This invention relates to water features and more particularly, but not exclusively, to water fountains, or “bubblers,” principally (although not necessarily exclusively) for swimming pools or spas.
Conventional bubblers function as illuminated or non-illuminated fountains within pools or spas. Mounted flush with a surface of a pool or spa, a typical bubbler includes a central exit opening circumferentially surrounded by a lens. Included as part of the lens is an electrically-powered source of illumination. The bubbler may be plumbed into the water-recirculation system of the pool or spa downstream of a pump so as to receive pressurized water. The pressurized water is forced through the central exit opening of the bubbler to produce a plume, with the water of the plume being illuminated by the illumination source.
Because bubblers typically are mounted flush with various pool or spa surfaces, and the exit openings of the bubblers are fixed flush with lenses that are also mounted flush with the pool or spa surfaces, the exit openings of the bubblers are remote from the water surfaces of the associated pools or spas. Consequently, a plume exiting such a bubbler must travel a material distance through the main body of water of the pool or spa before penetrating the water surface to provide a fountain effect. This process can cause the plume to rotate, be erratic, or otherwise be undesirably affected aesthetically or physically.
The term embodiment and like terms are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this disclosure. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features, nor is it intended to be used in isolation.
Disclosed herein is a bubbler assembly with an exit opening that can be selectively positioned closer to the water surface than is conventionally possible. By transferring the exit opening to a location adjacent the water surface, the plume of water need travel only a small distance through the main body of water before penetrating the water surface. Accordingly, the main body of water has little or no adverse impact on the characteristics of the plume exiting the bubbler assembly.
The specification makes reference to the following appended figures, in which use of like reference numerals in different figures is intended to illustrate like or analogous components.
Telescoping pipe 12 telescopes relative to lens 24, which is mounted on the pool or spa surface and may include an electrically-powered source of illumination. As illustrated in
Prior to use, as shown in
As illustrated in
When the fountain effect of the plume 30 is no longer needed, either the corresponding pump may be disabled or the pressurized water from the pump may be diverted away from the bubbler. In either instance, no pressure will exist to sustain the outward movement of the telescoping pipe 12 relative to the surface of the pool or spa. Gravity causes the telescoping pipe 12 to move downward and retract to its initial position, where the first end 14 of the telescoping pipe 12 is generally flush with the lens 24. In some cases, the second end 16 of the telescoping pipe 12 includes a weight 22 that biases the first end 14 of the telescoping pipe 12 to retract to its initial position in the absence of the pressurized water. The weight 22 can be configured so it does not counteract the forces of the pressurized water that cause the telescoping pipe 12 to move into its extended position, while still biasing the telescoping pipe 12 into its initial position when not subjected to the pressurized water.
The weight 22 also can be shaped and dimensioned to serve as a stop. Specifically, the diameter of the weight 22 can be slightly larger than the diameter of the inner ring 26 of the lens 24, thus preventing the second end 16 of the telescoping pipe 12 from extending beyond the lens 24 and disengaging from the lens 24 as the telescoping pipe 12 moves into its extended position. With reference to
In some aspects, the first end 14 of the telescoping pipe 12 includes a lip 20. Lip 20 is configured to interface with the inner ring 26 of the lens 24 and serve as a stop. The diameter of lip 20 is slightly larger than the diameter of the inner ring 26. In this way, lip 20 prevents the first end 14 of the telescoping pipe 12 from retracting beyond the lens 24 and disengaging from the lens 24 as the telescoping pipe 12 moves into its initial position. As noted above, lip 20 may be configured and dimensioned so the exit opening 18 of the telescoping pipe 12 is flush or substantially flush with the surface of the pool or spa when the telescoping pipe 12 is in the initial position as shown in
Telescoping pipe 12 can be made of any suitable material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or other plastic. In some cases, the telescoping pipe 12 is made of a flexible material, such as but not limited to flexible PVC, which helps prevent damage to the telescoping pipe 12 and/or a person or object that encounters the telescoping pipe 12 when it extends beyond the surface of the lens 24 (e.g., when the telescoping pipe 12 is in the extended position or an intermediate position between the extended position and the initial position).
In some cases, the bubbler assembly 10 does not include a lens and may instead telescope within an aperture of the pool or spa surface. In examples where the bubbler assembly 10 does not include a lens, the aperture may include a positive or negative surface feature (such as a circular stop feature) that interfaces with the lip 20 and/or the weight 22 to prevent the telescoping pipe 12 from extending beyond its extended position or retracting beyond its initial position.
The foregoing, together with the accompanying photographs, is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. 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.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/171,734 filed Jun. 5, 2015 and titled “Water Feature Principally For Swimming Pools or Spas,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2016/035890 | 6/3/2016 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62171734 | Jun 2015 | US |