Water inlet generator

• US 8,618,687 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas Burnham
• Original Assignee: Douglas Burnham
• Inventors: Burnham, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/918,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 290/52
• US Class Current: 290/54
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/14 Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/148 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/024 intended to be recessed in a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/028 rechargeable by using hydropower, e.g. using water powered turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/046 driven by hydropower, e.g. by water powered turbines
• 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: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines

Abstract

A swimming pool water inlet generator operable to allow the generator to be attached to a swimming pool water inlet, a turbine assembly arranged and operable to generate electricity when water flows through the inlet and at least one electrically powered device operable to use the generated electricity in the operation thereof.

Claims

1. A swimming pool water inlet generator comprising attachment means operable to allow the generator to be attached to a swimming pool water inlet, a turbine assembly arranged and operable to generate electricity when water flows through the inlet and at least one electrically powered device operable to use the generated electricity in an operation thereof, wherein the turbine assembly comprises a rotatable rotor, which rotor is arranged and operable, in use, to divert water flowing over the rotor, such that water hits the rotor generally axially with regard to the axis of rotation of the rotor and is deflected such that it exists the rotor generally radially with regard to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

2. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means is operable to allow the generator to attach to an insert of the swimming pool water inlet.

3. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to either of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises a threaded region operable to threadedly engage with a threaded region of the swimming pool water inlet.

4. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 1, wherein the generator further comprise locking means operable to allow the generator to be locked in position with respect to the swimming pool water inlet.

5. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 1, wherein the rotor, is arranged to rotate when water flows through the swimming pool water inlet.

6. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 5, wherein the axis of rotation of the rotor is parallel with the direction of flow of the water through the swimming pool water inlet.

7. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 5, wherein the rotor is generally conical, having an apex thereof extending into the swimming pool water inlet.

8. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 5, wherein the turbine assembly comprises a braking system which is operable to allow the rotor to be locked in position and thus rotation thereof to be prevented.

9. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 5, wherein the turbine assembly comprises a static portion, upon which may be situated one or more stators.

10. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 9, wherein the static portion further comprises one or more electronic components associated with the turbine assembly, the electronic components being selected from the group consisting of one or more of batteries, battery control units, generator control units, and master control units.

11. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 9 wherein the static portion is generally water tight.

12. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 9, wherein the at least one electrically powered device is fitted to the static portion of the turbine assembly.

13. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 9, wherein the electrically powered device is selected from one or more of the following:

a light source;

an ionizer;

a water heating element;

a water cooling element.

14. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 13, wherein the electrically powered device comprises a light source, the light source selected from the group consisting of an LED or an array of LEDs.

15. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 13, which comprises one or more status indicators.

16. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 13, which comprises a cover portion that may be transparent, translucent or opaque.

17. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 13, which comprises signal detecting means operable to detect a signal from a remote control device.

18. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 13, which comprises light detection means operable to detect levels of light at or around the generator.

19. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 18, wherein the light detection means is arranged to cause the operation of one or more of the electronically powered devices depending on the detected light levels.

20. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 18, which comprises switching means operable to switch the or each electrically powered device between an on and off position.

21. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 20, wherein the switching means comprises a timer that allows the or each (separately or together) electrically powered devices to be switched on or off at a predetermined time.

22. A swimming pool water inlet generator according to claim 1 wherein the generator comprises flow restriction means, arranged to restrict the flow of fluid through the inlet, whereby the flow restriction means are adjustable to thereby allow adjustment of the restriction of the flow of fluid through the inlet.