Patent Publication Number: US-2023158414-A1

Title: Fountain assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This Application is a Section 371 National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/EP2021/059003, filed Apr. 7, 2021 and published as WO 2021/204841 A1 on Oct. 14, 2021, in English, and further claims priority to European patent application number 20169048.4, filed Apr. 9, 2020, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The discussion below is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     The invention relates to a fountain assembly, in particular a play fountain, comprising a floor with a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of pumps feeding the nozzles for generating jets of liquid, in particular water, and a control system for operating the pumps and nozzles. The jetted liquid is typically contained in a reservoir, the pumps being arranged to pump the liquid from the reservoir to the respective nozzles. The pumps or nozzles can be controlled individually to generate a specific pattern of jets and possibly with different jet heights or intensities. This pattern may vary over time, e.g., continuously or intermittently. Examples of play fountains are disclosed in WO 2012/003951, WO 2014/147218 and WO 2018/087716. 
     Electrical power consumed by play fountains fluctuates with the number and intensity of simultaneously activated jets, resulting in substantial power peaks. To cope with these peaks, WO 2014/147218 teaches to power the pumps via rechargeable batteries. However, after discharge rechargeable batteries need time for recharge, so the jetting patterns must be selected such that discharged batteries have sufficient time to be recharged. 
     SUMMARY 
     A fountain assembly comprises one or more rechargeable power packs, each power pack comprising at least one power storage element, wherein the fountain assembly further comprises a controller configured to continuously maintain the stored power of the one or more power storage elements at or above a predefined level during operation. It was found that this resulted in a considerably more flexible power management. 
     In a specific embodiment, the fountain assembly can comprise a plurality of power packs interconnected so as to allow direct power exchange between the power packs. In such a configuration, the power packs jointly perform as if they were a single power source. 
     The stored power and the power supplied from a source, such as a generator or the mains, should jointly be sufficient to run the fountain assembly as a whole. For example, the mains or a generator may cover the average power consumption, while the power stored in the power packs covers all additional power consumption. 
     In a specific embodiment, each power pack feeds a plurality of electric motors for controlling water jets, valves for controlling water jets and/or light sources. One or more of the power packs may for example comprise at least one power storage element storing electric energy, such as a capacitor or a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES). A capacitor is an element storing electric energy electrostatically, as opposed to electrochemical energy storage used in other types of rechargeable batteries. Although the energy density of capacitors is notoriously low compared to other types of rechargeable batteries, it was found that they are very suitable for dealing with peaks in power consumption. Recharge time is very short, about as long as the discharge time. 
     Alternatively, other types of energy storage can be used, such as flywheels. 
     In a specific embodiment, the individual power storage elements have a capacitance of at least 1 farad, e.g., at least 100 farad, e.g., at least 300 farad. Particularly suitable capacitors are for example supercapacitors or ultracapacitors, such as double layer capacitors, pseudocapacitors and/or hybrid capacitors, such as lithium-ion capacitors, or combinations thereof. Supercapacitors, or ultracapacitors, are capacitors using electrostatic double-layer capacitance and electrochemical pseudocapacitance, both of which contribute to the total capacitance of the capacitor. In a particular embodiment, one or more of the power packs may contain at least two supercapacitors, e.g., 4-6 supercapacitors. 
     In a specific embodiment, the fountain assembly may comprise a plurality of power packs connected in parallel to an external power source, such as the mains or a power generator, for instance by means of a junction cabinet. The junction cabinet may typically comprise a casing shielding connection points for receiving connectors of cables feeding the power packs. For safety reasons the casing may comprise a security lock locking the casing as long as the connected capacitors are still wholly or partly charged. The casing may also comprise an indicator lamp or a voltmeter. 
     The individual power packs may feed an associated indicator lamp or a resistor. If the power pack is not yet fully discharged, and the fountain is not used and the junction cabinet is not fed from an external source, such as the mains, the indicator lamp or resistor will slowly exhaust the power pack. When the indicator lamp goes out, this means that the power packs are completely discharged and the junction cabinet casing can be opened safely, e.g., to plug-in a connector of a new power pack. 
