EP3363546A1

EP3363546A1 - Garden device

Info

Publication number: EP3363546A1
Application number: EP17156772.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hartmut Klaus
Original assignee: Ubbink Garden BV
Current assignee: Ubbink Garden BV
Priority date: 2017-02-17
Filing date: 2017-02-17
Publication date: 2018-08-22

Abstract

A garden device, comprising a waterfall object and a waterfall water supply, wherein said waterfall object comprises an enclosure, including a floor, a ceiling, a front wall, a rear wall and two opposite lateral side walls, wherein the front wall is configured to function as a water overflow near the ceiling such as to form a water outlet nozzle together with the ceiling, wherein the waterfall object comprises a light source arranged upstream relative to the water outlet nozzle, 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 a downward direction, wherein one of the side walls comprises an insertion opening near the ceiling and the rear wall for inserting the light source in its longitudinal direction into the enclosure.

Description

The invention relates to a garden device, comprising a waterfall object and a waterfall water supply system for supplying water to the waterfall object, wherein said waterfall object comprises an enclosure, including a floor, a ceiling, a front wall, a rear wall and two opposite lateral side walls, wherein the front wall is configured to function as a water overflow near the ceiling such as to form a water outlet nozzle together with the ceiling, wherein the waterfall object comprises a light source arranged upstream relative to the water outlet nozzle, 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 a downward direction. The invention also relates to a waterfall object used in the garden device.
Such a garden device is generally known, for instance from EP-B-1 897 624 . 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. There has been a growing interest in waterfall objects from which water flows down in a decorative manner, especially illuminated waterfall objects, such as described in EP-B-1 897 624 .
The object of the invention is to provide a garden device that meets the public's increasing interest in decorating a garden in by means of waterfall objects. Another object of the invention is to facilitate easy maintenance thereof.
In order to accomplish that object, a garden device of the kind referred to in the introduction is characterised in that one of the side walls comprises an insertion opening near the ceiling and the rear wall for inserting the light source in its longitudinal direction into the enclosure. In other words, the light source is accessible from the side at the rear of the enclosure, so that it can be installed and/or replaced in its longitudinal direction from the side. Such an opening enables easy access and at the same time minimizes the amount of enclosure material that needs to be cut out to provide said access, so that the structural integrity of the enclosure is neither compromised nor complicated. In particular, it provides for embedding a front part of the waterfall object in an enclosing and/or supporting structure, such as a housing or a wall, while maintaining access to the light source for repair and/or replacement thereof.
In a preferred embodiment, the enclosure comprises at the location of the insertion opening a recess in one of the ceiling and the rear wall so as to form a channel between the insertion opening and the respective wall of the enclosure, wherein the recess is configured to cooperate with a corresponding protruding portion of the light source such that the recess determines and fixes a light output direction of the light source upon installation of the light source in the waterfall object. An important aspect of the invention is that the water is to function as a light guide. Thereto, precise orientation of the light source in terms of light output direction is very important. As the light source is to be installed in its longitudinal direction and is only accessible via the insertion opening in the side wall, such precise orientation can be difficult to achieve. The recess facilitates precise orientation of the light source and therefore simplifies installation and replacement of the light source in the right way.
In a preferred embodiment, the garden device further comprises an engagement member comprising a receiving portion for receiving the light source near a distal end thereof and a engaging portion configured such that the engagement member is clampingly insertable into the insertion opening to engage the engagement member with the side wall material surrounding the insertion opening, thereby to engage the light source with the enclosure. The engagement member fixes the light source in place, so that it facilitates directing the light source correctly so as to illuminate the outflowing water from behind at such an angle that the light travels in the water downstream towards the water outlet nozzle as well as the reservoir below, such as a pool or a pond. It is noted that the engagement member can be permanently fixed to the enclosure or detachably connected to it. Preferably, the engagement member has a U-shape, wherein the receiving portion comprises a slot defined by the space between legs of the U-shape, wherein the slot is configured to be arranged opposite the recess so as to extend the channel into the insertion opening. Preferably, the engagement member is made of a resilient material.
In a preferred embodiment, the recess is configured to receive a power cord of the light source. In this way, the power cord functions as the protruding portion of the light source, so that correct orientation of the power cord results in the correct orientation of the light source output light.
In a preferred embodiment, the garden device further comprises an internal light-transparent tube having a cross-sectional shape and dimension corresponding to those of the insertion opening and extending substantially parallel to the rear wall and the ceiling from the insertion opening to the opposite side wall. Such a tube functions as a housing for the light source inside the enclosure, so that the light source itself is not in contact with the water and therefore does not need to be water-resistant. Preferably, the tube is made of a light-transparent material that minimally influences the properties of the light that travels therethrough.
