Abstract:
Disclosed is a light guide device for a water spraying device. The light guide device includes a light guide block that is a light-transmitting block having a refractive index greater than one. The light guide block has a circumferential face in which a plurality of mounting holes is defined for receiving and retaining light-emitting elements. A plurality of through holes is defined through the light guide blocks and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting holes. Each through hole has a roughened inside surface. The through holes are in fluid communication with water discharge holes of the water spraying device so that water jets supplied from the water spraying device can flow through the through holes for discharging. The light-emitting elements emit light rays that transmit through the light guide block and get into the through holes and the water jets. The rays are subject to reflection inside the water jets to provide lighting or luminous effect to the water jets.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a light guide device for a water spraying device, and in particular to a light guide for a water spraying device for decoration and/or cleaning purposes, which light guide provides lighting or luminous effect to water jets sprayed out of the water spraying device. 
         [0003]    2. The Related Arts 
         [0004]    Water spraying devices for cleaning and decoration purposes are known, such as a fountain that is commonly seen in a garden or a landscaping scene, a water sprinkler or a water sprayer or a shower head for cleaning a human body. The conventional water spraying devices provides only the function of water spraying or water jetting and if decoration of color lights is needed, an external light source must be additionally provided to project light toward or coherent with the water spray or water jets. The certainly makes the water spraying device complicated in structure and installation and thus offers no practical advantages for industrial or commercial applications. Further, it is often that the light added to the water sprays or water jets by an external light source is limited to only a portion of the water sprays or water jets and it is generally not possible to readily cover the water sprays with decoration light from an external light source. Consequently the luminous effect of the water sprays is not consistent to all portions of the water sprays. 
         [0005]    Prior art references for adding luminous effect or light to water jet or water spray are known, such as Taiwan Utility Model Publication No. M288806, which discloses a showering device with lighting structure, and No. M276623, which discloses a shower head set. Both references teach to add or mount light-emitting diodes to or external of a sprayer or a sprayer nozzle to project a light beam to a water jet or water spray. These known devices discussed in these references still surfer the same problem or non-consistent luminous effect on the water jet or water spray. 
         [0006]    Thus, it is desired to have a water spraying device that generates consistent or uniform lighting on the water spray thereof to overcome the problems discussed above for the conventional devices. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a light guide device for a water spraying device, wherein the light guide device is composed of modularized light guide block and light emitting elements to provide luminous effect on water sprays sending out from the water spraying device and allows ready application, in a modularized manner, on various devices, such as shower head. 
         [0008]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a light guide device for a water spraying device, which comprises a light guide block made of a material having a refractive index greater than one for uniformly guiding light rays through water sprays from the water spraying device to induce consistent luminous effect and making lighting of the water sprays more consistent and brighter. 
