EP1327723A2

EP1327723A2 - Fountain

Info

Publication number: EP1327723A2
Application number: EP02380219A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Josep Pages Pages
Original assignee: Central General Marcas Sl
Current assignee: Central General Marcas Sl
Priority date: 2002-01-15
Filing date: 2002-10-28
Publication date: 2003-07-16
Also published as: ES2207376A1; EP1327723A3; ES2207376B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a fountain made up of a tubular column (1) which supports at least two vertically superimposed modules and chosen from among a tap module (2), an electrical feed power point module (3) and a lighting module (4). The tap module (2) is connectable to water supply means, such as a tank (5) and an electric pump (7). The electrical feed power point module (3) is fitted with means for the connection of an electrical appliance, such as a plug base (21) protected against the environment. The lighting module (4) comprises lighting means, such as a fluorescent lamp (27) with a current limiter.

Description

Technical sector of the invention.-

The object of the invention is a fountain, of the type installed in gardens in family homes, hotels, residential areas and so on, for the consumption of drinkable water and/or watering landscaped areas.

Background to the invention.-

Embodiments of fountains intended for the consumption of drinkable water and/or the watering of landscaped areas are known, which essentially consist of a tubular member provided with anchorage means to walls or the ground, and water outlet means, such as a tap.
On the other hand, embodiments of garden lights are known, the purpose of which is to provide lighting of a decorative and functional nature, such as demarcating a landscaped area and its points of access.
Finally, embodiments are also known of electrical feed power devices for outdoor use, particularly intended for gardening.
In a landscaped area it is frequently necessary to have access to one or more of said resources, that is, of a fountain, lighting means and means for plugging in electrical appliances.
The inventor does not know of gardening equipment which, at the same time, provides the user with water supply means for consumption and/or watering landscaped areas, power point means for plugging in electrical appliances habitually used in gardening works and means intended for lighting the fountain surroundings, all of which can be integrated in a functional unit.

Explanation of the invention.-

The fountain according to the invention fills the gap in the market which exists for this type of fountain and essentially is characterised in that it is made up of a tubular column, comprising at least two vertically superimposed modules and chosen from among a tap module connectable to water supply means, an electrical feed power point module for the connection of electrical appliances and a lighting module.
According to another feature of the invention, the water supply means consist of a water tank provided with an electric pump whose outlet is connected to the tap module by means of a pipe.
Another feature of the fountain according to the invention is that the pipe is provided with a check valve in order to prevent it from emptying.
Another feature of the invention consists of the fact that the check valve is provided with external activating means for the emptying of the pipe as a precaution against freezes.
According to another feature of the invention the pipe is provided with flow control means acting on the electric pump by sending a stop signal for a minimum or nonexistent flow.
The invention is also characterised in that the electric pump has an operating control circuit, which can be coupled to the electrical feed power point module or to the lighting module.
According to another feature of the invention the electrical feed power point module comprises a power point tubular member, the electrical connection means being arranged inside for connecting electrical appliances, whereas at its upper and lower ends it is fitted with mouths, adapted for receiving the coupling of an intermediate or upper, ring-shaped, modular sealing element.
It is also a feature of the fountain of the invention that the means for the connection of electrical appliances comprise a power point base, preferably with protection means against the environment and against jets of water.
Another feature of the invention consists of the fact that the protection means comprise a revolving window, arranged concentrically with respect to the power point tubular member.
According to another feature of the fountain of the invention the lighting module comprises a lighting tubular member of transparent or translucent material, within which lighting means are arranged, whereas on its upper and lower ends it is fitted with mouths adapted for receiving the coupling of an intermediate or upper, ring-shaped, modular sealing element.
The invention is also characterised in that the lighting means comprise at least one lamp.
According to another feature of the invention the fountain comprises an upper lid element, adapted for fitting into the upper mouth of a upper, ring-shaped, modular element.
According to another feature of the invention, the tap module is fitted with an upper mouth, adapted for receiving the insertion of an upper lid element.

Brief description of the drawings.-

A form of embodiment of the fountain object of the invention is illustrated in the attached drawings by way of non-limiting example. In said drawings:
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section view of the fountain of the invention, made up of a tap module connected to a water tank, an electrical feed power point module and a lighting module.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section view, on an enlarged scale, of the combined modules of the fountain in Fig. 1.