In a preferred embodiment, the garden device comprises two insertion openings arranged opposite each other, each arranged in a different one of the two opposite lateral side walls, and two engagement members for engaging the light source with the enclosure at the location of the two insertion openings. A beneficial effect of two opposite insertion openings and two engagement members cooperating therewith is that the light source orientation can be correctly tuned and fixed at both distal ends thereof. This further guarantees a correct placement or replacement of the light source in the enclosure of the waterfall object.
In a preferred embodiment, the ceiling is made of a light-transparent material. In this way, the illuminated water flowing under the ceiling is visible through the ceiling, so that the top of the waterfall object is luminous. This gives an appealing lighting effect, which enhances the overall appearance of the waterfall object of the garden device.
In a preferred embodiment, the overflow comprises a flat portion, at the location of which the light can illuminate the water in a downstream direction, wherein the flat portion of the overflow is formed by a wall portion of the waterfall object, wherein said wall portion extends at least substantially in horizontal direction and forms part of the front wall of the waterfall object, wherein the dimension of the wall portion in the direction of a flow of water is larger than its dimension perpendicular to said flow, and wherein the flat portion is made of a light-transparent material. 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. As a result of the flat portion, 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. Due to the fact that the dimension of the wall portion in the direction of a flow of water is larger than its dimension perpendicular to said flow, a very stable flow in terms of current density is obtained at the overflow. As a result, a very stable current of water is output from the waterfall object, which contributes positively to the visual and auditory experience provided by the garden device. A beneficial effect of the flat portion being made of a light-transparent material is that the illuminated water flowing over the flat portion is visible through the flat portion, so that the bottom of the front part of the waterfall object is luminous. This gives an appealing lighting effect, especially in combination with a luminous light-transparent ceiling, which enhances the overall appearance of the waterfall object of the garden device.
In a preferred embodiment, the ceiling and/or the flat portion are made of acrylic material. A beneficial effect of acrylic glass is that it is a strong and lightweight material, so that the ceiling and/or the flat portion can be kept relatively thin, while being able to withstand high water pressures inside the enclosure. Moreover, acrylic glass has very good light transmission properties; it can transmit up to 92% of the visible light.
In a preferred embodiment, the floor and/or a lower section of the rear wall comprises a water inlet orifice for connecting the waterfall water supply system to the waterfall object, and the waterfall object comprises a plurality of barrier wall sections located above each other inside the enclosure and alternately extending substantially horizontally from the rear wall or front wall towards the front wall or rear wall, respectively, and spanning part of the distance between the front wall and the rear wall, each arranged to retard and/or smooth a flow of water from the water inlet orifice to the overflow. Consequently, water supplied under high pressure through the water inlet orifice will initially collect against the lowermost barrier wall section and rise until it overflows, at which time the water will then begin to collect against a next higher located barrier wall section. Eventually, water will spill over the top barrier wall section and, if there are no further barriers, flow out of the waterfall object over the overflow. In this way, a controlled flow of water is obtained at the overflow, so that the supplied water runs smoothly over the overflow. Preferably, free ends of the barrier wall sections are alternately bent in an upstream or downstream direction. As a result, the water flow direction is reversed more than 180 degrees when travelling from one barrier wall section to an above-lying one. In this way, the water flow near the overflow is smoothened even further.
In a preferred embodiment, the light source comprises several LEDs, wherein said LEDs are arranged in a row located upstream relative to the overflow. Preferably, the light source comprises LEDs in the form of an LED strip.
In a preferred embodiment, the garden device further comprises a structure, such as a wall or a housing, in which the waterfall object is integrated, wherein substantially only the flat wall portion extends through an opening in the structure from a front side of the structure, such that the insertion opening is accessible at a back side of the wall so as to enable access to the light source through the insertion opening for installation and replacement thereof from the side. Preferably, the structure comprises a wall or a housing. Preferably, said structure, e.g. a wall or a housing, is made of a material selected from a group consisting of: stone, metal, plastic or wood.
The invention further relates to a waterfall object as defined in one of the embodiments of the garden device according to the invention. Preferably, the waterfall object is in particular embodied as a light-transparent enclosure, preferably made of an acrylic material, having a lowered front wall configured as an overflow, which enclosure includes a connection for connecting a water supply line, such as water hose, to the enclosure. Preferably, the waterfall object is embedded in a structure, i.e. a housing, for instance a wall in a garden or of a pond or swimming pool. Preferably, a substantially horizontally extending overflow extends outside the structure through an opening therein. Preferably, said structure, e.g. a wall or a 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;
Figures 3 and 4 show installation steps for installation of the light source according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and
Figure 5 a schematic, perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 6 is a schematic, perspective view of the embodiment of figure 5 from different viewing angle.

