Deformable Split Seal for Pool Light Conduits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underwater light niches in pools and spas face challenges with water ingress into electrical conduits, leading to corrosion and difficulty in replacing lights due to the use of silicone sealants, which may not provide a reliable seal and can bond cords within the conduit.
Innovation Solution
A deformable cord seal with a split design that accommodates cords of different diameters, allowing for easy installation and removal, and uses supporting pieces to ensure a water-tight seal without the need for sealants, preventing water from entering the electrical conduit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silicone sealant is injected into the conduit to prevent water ingress, then water protection is improved, but cord replacement difficulty increases due to bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful bonding property from the sealing mechanism by replacing silicone sealant with a deformable elastomeric seal that provides water protection without adhesion. The seal prevents water ingress through deformation and compression rather than chemical bonding, allowing cords to be replaced without cutting or destroying the seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric seal is designed as a replaceable component that can be easily removed and replaced when cords need replacement. Unlike permanent silicone sealant bonding, the seal can be taken out and a new one installed, making the sealing system disposable/replaceable rather than permanent.
2Reliability
If a rigid seal is used to ensure water-tightness, then sealing reliability is improved, but adaptability to different cord dimensions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a deformable elastomeric seal that can dynamically change its shape and dimensions to accommodate different cord sizes. The seal deforms under compression from the seal cap to conform to the specific cord diameter, providing a reliable water-tight seal for various cord dimensions without requiring multiple seal types.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal's physical parameters (shape, volume, density) are changed through deformation when compressed by the seal cap. This parameter change allows the same seal to adapt to different cord dimensions while maintaining sealing effectiveness, eliminating the need for rigid fixed-dimension seals.
3Ease of operation
If a split design is implemented to facilitate installation, then ease of installation is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into two halves (split design) that can be easily separated and reconnected. This segmentation allows the seal to be opened, cords to be inserted, and the seal to be closed without complex tools or procedures. The split design simplifies installation while the elastomeric material maintains structural integrity when joined.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The deformable split seal effectively prevents water ingress into the electrical conduit, facilitating easier replacement of underwater lights and accommodating cords of varying dimensions, thus enhancing the reliability and maintenance of underwater lighting systems.
Implementation Method 1
The main seal also includes at least one split where the main seal is deformable to provide a water-tight seal
Data Source
AI summary
A cord seal for use in an underwater niche including a main seal and a seal cap. The main seal includes a one-piece member with passages that are accessible from one side of the main seal and an opposite side of the main seal. The main seal includes at least a first split. The seal cap is placed in physical contact with the opposite side of the main seal. The first split spans from the one side of the main seal to the opposite side and the first split begins at an edge of one of the passages and ends at an outer circumferential edge of the main seal.