     Furthermore, the fountain assembly may comprise a power supply unit reducing the voltage of the power fed to the junction cabinet and/or power packs, e.g., in accordance with local regulations or industrial standards, e.g., to a voltage below 30 V, e.g., below 15 V, e.g., 13 V or lower. 
     Optionally, the fountain assembly may comprise a load bearing floor comprising interchangeable floor modules, each floor module comprising a tile with a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle being operatively connected to a pump or valve, powered by one of the power packs. The pumps and/or power packs can for example be suspended from a lower side of the tile, or they can be separate from the floor module. 
     In a further embodiment, each power pack is operatively connected to an auxiliary controller controlling activation of the electric motors and/or valves of the associated floor module, for example in addition to a main controller controlling the fountain assembly as a whole. With such an arrangement the play fountain is controlled on two levels: the main controller determines the pattern and activates the respective floor modules. In turn, the auxiliary controller of the floor module activates the respective pumps or nozzles to produce jets of the desired intensity and pulse lengths. Jointly, the main and auxiliary control are arranged to operate the electric motors or nozzles to generate a succession of different jet patterns, e.g. moving walls or changing mazes of liquid jets on the play fountain. The main control is arranged to select these jet patterns from a database or it can generate the jet patterns itself. 
     A modular build-up of the fountain assembly, e.g., a play fountain, makes it possible to install the assembly either permanently or temporarily, e.g. during events or for a few months in summer, and the size and shape of the floor can be varied. Configurations can be easily adapted. 
     The power packs can be housed in a waterproof casing, e.g., each power pack, or assembly of multiple power packs, being packed in a sealed box. 
     The fountain assembly may for example comprise a reservoir underneath the floor, e.g., extending underneath the entire floor. Thus, the individual pumps suck the water from the reservoir and deliver it to the nozzles. 
     Optionally, the assembly can be configured to control the direction of the jets and/or to control light sources to provide a light show. Optionally, the fountain assembly can also be configured to include air blasts, e.g., using air nozzles connected to a source of pressurized air. 
     The disclosure further pertains to a fountain assembly comprising a plurality of nozzles and pumps, at least one of the pumps and/or nozzles being powered by power packs comprising at least one capacitor, such as a supercapacitor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG.  1   : shows schematically a play fountain assembly; 
         FIG.  2 A : shows in bottom view a floor module of the play fountain assembly of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  2 B : shows the floor module of  FIG.  2 A  in side view; 
         FIG.  3   : shows in more detail a power pack of the floor module of  FIG.  2 A , with the casing partly broken away; 
         FIG.  4   : shows the control unit and the junction cabinet of the play fountain in  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a play fountain  1  comprising a walkable floor  2  covering a reservoir  3 . The floor  2  has a modular set-up and comprises connecting interchangeable floor modules  4 . Each one of the floor modules  4  comprises a tile  5  with a walkable upper surface provided with an array of nozzles  6 . The floor  2  is designed for carrying a weight load by multiple playing and running people. 
     The play fountain  1  also comprises a plant room  7  containing a main controller  8 , a junction cabinet  9  (see  FIG.  4   ) and a filter system (not shown) for recirculating, filtering water to be recycled to the reservoir  3 , and for dosing a sanitizing agent, such as for example hydrogen peroxide or chlorine. 
       FIG.  2 A  shows the bottom side of an individual floor module  4 , shown in side view in  FIG.  2 B . The floor module  4  comprises a power pack  10  in a water tight casing and a series of pumps  11  arranged on beams  12  spacing the pumps  11  from the lower side of the tile  4 . In the shown embodiment, the floor module comprises eight pumps  11 , each pump  11  communicating with four nozzles  6 . Alternative embodiments may comprise different. arrangements of nozzles  6  and pumps  11 . The pumps  11  have a suction side arranged to suck water from the reservoir  3  and to jet it via one or more of the associated nozzles  6 . The jetted water falls down onto the floor  2  where it is recollected in the reservoir  3  via openings and open joints in the floor  2 . 