Figure 1 schematically shows a preferred embodiment of the waterfall object 1, which can be connected to the water system of a house, comprising an acrylic enclosure 16, which may be suspended from or mounted in a (garden) wall 14. The enclosure 16 comprises a floor 3, a ceiling 6, lateral side walls 4, a front wall 5 and a rear wall 7, the front wall 5 of which is lowered so as to function as an overflow. Orifice 8 is provided in the floor 3 for connecting a water supply line 10 thereto. If the orifice 8 in the floor 3 is used as a water connection, optional other water inlet orifices (not shown), for instance provided in the rear wall 7, must be closed off and sealed, for example by means of a plug, and vice versa. Furthermore, a row of LEDs 11, for instance in the form of an LED strip, is provided behind a horizontally extending flat wall portion 12 of the lowered front wall 5. An electric current conductor 13 is for instance 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.
Further, the waterfall object 1 comprises two insertion openings 23 for inserting the light source 11 in its longitudinal direction into a light-transparent tube 27 in the enclosure 16. The two insertion openings 23 are arranged opposite each other near the ceiling 6 and the rear wall 7, each arranged in a different one of the two opposite lateral side walls 4. The light source or LED strip 11 is accessible from the side at the rear of the enclosure 16, so that it can be installed and/or replaced in its longitudinal direction from the side of the later side wall 4. Such an insertion opening 23 enables easy access and at the same time minimizes the amount of enclosure material that needs to be cut out to provide said access, so that the structural integrity of the enclosure 16 is neither compromised nor complicated. In particular, it provides for embedding a front part of the waterfall object 1 in an enclosing and/or supporting structure 14, such as a housing or a wall, while maintaining access to the light source 11 for repair and/or replacement thereof.
In addition, the waterfall object 1 comprises at the location of the insertion opening 23 a recess 24 in the rear wall 7 so as to form a channel 25 between the insertion opening 23 and the rear of the enclosure 16, wherein the recess 24 is configured to cooperate with a corresponding protruding portion, such as a power cord 26, of the light source 11 such that the recess determines and fixes a light output direction of the light source 11 source upon installation of the light source 16 in the waterfall object 1. The recess 24 facilitates precise orientation of the light source 11 and therefore simplifies installation and replacement of the light source 11 in the right way.
Engagement members 28, each comprising a receiving portion 29 for receiving the light source 11 near a distal end thereof and an engaging portion 30, configured such that the engagement members 28 are clampingly insertable into the insertion opening 23 to engage the engagement members 28 with the material of the side walls 4 surrounding the insertion opening 23, are provided to engage the light source 11 with the enclosure 16. The engagement members 28 fix the light source 11 in place, so that they facilitate directing the light source 11 correctly so as to illuminate the outflowing water from behind at such an angle that the light travels in the water downstream towards the water outlet nozzle 32 as well as the reservoir 33 below, such as a pool or a pond. The engagement members 28 shown in figures 3 and 4 have a U-shape, wherein the receiving portion 29 comprises a slot 31 defined by the space between legs of the U-shape, wherein the slot 31 is configured to be arranged opposite the recess 24 so as to extend the channel 25 into the insertion opening 23. Preferably, the engagement members 28 are made of a resilient material, preferably of a rubber material.
