AUTOILLUMINATING RECHARGEABLE LAMP SYSTEM

• US 20060262525A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Duane, Barbeau, Stefane, Reilly, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,400,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/157
• 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 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/00 Lighting devices intended to be free-standing F21S9/00, F21S10/00, F21S13/12 take precedence lighting devices specially adapted to be transported from place to place, e.g. lighting devices carried on wheeled supports F21L; details of supports for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/001 being candle-shaped with varying lighting effect of simulating flames F21S10/04; string of light sources F21S4/00
• 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 23/0492 the sensor detecting a change in orientation, a movement or an acceleration of the lighting device, e.g. a tilt switch
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

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 candle to the from 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. Relative rotation of luminary cover and foot members may be used to controllably alter the characteristics of the illumination, such as dimming/brightening.

Claims

1. An autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system providing comparatively high luminosity in a manner that is portable and suitable for indoor and outdoor use, comprising:

a charger module adapted to mate with a lantern module, including a first circuit coupled to said received lantern module operative in response to supplied AC power to provide a charge signal to the lantern module received thereby; and

a lantern module rotatable about its axis of extension that is received by said charger module including at least one light emitting element connected to a rechargeable battery pack via a second circuit operative in one mode to charge said rechargeable battery pack and to de-light said at least one light emitting element in response to receipt of the lantern module on the charger module and to activate said at least one light emitting element in response to removal of the lantern module from said charger module and operative in another mode to controllably alter the light emitting characteristics of the at least one light emitting element in response to rotation of the lantern module about its axis of rotation.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the second circuit in said other mode controllably dims/increases the intensity of the at least one light emitting element in response to rotation of the lantern module about its axis of extension.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the lantern module includes a bulbous translucent cover inside which an array of comparatively bright white LED'"'"'s is disposed to provide said at least one light emitting element.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the lantern has a handle at the top end that provides easy portability.

5. The invention of claim 1, wherein said lantern module includes relatively rotatable cover and foot portions, and said second circuit includes at least one circuit element responsive to relative rotation therebetween to provide a signal representation of relative rotation.

6. The invention of claim 1, wherein said second circuit includes at least one circuit element responsive to receipt or removal of the lantern module on or off said charging base to provide a signal representation of whether or not the lantern module is seated on the charging base.

7. The invention of claim 1, wherein said second circuit operative in said one mode to charge said rechargeable battery pack and to de-light said at least one light emitting element in response to receipt of the lantern module on the charger module and to activate said at least one light emitting element in response to removal of the lantern module from said charger module is further operative to light the at least one light emitting element in response to non-detection of the charge signal resulting from lack of AC power, either due to a power failure or unplugging the charger module.

8. An autoilluminating rechargeable lamp system providing comparatively high luminosity in a manner that is portable and suitable for indoor and outdoor use, comprising:

a charger module adapted to receive the bottom end of a lantern module rotatable about its axis of extension, including a first circuit coupled to said received bottom end operative in response to supplied AC power to provide a charge signal to the lantern module received thereby irrespective of its state of angular rotation; and

a lantern module elongated about an axis of extension having a foot member at its bottom end that is received by said charger module and a translucent lantern cover member upstanding from and rotatable relative to said foot member about the axis of extension including an array of white light LED'"'"'s and a rechargeable battery pack connected to a controller mounted inside said lantern module operative in one mode to charge said rechargeable battery pack and to de-light said array in response to receipt of the foot member of the lantern module on the charger module and to activate said array in response to removal of the lantern module from said charger module and operative in another mode to controllably alter the light emitting characteristics of the array in response to relative rotation of the translucent cover and foot members of the lantern module about its axis of extension.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein said controller in said controllably altering mode controllably alters the intensity by progressively dimming and brightening the intensity of the array of white light LED'"'"'s in response to clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the translucent cover relative to the foot members about the axis of rotation of the lantern module.

10. The invention of claim 8, wherein a seat sensor supplies a seat signal representative of whether or not said foot member of said lantern module is received on the charger module or the lantern module is removed therefrom.

11. The invention of claim 10, wherein a potentiometer supplies a signal representative of relative rotation of the translucent cover and foot members of the lantern module about its axis of extension.