         [0009]    To achieve the above discussed objectives, in accordance with the present invention, a light guide device is provided for a water spraying device. The light guide device comprises a light guide block that is a light-transmitting block having a refractive index greater than one. The light guide block has a circumferential face in which a plurality of mounting holes is defined for receiving and retaining light-emitting elements. A plurality of through holes is defined through the light guide blocks and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting holes. Each through hole has a roughened inside surface. The through holes are in fluid communication with water discharge holes of the water spraying device so that water jets supplied from the water spraying device can flow through the through holes for discharging. The light-emitting elements emit light rays that transmit through the light guide block and get into the through holes and the water jets. The rays are subject to reflection inside the water jets to provide lighting or luminous effect to the water jets. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a light guide device constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion of the light guide device, showing light-emitting elements mounted to mounting holes defined in edges of a light guide block of the light guide device; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view illustrating light ray emitting from a light-emitting element mounted to a light guide block transmitting through the light guide block and entering a through hole defined in the block; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a water spraying device in which the light guide device of the first embodiment of the present invention is incorporated; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the water spraying device of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view illustrating the light-emitting elements mounted to side edges of the light guide block of the light guide device in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view illustrating light rays traveling out of the through hole of the light guide block with a water jet that also moves through the through hole to provide lighting or luminous effect to the water jet; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing a water spraying device in which a light guide device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is incorporated; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the water spraying device of  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view illustrating light rays traveling out of a through hole of a light guide block of the second embodiment with a water jet that also moves through the through hole to provide lighting or luminous effect to the water jet. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    With reference to the drawings and in particular to  FIGS. 1-3 , a light guide device constructed in accordance with the present invention, generally designated with reference numeral  100 , is provided for a water spraying device. The light guide device  100  comprises at least one light guide block  110  and a plurality of light-emitting elements  120 . The light guide block  110  is made of a light-transmitting material having a refractive index greater than one, such as transparent or clear acrylic board. The light guide block  110  has opposite major surfaces connected by circumferential edge faces. In the embodiment illustrated, the light guide block  110  is a rectangular block or board having four circumferential side edges connecting between the two major surfaces. The circumferential side edges of the light guide block  110  forms a plurality of mounting holes  111 . The light guide block  110  also forms a plurality of through holes  112  and each through hole  112  is delimited by a roughened inside surface. In the embodiment illustrated, the through holes  112  extend between the major surfaces and completely through the light guide block  110 . The through holes  112  extend in directions that are substantially normal to or perpendicular to axes of the mounting holes  111 . The light-emitting elements  120  can be of any known type, and light-emitting diodes are considered a preferred example of the light-emitting elements  120  in the embodiment illustrated. The light-emitting elements  120  can be powered in any suitable way. For example, an external power source  130 , such as a DC power source, may be employed to supply electrical power to the light-emitting elements  120 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , or alternatively, batteries or cells can be mounted inside the light guide block  110  to supply DC power to the light-emitting elements  120 . The light-emitting elements  120 , powered by either the external power source  130  or the inside-arranged cells, emits a light ray A, which transmits through inside the light guide block  110  and is subject to reflection caused by the major surfaces of the light guide block  110  to eventually reach and pass through the roughened surface of the through holes  112  to enter the through hole  112 . 
         [0022]    Also referring to  FIGS. 4-7 , an application of the light guide device  100  of the present invention is illustrated, in which the light guide device  100  is embedded in a water spraying device, generally designated at  200 . The water spraying device  200  can be of any known type, such as a water jet nozzle of a fountain or a sprayer for cleaning human body or articles, for example a shower head. The water spray device  200  comprises a lid  210 , a water-resistant pad  220 , a metal backing plate  230 , at least one water container  240 , a housing  250 . The lid  210  forms at least one water supply hole  211 , which is coupled to a water supply source. A plurality of fastening holes  212  is defined in portions along edges of the lid  210 . 
         [0023]    The water-resistant pad  220  is a rubber pad that is water-proof and water resistant. The water-resistant pad  220  is attached to an inside surface of the lid  210  to provide a water-resistant sealing. The water-resistant pad  220  defines holes  221  corresponding in position to the water supply holes  211  of the lid  210 . A plurality of through holes  222  is defined in portions along edges of the water-resistant pad  220  and corresponds in position to the plurality of fastening holes  212  of the lid  210 . 
         [0024]    The backing plate  230  is attached to the water-resistant pad  220  and opposite to the lid  210  for structure reinforcing purposes. The backing plate  230  forms a plurality of holes  231 , which are distributed along edges of the backing plate  230  and correspond in locations to the through holes  222  of the water-resistant pad  220 . 