As is shown more clearly in figure 2, the water will flow down over the flat wall portion 12 after some time when the enclosure 1 is being filled with water. The water flowing on the flat wall portion 12 is illuminated in a downstream direction by the row of LEDs 11 located upstream relative to the overflow, so that the light emitted by the LEDs is coupled into the water flowing at that location, said water thereby functioning as a light guide, as if it forms of a bundle of glass fibres. The light that is guided downstream over the flat wall portion 12 by the water is thus projected at a location where the water falls enters a water receiving reservoir, such as a pond or a swimming pool. The combination of falling water and illumination contributes positively to the attractive appearance of the waterfall object 1. Moreover, the ceiling 6 and flat wall portion 12 are made of acrylic glass, so that illuminated water flowing under the ceiling 6 and over the flat wall portion 12 is visible through the ceiling 6 and the flat wall portion 12. In this way, so that the top as well as the bottom of a front part of the waterfall object 1 becomes luminous. This gives an appealing lighting effect, which enhances the overall appearance to the waterfall object 1 of the garden device.
As show in figure 2, the waterfall object 1 comprises a plurality of barrier wall sections 19, 20, 21 located above each other inside the enclosure 16 and alternately extending substantially horizontally from the rear wall 7 or front wall 5 towards the front wall 5 or rear wall 7, respectively, and spanning part of the distance between the front wall 5 and the rear wall 7, each arranged to retard and/or smooth the water flow inside the enclosure 16 from one of the water inlet orifices 8, 9 to the overflow. Consequently, water supplied under high pressure through one of the water inlet orifices 8, 9 will initially collect against the lowermost barrier wall section 19 and rise until it overflows, at which time the water will then begin to collect against a next higher located barrier wall section 20. Eventually, water will spill over the top barrier wall section 21, which is part of the flat wall portion 12, and, if there are no further barriers, flow out of the waterfall object over the overflow. In this way, a controlled flow of water is obtained at the overflow, so that the supplied water runs smoothly over the overflow. In other preferred embodiments, free ends of the barrier wall sections 19, 20, 21 are alternately bent in an upstream or downstream direction. As a result, the water flow direction is reversed more than 180 degrees when travelling from one barrier wall section to an above-lying one. In this way, the water flow near the overflow is smoothened even further.
In figures 5 and 6, a waterfall object is shown in which the waterfall object 1 as shown in the figures 1-4 is incorporated in a stone, metal or plastic wall 14, for instance of a pond or pool 33. An opening 15 is to that end provided in one side of the wall 14, through which opening the flat wall portion 12 and the ceiling portion 6 thereabove extends for guiding the water downwards. The waterfall object is provided with water supply means 10 and power supply means 26 at the backside of the wall. In the embodiment shown in figures 5 and 6, only the light-transparent flat wall portion 12 and the transparent ceiling portion 6 thereabove extend outside the wall 14 through the opening 15. The LED strip 11 remains accessible from the side at the rear of the wall 14 through the insertion openings 23 for installation and replacement from the side. This is very advantageous since the waterfall object 1 can remain integrated in the wall 14 when installing or replacing the LED strip 11.
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.

