Self-powered illumination device

• US 20060092630A1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultra-Light Floating Objects, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultra-Light Floating Objects, Inc.
• Inventors: Balatti, Aldo, Tutton, John Charles, Kennedy, Miles, Bosch, Marcus Willi Karl Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,207,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/157
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/14 Bayonet-type fastening
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools

Abstract

A self-powered illumination device includes an illumination source protruding from its lower surface for projecting light into a body of water to provide light that is emitted preferentially outwardly to illuminate the sides of a pool. Light emitted with an upward angle of inclination strikes the underside surface of the water-air interface surrounding the device and is reflected outwardly and laterally away the from the light source after striking such underside surface. Preferably, the illumination source has a length that extends downwardly that is commensurate or greater than its width and may be in the form of a fluorescent tube. The illumination device is fully self righting when inverted on the surface of a body of water.

Claims

1. A self powered illumination device for floating on a surface of a body of water having a water-air interface, said device including a power source and an illumination source contained within a buoyant body, the buoyant body having an undersurface portion and a protruding, light transmitting, lower surface for projecting light into a body of water when the illumination device is floated in an upright orientation on the surface of such body of water wherein:

the source of illumination is of a dimension and is positioned at a distance below the undersurface portion to provide that a greater portion of light emitted therefrom is directed for emission in the lateral direction rather than the downward direction.

2. An illumination device as in claim 1 wherein the illumination source is a fluorescent tube.

3. An illumination device as in claim 1 wherein the light emitting portion of the illumination source has a length that extends downwardly that is at least 1.5 times greater than its width.

4. An illumination device as in claim 1 wherein said the illumination source is positioned below said opaque underside surface portion, extending downwardly by a distance which permits at least 20% of the emitted light to strike the underside surface of the water-air interface to be reflected outwardly and laterally from the light source after striking such underside surface.

5. An illumination device as in claim 1 comprising a transparent or translucent dome fitted to surround said illumination source and wherein said dome comprises refracting facets that redirect light more laterally.

6. An illumination device as in claim 5 wherein the lowermost portion of the dome surface is frosted to render it translucent so as to defuse downwardly-directed light and reduce the tendency for a “

spot”

of light to form beneath the illumination device.

7. An illumination device as in claim 1 comprising a transparent or translucent dome fitted to surround said illumination source wherein said dome incorporates a coupling ring at its base shaped to receive and engage with a light modifier.

8. An illumination device as in claim 7 in combination with an accessory selected from the group consisting of a diffuser, a color filter, a lens, a sinking weight and a reflector, said light modifier being shaped to fit over said dome and engage said coupling ring.

9. An illumination device as in claim 1 comprising a reflector placed above the illumination source for directing light in an outwardly direction, said reflector being in the form of a flat, or slightly outwardly-reflecting, surface.

10. An illumination device as in claim 9 wherein the reflector is in the form of a flat reflecting surface.

11. An illumination device as in claim 1 wherein, combined with the center of mass of the device, the buoyant body is shaped to provide that the device is self-righting.

12. An illumination device as in claim 11 comprising multiple, individual electrical battery cells wherein the buoyant body is provided with a tendency to be self-righting by the placement of the cells in a circumferentially-distributed pattern within the body of the device, at a level below the center of volume of the device.

13. An illumination device as in claim 1 having an overall specific gravity that is in the range 1.05 to 1.3, providing it with a tendency to gradually float upwardly upon being immersed in water.

14. An illumination device as in claim 1 comprising illumination source control means to provide multiple levels of brightness.

15. An illumination device as in claim 1 comprising an electrical timing circuit which, after a predetermined period of time, automatically reduces the illumination to a lower level in order to conserve battery lifetime.

17. An illumination device as in claim 1 comprising an inertial motion detector to detect the physical displacement of the buoyant body and to automatically turn the illumination source “

on”

when it senses agitation of the device arising from waves spreading across the surface of the water.

18. An illumination device as in claim 17 containing an optical sensor for sensing ambient light which optical sensor is connected to an override circuit for preventing the illumination source from being turned “

on”

when the inertial motion detector senses agitation of the device.

19. An illumination device as in claim 1 comprising a magnetically coupled “

on”

switch which comprises an external magnet sliding on the outer surface of the body of the device to activate a magnetically-sensitive switch located on the inner surface of the body of the device.

16. An illumination device as in claim I comprising an electrical circuit which is timed to switch the illumination source “

off”

after a predetermined delay.

20. A self powered illumination device for floating on a surface of a body of water having a water-air interface, said device having a center of mass and including a power source and an illumination source contained within a buoyant body, the buoyant body having an undersurface portion and a protruding, light transmitting, lower surface for projecting light into a body of water when the illumination device is floated in an upright orientation on the surface of such body of water wherein, combined with the center of mass of the device, the buoyant body is shaped to provide that the device is self-righting.