Submersible light

Abstract

A submersible light has an elongated tubular inner housing extending along an axis, an LED strip carrying a plurality of light-emitting diodes fitted into and extending axially inside the inner housing, and an elongated tubular outer housing longer than the inner housing and into which the tubular inner housing fits coaxially leaving end spaces in the outer housing at axially opposite outer ends of the inner and outer housings. Respective bodies of cured potting compound sealing the end spaces at the outer ends of the inner housing.

Claims

1. A submersible light comprising: an elongated tubular inner housing extending along an axis; an LED strip carrying a plurality of light-emitting diodes fitted into and extending axially inside the inner housing; an elongated tubular outer housing longer than the inner housing and into which the tubular inner housing fits coaxially leaving end spaces in the outer housing at axially opposite outer ends of the inner and outer housings; and respective bodies of cured potting compound sealing the end spaces at the outer ends of the inner housing.

2. The submersible light according to claim 1, further comprising: an inner end cap fitted with and closing one of the outer ends of the tubular inner housing; and an outer end cap fitted with and closing the respective outer end of the tubular outer housing, the body at the one outer end of the tubular inner housing completely axially filling the space between the end caps.

3. The submersible light according to claim 2, further comprising: another inner end cap fitted with and closing the other outer end of the inner housing; and another outer end cap fitted with and closing the other outer end of the outer housing, the bodies in both of the end spaces axially filling the spaces between each of the inner end caps and the respective outer end cap.

4. The submersible light according to claim 2, further comprising: an electrical power supply cable extending through the end cap and the respective body to the LED strip in the tubular inner housing.

5. The submersible light according to claim 2, wherein the inner end cap has a spacer extending coaxially into the tubular outer housing from the inner end cap and engaging and spacing the outer end cap.

6. The submersible light according to claim 2, wherein the tubular outer housing is formed adjacent the one outer end with a radially throughgoing hole, whereby the body can be injected into the end space at the one outer end through the hole.

7. The submersible light according to claim 6, further comprising: an electrical power supply cable extending through the hole and the body at the one outer end and between the inner end cap and the respective outer end of the tubular inner housing to the LED strip inside the tubular inner housing.

8. The submersible light according to claim 1, further comprising: an elastomeric seal radially between the tubular inner housing and the tubular outer housing.

9. The submersible light according to claim 1 wherein the outer housing is made from polyvinyl chloride.

10. The submersible light according to claim 9, further comprising: a end cap of polyvinyl chloride fitted with and closing one of the outer ends of the outer housing, the respective body in the end space adjacent the cap filling the space completely between the respective inner end cap on the outer end of the inner housing and the outer end cap; and an ultrasonic weld fixing the end cap to the tubular outer housing.

11. The submersible light according to claim 1, wherein the tubular inner housing is formed with an axially extending guide into which is fitted the LED strip.

12. The submersible light according to claim 11, wherein the guide is formed as two diametrally opposite and inwardly open guide grooves.

13. The submersible light according to claim 1, wherein the LED strip has a metallic base strip.

14. A method of making a submersible light comprising the steps of: inserting an LED strip axially into an axially elongated tubular inner housing with an electrical connection line of the LED strip projecting out of one outer end of the tubular inner housing; inserting the tubular inner housing holding the LED strip into an axially longer long tubular housing leaving a space between each outer end of the tubular inner housing and the respective outer end of the tubular outer housing; and potting the spaces at both ends of the tubular inner housing with a fluent but curable potting compound.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of: fitting both outer ends of the tubular inner housing with inner end caps; welding the inner end caps to the tubular inner housing; and passing the electrical connection line through the inner end cap at one of the outer ends of the tubular inner housing.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the end caps is provided with an axial projection, the method further comprising the step of: positioning the inner housing axially in the tubular outer housing using the spacer, whereby the respective space has a predetermined axial dimension.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of: fitting both outer ends of the tubular outer housing with outer end caps; welding the outer end caps to the tubular outer housing.

18. The method according to claim 17, providing the tubular outer housing at both outer ends between the respective inner and outer end caps with a radially throughgoing hole, the potting being injected into the spaces through the holes.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of: passing an electrical feed cable from the LED strip through the body at one of the outer ends then through the hole at the space between one of the outer ends of the tubular inner housing and the respective outer end of the tubular outer housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

(2) FIGS. 1A and 1B are bottom and side views of the invention;

(3) FIGS. 1C, 1D, 1E, and 1F are cross sectional views taken along respective lines IC-IC, ID-ID, IE-IE, and IF of FIG. 1B;

(4) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention showing internal parts in broken lines; and

(5) FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The drawing shows a submersible light, preferably for use in chlorinated water, with a tubular inner housing 1 and a somewhat longer tubular outer housing 2 into which is fitted the tubular inner housing 1 that is axially shorter, all centered on and extending along an axis A.

(7) An LED strip 3 having a plurality of LEDs 4 spaced apart axially is fitted in a guide formed by the groove 5 in the inner housing 1 close to the wall thereof that is defined as the base.

(8) Both housings 1, 2 are tubular profiles that are open at the ends and have a substantially four-cornered, i.e. quadrilateral, cross section, and whose open outer ends in the assembled light are each closed by respective inner end caps 6 and outer end caps 7.

(9) On the electrical connection end of the light, a connecting or power-supply cable 8 of the LED strip 3 passes through the inner end cap 6. This can be easily seen in the exploded view of FIG. 3. The connecting cable 8 extends out of the tubular outer housing 2 at an angle of 90° to the axial direction of the housings 1, 2. The wavy lines in the housings 1 and 2 and strip 3 should make it clear that these parts are not limited to the illustrated length, and in particular in each case have any length, so long as they fit into one another and the inner housing 1 is shorter than the outer housing 2.

(10) On the end opposite the connection end, the inner end cap 6 of the tubular inner housing 1 has a pin-shaped projection 9 that points toward the respective outer end cap 7 of the adjacent tubular outer housing 2 and serves as a spacer. In this way, a spacing of defined length between these end caps 6 and 7 is kept free and, after assembly of the light, is potted with an initially liquid, curable potting compound. Such potting takes place on the connection end between the end caps 6 and 7 there.

(11) In order to pot the light, which has been closed after assembly, between the end caps 6 and 7 on both ends, the tubular outer housing 2 has, in a region of the housing wall between the end caps 6 and 7 on each of the two ends, at least one hole 10 through which the potting compound 11 can be introduced into the inner region of the tubular outer housing 2 between the end caps 6 and 7. Air can escape either through the filling hole 10 or an additional unillustrated vent hole.

(12) Furthermore, on the connection end a cable feedthrough 12 is mounted in the filling hole 10 but does not completely block the hole 10 there, so that filling through this hole remains possible.