Autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system

• US 20030146735A1
• Filed: 11/09/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Vessel, Inc.
• Inventors: Drumm, Donald, Smith, Duane B., Barbeau, Stefane E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,819,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/114
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 2/00 Systems of electric lighting devices systems employing both electric and non-electric light sources or exchangeable light sources F21L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/08 characterised by means for in situ recharging of the batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/02 in which an auxiliary distribution system and its associated lamps are brought into service
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system includes a set of one or more self-standing rechargeable lighting fixtures (luminaries) removably supported on a recharging and support member. The luminaries each include a light diffusor that may resemble a-that turn on when removed from the recharging and support member. The luminaries may also turn on when power to the recharging and support member is turned off, turning the luminaries on automatically as during a power failure. The luminaries may each be inductively coupled to the recharging and support member, which enables to provide an aesthetically pleasing interface free of electrical contacts.

Claims

1. An autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system, comprising:

a wall mountable recharging base adapted to removably support a set of luminaries including a first circuit coupled to each luminary of said set of luminaries supported thereby operative in response to supplied AC power to provide a charge signal to each luminary of said set of luminaries; and

a set of luminaries each having a light emitting element connected to a rechargeable battery pack via a second circuit operative in one mode to charge said rechargeable battery pack in response to said charge signal when each said luminary of said set of luminaries is supported by said wall mountable recharging base and operative in another mode to activate said light emitting element in response to the absence of said charge signal, whereby, each said luminary of said set of luminaries lights if removed from said wall mountable recharging base and is turned “

off ”

if received on said wall mountable recharging base.

2. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 1, wherein said first circuit includes a manually actuated switch, and wherein each said luminary of said set of luminaries lights if no AC power is supplied in response to turning off said manually actuated switch.

3. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 1, wherein each said luminary of said set of luminaries lights if no AC power is supplied in response to an AC power service failure.

4. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 1, wherein the set of luminaries includes one or more luminaries.

5. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 4, wherein each luminary of said set of luminaries is inductively coupled to said charge signal provided by said first circuit of said recharging platter.

6. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 1, wherein, each luminary of said set of luminaries is self-standing and includes a front face diffusor.

10. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 1,wherein said wall mountable charging base is a wall plug mountable charging base.

11. An autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system, comprising:

a charging base removably supporting a set of luminaries including a charge circuit providing a charge signal to each luminary of said set of luminaries supported by said base;

a set of luminaries each including a lamp and a rechargeable battery pack connected to said lamp; and

autoilluminating means coupled to each luminary of said set of luminaries and responsive to said charge signal for lighting said lamp of each luminary in response to non-detection of said charge signal, and for turning said lamp of each luminary “

off”

in response to detection of said charge signal, whereby, each said luminary of said set of luminaries lights if removed from said base and is turned “

off ”

if supported thereby.

12. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 11, wherein said set includes one or more luminaries.

13. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 11, wherein said charging base is a wall mountable charging base.

14. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 13, wherein said wall mountable charging base is a wall plug mountable charging base.

15. An autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system, comprising:

a charging subassembly adapted to removably support a set of luminaries including a first circuit coupled to each luminary of said set of luminaries when supported thereon operative in response to supplied AC power to provide a charge signal to each luminary of said set of luminaries when supported thereon;

a sensor to provide a seat signal representative that each luminary of said set of luminaries is supported on said charging base; and

a set of luminaries each having a light emitting element connected to a rechargeable battery pack via a second circuit operative in one mode to charge said rechargeable battery pack in response to said charge signal when each luminary of said set of luminaries is supported thereon and operative in another mode to activate said light emitting element in response to the absence of said seat signal, whereby, each said luminary lights if removed from said charging subassembly, does not light if no AC power is supplied to said charging subassembly when supported thereon, and does not light if there is no charge signal when supported thereon.

7. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 16, wherein said wall mountable charging base has at least one projection adapted to support a luminary and wherein each luminary of said set of luminaries has an opening adapted to be supported by each said at least one projection.

8. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 7, wherein each said projections and openings is generally cylindrically shaped.

9. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 8, wherein each said projection has a free end, and further including a diffuser mounted to said free end.

16. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 15, wherein said set includes one or more luminaries.

17. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 15, wherein said charging subassembly is a charging base.

18. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 17, further including a cover removably mounted to said charging base.

19. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 17, further including a handle mounted to said charging base.

20. The autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system of claim 15, further including a switch mounted to at least one said luminary of said set of luminaries to independently turn it on/off.