         [0025]    The water container  240  is attached to the backing plate  230  and is opposite to the water-resistant pad  220 . The water container  240  comprises at least one water conduit  241  that is coupled to each water supply hole  211  of the lid  210  to convey water from the water supply hole  211  to an interior space of the water container  240 . The water container  240  has a surface, which will also be referred to as water discharge surface, opposite to and distant from the backing plate  230  and a plurality of water discharge holes  242  is defined in the surface to discharge water jets B, as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0026]    The through holes  112  of the light guide device  100  are arranged by the water discharge surface of the water container  240  and correspond in position to the water discharge holes  242  of the water container  240 , whereby the water jets B discharged through the water discharge holes  242  of the water container  240  are allowed to move into and travel through the through holes  112  of the light guide device  100 . The light-emitting elements  120  of the light guide device  100  give off light rays A that transmit through, as being reflected by the major surfaces of the light guide block  110 , to transmit through the roughened surface of the through holes  112  and get into the through holes  112 . The light ray A is then subject to reflection induced in the water jet B traveling through the through hole  112  and eventually leaving the through hole  112  as ray C with the water jet B, as shown in  FIG. 7 . The water jet B has substantially smooth circumferential outline surface, which makes the water jet B functioning like an optic fiber, so that the ray C is subject to repeated reflection by the outline surface of the water jet B so as to travel substantially along the water jet B and thus making the water jet B uniformly lit and giving off consistent coloring with the light ray C from the light-emitting element  120 . 
         [0027]    The housing  250  forms an accommodation chamber  251  in which the water container  240  and the light guide device  100  of the present invention are received and retained. The housing  250  has a closed surface or bottom in which a plurality of water jetting holes  2511  is defined. The water jetting holes  2511  are set at locations corresponding to the through holes  112  of the light guide block  110  of the light guide device  100  whereby the water jets B, as well as the ray C traveling along each water jet B, may get through the water jetting holes  2511  for spraying or jetting. The housing  250  is provided with internally-threaded holes  252  corresponding to the holes  231  of the metal backing plate  230  and engageable with screws or bolts  253  that are fit into and through the fastening holes  212  of the lid  210 , the through holes  222  of the water-resistant pad  220 , and the holes  231  of the metal backing plate  230  to secure the lid  210 , the water-resistant pad  220 , and the metal backing plate  230  to the housing  250  with the water container  240  and the light guide device  100  securely received and retained in the housing  250 . 
         [0028]    Although the lid  210 , the water-resistant pad  220 , the backing plate  230 , the water container  240 , the light guide devices  100 , and the housing  250  are fixed together by threading fasteners  253  in the previous discussion, it is apparent that these parts/components can be fixed together by any other known and suitable means, such as adhesives. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8-10 , an application of light guide device in accordance with another embodiment (second embodiment) to a water spraying device is illustrated. In the second embodiment of the present invention, the light guide device consists of a primary light guide device  100  and a secondary light guide device  100 ′, which are used in combination to provide lighting decoration to water jets sprayed from the water spraying device  200 . It is noted that to simplify the description, similar parts of the second embodiment carry the same reference numeral as the counterpart of the previous embodiment. As shown, in addition to the water supply hole(s)  211 , the lid  210  is further provided with a secondary water supply hole  2111  that is also coupled to the water supply source. Secondary fastening holes  213  are further defined in the lid  210 . The water-resistant pad  220 , besides the holes  221 , also forms a secondary hole  2211  that correspond in position to the secondary water supply hole  2111  of the lid  21 . The water-resistant pad  220  further defines secondary through holes  223 , in addition to the through holes  222 . The secondary through holes  223  correspond in position to the secondary fastening holes  213  of the lid  210 . The metal backing plate  230  comprises two internal bars  232  in which secondary holes  2321  are defined, corresponding in position to the secondary through holes  223  of the water-resistant pad  220 . 
