Patent Publication Number: US-2005127199-A1

Title: Ornamental fountain

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)  
      This application claims priority to Australian Patent Application No. 2003906885, filed Dec. 10, 2003.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      It is known to provide an ornamental fountain of the type which includes an ornamental body portion having a liquid outlet accommodated on the body portion such that during use when the liquid outlet is connected to a source of pressurised liquid, a liquid stream is produced. Generally, a separate liquid receptacle is provided to receive the liquid stream and a pump re-circulates fluid in the receptacle to the ornamental fountain.  
      In order to enhance the visual appearance of such ornamental fountains, it is known to provide a light emitting device such as a garden light and to arrange the garden light so that light from the garden light illuminates the liquid stream.  
      However, this arrangement for enhancing the visual appearance of the ornamental fountain is cumbersome and relies on accurate coordination of the ornamental fountain and the garden light in order to achieve an enhanced appearance.  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to an ornamental fountain.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ornamental fountain, said fountain comprising: 
          an ornamental body portion;     a liquid outlet accommodated on the body portion, the liquid outlet being connectable during use to a source of pressurised liquid and being arranged such that during use when pressurised liquid is supplied to the liquid outlet a liquid stream directed forwardly of the body portion is produced;     a light emitting device accommodated on the body portion and arranged such that during use when electrical power is supplied to the light emitting device, the light emitting device emits light in a direction which intersects with the liquid stream and at least a portion of the emitted light travels along the liquid stream in the same direction as the liquid stream.        

