Through-Hull Light

Abstract

A through-hull light for a marine vessel is provided. The light includes a body for mounting on the outer surface of a hull, having an outer side facing water and an inner side for mounting against the hull; a chamber formed within the body having a transparent screen mounted at an outer side; a shaft for extending from the inner side through an aperture in the hull; LEDs mounted within the chamber in parallel rows and arranged to be horizontal when the light is mounted through the hull, with each LED mounted to direct light out of the chamber in a first direction perpendicular to the inner side; a reflecting structure within the chamber having a plurality of reflectors positioned above or below a row of LEDS and parallel therewith, with each reflector formed to reflect light away at a fixed angle vertically from the first direction.

Claims

1. A through-hull light for a marine vessel, the light comprising: a body for mounting on the outer surface of a hull, having an outer side for facing water and a flat inner side for mounting against the hull; a chamber formed within the body having a transparent screen mounted at an outer side; a shaft extending from the inner side of the body for extending through an aperture formed in the hull; a plurality of LEDs mounted within the chamber in two or more rows that are parallel with one another and arranged to be horizontal when the light is mounted through the hull of a marine vessel; each LED mounted to direct light straight out of the chamber in a first direction perpendicular to the flat inner side of the body; a reflecting structure mounted within the chamber, the reflecting structure comprising a plurality of reflectors, each reflector positioned immediately above or immediately below a row of LEDS and parallel therewith; wherein: each reflector is formed to reflect light from the lights away from the first direction to a second direction that is a first fixed angle vertically from the first direction when the light is mounted through the hull of a marine vessel.

2. A through-hull light according to claim 1, wherein the first fixed angle is between 10° and 30°.

3. A through-hull light according to claim 2, wherein: a light redirecting film is positioned in front of the plurality of LEDs adjacent the transparent screen; wherein the light redirecting film is formed and oriented to divert light away from the second direction to a third direction that is a second fixed angle vertically upwards from the second direction when the light is mounted through the hull of a marine vessel; and the second fixed angle is between 1° and 20°.

4. A through-hull light according to claim 3, wherein the light redirecting film is positioned between the LEDs and the transparent screen.

5. A through-hull light according to claim 3, wherein the second fixed angle is between 10° and 20°.

6. A through-hull light according to claim 1, wherein the reflectors consist lower reflectors, positioned immediately below each row of LEDs, and upper reflectors, positioned immediately above each row of LEDs.

7. A through hull-light according to claim 1, wherein the reflectors are formed in a reflecting mount.

8. A through hull-light according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of LEDs are mounted on a PCB positioned within the chamber.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating five different through hull-lights according to the present invention and a through-hull light according to the prior art;

[0026] FIG. 2 is a first isometric image of a first embodiment of a through-hull light according to the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 3 is a second isometric image of the first embodiment of the through-hull light of FIG. 2;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a cross-section through the first embodiment of the through-hull light shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0029] FIG. 5 is a first isometric image of a second embodiment of a through-hull light according to the present invention;

[0030] FIG. 6 is a second isometric image of the second embodiment of a through-hull light according to the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 7 shows a unitary moulded component of the first and second embodiments of the through-hull light; and

[0032] FIG. 8 shows the light redirecting components of six different embodiment of through-hull lights according to the present invention.

[0033] The positioning of six through-hull lights 1, 1′ through a hull 2 of a marine vessel are shown in FIG. 1. The through-hull lights 1, 1′ are positioned at different heights of the hull 2 such that they face outwards at a different angle to the vertical. Each through hull light 1, 1′ comprises a body 3 for mounting on the outer surface of a hull 2, having an outer side for facing water 4 and a flat inner side for mounting against the hull 2, and a shaft 5 extending from the inner side of the body 3 for extending through an aperture formed in the hull 2. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the shafts extend inwards in a direction perpendicular to the section of hull 2 at which the through-hull light 1, 1′ is mounted. The uppermost through-hull light 1′, which is a through-hull light according to the prior art is mounted at a vertical section of hull 2 and so directs light horizontally outwards from the hull. There is no need for any light redirection from this through-hull light 1′.