         [0030]    In the second embodiment, the water container  240  is constructed as a frame-like structure, which forms an internal hollow cavity  243  in which a secondary water container  260  is received and accommodated. The secondary water container  260  has a secondary water conduit  261  coupled to the secondary water supply holes  2111  of the lid  210  to convey water from the water supply source to an interior space of the secondary water container  260 . The secondary water container  260  has a surface, which will also be referred to as secondary water discharge surface, opposite to and distant from the lid  210  and in preferably coplanar with the water discharge surface of the water container  240 , and a plurality of secondary water discharge holes  262  is defined in the secondary water discharge surface to discharge water jets D, as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0031]    In the second embodiment, the light guide device (the primary light guide device)  100  is made a frame-like structure having an internal hollow cavity  113  corresponding in size, shape and position to the internal cavity  243  of the water container  240 . The secondary light guide device  100 ′ is arranged in the hollow cavity  113  and, similar to the primary light guide device  100 , contains light-emitting elements  120  that give off light rays E. The ray E transmits through a light guide block  110  of the secondary light guide device  100 ′ as being repeatedly reflected by major surfaces of the light guide block  110  of the secondary light guide device  100 ′ to reach and pass through roughened surface of each through holes  112  defined in the light guide block  110 . The ray E enters the through holes  112  and transmit into a water jet D that is discharged through each secondary water discharge hole  262  of the secondary water container  260  and moves through the through holes  112  of the secondary light guide device  100 ′ to eventually travel with the water jet D out of the through hole as ray F, as shown in  FIG. 10 . Since the water jet D has substantially smooth circumferential outline surface, which makes the water jet D functioning like an optic fiber, so that the ray F is subject to repeated reflection by the outline surface of the water jet D so as to travel substantially along the water jet D and thus making the water jet D uniformly lit and giving off consistent coloring with the light ray F from the light-emitting elements  120 . 
         [0032]    The housing  250  is further provided with internal posts  254  each defining an internally-threaded hole  2541 . Preferably and as illustrated in the drawings, the posts  254  are arranged to define a space or a secondary chamber  2542  sufficient to accommodate the secondary light guide device  100 ′ and the secondary water container  260 . In addition to the water jetting holes  2511  defined in the bottom of the housing  250 , the housing  250  also forms a plurality of secondary water jetting holes  2543  in a portion of the bottom thereof that corresponds to the space  2542 . Accordingly, the accommodation chamber  251  that is provided for the primary light guide  100  is arranged around the space of the secondary chamber  2542 . Thus, the through holes  112  of the light guide block  110  of the secondary light guide device  100 ′ are set corresponding to the secondary water jetting holes  2543 , whereby the water jets D from the secondary water container  260 , with the rays F traveling therewith, are allowed to sprayed out of the housing  250  through the secondary water jetting holes  2543 . The housing  250  has an interior space that is a combination of the accommodation chamber  251  and the secondary chamber  2542 , wherein the water container  240  and the primary light guide device  100  are received and retained in the accommodation chamber  251  with the hollow cavities  243 ,  113  thereof located in the secondary accommodation chamber  251 , and outboard the posts  254  to respectively receive the secondary water container  260  and the secondary light guide device  100 ′. Thus, the water jets B, together with the rays C traveling therewith, are sprayed out of the housing  250  through the water jetting holes  2511  located in an area of the bottom of the housing corresponding to the accommodation chamber  251 . Consequently, the water jets B (with the rays C) and the water jets D (with the rays F) are sprayed out of the housing  250  through a circumferential marginal area and a central area of the bottom of the housing  250  whereby by proper selection and combination of the water jets B and D, enhanced lighting and/or coloring can be realized. 
         [0033]    Although in the second embodiment discussed above, as shown in  FIGS. 8-10 , the arrangement among the primary light guide device  100  and the secondary light guide device  100 ′ and also the water container  240  and the secondary water container, and the housing  250  are put in a nested form, it is apparent that these components/parts/devices can be arranged in different ways. For example, the interior space of the housing  250  can be divided into two juxtaposing chambers in which two water containers and two light guide devices are accommodated in a paired manner so that two types of water jets, which may carry rays of different colors, are respectively sprayed through left and right portions of the bottom of the housing  250 . 
         [0034]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.