A lighting apparatus installable in water

Abstract

A lighting apparatus installable in water, comprising: i) a strip (2) of LEDs; ii) a support (3) with a main linear extension that defines a seat (31) in which the strip (2) of LEDs is placed; the seat (31) in turn defining a slot (32) that allows the strip (2) of LEDs to light the seat (31) externally; The support (3) is flexible, comprises a housing (4) and a linear insert (5) that extends along the main linear extension of the support (3). The support (3) assumes: - a first configuration in which the insert (5) is inserted into said housing (4); and - a second configuration in which the insert (5) is extracted at least partly from the housing (4) to facilitate the temporary deformation of the support (3) and to allow the insertion and / or the extraction of the strip (2) of LEDs with respect to said seat (31) through said slot (32).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus installable in water, typically in swimming pools and fountains.

[0002] Lighting apparatuses comprising LED light points are known. They are positioned in specific areas in order to provide lighting and / or create chromatic effects.

[0003] In other known solutions, strips of LEDs positioned on the free surface of the water could be present.

[0004] This allows the lighting to be optimised and light patterns to be created.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus, an installation comprising such lighting apparatus and a method for the maintenance of such installation that facilitate maintenance, particularly replacement of the strip of LEDs.

[0006] The stated technical task and specified objects are substantially achieved by a lighting apparatus, an installation comprising such supply apparatus and a method for the maintenance of such installation comprising the technical features disclosed in one or more of the appended claims. Additional features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the indicative and thus non-limiting description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a lighting apparatus, an installation comprising such supply apparatus and a method for the maintenance of such installation as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically shows an example of an installation comprising a lighting device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a lighting device according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows a cross-section of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows what is illustrated in Figure 3 with several parts removed to better highlight others.

[0007] In the appended drawings, reference number 1 denotes a lighting apparatus installable in water.

[0008] This lighting apparatus 1 comprises a strip 2 of LEDs (or, more generally, LED lighting means; what is described in reference to the strip can be repeated for the LED lighting means). Typically, said strip 2 of LEDs comprises a base with electric tracks and a plurality of LEDs that follow one another (typically equally spaced apart).

[0009] The lighting apparatus 1 comprises a support 3 with a main linear extension that defines a seat 31 in which the strip 2 of LEDs is placed. The seat 31 can also contain a protective resin 8 for protecting the strip 2 of LEDs. For example, the strip 2 of LEDs is embedded in said protective resin 8 (for example, a polyurethane resin). The seat 31 in turn defines a slot 32 that allows the strip 2 of LEDs to light the seat 31 externally. Typically, the support 3 is opaque. The slot 32 therefore allows the light of the LEDs to exit from the seat 31.

[0010] The support 3 is flexible. Opportunely, the support 3 can be bent at 360° along the main extension direction (therefore around an axis orthogonal to the main extension direction). The support 3 comprises a housing 4. The support 3 comprises a linear insert 5 that extends along the main linear extension of the support 3. Said insert 5 can be made of the same material as the remaining parts of the support 3. In particular, it can be made of PVC. Opportunely, the insert 5 is an extruded profile.

[0011] The support 3 assumes: a first configuration in which the insert 5 is inserted into said housing 4; and a second configuration in which the insert 5 is extracted at least partly from the housing 4 (or completely along at least one section of the main linear extension of the support 3; preferably, it is completely extracted for the entire length of the main linear extension of the support 3). This facilitates the temporary deformation of the support 3 (in particular of the zone located at the slot 32); it therefore allows the insertion and / or extraction of the strip 2 of LEDs with respect to said seat 31 through said slot 32 (extraction of the strip 2 could possibly also require extraction of the sheath 6, as better explained below). If the insert 5 is extracted from the housing 4, an empty compartment that increases deformability is created. In particular, this allows the passage section of the slot 32 to be enlarged (as a consequence of the fact that the housing 4 is compressed and reduced in volume). The insert 5 could also be defined as a "nail", since it is intended to penetrate into a housing ad hoc.

[0012] Opportunely, the support 3 extends mainly along a line that lies on a same substantially horizontal fictitious plane.

[0013] The support 3 is advantageously straight along the main linear extension. In other solutions, it could have a linear extension based on different geometries, for example sinusoidal, based on a broken line (succession of straight sections) or other forms.