Detailed description of the drawings.-

In Fig. 1 the fountain object of the invention is shown, which as an embodiment example is described and in which it can be observed that the fountain is made up of a tubular column 1, a tap module 2, an electrical feed power point 3 and a lighting module 4, vertically superimposed.
The embodiment example described is given, as indicated earlier, by way of non-limiting example, since the fountain of the invention can be made up a number of distinct modules and in another position different from that represented in Fig. 1. For example, the fountain according to the invention can be made up of a tap module 2 and an electrical feed power point module 3.
In this embodiment example, the tubular column 1 of the fountain of the invention is coupled superimposed to a water tank 5, situated below the ground level 6 and provided with a submersible electric pump 7, whose outlet is connected by means of a pipe 8 to the tap module 2.
In Fig. 2 it can be observed that the tap module 2 comprises a tap ring-shaped member 10, provided with a pipe accessory 11 fitted with a vertical arm 12, to which a check valve 13 is connected and a horizontal arm 14, to which a tap 15 is connected. The check valve 13 is connected to the pipe 8 originating from the submersible electric pump 7, whose purpose is to prevent the emptying of the pipe 8 during the normal operating of the system. In addition, the check valve 13 has external activating means, not represented, the aim of which is to allow for the emptying of the pipe 8 as a precaution against freezes.
Flow control means 16 are coupled to the check valve 13 and work by sending a stop signal to the submersible electric pump 7 when they detect a minimum or nonexistent flow.
The electric feed power point module 3 comprises a tubular power point member 19, coupled at its lower end to the tap ring-shaped element 10 of the tap module 2, whereas its upper end is provided with an intermediate ring-shaped modular element 20.
Inside the tubular power point member 19 a plug base 21 is arranged, provided with a protective cover 22 against the environment and against jets of water, adapted for making it possible to connect electrical appliances. In addition, for a greater protection of the plug base 21, the electric feed module 3 is provided with a revolving window 23 arranged concentrically with respect to the tubular power point member 19.
The lighting module 4 is made up of a tubular lighting member 24, of transparent or translucent material and coupled at its lower end to the intermediate ring-shaped modular element 20, whereas its upper end is provided with a upper, ring-shaped, modular sealing element 25, fitted with a cover 26. It is advisable to warn that both the number and arrangement of the modules 2, 3 and 4 and the modular elements 1 could be altered, without going beyond the scope of the invention.
Inside the tubular lighting member 24 a lamp 27 is arranged, preferably a fluorescent lamp with a current limiter, and, arranged inside the ring-shaped lighting member 25, there is an operating control circuit 17 of the fountain of the invention to which the submersible electric pump 7 is connected by means of electric conductors 9 (Fig. 1), and the flow control means 16, by means of electric conductors 18.
The control circuit 17 can be provided with a timer for the automatic stopping and starting of the submersible pump 7 when the latter is used for watering landscaped areas.

Claims

Fountain, characterised in that it is made up of a tubular column (1) onto which are arranged at least two vertically superimposed modules and chosen from among a tap module (2) connectable to water supply means, an electrical feed power point module (3) for the connection of electrical appliances and a lighting module (4).
Fountain according to claim 1, characterised in that the water supply means are made up of a water tank (5) and an electric pump (7) for extracting the water from the tank, the electric pump outlet being connected to the tap module (2) by means of a pipe (8).
Fountain according to claim 2, characterised in that the pipe (8) is provided with a check valve (13) in order to prevent it from emptying.
Fountain according to claim 3, characterised in that the check valve (13) is provided with external activating means for the emptying of the pipe (8) as a precaution against freezes.
Fountain according to claim 2, characterised in that the pipe (8) is provided with flow control means (16), which act on the electric pump (7) by sending a stop signal for a minimum or nonexistent flow.
Fountain according to claim 2, which is characterised in that the electric pump (7) is provided with an operating control circuit (17), which can be coupled to the electrical feed power point module (3) or to the lighting module (4).
Fountain according to claim 1, characterised in that the electrical feed power point module (3) comprises a tubular power point member (19), the electrical connection means being arranged inside for connecting electrical appliances, whereas at its upper and lower ends it is fitted with mouths, adapted for receiving the coupling of an intermediate (20) or upper, ring-shaped, modular sealing element (25).
Fountain according to claim 7, characterised in that the electrical power point means for the connection of electrical appliances comprise a plug base (21), accessible from the exterior and preferably provided with protection means (22) against the environment and against jets of water.
Fountain according to claim 8, characterised in that the protection means comprise a revolving window (23), arranged concentrically with respect to the power point tubular member (19).
Fountain according to claim 1, characterised in that the lighting module (4) comprises a lighting tubular member (24) of transparent or translucent material, within which lighting means (27) are arranged, whereas on its upper and lower ends it is fitted with mouths adapted for receiving the coupling of an intermediate (20) or upper, ring-shaped, modular sealing element (25).
Fountain according to claim 10, which is characterised in that the lighting means (27) comprise at least one lamp.
Fountain according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises an upper lid element (26), adapted for fitting into the upper mouth of a upper, ring-shaped, modular element (25).
Fountain according to claims 1, 2 or 12, characterised in that the tap module is fitted with an upper mouth, adapted for receiving the insertion of an upper lid element (26).