Accent light with tube in tube niche fixture and water channel cooling light housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835298-B2
Application number	US-201213707591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2012
Priority date	Aug 9, 2011
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

An underwater pendant light installation within a wall of a water feature has an installation tube in a niche tube having a facia section at the terminus of the niche tube. One terminus of the niche tube in communication with the water feature and having a water inlet coupled to a water gap section. An at least one underwater pendant or accent light having a housing, a lens body, an electronics section, an at least one heat sink, and one or more LEDs is mounted within the niche tube. The underwater pendant or accent light being coupled in a watertight fashion to a power source through the watertight coupling and being contained within the niche tube such that the water gap section surrounds at least in part the housing and permits water from the water feature to circulate in contact the housing but not penetrate into the watertight electrical connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An underwater pendant or accent light installation within a wall of a water feature comprising:
a niche tube disposed within an installation tube inserted into the wall of the water feature, the niche tube having an outwardly extending collar at a terminus of the niche tube in communication with the water feature and having a water inlet coupled to a water gap section; and
at least one underwater pendant or accent light having: a housing positioned within the niche tube,
a lens body, coupled to the housing, wherein the niche tube is coupled to the collar, which is coupled to the lens body,
an electronics section positioned at least in part within the housing, an at least one cylindrical heat sink disposed within the housing, and an at least one LED disposed along a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board in direct contact with the at least one heat sink,
the underwater pendant or accent light being coupled in a watertight fashion to a power source through the watertight coupling to form a watertight electrical connection and being contained within the niche tube such that the water gap section surrounds at least in part the housing and permits water from the water feature to enter through openings in the lens body and circulate in contact with the housing but not penetrate into the watertight electrical connection.

2. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 1 , further comprising an at least one wire guide section in communication with the watertight electrical coupling.

3. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 1 , further comprising an at least one flange section at the terminus of the water gap formed between the niche tube and the housing closest to the watertight coupling.

4. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 3 , further comprising an at least one sealing member between the housing and the flange section.

5. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat sink further contains an expansion slot therein.

6. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 1 , further comprising an at least one set of threads coupling the electrical source with the pendant or accent light.

7. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 1 , further comprising an at least one threaded coupling the lens body to the housing and at least one threaded coupling the collar and lens body.

8. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 1 , wherein the niche tube is affixed within the installation tube with at least one of an at least one friction coupling, mechanical fastener, and an adhesive.

9. The pendent or accent light installation of claim 2 , wherein the wire guide section provides a further watertight area between the water tight section and an electrical fitting connector.

10. A method of assembling an accent light or pendant light within the wall of a water feature, comprising:
inserting an installation tube into the wall of the water feature;
slidingly engaging a niche sleeve into the installation tube;
forming a water tight electrical connection with the niche sleeve;
coupling an at least one accent light with a housing adjacent a cylindrical heat sink that is disposed entirely within the housing, wherein the cylindrical heat sink includes a thermal expansion slot configured to allow radial expansion of the cylindrical heat sink;
coupling an at least one lens body to the housing such that it forms a watertight electrical connection and can power the accent light therewith; and
engaging the lens body with a niche collar and niche sleeve,
wherein a water gap is provided between the niche sleeve and the housing to allow water to penetrate into the niche sleeve through openings in the lens body being held by the niche collar and the water that enters the water gap cools the housing of the at least one accent light.

11. The method of assembling an accent light or pendant light within the wall of a water feature of claim 10 further comprising installing the installation tube in the wall of the water feature by:
forming a hole in the wall;
inserting the installation tube into the hole of the wall; and
cutting the installation tube flush with the wall.

12. The method of assembling an accent light or pendant light within a wall of a water feature of claim 10 , wherein the installation tube is substantially flush with the wall.

13. The method of assembling an accent light or pendant light within a wall of a water feature of claim 10 further comprising coupling a color ring to the niche collar.

14. The method of assembling an accent light or pendant light within a wall of a water feature of claim 10 further comprising coating an outer surface of the installation tube with an adhesive.

15. The method of assembling an accent light or pendant light within a wall of a water feature of claim 10 , wherein the niche sleeve is secured to the installation tube with one of a friction coupling, a mechanical fastener, and an adhesive.

16. The method of assembling an accent light or pendant light within a wall of a water feature of claim 10 , wherein the installation tube is a pipe.

17. A method of installing an accent light or pendant light within a wall of a water feature, comprising:
installing an installation tube in said wall of said water feature by:
forming a hole in the wall;
inserting the installation tube into the hole of the wall; and
cutting the installation tube flush with the wall;

installing a niche sleeve with an at least one wire guide therein into the installation tube, the niche sleeve having an outwardly extending collar;
threading an electrical source coupling wire through the installation tube and the niche sleeve;
coupling an at least one watertight electrical coupling to the electrical source coupling wire;
inserting the coupling into the niche sleeve to create a watertight coupling with an electrical source;
coupling a housing of an accent light, having a lens assembly attached thereto and a cylindrical heat sink disposed within the housing, in a watertight fashion to the watertight coupling with the electrical source, wherein the lens assembly is coupled to the collar of the niche sleeve and wherein the cylindrical heat sink includes a thermal expansion slot configured to allow radial expansion of the cylindrical heat sink; and
installing a niche sleeve collar around the housing, the housing further having a printed circuit board disposed within, and to the niche sleeve such that a water gap is provided to allow water to flow from the water feature through openings in the lens assembly and in and around the housing to cool the housing and the lens assembly.

18. The method of installing accent light or pendant light within the wall of a water feature of claim 17 , further comprising affixing the niche tube within the installation tube.

19. The method of installing accent light or pendant light within the wall of a water feature of claim 18 , wherein the step of affixing the niche sleeve includes affixing the niche sleeve with at least one of an at least one friction coupling, mechanical fastener, and adhesive.

Assignees

• Pentair Water Pool & Spa Inc

Inventors

• Doyle Kevin

Classifications

• E04H4/148

  Lighting means · CPC title

• F21V29/58

  characterised by the coolants · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title

• F21L4/00 Primary

  Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells · CPC title

• F21S8/024 Primary

  intended to be recessed in a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade · CPC title