Automatically adjusting pool jet fitting

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a pool jet fitting can include a housing and a redirector coupled to the housing. The housing can include a housing body and a bore that extends through the housing body along a first direction. The bore is configured to receive a water flow. The redirector is disposed within the bore of the housing. The redirector can define an opening through which the water flow moves. The redirector can include an actuator that is configured to automatically move the opening from a first configuration to a second configuration upon application of heat to the water flow by a heater. The water flow through the opening has a first trajectory when the opening is in the first configuration and a second trajectory when the opening is in the second configuration. The second trajectory is different than the first trajectory relative to the first direction.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A pool jet fitting comprising:
 a housing that includes a housing body and a bore that extends through the housing body along a first direction, the housing body including a coupler that is configured to mate with a coupler of a wall mount so as to releasably couple the housing to the wall mount;   a rotatable insert positioned in the bore of the housing, the rotatable insert defining a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end along a second direction, and including a passageway that extends through the movable insert along the second direction, the passageway configured to receive a water flow and defines an opening through which the water flow exits the rotatable insert; and   an actuator that is configured to automatically move the rotatable insert between a first position when the water flow is not being heated, and a second position when the water flow is being heated, wherein the water flow through the opening has a first trajectory relative to the first direction when the insert is in the first position, and the water flow through the opening has a second trajectory relative to the first direction that is different than the first trajectory when the insert is in the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable insert is rotatable about a first axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator includes a thermostatic element that has an actuator housing, and a moveable rod that is movable relative to the actuator housing, wherein the moveable rod is in communication with the rotatable insert such that the rotatable insert rotates about the first axis as the rod moves. 
     
     
         4 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 3 , further comprising a valve fixed within the passageway of the rotatable insert. 
     
     
         5 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 4 , wherein the valve defines an adjustable opening through which the water flow exits the valve. 
     
     
         6 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator is positioned on a first side of the first axis such that the actuator is configured to pivot the rotatable insert in a first pivot direction about the first axis, the pool jet fitting further comprising a biasing member positioned on a second side of the first axis opposite the first side and in communication with the rotatable insert such that the biasing member is configured to bias the rotatable insert in a second pivot direction about the first axis opposite the first pivot direction. 
     
     
         7 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 6 , wherein the biasing member includes a guide coupled to the housing, a rod translatable within the guide, and a spring disposed about the rod. 
     
     
         8 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 7 , wherein the rod moves between an extend position when the rotatable insert is in the first position and a retracted position when the rotatable insert is in the second position, whereby the spring urges the rod toward the extended position when the rod is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         9 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 6 , wherein the rotatable insert defines a first plate positioned on the first side of the first axis and a second plate positioned on the second side of the first axis, and the actuator is configured to abut the first plate and the biasing member is configured to abut the second plate. 
     
     
         10 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable insert is a valve having a valve body and a plurality of flexible members that extend from the valve body, each flexible member having a distal end such that the distal ends together at least partially define the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable insert is rotatable about a first axis that is substantially parallel to the first direction. 
     
     
         12 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 11 , wherein the rotatable insert effectively rotates about 180 degrees about the first axis as the rotatable insert moves between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 12 , wherein (i) the rotatable insert includes a stop, (ii) the actuator includes a thermostatic element, a member coupled to the thermostatic element and rotatable about a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a first engagement member extending from a first end portion of the member, and a second engagement member extending from a second end portion of the member, (iii) the first engagement member is configured to be initially engaged with the stop, and (iv) the thermostatic element is configured to cause the member to rotate about the second axis such that the first engagement member becomes disengaged from the stop so as to allow the rotatable insert to rotate about the first axis and the second engagement member to subsequently engage the stop. 
     
     
         14 . A pool jet fitting comprising:
 an insert configured to be coupled to a pool wall, the insert defining a proximal end and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end along a first direction, and including a passageway that extends through the rotatable insert along the first direction, the passageway configured to receive a water flow;   a valve positioned in the passageway, the valve including a plurality of flexible members that extend distally through the passageway, each flexible member having a distal end, wherein the distal ends of the flexible members together at least partially define an opening through which the water flow moves; and   an actuator in communication with at least one of the flexible members, wherein the actuator is configured to automatically apply a force to the at least one flexible member when the water flow is being heated to thereby redirect the water flow through the opening from a first trajectory relative to the first direction to a second trajectory relative to the first direction that is different than the first trajectory as the water flow moves through the opening.   
     
     
         15 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the actuator is configured to automatically remove the force that is applied to the at least one flexible member when the water flow is no longer being heated to thereby redirect the water flow from the second trajectory at least substantially back to the first trajectory. 
     
     
         16 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the actuator includes a thermostatic element, and a tether that couples the thermostatic element to the at least one flexible member, wherein the thermostatic element has an actuator housing, and a moveable rod that is moveable relative to the actuator housing between a first position in which the tether is slack, and a second position in which the tether applies the force to the at least one flexible member. 
     
