is an underwater lighting device, and the beam patterns proceed through water.

6. A lighting device for a wet environment, the lighting device comprising:

a fixture for location within the environment and having an interior with an opening;

at least one light source located within the fixture interior; and

a lens located in front of the fixture and the light source located therein, the lens closing the opening from the wet environment;

wherein the lens is manually positionable at first and second locations relative to the fixture and the light source therein, the lens has a first light-directing area including elongate protrusions that are parallel to each other for directing light proceeding from the light source in a first manner when the lens is at the first location, and the lens has a second light-directing area including hemi-spheroid protrusions for directing light proceeding from the light source in a second manner, different from the first manner, when the lens is at the second location.

7. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein repositioning the lens includes rotating the lens, the light source is located within the fixture interior such that the rotation of the lens provides for the repositioning.

8. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the first light-directing area has a propensity to direct light transverse to the elongation of the protrusions, and the second light-directing area has a propensity to direct light omni-directionally within a hemisphere.

9. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein light proceeding from the light source in the first manner creates a first distinct beam pattern and light proceeding from the light source in the second manner creates a second distinct beam pattern, wherein the lighting device is an underwater lighting device, and the first and second distinct beam patterns proceed through water.