      In this way, by accommodating a light emitting device on the body portion, emitted light is accurately aligned with the liquid stream for a desirable enhanced appearance. Accommodating the light emitting device on the body portion also enables the light emitting device to be concealed in the ornamentation of the fountain, and has the effect of lowering the production costs relative to separate fountain and light devices. In addition, since the light emitting device is accommodated on the body portion and arranged so as to emit light during use which intersects with the liquid fountain and at least partially travels along the liquid stream in the same direction as the liquid stream, a light pipe effect is achieved with the liquid stream which significantly contributes to enhancement of the appearance of the fountain.  
      In one embodiment, the fountain further comprises a control unit arranged during use to not transfer electrical power to the light emitting device during daytime and to transfer electrical power to the light emitting device during nighttime. For this purpose, the fountain may further comprise a light sensitive device arranged to generate an electrical signal indicative of the light intensity incident on the light sensitive device, and a control unit arranged to control illumination of the light emitting device in response to the electrical signal. The light sensitive device may be a light dependent resistor, a photo transistor or a solar cell, and the control unit may be arranged to transfer electrical power to the light emitting device when an electrical current through the light dependent resistor, photo transistor or solar cell is below a predetermined threshold.  
      In one arrangement, the light sensitive device is accommodated on the body portion.  
      In one arrangement, the body portion is hollow and the control unit is disposed inside the body portion.  
      The fountain may further comprise a liquid pump in communication with the liquid outlet and arranged during use to supply pressurised liquid to the liquid outlet. The liquid pump may be disposed inside the body portion.  
      In one arrangement, the fountain further comprises a transformer arranged to supply electrical power to the light emitting device and the liquid pump. The transformer may include a primary winding, a first secondary winding in circuit with the light emitting device, and a second secondary winding in circuit with the liquid pump.  
      The liquid outlet may form part of a nozzle.  
      In one embodiment, the fountain further comprises a liquid duct connected at a first end to the liquid outlet and connectable at a second opposite end to a liquid pump.  
      In one arrangement, the fountain further comprises a plurality of light emitting devices, at least one of which is arranged such that during use when electrical power is supplied to the light emitting device, the light emitting device emits light in a direction which intersects with the liquid stream and at least a portion of the emitted light travels along the liquid stream in the same direction as the liquid stream.  
      The light emitting device may be a halogen lamp or at least one light emitting diode. The or each light emitting device may be arranged to emit coloured light.  
      In one arrangement, the body portion is configured so as to resemble a fish.  
      In one embodiment, the fountain further comprises at least one rechargeable battery and a solar power converting device arranged to convert solar power to electrical power and thereby generate a recharge current useable to recharge the at least one rechargeable battery during daytime. The solar power converting device may be at least one solar panel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
      The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of an ornamental fountain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic cross sectional view of the ornamental fountain shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic circuit diagram which illustrates an example circuit configuration for the ornamental fountain; and  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic circuit diagram which illustrates a further example circuit configuration for the ornamental fountain. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, there is shown an ornamental fountain  10  which in this example is configured so as to provide the appearance of a fish. However, it will be understood that any ornamental design may be used.  
      The ornamental fountain  10  includes a body portion  12 , in this example formed of corrosion resistant material such as plastics resin material. However, it will be understood that any suitable material is envisaged.  
      As shown more particularly in  FIG. 2 , the body portion  12  is hollow and defines a cavity portion  14 .  
      In this example, the body portion  12  includes a mouth portion  16  on which is accommodated a first aperture  18  which may be in the form of a nozzle. Also accommodated on the body portion is a light emitting device, in this example in the form of a halogen lamp  20  mounted in a second aperture  22 . However, it will be understood that other light emitting devices are envisaged, such as light emitting diodes.  
      The first aperture  18  is connected to a liquid duct  24  which extends from the first aperture  18 , through the cavity portion  14  and through a third aperture  26  formed in the body portion  12 . The arrangement is such that, during use, liquid under pressure is supplied to the liquid duct  24  and a liquid stream emanating from the first aperture  18  is produced. Typically, the liquid used is water, although it will be understood that other liquids are envisaged including mixtures of other liquids with water.  
      The lamp  20  is connected to an electrical cable  28  which extends from a rearward portion of the lamp  20 , through the cavity portion  14 , and through a fourth aperture  30  formed in the body portion  12 . The arrangement is such that, during use, when electrical power is supplied to the electrical cable  28 , the lamp  20  emits light.  
      The lamp  20  is mounted on the body portion  12  and arranged such that light emanating from the lamp  20  intersects with the liquid stream during use and at least a portion of the light travels along the liquid stream in the same direction as the liquid stream.  
      An example circuit  32  for use with the ornamental fountain  10  is shown in  FIG. 3 .  
      The circuit  32  includes a liquid pump  34  connectable to the liquid duct  24  such that during use when electrical power is supplied to the pump  34 , liquid under pressure is supplied to the first aperture  18  and a liquid stream is produced. It will be understood that the pump  34  used with the ornamental fountain  10  should provide sufficient pressure during use to cause the liquid stream to be directed forwardly of the body portion  12 .  
      The circuit  32  also includes a control unit  36  connectable to the electrical cable  28  and arranged so as to cause the lamp  20  to emit light when electrical power is supplied to the control unit  36 . In this example, the control unit  36  is also arranged so as to prevent transfer of electrical power to the lamp  20  in daytime and to transfer electrical power to the lamp  20  at nighttime. For this purpose, any timer or light sensing device may be used, and in this example a light sensor in the form of a light dependent resistor  38  is provided. The light dependent resistor  38  causes an electrical current above a predetermined threshold to flow when light above a predetermined intensity shines on the light dependent resistor  38 , and the control unit  36  is arranged to prevent transfer of power to the lamp  20  when the electrical current above the predetermined threshold is received. However, it will be understood that other light sensing arrangements are envisaged, such as photo transistors, solar panels, and so on.  
      In this example, a power supply which includes a transformer  40  provides electrical power for the control unit  36 , the lamp  20  and the pump  34 .  
      In this example, the transformer  40  includes a primary winding  42 , a first secondary winding  46  and a second secondary winding  48 . In the present arrangement, the transformer  40  is arranged such that each of the first and second secondary windings  46 ,  48  produces a voltage of approximately 12 volts, although it will be understood that other arrangements are envisaged.  
      In addition, or alternatively, the ornamental fountain  10  may be arranged to receive power from rechargeable batteries  50  as indicated in alternative circuit  52  shown in  FIG. 4 . As with the circuit  32  shown in  FIG. 3 , the control unit  36  is arranged to supply electrical power, in this case from the rechargeable batteries  50 , to the lamp  20  when light incident on the light sensitive device  38  falls below a predetermined threshold. In this example, the control unit  36  is also arranged to coordinate supply of a recharging electrical current from a solar power converting device, in this example solar panels  54 , to the rechargeable batteries  50  so that recharging of the batteries  50  may occur during daytime.  
      Although the present example is described in relation to a light sensor and control unit which are separate to the body portion  12 , it will be understood that the light sensor may be incorporated into the body portion and the control unit  36  disposed inside the cavity portion  14 . Similarly, although with the present example the pump  34  is separate to the body portion, it will be understood that the pump  34  may be disposed inside the cavity portion  14 .  
      It will be appreciated that although the present example includes one lamp  20  accommodated on the body portion, it will be understood that more than one lamp  20  may be provided. In addition, the or each lamp may be arranged so as to emit light of differing colours.  
      It will also be appreciated that since with the present example both the control unit  36 , lamp  20  and the pump  34  derive power from the same transformer  40 , operation of the pump  34  and the lamp  20  may be easily coordinated.  
      It will also be appreciated that since the ornamental fountain  10  may be used outdoors, the ornamental fountain  10  may be configured so as to be waterproof and substantially resistant to corrosion.  
      Throughout this specification the term “comprising” is used inclusively, in the sense that there may be other features and/or steps included in the invention not expressly defined or comprehended in the features or steps subsequently defined or described. What such other features and/or steps may include will be apparent from the specification read as a whole.  
      Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.