SOLAR-POWERED LIGHT POLE AND LED LIGHT FIXTURE

• US 20090040750A1
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solarone Solutions, Inc. (Reden Solar SAS)
• Original Assignee: Inovus Solar, Inc. (Reden Solar SAS)
• Inventors: MYER, SETH JAMISON
• Granted Patent: US 7,731,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/083 of bollard type, i.e. with lighting fixture integrated into the standard or mounted on top of it and having substantially the same diameter
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/037 the solar unit and the lighting unit being located within or on the same housing
• 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: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0521 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A solar-powered lighting system includes a flexible, wrap-around, preferably self-stick panel of photovoltaic laminate applied to the outside surface of a light pole. An LED light fixture is connected preferably at or near the top of the pole and has the same or similar diameter as the pole. The LED light fixture has multiple columns and rows of LEDs and an interior axial space for air flow to cool the LEDs. The pole preferably also has vents and axial passage(s) for creating a natural updraft through at least a portion of the pole and the light fixture, for cooling of the photovoltaic panel interior surface, the LEDs, and/or other equipment inside the fixture or pole, and batteries that may be provided inside the pole or pole base. A purely or mainly decorative additional fixture, which emulates conventional outdoor light fixtures, may be provided on the lighting system, wherein the decorative additional fixture includes no, or only a minimal, light source. The lighting system has a sleek profile with few or no protrusions from the sides of the pole and from the LED light fixture, except for the optional decorative fixture that provides a conventional street light appearance even though the main light source is the LED fixture.

Claims

1. A light comprising:

a pole having a cylindrical section with an outer surface having a circumference;

a flexible panel of amorphous photovoltaic material adhesively connected to said outer surface so that the flexible panel curves at least 225 degrees around the cylindrical section;

a light fixture comprising a plurality of light-emitting-diodes (LEDs), wherein the light fixture extends from an upper region of said pole; and

an energy storage device operatively connected to said flexible panel so that, when sunlight hits said flexible panel, resulting electrical energy is stored in said storage device; and

wherein said light fixture comprises at least one lower vent and at least one upper vent adapted for ventilation of said light fixture by natural convection up through the light fixture.

2. A light as in claim 1, wherein said pole comprises an internal space and at least one lower pole vent and at least one upper pole vent adapted for ventilation of at least a portion of the pole by natural convection up through said at least portion of the pole.

3. A light as in claim 2, further comprising at least one battery contained within said at least a portion of the pole, so that said at least one battery is cooled by said ventilation of said at least one portion of the pole.

4. A light as in claim 1, wherein said light fixture is a generally cylindrical fixture connected to a top end of the pole and wherein the light fixture has central axis that is coaxial with the pole and a circumference.

5. A light as in claim 4, wherein said light fixture comprises columns of LEDs arranged around at least 180 degrees of the circumference of the light fixture.

6. A light as in claim 4, wherein said light fixture comprises columns of LEDs arranged around 360 degrees of the circumference of the light fixture.

7. A light as in claim 4, further comprising, in addition to said cylindrical light fixture, a decorative light fixture that comprises no light source.

8. A light as in claim 4, further comprising, in addition to said cylindrical light fixture, a decorative light fixture that comprises only a single LED.

9. A light as in claim 7, wherein said decorative light fixture extends generally horizontally from the pole to extend over a street.

10. A light as in claim 3, wherein said at least one battery stores energy from said flexible panel sufficient to power said light fixture for at least 50 hours.

11. A light as in claim 10, further comprising a connection to a utility power grid to provide electricity to said power grid during daylight hours.

12. An outdoor light comprising:

a pole having an outer surface;

a flexible panel of amorphous photovoltaic material adhesively connected to said outer surface;

a light fixture comprising a plurality of light-emitting-diodes (LEDs), wherein the light fixture extends from an upper region of said pole; and

an energy storage device operatively connected to said flexible panel so that, when sunlight hits said flexible panel, resulting electrical energy is stored in said storage device, wherein said energy storage device is located inside the pole; and

wherein said pole comprises at least one lower pole vent, at least one upper pole vent, and an interior air flow space in fluid communication with said at least one lower pole vent and said at least one upper pole vent, so that a draft is created up through said interior air flow space to cool the pole.

