Underwater swimming pool illumination systems

• US 4,053,758 A
• Filed: 03/29/1976
• Issued: 10/11/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Swan Recreational Products Limited
• Original Assignee: Swan Recreational Products Limited
• Inventors: Shaw, Frank D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moses, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US05/671,353
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 240/26, 240/10.5, 240/10.6 R, 240/10.6 CH, 240/41.55, 240/52.1, 240/73 QD, 240/52 R
• US Class Current: 362/158
• 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: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools

Abstract

An underwater swimming pool illumination system includes a lighting assembly having a lamp unit installed within its rear portion in a waterproof enclosure; and the lamp is connected to a low voltage battery. The waterproof enclosure may be at the bottom of a strut in an inverted L-shaped assembly, where the upper portion is a base which is fitted to a pad by a bayonet-type connection. The battery may be installed in the base, in which case the lighting assembly may be removed away from the pool to have the battery charged; or the battery may be remotely installed with a wire connection to the pad and lighting assembly. In either case, the installation is such that the lamp is completely electrically isolated from any alternating or ripple currents; either by physically removing the lamp from the pool for battery charging, or by a DPDT switch which either connects the battery to the lamp or to the charging circuit. This, in either case the battery is charged in a place remote from the swimming pool.

The waterproof lamp enclosure seals the rear portion of a seated beam lamp in a bowl-shaped body by an O-ring seal, when a retaining ring around the lamp is tightened against it. The retaining ring may be of a light diffracting material. The waterproof enclosure may also be attached to the wall of a swimming pool.

Claims

1. For use in underwater swimming pool illumination, an underwater lighting assembly comprising:

a waterproof lamp enclosure having a generally bowl-shaped body portion adapted to receive the rear portion of a conically-shaped lamp unit, an O-ring seat formed around the outer part of said body portion and a compressible O-ring fitted in said O-ring seat, retainer means to fit over the outer part of said lamp unit, a flange formed around the outer part of said bowl-shaped body portion, and fastener means associated with said flange and said retainer means to cause the rear portion of said lamp unit to be forced against said compressible O-ring when said fastener means are tightened;

electrical wires attached to said lamp unit and passing rearwardly from said body portion, and means for exteriorally waterproofing the rear of said body portion;

and a low-voltage battery connected so as to provide low voltage, ripple-free direct current power to said lamp unit;

said low-voltage battery and a battery charging circuit being each remotely situated from said waterproof lamp enclosure, said battery being connected to the first and second switch elements of a double-pole, double-throw switch;

said electrical wires from said lamp being connected to first contact elements of the first and second poles of said double-pole, double-throw switch; and

the output of said battery charging circuit being connected to second contact elements of the first and second poles of said double-pole, double-throw switch;

so that when said switch is in its first pole position, said battery is electrically connected to said lamp and not to said battery charging circuit;

and when said switch is in its second pole position, said battery is electrically connected to said battery charging circuit and not to said lamp.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where said lamp unit is a low-voltage sealed beam lamp.

3. The lighting assembly of claim 1 where said retainer means is a light diffracting lens ring, of a material having an index of refraction different from that of glass or of water.