The present disclosure generally relates to light assemblies for a pool, in particular a pre-assembled light riser for a step ladder.
Swimming pools utilize a ladder or steps for a person to enter and exit the water within the pool. At certain times, such as at night, a person may want an electronic component, such as a light, near the pool so everyone can adequately see their surroundings. Some people may use a separate outside light (e.g., a flashlight or floodlight), others may light tiki torches, and yet others may purchase lights specifically designed to be installed in or near the pool. Lights designed to be assembled in or near the pool, such as on the pool ladder or steps, may be difficult or perhaps dangerous for a person to assemble and install.
A light fixture installed on a riser of step ladder for a pool is disclosed herein. The step ladder may include risers, steps, a railing, and a side panel. The riser with the light fixture may have been pre-installed into one or more of the risers on the step ladder, or the riser with the light fixture may be a separate component that replaces a removably attached riser on the step ladder. The riser may define a hole thereon, where the light fixture is positioned and secured into using a fastening mechanism. The light fixture of the riser may be electrically connected to a controller, and the controller may be connected to a power source. The controller is configured to control various aspects associated with the light fixture, including when the light fixture is turned on and off. In addition, a sensor, such as a photoelectric sensor, may be implemented, which is configured to detect the presence of sunlight. In this regard, when sunlight is detected the photoelectric sensor sends a signal to the controller to turn off the light fixture. Conversely, when sunlight is not detected then the photoelectric sensor sends a signal to the controller to turn the light fixture.
In addition, multiple components of the step ladder may include light fixtures or other electronic components. For example, a second riser may contain an additional light fixture to provide even more light. As a further example, the side panel, step or railing may include the light fixture. Furthermore, other electrical components may be installed on the various components of the light fixture, such as a radio or speakers, that are also electrically connected to the controller and power source.
As one embodiment, a riser for steps is disclosed herein, the riser including a planar surface defining a hole therein; and a light fixture positioned and secured within the hole, wherein the riser is removably attachable to the steps.
As another embodiment, a step ladder is disclosed herein, the step ladder including a step; a riser removably attached to the step, wherein at least one of the step or the riser includes a pre-assembled electronic component.
Various embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings, wherein:
The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the disclosure taken in connection with the accompanying figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed disclosure.
Also, as used in the specification and including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The step ladder described herein includes a light fixture installed within a riser of the step ladder. The step ladder may include steps, risers, railings, and a side panel. The light fixture of the riser may either come pre-assembled within the packaging of the original step ladder, or the riser with the light fixture may be purchased separately and then installed onto the step ladder. For example, the pre-assembled light riser includes grooves or other connecting mechanisms so that when removing a previous riser on the pool steps, the pre-assembled light riser can easily fit into the place of the previous riser. The connecting mechanisms may be male-female mate components, grooves that tit into a corresponding tongue, press-fit mechanisms, etc. A low voltage wire may connect to the pre-assembled light riser, which connects to a controller, and the controller in turn is connected to a power source to provide power/voltage to the controller and the pre-assembled light riser.
Pre-assembled light riser 130 may connect to side panel 106 similarly as the other risers 120 described above. Although
Pre-assembled light riser 130 includes a cut-out or opening thereon where light fixture 132 is positioned and secured. Light fixture 132 may be any light including an LED, filament, etc. Light fixture 132 may be sealed and waterproof so that it cannot be damaged by water or other harmful particles. For example, light fixture 132 may be partially or fully encapsulated by another layer, such as glass, plastic, etc., so that water or any liquid and debris cannot damage the electrical associated with light fixture 132. For example.
Memory 480 can be of any non-transitory type capable of storing information accessible by processor 478, such as a hard-drive, memory card, Read Only Memory (“ROM”), Random Access Memory (“RAM”), Digital Versatile Disc (“DVD”), Compact Disc Read Only Memory (“CD-ROM”), write-capable, and read-only memories.
Instructions 482 can be any set of instructions to be executed directly, such as machine code, or indirectly, such as scripts, by processor 478. In that regard, the terms “instructions,” “application,” “steps” and “programs” can be used interchangeably herein. Instructions 482 can be stored in object code format for direct processing by processor 478, or in any other computing device language including scripts or collections of independent source code modules that are interpreted on demand or compiled in advance. Functions, methods and routines of the instructions are explained in more detail below.
