Laminar flow water jet with energetic pulse wave segmentation and controller

• US 7,845,579 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2005
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pentair Water Pool And Spa Incorporated (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Original Assignee: Bruce Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): HWU, DAVIS D
• Application Number:
  US11/280,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20060102757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 239/589, 239/589.1, 239/17, 239/18, 239/22, 239/23, 239/102.1, 239/102.2, 239/67, 239/69, 239/70, 239/71, 239/72, 362/96
• US Class Current: 239/17
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3402 to avoid or to reduce turbulencies, e.g. comprising fluid flow straightening means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/06 for effecting pulsating flow nozzles, spray head or outlet with means for generating a discharge of pulsating nature B05B1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/08 Fountains drinking fountains E03B9/20; wash fountains E03C1/16
• 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: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An apparatus for producing and controlling an energetic pulse wave in a laminar flow having an at least one water input and a housing with a water channel flowing therethrough. At least one jetting element for jetting a laminar flow tube from a laminar flow passing through the water channel. With at least one energetic pulse wave generating element generating an energetic pulse in a controlled fashion that travels into the laminar flow and selectively interrupts the laminarity therein.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an at least one water input with water flowing therein;

a housing with a water channel, the housing creating a laminar flow in the water channel from the water flowing from the at least one water input and flowing through the housing;

an at least one lighting element;

an at least one jetting element jetting a laminar flow tube from the laminar flow passing through the water channel in the housing, the laminar flow tube being ejected from the housing as a glass-rod like laminar flow tube having a smoothed tubular surface and being lit by the at least one lighting element; and

an at least one energetic pulse wave generating element generating an energetic pulse in a controlled fashion that travels into the laminar flow and selectively interrupts the tubular surface at a specific location on the glass-rod like laminar flow tube, thereby impairing the surface of the glass-rod like laminar flow tube and effecting the light passing within the glass-rod like laminar flow tube without disrupting the cohesion of the glass-rod like laminar flow tube.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the at least one energetic pulse wave generating element, the controller sending a command to the at least one energetic pulse wave generating element to send the energetic pulse into the glass-rod like laminar flow tube.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller receives an input from a timer.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller receives an input from an audio or video input.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller receives an input from a master controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller sends signals to at least one of an at least one audio system, video system, and a timer.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a laminar flow jet disruptor in communication with the controller, wherein the laminar flow jet disruptor causes interruption of the glass-rod like laminar flow tube issuing from the jet causing discrete glass-rod like laminar flow columns to issue instead.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one lighting element communicates with the controller and lights the discrete glass-rod like laminar flaw columns.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the discrete glass-rod like laminar flow columns are interrupted by the energetic pulse wave such that the discrete column is distinctly segmented and the light source provides light to each of the distinct segments.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the distinct segments is lit by a different color.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energetic pulse wave provides a turbulent section within a continuous glass-rod like laminar flow tube.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energetic pulse wave provides a gap between discrete parts of the jetted, glass-rod like laminar flow water tube, creating discrete laminar flow tubular columns.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller sends signals to the at least one lighting element.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one lighting element changes a color input into the laminar flow water tube based on instructions from the controller.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one lighting element further comprises an at least one lighting tube and an at least one light source.

16. A laminar flow water jet, comprising:

an at least one water input admitting water into a housing;

an at least one lighting element;

a housing moving the water into a laminar flow water channel, smoothing and adding laminarity to the water within the laminar flow water channel and ejecting the laminar flow water channel as a laminar flow tube having a cohesive, generally smooth surface and a glass-rod like appearance and being lit by the at least one lighting element;

a controller; and

an at least one energetic pulse wave generating component, wherein the energetic pulse wave generating component sends an energetic pulse wave into the laminar flow water channel and into a part of the laminar flow tube to interrupt the laminarity within the laminar flow tube at that part, creating an aberration in the generally smooth surface and in so doing changing the light transmission characteristics along the laminar flow tube.

17. The laminar flow water jet of claim 16, the at least one lighting element further comprises a lighting tube and an at least one light source.

18. The laminar flow water jet of claim 17, wherein the laminar flow tube is colored by the lighting element.

19. The laminar flow water jet of claim 18, wherein the energetic pulse wave provides a turbulent section within a continuous laminar flow tube.

20. The laminar flow water jet of claim 18, wherein the energetic pulse wave provides a gap between discrete parts of the laminar flow water tube, creating discrete laminar flow columns.

21. The laminar flow water jet of claim 16, wherein the controller receives an input from a timer.

22. The laminar flow water jet of claim 16, wherein the controller receives an input from a audio or video input.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller receives an input from a master controller.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller sends signals to at least one of an at least one audio system, video system, and a timer.

25. The laminar flow water jet of claim 16, wherein the controller sends signals to the at least one lighting element.

26. The laminar flow water jet of claim 25, wherein the at least one lighting element changes a color input into the laminar flow water column based on instructions from the controller.

27. The laminar flow water jet of claim 16, further comprising a pliant member surrounding the water channel in the direction of flow of the water in the water channel, wherein the pliant member absorbs pump surges.

28. The laminar flow water jet of claim 16, further comprising a laminar flow disruptor in communication with the controller, wherein the laminar flow disruptor causes interruption of the laminar flow tube issuing from the housing, causing discrete laminar flow columns to issue therefrom.

29. The laminar flow water jet of claim 28, further comprising a light source communicating with the controller and lighting the discrete columns of laminar flow water.

30. The laminar flow water jet of claim 29, wherein the discrete columns of laminar flow are interrupted by the energetic pulse wave such that a discrete column is discretely segmented and the light source provides light to each of the discrete segments.

31. The laminar flow water jet of claim 30, wherein each of the discrete segments is lit by a different color.