[0034] The five lower through-hull lights 1 are lights according to the present invention. Each is mounted at a section of hull that is angled away from the vertical and thus, if their light was not redirected would project light in a direction below the horizontal. All five of these through-hull lights 1 are lights according to the present invention and thus their light is redirected to be substantially horizontal. That is, the five lower through-hull lights 1 include light redirection means (discussed below) that act to redirect light so that it is emitted in substantially the same direction as the uppermost through-hull light 1′ according to the prior art. In particular, the lowermost light 1 includes light redirecting means to redirect the light through 50°, the lights above that light include redirecting means to redirect the light through 40°, 30°, 20°, and 10° respectively.

[0035] A first embodiment of a through-hull light 1 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The light 1 comprises a comprises a body 3 for mounting on the outer surface of a hull 2, having an outer side for facing water and a flat inner side for mounting against the hull 2, and a shaft 5 extending from the inner side of the body 3 for extending through an aperture formed in the hull 2. A clamping member 6 for clamping the light in position is also provided. A chamber 7 is formed within the body 3. A transparent screen 8 is mounted at an outer side of the chamber 7. A plurality of LEDs 9 are mounted within the chamber 7 on a front face of a printed circuit board 10. The LEDs 9 are mounted in parallel horizontal rows, each row vertically spaced apart from the others. Each LED 9 is mounted to direct light straight out of the chamber 7 in a first direction perpendicular to a flat inner side of the body 3.

[0036] An upper reflector 11 is positioned immediately above each row of LEDs 9. A lower reflector 12 is positioned immediately below each row of LEDs 9. The upper and lower reflectors 11, 12 are formed within as part of a unitary reflecting component 13, as shown in FIG. 7. The upper and lower reflectors 11, 12 are angled to reflect the light emitted by the adjacent row of LEDs 9 upwards through a first fixed angle. In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 6 the first fixed angle is 10°. As will be readily understood and is explained below in more detail the shape of the upper reflectors 11 will differ from the shape of the lower reflectors 12 in order to direct the light appropriately.

[0037] A second embodiment of a through-hull light 1 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The second embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment with the exception that the shape of the body 3 is cylindrical and thicker than in the body 3 of the first embodiment. Otherwise, the second embodiment of the invention has all of the same features as the first embodiment and the same reference numerals have been used for the features of the second embodiment.

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a cross-section through a unitary reflecting component 13, 13′ of the through-hull lights 1, 1′ of FIG. 1. The unitary reflecting component 13′ is according to the prior art in which upper and lower reflectors 11′, 12′ are at equal and opposite angles to reflect light from the LEDs 9 directly outwards from the light. The next three unitary reflecting components 13 are formed to reflect the light upwards through a first fixed angle of 10°, 20°, or 30° respectively. This is achieved by angling the upper and lower reflectors 11, 12 appropriately. The lower reflectors 12 are angled more steeply than the upper reflectors 11 and as a result and due to the limited space within the chamber 7 the reflecting faces of the upper reflectors 11 are larger than the reflecting faces of the lower reflectors 12.

[0039] In the two rightmost unitary reflecting components 13 of FIG. 8 a light redirecting film 14 is provided in front of the unitary reflecting component 13. The light redirecting film 14 is a film of transparent material that is formed and oriented to reflect light incident on an inner side upwards through a second fixed angle. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 8 the light redirecting film 14 acts to redirect light through an angle of 20°. This allows the light from the LEDs 9 to be redirected upwards by up to 50°. In particular, the combination of the upper and lower reflectors 11, 12 and the light redirecting film 14 shown in the Figures allows the light to be redirected by 40° or 50°. The right-most embodiment has a unitary reflecting component 13 that acts to redirect the light upwards by 30° and the light redirecting film 14 directs the light upwards by a further 20°. The adjacent embodiment has a unitary reflecting component 13 that acts to redirect the light upwards by 20° and the light redirecting film directs the light upwards by a further 20°, thereby redirecting light from the LEDs upwards by 40°. Where provided, the light redirecting film 14 is provided immediately adjacent an inner side of the transparent screen 8.

[0040] As will be readily understood, through-hull underwater lights 1 according to the present invention may comprise any component found in through-hull underwater lights according to the prior art. This includes, but is not limited, to waterproof seals, heat sinks, fixings, power supply cables, control panels, communication cables. For clarity, these features are not shown in the Figures or described above. It is believed that the position and operation of these features will be immediately apparent to the person skilled in the art.