     
         17 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 16 , wherein the actuator includes a panel that is coupled to at least two of the flexible members, and the tether is coupled to the panel. 
     
     
         18 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 16 , wherein the actuator includes a holder that is configured to couple the thermostatic element to the valve, the holder having a distal holder portion that mates with the moveable rod, and a proximal holder portion that is slidably coupled to the actuator housing such that the rod pushes the thermostatic element proximally relative to the housing when the rod moves to the second position. 
     
     
         19 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 18 , wherein the actuator housing defines a shoulder, and the actuator further includes a biasing member disposed between the shoulder and the proximal portion of the holder such that when the rod is moved to the first position, the thermostatic element is biased distally relative to the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 18 , wherein the holder includes a cylindrical member that couples to the valve, at least one spoke that couples the cylindrical member to the distal portion, and at least one spoke that couples the cylindrical member to the proximal portion. 
     
     
         21 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 20 , wherein the proximal portion defines a channel and the actuator housing extends through the channel such that the proximal portion is translatable along the actuator housing. 
     
     
         22 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the opening is an adjustable opening that is configured to automatically adjust between a first dimension and a second dimension to facilitate a predetermined outflow velocity of the water flow. 
     
     
         23 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 14 , further comprising a housing that includes a housing body and a bore that extends through the housing body, the housing body including a coupler that is configured to mate with a coupler of a wall mount of the pool wall so as to releasably couple the housing to the wall mount, wherein the insert is positioned within the bore of the housing and is rotatable relative to the housing. 
     
     
         24 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the actuator is a nitinol member. 
     
     
         25 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the actuator includes a panel pivotally coupled to the valve or the insert at a pivot, and a thermostatic element, the panel having a distal panel portion that is configured engage the at least one flexible member, and a proximal panel portion, the thermostatic element includes an actuator housing and a rod moveable relative to the actuator housing between a first position and a second position in which the rod contacts the proximal panel portion to thereby cause the panel to rotate about the pivot such that the distal panel portion applies the force to the at least one flexible member. 
     
     
         26 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 14 , wherein the valve further includes a plurality of extendable sections, each extendable section coupled to a respective pair of adjacent flexible members. 
     
     
         27 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 26 , wherein the flexible members and extendable sections are integrally formed as a monolithic unit. 
     
     
         28 . A pool jet fitting comprising:
 a housing that includes a housing body and a bore that extends through the housing body along a first direction, the housing body including a coupler that is configured to mate with a coupler of a wall mount so as to releasably couple the housing to the wall mount, the bore configured to receive a water flow; and   a redirector disposed within the bore of the housing, the redirector defining an opening through which the water flow moves, the redirector including an actuator that is configured to automatically move the opening from a first configuration to a second configuration upon application of heat to the water flow by a heater, whereby the water flow through the opening has a first trajectory when the opening is in the first configuration, and a second trajectory when the opening is in the second configuration, the second trajectory is different than the first trajectory relative to the first direction.   
     
     
         29 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 28 , wherein the redirector includes a valve that defines the opening, the valve having a plurality of flexible members integrally formed with a plurality of extendable sections that couple adjacent flexible members together, the actuator is configured to apply a force to at least one of the flexible members when the water flow is heated. 
     
     
         30 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 28 , wherein the redirector includes a rotatable insert that defines a passageway, and further includes a valve fixed to the rotatable insert within the passageway, the valve defining the opening. 
     
     
         31 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 30 , wherein the opening is adjustable. 
     
     
         32 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 30 , wherein the rotatable insert is rotatable about an axis that is perpendicular to the first direction. 
     
     
         33 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 32 , wherein the actuator is positioned on a first side of the first axis such that the actuator is configured to pivot the rotatable insert in a first pivot direction about the first axis, the pool jet fitting further comprising a biasing member positioned on a second side of the first axis opposite the first side and in communication with the rotatable insert such that the biasing member is configured to bias the rotatable insert in a second pivot direction about the first axis opposite the first pivot direction. 
     
     
         34 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 33 , wherein the biasing member includes a guide coupled to the housing, a rod translatable within the guide, and a spring disposed about the rod. 
     
     
         35 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 34 , wherein the rod moves between an extended position when the rotatable insert is in the first configuration and a retracted position when the rotatable insert is in the second configuration, whereby the spring urges the rod toward the extended position when the rod is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         36 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 33 , wherein the rotatable insert defines a first plate positioned on the first side of the first axis and a second plate positioned on the second side of the first axis, and the actuator is configured to abut the first plate and the biasing member is configured to abut the second plate. 
     
     
         37 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 28 , wherein the rotatable insert is rotatable about an axis that is parallel to the first direction. 
     
     
         38 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 28 , wherein the redirector includes an insert and a hood that together define the opening. 
     
     
         39 . The pool jet fitting of  claim 28 , wherein the actuator is a nitinol member.