[0014] Opportunely, the apparatus 1 comprises a sheath 6 (or, more generally, support means) to which said strip 2 of LEDs is applied. The sheath 6 is placed in the seat 31. The strip 2 of LEDs is constrained to the sheath 6, for example through gluing. The sheath 6 is, for example, shaped like a conduit (for example, with a C-shaped cross section). The strip 2 of LEDs is housed in the conduit of the sheath 6. Opportunely, the support 3 embraces the conduit. In particular, the opposite free ends 61, 62 of the C are retained by two corresponding flaps 34, 35 of the support 3. Said flaps 34, 35 are therefore retaining flaps. In this regard, the flaps 34, 35 surmount the free ends of the C-shaped section. As already mentioned above, in the second configuration the temporary deformation of the support 3 is facilitated; this can allow the insertion and the extraction of the sheath 6 with respect to said seat 31.

[0015] The slot 32 extends continuously for the entire main linear extension of the support 3. The slot 32 opportunely extends according to the progress of the main linear extension of the support 3. In particular, if the support 3 extends straight, the slot extends straight.

[0016] Opportunely, the support 3 is made of one or more deformable materials.

[0017] Preferably, the support 3 is made of a single material. Opportunely, the support 3 is a single monolithic body (with the exception of the insert 5, which can be removed). Opportunely, the support 3 is made of / comprises PVC. Opportunely, the support 3 is an extruded profile.

[0018] The insert 5 is constrained to said housing 4 in the first configuration and can be removed through elastic deformation of the insert 5 and / or the support 3, assuming the second configuration.

[0019] Opportunely, one of the insert 5 and the housing 4 comprises projections 51 and the other concavities 41 for housing the projections. Said projections 51 define anchoring elements that prevent the transition from the first to the second configuration. Even only one projection and a corresponding concavity could possibly be present.

[0020] The support 3 comprises a front portion 33 from which both said slot 32 and said insert 5 are accessible in the first configuration.

[0021] Opportunely, the front portion 33 is convex. In particular, the slot 32 is located at the top of the convexity.

[0022] The support 3 also comprises a rear portion 36. Such rear portion 36 is flat or slightly concave. The rear portion 36 is intended to face a surface on which the support 3 is resting or constrained. The rear portion 36 may also be defined as a rear wall 36.

[0023] The support 3 comprises a first and a second edge 37, 38 opposite to one another. In particular, the first and the second edge 37, 38 are mutually parallel. They define a junction zone between the front portion 33 and the rear portion 36. A first part 331 of the front portion 33 extends between the first edge 37 and the slot 32. A second part 332 of the front portion 33 extends between the second edge 38 and the slot 32. Opportunely, but not necessarily, the housing 4 is located in the second part 332. Opportunely, but not necessarily, the second part 332 is located above the first part 331 (this occurs in a solution in which the support 3 of Figure 3 is rotated by 90° with respect to what is illustrated). In particular, the second part 332 faces upwards. The first part 331 faces downwards. The second part 332, starting from the second edge 38 and approaching the slot 32, moves away from the rear portion 36. Similarly, the first part 331, starting from the first edge 37 and approaching the slot 32, moves away from the rear portion 36.

[0024] The first and / or the second part 331, 332 are curved.

[0025] Opportunely, the first and the second part 331, 332 defining two opposite slopes of the convexity defined by the support 3. This facilitates cleaning by means of an automatic washing robot that moves on the bottom and / or between the top and the bottom along the side walls of a water tank. The robot can therefore more easily get around the obstacle formed by the support 3.

[0026] The support 3 comprises one or more additional deformable chambers 7 with respect to said housing 4 and to said seat 31 and which are inaccessible from said front portion 33. These chambers 7 facilitate deformation of the support 3. Furthermore, they reduce the weight and cost thereof. In this regard, the chambers 7 are internally empty. Opportunely, the seat 31 is interposed between two chambers 7 (see Figure 2).

[0027] A further object of the present invention is an installation 10, for example a swimming pool or a fountain.

[0028] The installation 10 comprises a water tank 11. The installation 10 also comprises a lighting apparatus 1 having one or more of the distinctive features indicated previously.

[0029] The support 3 of said lighting apparatus 1 extends linearly along a surface of the installation 10, in particular along a surface of the water tank 11. In particular, the surface to which the support 3 is constrained forms part of a wall that extends between the top and the bottom (advantageously, it is a vertical wall) or a bottom wall (for example, horizontal or substantially horizontal). The strip 2 of LEDs of said support 3 is intended to be immersed in water. The support 3 is also immersed in water.

[0030] The water tank 11 comprises a coating 110 in PVC. The support 3 forming part of the lighting apparatus 1 is constrained (in particular, welded or glued) to the coating 110 in PVC. Opportunely, said welding or gluing extends for the entire length of the support 3 (or at least for 50% of the length thereof).

[0031] A further object of the present invention is a method for the maintenance of an installation 10. Such installation 10 has one or more of the features described above.

[0032] The method comprises the steps of: removing the insert 5 from the housing 4; reversibly enlarging said slot 32 by compressing said housing 4 from which the insert 5 has been removed; extracting said strip 2 of LEDs from said slot 32 (this could possibly require removal of the sheath 6 to which the strip 2 of LEDs is constrained); inserting a replacement strip 2 of LEDs into said seat 31 (the replacement strip 2 of LEDs is possibly re-inserted constrained to the sheath 6; this sheath 6 can be a new sheath or the one present before the replacement); repositioning said insert 5 in the housing 4.

[0033] The present invention achieves important advantages.

[0034] In the first place, it allows maintenance to be facilitated, making it easy and quick. Furthermore, it makes the application particularly useful for applications in which a water tank with coating in PVC is present, for reasons of installation.

[0035] The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept that characterises it. Furthermore, all the details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements. All the materials used, as well the dimensions, may in practice be any whatsoever, according to needs.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus installable in water, comprising: i) a strip (2) of LEDs; ii) a support (3) with a main linear extension that defines a seat (31) in which the strip (2) of LEDs is placed; the seat (31) in turn defining a slot (32) that allows the strip (2) of LEDs to light the seat (31) externally; characterised in that said support (3) is flexible, comprises a housing (4) and a linear insert (5) that extends along the main linear extension of the support (3); said support (3) assuming: - a first configuration in which the insert (5) is inserted into said housing (4); and - a second configuration in which the insert (5) is extracted at least partly from the housing (4) to facilitate the temporary deformation of the support (3) and to allow the insertion and / or the extraction of the strip (2) of LEDs with respect to said seat (31) through said slot (32).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a sheath (6) to which said strip (2) of LEDs is applied, said sheath (6) being placed in said seat (31); in said second configuration of the insert (5), the temporary deformation of the support (3) being facilitated to allow the insertion and extraction of the sheath (6) with respect to said seat (31).

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it comprises a protective resin (8) for protecting the strip (2) of LEDs; said protective resin (8) being placed in the seat (31).

4. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said slot (32) extends continuously for the entire main linear extension of the support (3).

5. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insert (5) is constrained to said housing (4) in the first configuration and can be removed through elastic deformation of the insert (5) and / or of the housing (4), the support (3) assuming the second configuration.

6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said support (3) comprises a front portion (33) from which both said slot (32) and said insert (5) are accessible in the first configuration; said support (3) comprising one or more additional deformable chambers (7) with respect to said housing (4) and to said seat (31) and inaccessible from said front portion (33).

7. An installation (10) comprising: - a water tank (11); - a lighting apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6; the support (3) of said lighting apparatus (1) extending linearly along a surface of said installation (10); the strip (2) of LEDs of said support (3) being intended to be immersed in water.

8. The installation according to claim 7, characterised in that the water tank (11) comprises a coating (110) in PVC; said support (3) forming part of the lighting apparatus (1) being welded or glued to said coating (110) in PVC.

9. The installation according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that it is a swimming pool or a fountain.

10. A method for the maintenance of an installation according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - removing said insert (5) from the housing (4); - reversibly enlarging said slot (32) by compressing said housing (4) from which the insert (5) has been removed; - extracting said strip (2) of LEDs from said slot (32); - inserting a replacement strip (2) of LEDs into said seat (31); - repositioning said insert (5) in the housing (4).

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