Abstract:
Aspects of lighting assemblies principally for pools and spas are addressed. The assemblies may be configured to operate without penetrating housings thereof, thus not adversely impacting waterproof characteristics of the housings. This result is especially beneficial when the housings are installed underwater within pools or spas.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/117,795, filed Feb. 18, 2015, and having the same title as appears above, the entire contents of which application are hereby incorporated by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to lighting and more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to lighting assemblies for pools and spas (collectively referred to herein as “pools”). 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Pool owners frequently enjoy illuminating water within their pools, water in associated features (such as fountains), and areas surrounding their pools and features. Underwater lighting assemblies, typically utilizing light-emitting diodes (LEDs), are especially popular among owners of pools. Many such lighting assemblies may communicate with electronic controllers so as to change colors over time, allowing pool owners to create custom pool-centric “light shows” merely by appropriately programming color-sequence schemes of one or more lighting assemblies. 
         [0004]    Because of their popularity, underwater lighting assemblies are marketed by multiple manufacturers. Generally, though, the assemblies are paired with control or automation equipment of the manufacturer, so that a lighting assembly of one manufacturer will not necessarily function when electronically coupled to a controller of another manufacturer. Consequently, distributors of lighting assemblies for pools often carry excess inventory to ensure compatibility with all control equipment of the various manufacturers. Because of space restrictions in service vehicles, moreover, some lighting installers are required to make two trips to a pool location—a first trip to identify the pool owner&#39;s control equipment and, after identifying a compatible lighting assembly from its stored inventory, a second trip to install the assembly. 
         [0005]    At least one manufacturer has attempted to develop a lighting assembly compatible with multiple generations of its own controllers. The lighting assembly is capable of providing color-related feedback to an installer which may be correlated with other information to determine which control scheme it is emulating. (For example, the installer may perform a test series of on-off cycles with specific timing sequences in an effort to produce a particular result—e.g. solid red illumination, with that result signifying that the lighting assembly is operating in a particular mode.) In practice, however, the test series seem both complex and difficult to perform reliably. 
         [0006]    Need thus clearly exists for a more reliable method of determining compatibility of a lighting assembly with particular control equipment already installed (or to-be-installed) for a particular pool. Need also exists for lighting assemblies that are compatible with different lighting programs and automation equipment of different manufacturers. Indeed, one possible solution to these needs is to create a lighting assembly with a mode-selection dial or other switch (e.g. a slide, rotary, or similar type switch) in which an installer, pool owner, or other person can simply change the position of the switch to cause the assembly to operate in a particular mode. However, adding such a switch to a lighting assembly is not necessarily easy to do satisfactorily, as the switch could adversely impact the water resistance of the assembly. This adverse impact could be especially acute for lighting assemblies to be installed within the pool (i.e. underwater). 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates portions of a first exemplary lighting assembly consistent with the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates portions of a second exemplary lighting assembly consistent with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    The present invention seeks to solve these needs without disrupting integrity of the waterproof housings of underwater lighting assemblies. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , one or more magnetic-closure (reed) switches  10  may be incorporated into housing  14  of a lighting assembly. Because switches  10  are contained within housing  14  and do not penetrate its outer surface  18 , their presence does not adversely affect the waterproof characteristics of the housing  14 . Although four such switches  10  are depicted in  FIG. 1 , more or fewer switches may be included within housing  14 . Advantageously, though, housing  14  will contain more than one switch  10 . Alternatively, Hall Effect or other sensors may be employed instead of switches  10 . 
         [0010]    Also shown in  FIG. 1  is clip  22 . Clear from the drawing is that clip  22  is positioned to the exterior of housing  14  and does not penetrate it. Hence, neither switches  10  nor clip  22  prevents housing  14  from being waterproof. 
         [0011]    At least one version of clip  22  is a rotatable spring biased into frictional contact with outer surface  18 . The bias advantageously may be sufficient to prevent clip  22  from sliding along the length of housing  14  yet able to be overcome easily by manual force. Accordingly, clip  22  may rotate about a periphery of housing  14  under manual force. Alternatively, clip  22  may rotate under influence of a tool. Although  FIG. 1  depicts outer surface  18  as twelve-sided and clip  22  as having nine connected segments, either or both of outer surface  18  and clip  22  may be shaped differently if desired. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  additionally illustrates magnet  26  embedded within clip  22 . As clip  22  rotates, so too does magnet  26 . If switches  10  are spaced within housing  14  near the periphery, rotation of clip  22  may cause magnet  26  to become adjacent to a particular switch  10 , thereby closing it. Closure of the particular switch  10  allows electricity to flow through a specific circuit, thereby causing the lighting assembly to operate in a particular mode or otherwise behave in a particular manner. 
         [0013]    For example, the four switches  10  of  FIG. 1  are denominated “1,” “2,” “3,” and “4.” Closure of “1” results in the lighting assembly emulating a Jandy Watercolors light, closure of “2” causes the lighting assembly to emulate a light of “Brand A,” closure of “3” produces emulation of a “Brand B” light, and closure of “4” results in emulation of a “Brand C” light. In this example clip  22  is positioned so that magnet  26  is adjacent the switch  10  denominated “2,” causing the lighting assembly to emulate a “Brand A” light. Alternatively or additionally, closure of different switches could produce displays of different colors or ranges of colors of light or any other desired lighting display. 
         [0014]    Shown in  FIG. 2  is collar  30 , which may serve as an alternative to clip  22 . Rather than rotating like clip  22 , collar  30  may slide (generally linearly) along outer surface  18  so that its embedded magnet  26  is adjacent a switch  10 .  FIG. 2  further illustrates a series or notches or recesses  34  into which a protrusion  38  of collar  30  may fit so as to effect appropriate positioning of magnet  26  adjacent a particular switch  10  and protect the positioning against at least some undesired movements. 
         [0015]    Persons skilled in the relevant art will understand that  FIGS. 1 and 2  merely depict examples of the present invention and thus that other implementations also are possible. Indeed, any method of reliably rendering a lighting assembly compatible with various controls using a simple switching mechanism conceivably could be within the scope of the current invention. This is true especially (although not necessarily) if the switching mechanism avoids adversely impacting the waterproof nature of the lighting assembly. Consequently, the foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention, and modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.