Lighted Waterfall Device with Removable Lighting Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waterfall apparatuses for artificial bodies of water, such as spas and swimming pools, face challenges in providing adequate lighting to the water while being difficult to manufacture, assemble, and maintain, with embedded lighting making replacement and customization costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile, customizable lighted waterfall apparatus with a removable and replaceable lighting unit that can be easily accessed and replaced without disassembling the device, allowing for permanent integration with minimal disruption, and featuring a lighting unit positioned either proximal or distal to the waterfall slot to ensure effective water illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If lighting features are embedded within the waterfall device to illuminate the water, then the water can be more completely lighted, but the device becomes difficult to manufacture, assemble, and repair
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional modules: the waterfall structure and the lighting unit are independent components that can be manufactured separately and assembled together. The lighting unit can be removed and replaced without affecting the waterfall structure, simplifying manufacturing and maintenance while maintaining effective water illumination.
2Stability of the object's composition
If lighting features are permanently embedded within the device, then the structure is more integrated, but replacement and customization of lights becomes costly and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting unit is designed with dynamic characteristics - it can be easily inserted, removed, and replaced. This modular design allows the lighting components to be changed without permanent installation, enabling simple maintenance and customization while maintaining a stable integrated appearance during normal operation.
3Illumination intensity
If solid wave guides are used to guide light from internal lighting features, then the water can be completely lighted, but the device becomes more expensive and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The complex solid wave guide structure is extracted and replaced with a simpler lighting unit design. The lighting unit uses direct illumination methods without requiring intricate wave guide structures, significantly simplifying manufacturing while maintaining effective water lighting through alternative optical paths.
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 solution provides aesthetically pleasing and efficient lighting to the water, simplifies maintenance and customization, reduces manufacturing and installation costs, and allows for easy replacement of lighting components, enhancing user experience and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the lighting unit can be mounted proximal to where water emanates, namely mounted at the front facing side of the waterfall apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A low profile, lighted waterfall apparatus for producing a sufficiently lit artificial waterfall having a light source chamber, distal to a waterfall slot/primary outlet and substantially aligned on the same plane therewith, and a port for accessing the light source, such that the light source can be easily accessed, inserted, removed, and/or replaced. The light source chamber having a transparent, semi-transparent, or translucent divider to shine light towards and across the waterfall slot/primary opening via a spreading manifold/area/passage that is configured to spread the flowing water, and direct the water as a fluid wave guide towards the waterfall slot/primary outlet.