     The outer ends  4 A of the tiles  4  are supported by a frame or supports (not shown) at such a level that the power pack  10  is below water level W of a regularly filled reservoir, while the beams  12  with the pumps  11  are below water level W but still at a distance above ground level G. 
     The floor modules  4  can be mounted on a frame (not shown) above the reservoir  3 , such that the suction side of the individual pumps  11  is able to suck water from the reservoir  3 . 
       FIG.  3    shows the power pack  10  in more detail, with a part of the water tight housing broken away. The power pack  10  contains five power storage elements, in this exemplary embodiment supercapacitors  13 , in a serial arrangement on a circuit board  14 . Alternative embodiments may comprise more or less supercapacitors  13  and/or other types of power storage elements and/or may use different arrangements. A central feeding cable  15  comprises a power line  16  and a data line  17 . The power line  16  feeds the five supercapacitors  13 . 
     The watertight casing of the power pack also encases a local auxiliary controller  18  on the circuit board  14  connected to the data line  17  of the feeding cable  15 . The main controller  8  communicates via the data line  17  with the auxiliary controller  18  of the power pack  10 . The auxiliary controller  18  directly controls the connected pumps  11  of the floor module  4  in accordance with instructions from the main controller  8 . This way the play fountain  1  is controlled on two levels: the main controller  8  determines the pattern and activates the auxiliary controller  18  of selected floor modules  4 . In turn, the auxiliary controller  18  of the floor module  4  activates the pumps  11  or nozzles  6  of that floor module  4  to produce jets of the desired intensity and pulse lengths. 
       FIG.  4    shows the elements located in the plant room  7 . These include the main controller  8 , which is connected via a first power cable  19  to the mains or another power source, such as a local power generator. A second power cable  20  runs from the main controller  8  to a power supply unit  21  and subsequently to a junction cabinet  22 . The power supply unit  21  reduces the voltage to an operational voltage of the junction cabinet  22 , for instance to 12 Volt. A data line  23  runs parallel to the second power cable  20  from the main controller  8  to the junction cabinet  22 . 
     The junction cabinet  22  comprises a series of connection ports configured to receive matching connectors  24  of feeding cables  15  combining power and data lines to the power packs  10  of the individual floor modules  4 . All connection ports are operatively connected to the power cable  20  coming from the power supply unit  21  and to the data line  23  coming from the main controller  8 , e.g., via a common conductor such as a rails, allowing the power packs to transfer electric energy to each other, bypassing the power supply unit  21 . 
     The junction cabinet  22  comprises a casing  25  with doors  26  shielding the connection ports when the doors  26  are closed off. The casing  25  comprises a security lock  27  locking the casing  25  when the connected power packs  10  are still wholly or partly charged. For example, the assembly may comprise sensors for monitoring if the doors of the junction cabinet are opened or closed. The controller may be programmed to initiate external power supply from the mains or a generator only if the sensors signal that the doors are closed. If the controller receives a signal from the sensors that the doors are open, the controller will block external power supply. The controller can also be configured to monitor the stored energy. Only of the stored energy e.g., the voltage or charge is below a predefined level the controller allows opening of the doors. 
     Each power pack  10  feeds an indicator lamp  28 , which may for example be located on the casing  25 . If the junction cabinet  22  is disconnected from the mains the indicator lamp  28  will very slowly exhaust the associated power pack  10 . When the indicator lamp  28  goes out, the power pack  10  is sufficiently discharged and the casing  25  of the junction cabinet  22  can be opened safely, e.g., to plug-in a connector of a new or uncharged power pack  10 . 
     The main controller  8  controls recharging of the power packs  10  via the power supply unit  21 . Recharging of the supercapacitors can take place during discharging of the supercapacitors. The recharging cycle is of about the same time length as the discharge cycle. Since the supercapacitors are connected via the junction cabinet  22 , they will also power each other, like a system of communicating vessels. This way, a very flexible power system is obtained. 
     The main controller  8  can also be used for controlling lights, sound systems, the water recycling and conditioning system and other possible facilities. 
     The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims.