GARDEN DEVICE

Abstract

 A garden device, comprising a waterfall object, wherein said waterfall object comprises an enclosure, including a floor, an open top, a front wall, a rear wall and two lateral side walls, wherein the front wall is configured to function as a water overflow, wherein the water being supplied to the waterfall object can flow down over the overflow, wherein the waterfall object comprises a light source disposed upstream relative to 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, wherein the waterfall object comprises light source holding means for holding the light source configured such that the light source is accessible through the open top for installation and replacement from the front.

Description

[0001] 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 lateral side walls, wherein the front wall is configured as a water overflow, wherein the water being supplied to the waterfall object can flow down over the overflow, wherein 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. The invention also relates to a waterfall object used in the garden device.

[0002] 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 obj ects from which water flows down in a decorative manner, especially illuminated waterfall objects, such as described in EP-B-1 897 624.

[0003] 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.

[0004] 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 light source holding means for holding the light source configured such that the light source is accessible through the open top for installation and replacement from the front. As a result, the light source can be easily replaced if necessary, while the rest of the garden device can remain permanently connected to the ground.

[0005] In a preferred embodiment, the light source holding means comprise two U-shaped receiving members, each including a base and two substantially parallel legs extending perpendicularly from the base substantially towards the front, wherein the receiving members are arranged opposite each other, each arranged on a different one of opposite inner sides of the lateral side walls. Consequently, the light source can be inserted in the receiving members from the front through the open top of the waterfall object, wherein the receiving members support the light source at opposing ends thereof.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the light source holding means comprise locking means for locking the light source in the light source holding means. Preferably, the locking means comprise a lip arranged near an extremity of one of the legs of at least one receiving member, wherein the lip is configured to close off and release an opening opposite the base. Preferably, the lip is bendable. Then, the opening can be closed off or released through bending of the lip to or from the opening. The lip is preferably bendable against the light source, so that the lip functions as a holding bracket for clampingly fixing the light source in the light source holding means.

[0007] 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. Preferably, 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.

[0008] 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. 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.

[0009] 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.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the waterfall water supply system is arranged to be connectable to a 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.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the light source can be connected to the power supply system of a house. In other words, the light source is fed by the power supply system.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the garden device further comprises a wall, in which the waterfall object is integrated. In this way, the attractive effect is obtained that the wall outputs a smooth pressurized flow of water. Preferably, substantially only the flat wall portion extends outside the wall through an opening, such that the light source remains accessible through the open top for installation and replacement from the front. This is very advantageous since the waterfall object can remain integrated in the wall when installing or replacing a light source.

[0013] In a further preferred embodiment, the wall is made of a material selected from a group consisting of: stone, metal, plastic or wood. For instance, the wall comprises a wall of a garden or a wall of a swimming pool.

[0014] 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 stainless steel reservoir having a lowered front wall configured as an overflow, which reservoir includes a connection for connecting a water supply line, such as water hose, to the reservoir. Preferably, the waterfall object is provided with 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 housing through an opening. Preferably, said housing is made of a material selected from a group consisting of: stone, metal, plastic or wood.

[0015] 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.

[0016] Figure 1 schematically shows a preferred embodiment of the waterfall object 1, which can be connected to the water system of a house, comprising a stainless steel enclosure 16, which may be suspended from or mounted in a (garden) wall 14. The enclosure 16 comprises a floor 3, an open top 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. Orifices 8 and 9 are provided in the floor 3 and the rear wall 7 for connecting a water supply line 10 thereto. If the orifice 8 in the floor 3 is used as a water connection, the orifice 9 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.

[0017] Further, the waterfall object 1 comprises light source holding means in the form of two U-shaped receiving members 17, each including a base and two substantially parallel legs extending perpendicularly from the base substantially towards the lowered front wall 5. The receiving members 17 are shaped and arranged such that light source / LED strip 11 is accessible through the open top 6 for installation and replacement from the side of the overflow / lowered front wall 5. As a result, the light source / LED strip 11 can be easily replaced if necessary, while the rest of the garden device can remain permanently connected to the ground or suspended from or mounted in the wall 14.

[0018] The receiving members 17 comprise a bendable lip 18 for locking the LED strip 11 in the receiving members 17, said lip being arranged near an extremity of one of the legs of the receiving members 17. The lip 18 is configured to close off and release an opening opposite the base by bending of the lip to or from the opening. The lip 18 is preferably bendable against the LED strip 11, so that the lip 18 functions as a holding bracket for clampingly fixing the LED strip 11 in the receiving members 17.

[0019] 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.

[0020] As show in figure 2, the waterfall object 1 comprises a plurality of barrier wall sections 19, 20, 21, 22 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 22 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 19, 20, 21, 22 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.

[0021] 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. In the embodiment shown in figure 3, only the flat wall portion 12 extends outside the wall 14 through the opening 15, such that the LED strip 11 remains accessible through the open top 6 for installation and replacement from the side of the front wall 5. This is very advantageous since the waterfall object 1 can remain integrated in the wall 14 when installing or replacing the LED strip 11.

[0022] 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

1. 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, an open top, a front wall, a rear wall and two lateral side walls, wherein the front wall is configured to function as a water overflow, wherein the water being supplied to the waterfall object can flow down over the overflow, wherein the waterfall object comprises a light source disposed upstream relative to 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, characterised in that the waterfall object comprises light source holding means for holding the light source configured such that the light source is accessible through the open top for installation and replacement from the front.

2. A garden device according to claim 1, wherein the light source holding means comprise two U-shaped receiving members, each including a base and two substantially parallel legs extending perpendicularly from the base substantially towards the front, wherein the receiving members are arranged opposite each other, each arranged on a different one of opposite inner sides of the lateral side walls.

3. A garden device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light source holding means comprise locking means for locking the light source in the light source holding means.

4. A garden device according to claim 3, wherein the locking means comprise a lip arranged near an extremity of one of the legs of at least one receiving member, wherein the lip is configured to close off and release an opening opposite the base.

5. A garden device according to any one of the claims 1-4, wherein the floor and/or a lower section of the rear wall comprises an water inlet orifice for connecting the waterfall water supply system to the waterfall object.

6. A garden device according to claim 5, 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.

7. A garden device according to claim 6, wherein free ends of the barrier wall sections are alternately bent in an upstream or downstream direction.

8. A garden device according to any one of the claims 1-7, 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.

9. A garden device according to any one of the claims 1-8, wherein the light source comprises several LEDs, wherein said LEDs are arranged in a row located upstream relative to the overflow.

10. A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the waterfall water supply system is arranged to be connectable to a water supply system of a house.

11. A garden device according any one of the preceding claims, wherein the light source can be connected to the power supply system of a house.

12. A garden device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a wall, in which the waterfall object is integrated.

13. A garden device according to claim 12, wherein substantially only the flat wall portion extends outside the wall through an opening, such that the light source remains accessible through the open top for installation and replacement from the front.

14. A garden device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the wall is made of a material selected from a group consisting of: stone, metal, plastic or wood.

15. A waterfall object as defined in a garden device according to any one of the preceding claims 1-14.

Drawing