Claims

A garden device, comprising a waterfall object and a waterfall water supply system for supplying water to the waterfall object, wherein said waterfall object comprises an enclosure, including a floor, a ceiling, a front wall, a rear wall and two opposite lateral side walls, wherein the front wall is configured to function as a water overflow near the ceiling such as to form a water outlet nozzle together with the ceiling, wherein the waterfall object comprises a light source arranged upstream relative to the water outlet nozzle, 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 a downward direction, characterised in that one of the side walls comprises an insertion opening near the ceiling and the rear wall for inserting the light source in its longitudinal direction into the enclosure.
A garden device according to claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises at the location of the insertion opening a recess in one of the ceiling and the rear wall so as to form a channel between the insertion opening and the respective wall of the enclosure, wherein the recess is configured to cooperate with a corresponding protruding portion of the light source such that the recess determines and fixes a light output direction of the light source upon installation of the light source in the waterfall object.
A garden device according to claim 2, further comprising an engagement member comprising a receiving portion for receiving the light source near a distal end thereof and an engaging portion configured such that the engagement member is clampingly insertable into the insertion opening to engage the engagement member with the side wall material surrounding the insertion opening, thereby to engage the light source with the enclosure.
A garden device according to claim 3, wherein the engagement member has a U-shape, wherein the receiving portion comprises a slot defined by the space between legs of the U-shape, wherein the slot is configured to be arranged opposite the recess so as to extend the channel into the insertion opening.
A garden device according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the recess is configured to receive a power cord of the light source.
A garden device according to any one of the claims 1-5, further comprising an internal light-transparent tube having a cross-sectional shape and dimension corresponding to those of the insertion opening and extending substantially parallel to the rear wall and the ceiling from the insertion opening to the opposite side wall.
A garden device according to any one of the claims 1-6, comprising two insertion openings arranged opposite each other, each arranged in a different one of the two opposite lateral side walls, and two engagement members for engaging the light source with the enclosure at the location of the two insertion openings.
A garden device according to any one of the claims 1-7, wherein the ceiling is made of a light-transparent material.
A garden device according to any one of the claims 1-8, wherein the overflow comprises a flat portion, at the location of which the light can illuminate the water in a downstream direction, wherein the flat portion of the overflow is formed by a wall portion of the waterfall object, wherein said wall portion extends at least substantially in horizontal direction and forms part of the front wall of the waterfall object, wherein the dimension of the wall portion in the direction of a flow of water is larger than its dimension perpendicular to said flow, and wherein the flat portion is made of a light-transparent material.
A garden device according to claim 9, wherein the ceiling and/or the flat portion are made of acrylic material.
A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the floor and/or a lower section of the rear wall comprises a water inlet orifice for connecting the waterfall water supply system to the waterfall object, and wherein the waterfall object comprises a plurality of barrier wall sections located above each other inside the enclosure and alternately extending substantially horizontally from the rear wall or front wall towards the front wall or rear wall, respectively, and spanning part of the distance between the front wall and the rear wall, each arranged to retard and/or smooth a flow of water from the water inlet orifice to the overflow.
A garden device according to claim 11, wherein free ends of the barrier wall sections are alternately bent in an upstream or downstream direction.
A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the light source comprises several LEDs, wherein said LEDs are arranged in a row located upstream relative to the overflow.
A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a structure, in which the waterfall object is integrated, wherein substantially only the flat wall portion extends through an opening in the structure from a front side of the structure, such that the insertion opening is accessible at a back side of the wall so as to enable access to the light source through the insertion opening for installation and replacement thereof from the side.
A waterfall object as defined in a garden device according to any one of the claims 1-14.