Data 484 can be retrieved, stored or modified by processor 478 in accordance with instructions 482. For instance, although the subject matter described herein is not limited by any particular data structure, data 484 can be stored in computer registers, in a relational database as a table having many different fields and records, or eXtensible Markup Language (“XML”) documents. Data 484 can also be formatted in any computing device-readable format such as, but not limited to, binary values, ASCII or Unicode. Moreover, data 484 can comprise any information sufficient to identify the relevant information, such as numbers, descriptive text, proprietary codes, pointers, references to data stored in other memories such as at other network locations, or information that is used by a function to calculate the relevant data.
Processor 478 can be any conventional processor, such as a commercially available Central Processing Unit (“CPU”), that is specially programmed to operate the elect controller 370 as described herein. Alternatively, processor 478 can be a dedicated component such as an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”) or other hardware-based processor.
Referring to
As an alternative embodiment, any type of electronic component may be implemented within riser 130, in addition to or as an alternative to light fixture 132. For example, a radio or speaker may be positioned within riser 130 or any of risers 120. In this regard and referring to
As a further example, any type of one or more electronic components 510 may be positioned within any component of step ladder 102, including risers 120, steps 110, side panels 106 and railings 150. Similar to pre-assembled light riser 130 discussed above, any electronic components 510 may be sealed to make such electronic components waterproof. The electronic component 510 may include a light fixture, radio, speaker, blue tooth or other wireless capabilities. For example, one of the components of step ladder 102 may include an access point (AP) that communicates with a router, thereby providing Wi-Fi internet access to people near the pool or step ladder 102. In this regard and as illustrated in
As a further example, a radio may be positioned within one or more of steps 110, a light fixture may be positioned in one or more of risers 120 and a speaker may be positioned in one or more of side panels 106. In this regard, any electronic component may be positioned in each of and any one of the components that make up step ladder 102. Even further, multiple different electronic components may be positioned in a single component of step ladder 102. For example, a single riser 120 may include a light fixture, speaker, and blue tooth capabilities. Alternatively, multiple risers, steps, railings, or side panels may include light fixtures, speakers, etc. It should be understood that any combination of electronic components may be implemented on step ladder 102, and the examples given herein are exemplary only.
In the scenario where multiple components of step ladder 102 include electronic components, each electronic component may include its own wire to connect to controller 370 or power source 450. Alternatively, a single component may connect to controller 370 and/or power source 450, and then that component may include one or more additional wires that connect to another component. For example, pre-assembled light riser 130 may connect to controller 370, and pre-assembled light riser 130 may include an additional wire to connect to railing 150, which thereby provides any power to electronic component 510 that is positioned within railing 150.
As discussed above with respect to pre-assembled light riser 130, any of the electronic components 510 positioned within any one of risers 120, steps 110, side panels 106 or railings 150, may be included with step ladder 102, or purchased separately which allows the user to replace one of the components of step ladder 102. For example, electronic component 510 may be already installed, in railing 150. Alternatively, if the user already has a railing that does not have any electronic component, the user may purchase a railing that includes a pro assembled electronic component 510, and thereby remove the railing without the electronic component with the railing that does have electronic component 510. In this regard and as discussed above with respect to the assembly of step ladder 102, any one of the components of step ladder 102 are removably attachable, such as via press-fit, friction fit, tab and notch, screw and bolt, etc. Therefore, the user may easily detach one of the components, such as railing 150, and then removably attach another railing that includes electronic component 510 to step ladder 102. It should be understood that any component can be replaced with an electronic component 510, such as side panels 106, railings 150 or steps 110. Thus, the astir is able to easily replace and assemble any electronic component into a component of step ladder 102.
Advantages or the step ladder in the present disclosure include the ability for users to have various electronic components when playing or hanging out by the pool. For example, step ladder 102 includes light fixture 132 to provide light at night, and in addition step ladder 102 can also be used to play music, relay Wi-Fi so users can access the internet when too far from his or her house, etc. In addition, the user can always add additional electronic capabilities to step ladder 102, since each component of step ladder 102 is removably attachable and thereby replaceable.
While the above description contains many specifies, these specifics should not be construed as limitations of the invention, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will envision many other embodiments within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/172,507, filed Jun. 8, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62172507 | Jun 2015 | US |