Modular 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, install, 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 into the spa or pool without requiring special skills or tools, and featuring a lighting unit positioned either proximal or distal to the waterfall slot to maintain effective lighting and ease of repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the lighting feature is embedded within the waterfall device to shine into the water, then the water can be more completely or sufficiently lighted, but the device becomes difficult to manufacture, assemble, repair, and customize
Solution Approach 1:
The waterfall device is divided into separate modular components: the waterfall structure and the lighting unit. The lighting unit is a standalone component that can be independently manufactured, assembled, and replaced without affecting the waterfall structure. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling effective lighting while simplifying manufacturing and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting unit is positioned within or adjacent to the waterfall structure in a nested arrangement where the lighting component can be accessed through openings in the waterfall device. This allows the lighting unit to be integrated into the overall device appearance while maintaining independent accessibility for repair and customization.
2Reliability
If the lighting feature is permanently embedded within the wall-mounted device, then the installation is discreet and permanent, but replacement of malfunctioning lights becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting unit is designed as a separate replaceable module rather than being permanently embedded in the wall structure. This allows the lighting unit to be independently removed and replaced by users without requiring professional installation or disassembly of the entire waterfall device, resolving the contradiction between permanent appearance and ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting unit is designed to be user-replaceable without requiring special tools, skills, or professional service. Users can independently access, remove, and replace the lighting unit through simple operations, enabling self-service maintenance while maintaining the discreet permanent installation appearance.
3Illumination intensity
If solid wave guides are used to guide light from internal lighting features, then the water can be completely or sufficiently lighted, but the device becomes more expensive in time and capital
Solution Approach 1:
The complex solid wave guide structures are extracted and replaced with simpler lighting units that use direct illumination or basic optical elements. The lighting unit contains the necessary light-guiding functionality in a simplified form that is easier and less expensive to manufacture while still achieving sufficient water illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting unit is designed as a simpler, more economical component that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed. Rather than using expensive permanent wave guide structures, the invention employs cost-effective lighting solutions that achieve the required illumination while reducing manufacturing costs and complexity.
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 the manufacturing, installation, and maintenance processes, and allows for easy replacement of lighting components, reducing costs and complexity while maintaining a discreet and visually appealing installation.
Implementation Method 1
the lighting unit comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged in a linear array
Implementation Method 2
The chamber can have a transparent, semi-transparent, or translucent wall between the chamber and the waterfall slot/primary outlet so as to allow the lighting unit to light the waterfall without being in direct contact with the water
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 grooved spreading manifold/area/passage. The grooved spreading manifold/area/passage configured to spread the flowing water, and direct the water as a fluid wave guide towards the waterfall slot/primary outlet.