EP1897624A1

EP1897624A1 - Garden device

Info

Publication number: EP1897624A1
Application number: EP07111735A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hartmut Klaus
Original assignee: Ubbink Garden BV
Current assignee: Ubbink Garden BV
Priority date: 2006-09-05
Filing date: 2007-07-04
Publication date: 2008-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-04
Also published as: EP1897624B1; NL2000212C2; DK1897624T3

Abstract

A garden device comprising a waterfall object (1) to be installed in a garden, as well as a water system for supplying water to the waterfall object, wherein said waterfall object (1) includes an overflow, and wherein the water being supplied to the waterfall object can flow down over the overflow, characterised in that the waterfall object (1) comprises a light source (11) disposed behind the overflow, wherein the light emitted by the light source (11) can illuminate the water from behind at the location of the overflow, in such a manner that the water functions as a light guide for guiding the light in downward direction.

Description

The invention relates to a garden device comprising a waterfall object to be installed in a garden, as well as a water system for supplying water to the waterfall object, wherein said waterfall object includes an overflow, and wherein the water being supplied to the waterfall object can flow down over the overflow. The invention also relates to a water object used in the garden device.
Such a garden device is generally known. Especially garden centres are experiencing an increasing public interest in all kinds of garden ornaments and related articles. Said public interest emanates in particular from a growing desire to arrange the surroundings of the house, in particular the garden, in an attractive manner with ornaments, such as fountains, waterfalls and the like. Especially the last few years there has been a growing interest in waterfall objects from which water flows down in a decorative manner.
The object of the invention is to provide a garden device that meets the public's increasing interest in arranging a garden in a decorative manner by means of waterfall objects.
In order to accomplish that object, a garden device of the kind referred to in the introduction is characterised in that the waterfall object comprises a light source disposed behind the overflow, wherein the light emitted by the light source can illuminate the water from behind at the location of the overflow, in such a manner that the water functions as a light guide for guiding the light in downward direction. In other words, the water present at the location of the overflow behaves as a light guide, as if the water forms a collection of glass fibres that keep light emitted from behind "captured" within itself and thus project it in downward direction. In this way a playful and elegant effect of falling water and light is created.
In a preferred embodiment of a garden device according to the invention, the overflow comprises a flat portion, at the location of which the light can illuminate the water from behind. As a result, the light emitted from behind by the light source can be efficiently coupled into the water flowing on said flat portion, which water functions as a light guide.
In another preferred embodiment of a garden device according to the invention, the flat portion of the overflow is formed by a wall portion of the waterfall object. Said wall portion preferably extends in horizontal direction, so that the light being emitted upstream thereof is efficiently coupled in horizontal direction into the water flowing on said flat portion. The wall portion in particular forms part of a lowered outer wall of the waterfall object. Said lowered outer wall forms the overflow, as it were.
In another preferred embodiment of a garden device according to the invention, the light source comprises several LEDs. Preferably, said LEDs are arranged in a row behind the overflow, with the row of LEDs extending along the entire length of the overflow.
In another preferred embodiment of a garden device according to the invention, the water system can be connected to the water supply system of a house. The water system in particular comprises a water pump, which is connected to the waterfall object via a (preferably flexible) water supply line.
In another preferred embodiment of a garden device according to the invention, the light source can be connected to the power system of a house. In other words, the light source is fed from the power system.
As already said before, the invention also relates to a waterfall object as defined in the present garden device. The waterfall object is in particular embodied as a stainless steel reservoir having a lowered outer wall configured as an overflow, which reservoir includes a connection for connecting a water supply line (for example a water hose) to the reservoir.
The invention further relates to a waterfall object as defined in the present garden device, wherein the device is provided with a housing. Preferably, substantially only the flat wall portion extends outside the housing through an opening. Preferably, said housing is made of a material selected from a group consisting of: stone, metal, plastic or wood.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of figure 1 along the line II therein;
Figure 3 is a schematic, perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 schematically shows a waterfall object, which is connected to the water system of a house, in the form of a stainless steel reservoir 1, which may be suspended in a garden at the location of the suspension points 2. The reservoir 1 comprises a bottom 3 and four outer walls or side walls 4,5,6,7, one side wall 5 of which is lowered so as to function as an overflow. Holes 8,9 are provided in the bottom 3 and the side wall 7 for connecting a water supply line 10 thereto. If the hole 8 in the bottom 3 is used as a water connection, the whole 9 in the side wall 7 must be sealed, for example by means of a plug, and vice versa. Furthermore, a row of LEDs 11 are provided behind a horizontally extending flat wall portion 12 of the lowered side wall 5. An electric current conductor 13 is connected to the power system of the house via a transformer near its one end and to the row of LEDs 11 near its other end.
As is shown more clearly in figure 2, the water will flow down over the flat wall portion 12 after some time when the reservoir 1 is being filled with water. The water flowing on the flat wall portion 12 is illuminated from behind by the row of LEDs 11, however, so that the emitted light is coupled into the water flowing at that location, as if said water were a light guide in the form of glass fibres. The light that is guided downwards over the flat wall portion 12 by the water is thus projected at a location where also the water falls on the ground. The combination of falling water and illumination increases the attractiveness of the whole.
In figure 3 a waterfall object is shown in which the reservoir 1 as shown in figure 1 is incorporated in a stone, metal or plastic wall 14. An opening 15 is to that end provided in one side of the wall 14, through which opening the flat wall portion 12 extends for guiding the water downwards. The waterfall object is provided with water and power supply means (not shown), preferably at a location that is hidden from view.
It is noted that the invention is not limited to the embodiment as shown herein, but that it also extends to other variants that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Thus it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the length of the reservoir 1 and the number of LEDs 11 that are used may vary.

Claims

A garden device comprising a waterfall object (1) to be installed in a garden, as well as a water system for supplying water to the waterfall object (1), wherein said waterfall object (1) includes an overflow, and wherein the water being supplied to the waterfall object (1) can flow down over the overflow, characterised in that the waterfall object (1) comprises a light source disposed behind the overflow, wherein the light emitted by the light source can illuminate the water from behind at the location of the overflow, in such a manner that the water functions as a light guide for guiding the light in downward direction.
A garden device according to claim 1, wherein the overflow comprises a flat portion (portion), at the location of which the light can illuminate the water from behind.
A garden device according to claim 2, wherein the flat portion (12) of the overflow is formed by a wall portion of the waterfall object (1).
A garden device according to claim 3, wherein said wall portion extends at least substantially in horizontal direction.
A garden device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said wall portion forms part of a lowered outer wall (5) of the waterfall object (1).
A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims 1-5, wherein the light source comprises several LEDs (11).
A garden device according to claim 6, wherein said LEDs (11) are arranged in a row behind the overflow.
A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims 1-7, wherein the water system can be connected to the water supply system of a house.
A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims 1-8, wherein the light source can be connected to the power system of a house.
A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims 1-9, wherein the device comprises a wall (14), in which the waterfall object (1) is integrated.
A garden device according to claim 10, wherein substantially only the flat wall portion (12) extends outside the wall (14) through an opening (15).
A garden device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said wall (14) is made of a material selected from a group consisting of: stone, metal, plastic or wood.
A waterfall object (1) as defined in a garden device according to any one of the preceding claims 1-12.