Abstract:
An underwater light that can include a mounting assembly attachable to a pool wall without having to make a niche in the wall, a housing coupled to the mounting assembly and including a light source cavity, a reflector in the light source cavity, a light source in front of the reflector, and a lens in front of the light source. The lens can include a plurality of contiguous parallel concave lens elements extending in a single direction to disperse light perpendicular to the single direction. The underwater light can include a removable lens cover that is at least one of red, green, yellow, and blue, in order to shine colored light into the pool.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   Underwater pool lights are used in swimming pools, wading pools, fountains and spas for illumination under the surface of the water. Underwater pool lights generally require a niche in a wall of the pool for installation of the light. This requires extra excavation and concrete reinforcing or extra gunite to install the light in a gunite pool. As a result, most underwater lights are bulky and expensive to install. In vinyl liner pools, additional reinforcing is usually required, and large holes, nine to twelve inches wide, are needed to install wet niche lights. This type of installation also increases the chance of leaks in vinyl liner pools. Many conventional lights cannot be used in vinyl liner pools. 
   Some underwater lights must be removed and completely disassembled to replace a bulb, adding to their inconvenience and requiring experienced personnel for maintenance. Other underwater lights have no heat sensing device to prevent overheating. Besides presenting a safety hazard, overheating reduces bulb life and increases maintenance costs. 
   Some underwater lights use clear covers or lenses and provide no directional control over the light output. These lights have a tendency to illuminate not just the pool but also the surrounding area. The resulting glare is both an inconvenience and a safety hazard. Fountain lights also should be appropriately directed to avoid unwanted glare. Underwater lights should include an effective reflector to direct light out into the pool. 
   SUMMARY 
   In light of the above, a need exists for underwater pool lights that are flush mounted, allow for easy and safe maintenance, operate for extended periods of time without requiring maintenance, and/or direct light in a specified direction. 
   Some embodiments of the invention provide an underwater pool light for attachment to a wall of a pool with a mounting assembly that attaches to the wall without having to make a niche in the wall. A housing having a light source cavity can be coupled to the mounting assembly. The light can also include a reflector coupled to the housing in the light source cavity, a light source positioned in the light source cavity in front of the reflector, and a lens coupled to the housing in front of the light source. The lens can include a plurality of contiguous parallel concave lens elements extending in a single direction to disperse light perpendicularly to the single direction. 
   Another embodiment of the invention provides an underwater pool light with a removable lens cover. The lens cover can be red, green, yellow, or blue in order to shine colored light into the pool. 
   Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an underwater pool light assembly according to one embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2A  is a front elevational view of a housing of the underwater pool light of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 2B  is a front perspective view of the housing of  FIG. 2A ; 
       FIG. 3A  is a rear elevational view of the housing of  FIG. 2A ; 
       FIG. 3B  is a rear perspective view of the housing of  FIG. 2A ; 
       FIG. 4A  is a front exploded perspective view of a pool light lens, face ring, and gasket for use with the underwater pool light of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4B  is a rear exploded perspective view of the pool light lens, face ring, and gasket of  FIG. 4A ; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the pool light lens, face ring, and gasket of  FIG. 4A ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the underwater pool light of  FIG. 1 , a wall bracket, and a mounting spacer; and 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded side view of a mounting assembly for the underwater pool light of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates an underwater pool light according to one embodiment of the invention. The underwater pool light can include a housing  20 , a light source  30 , a temperature sensor  110 , and a lens  40 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A, and  2 B, the housing  20  can include a recessed light source cavity  50 . The light source cavity  50  can include a socket  60 , which can have a spring-loaded portion and a stationary portion. The socket  60  can receive the light source  30  such as a halogen bulb. The light source cavity  50  can also include a socket mount  62  partially surrounding the socket  60 , and power circuitry (not shown). During manufacture, the power circuitry is partially sealed in epoxy (not shown) in an area bounded by the walls of the light source cavity  50  and a strip of aluminum tape  102 . The aluminum tape  102  is removed after the epoxy cures. A ground stud nut  82  can engage a grounding pin  84  to connect the power circuitry to the housing  20 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a reflector  100  can be positioned behind or adjacent to the light source  30  in order to direct light outward. The reflector  100  can be secured to the socket mount  62  with a rivet  104 , in one embodiment. A temperature sensor  110  can be connected (in series with the light source  30 ) to the power circuitry in order to disconnect power in the event that the underwater pool light over-heats. The front face of the housing  20  can include a gasket seat  122  around the perimeter of the light source cavity  50 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A, and  2 B, a power cord  80  can be connected from the rear of the housing  20  to the light source cavity  50 . As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a liquid tight connect (LTC) body  90  can connect the power cord  80  to the housing  20 . An o-ring  92  can create an annular seal between the housing  20  and the LTC body  90 .  FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate that the power cord  80  can be secured in a water-tight manner to the light source cavity  50  using a jam nut  94  and a nut  98 . The jam nut  94  and nut  98  can be coupled to the LTC body  90  with a cord cone washer  96  that can create an annular seal between the power cord  80  and the nut  98 . The LTC body  90  and cord cone washer  96  that are shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 1  can be hidden from view in the assembled housing of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  by the jam nut  94  and the nut  98 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the rear face of the housing  20  can include a storage area  180  for a portion of the power cord  80 , which can also facilitate repair and maintenance of the underwater pool light. The cord storage area  180  can be located adjacent to the rear face of the housing  20  and can surround a wall that forms the light source cavity  50 . In one embodiment, two parallel bars  70  can be attached to the rear face of the light source cavity  50  and can extend almost to the edge of the housing  20 , leaving sufficient clearance for the power cord  80  to be wound around the light source cavity  50  and under the bars  70 . As a result, the bars  70  can hold the unused portion of the power cord  80  in place. 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B  also illustrate a mounting bracket  72  attached to the rear face of the housing  20  and extending from the light source cavity  50  radially toward the edge of the housing  20 . The mounting bracket  72  can have prongs  74  for engaging a wall bracket  208 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Opposite the mounting bracket  72 , a captive screw  22  (shown in  FIGS. 2B ,  3 A, and  3 B) can be inserted from the front of the housing  20  through an aperture in the housing  20 . The captive screw  22  can also be inserted through a housing spacer  26  to secure the housing  20  to a wall bracket  208 . As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , a gum washer  24  can be used to hold the captive screw  22  in place with respect to the housing  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4A , the lens  40  can include a lens flange  42 , which can be positioned in a plane parallel to that of the pool wall. The front face of the lens  40  can be saddle-shaped and substantially smooth.  FIG. 4B  illustrates that the rear face of the lens  40  can include several lens elements  10 . The lens elements  10  can be contiguous, parallel, cylindrical, and/or concave in shape and orientation. The lens elements  10  can also extend in a single direction, which is typically vertical in order to disperse the light perpendicular to the single direction. The lens elements  10  can fan the light out horizontally. 
   The housing  20  can be removable and can have a one-piece construction. As shown in  FIGS. 1-2B , a rim  130  can be included in a portion of the housing  20  that extends radially beyond the gasket seat  122 . Liquid in the pool can pass from the front face of the housing  20  through openings  150  in the rim  130  to surround and cool the light source cavity  50 . A gasket  120  illustrated in  FIG. 1  can be used to form a seal between the gasket seat  122  on the front face of the housing  20  and the lens flange  42 . 
     FIG. 5  illustrates how a face ring  140 , the lens  40 , and the gasket  120  can fit together when the underwater pool light is assembled. These components can be secured to the housing  20  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A, and  2 B with screws  142  that pass through holes  144  in the rim  130 . The screws  142  can be received by threaded holes (not shown) in bosses  146  on the rear of the face ring  140  shown in  FIG. 4B . Tightening the screws  142  can secure the gasket  120 , the lens  40 , and the face ring  140  to the front face of the housing  20 . 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  5 , the outer perimeter of the face ring  140  can be formed with notches  154  which provide access to the rim  130  for the circulation of cooling pool liquid. The inner perimeter of the face ring  140  can also be formed with notches  148  to receive connecting tabs  44  of a lens cover  48  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), while also providing access to the lens  40  for circulation of cooling pool liquid. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , a wall bracket  208  can be used to mount the underwater pool light flush with a wall of a vinyl liner pool. The wall bracket  208  can be formed from a flat piece of metal and can include an aperture  228  that the power cord  80  can pass through. The wall bracket  208  can also have retaining features  232  and  234  that can be engaged by the mounting bracket  72  and the captive screw  22 , respectively. The wall bracket  208  can be offset from the vinyl liner with a mounting spacer  202 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the mounting spacer  202  can be the same shape and size of the projection of the underwater pool light on the pool wall in order to protect the vinyl from being damaged by the wall bracket  208  or any other part of the underwater pool light. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates a mounting assembly that can be used to secure the wall bracket  208  to the pool wall in one embodiment of the invention. In addition to the components shown in  FIG. 6 , the mounting assembly can include a mounting hub  212 , a flange  210 , a toe nipple  218 , and associated hardware components. In some embodiments, holes in both the pool wall and a vinyl liner  230  can be cut or punched out and the mounting hub  212  can be positioned between the pool wall and the vinyl liner  230  in order to provide a passageway for the power cord  80 . The toe nipple  218 , having a hollow cylindrical shape, can extend through the length of this passageway from outside the pool wall to the mounting hub  212 . As a result, the surrounded power cord  80  can be electrically isolated. 
   As also shown in  FIG. 7 , the mounting hub  212  can have studs  226  extending toward the holes in the pool wall. The studs  226  can be threaded and of sufficient length to extend through the pool wall when the mounting assembly is fully secured. The mounting hub  212  can be offset from the pool wall with standoffs  222 . O-rings  206  can provide a seal between the standoffs  222  and the pool wall. A gasket  204  can be positioned between the mounting hub  212  and the vinyl liner  230  in order to seal the hole in the vinyl liner  230  that the power cord  80  passes through. On the exterior side of the pool wall, the flange  210  can receive the studs  226 . Lock washers  216  and nuts  220  can be threaded onto the studs  226  and tightened to anchor both the flange  210  and the mounting hub  212  to the pool wall. Additionally, grounding lugs  224  can be secured to the flange  210  and the wall bracket  208  in order to provide electrical grounding for the pool light. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the wall bracket  208  can be secured to the mounting hub  212  with mounting screws  214  and lock washers  216 . 
   This application incorporates U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,875 herein by reference in its entirety. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.