13. A light as in claim 12, wherein said light fixture comprises at least one lower vent in fluid communication with the interior air flow space of the pole, at least one upper vent, and an internal space in fluid communication with said at least one lower vent and said at least one upper vent, so air flow from the pole continues up through said light fixture by natural convection.

14. A light as in claim 13, wherein the light fixture further comprises column units each comprising multiple of said plurality of LEDs arranged in a column, and each column unit having cooling fins extending into the internal space of the light fixture for cooling the LEDs.

15. A light as in claim 13, further comprising a control board located in the internal space of the light fixture.

16. A light as in claim 15, wherein said control board comprises electronics adapted to control charging of said storage device by the flexible panel, and also to control discharging of said storage device to light said light fixture.

17. A light as in claim 12, wherein said storage device comprises at least one battery, and the pole comprises a pole wall and an axial sleeve between the pole wall and the at least one battery, there being an annular space between said pole wall and the axial sleeve wherein said annular space is said interior air flow space of the pole.

18. A light as in claim 12, further comprising a decorative light fixture comprising no light source.

19. A light as in claim 12, further comprising a decorative light fixture comprising only a single LED powered by energy from said storage device.

20. A light as in claim 12, wherein said pole comprises a lower section and a middle section, wherein the storage device is contained within the lower section of the pole, said light fixture is connected to a top end of the middle section, and wherein the light fixture is generally cylindrical and coaxial with, and of the same diameter as, the middle section of the pole.

21. A light as in claim 20, wherein said lower section has a larger diameter than the diameter of the middle section and said lower section contains the storage device.

22. A light as in claim 17, further comprising a connection to a utility power grid for providing electricity to said power grid during daylight hours.

23. An outdoor light comprising:

a pole having a right cylindrical section with an outer surface having a circumference;

a flexible panel of amorphous photovoltaic material adhesively connected to said outer surface so that the flexible panel curves at least 225 degrees around the cylindrical section;

a cylindrical light fixture comprising a plurality of light-emitting-diodes (LEDs), wherein the light fixture extends coaxially from a top end of said pole; and

an energy storage device operatively connected to said flexible panel so that, when sunlight hits said flexible panel, resulting electrical energy is stored in said storage device; and

wherein said pole comprises at least one lower pole vent and said light fixture comprises at least one upper vent, and said pole and said light fixture comprise internal air flow passages in fluid communication with said at least one lower pole vent and said at least one upper vent, so that the pole and the light fixture are ventilated by a natural updraft of air flow through the internal air flow passages.

24. An outdoor light as in claim 23, wherein said cylindrical light fixture has a fixture circumference and comprises at least two columns of LEDs spaced around the fixture circumference, and wherein each of said at least two columns each comprise at least four LEDs.

25. An LED light fixture comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing;

a plurality of axial column units connected to said housing and having a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged axially in each column unit; and

said housing having an interior space;

cooling fins extending from each of said axial column units into the interior space for cooling said plurality of LEDs.

26. A light fixture as in claim 25, further comprising an electronics control board received in said interior space of the housing.

27. A light fixture as in claim 25, wherein said housing has at least one lower vent into the housing and at least one upper vent into the housing, said at least one lower vent and at least one upper vent being in fluid communication with said interior space of the housing, so that the housing is adapted for air flow up through the interior space to cool said LEDs.

28. A solar-powered pole comprising:

a pole wall having an outer surface and a circumference;

a flexible panel of amorphous photovoltaic material adhesively connected to said outer surface;

an energy storage device operatively connected to said flexible panel so that, when sunlight hits said flexible panel, resulting electrical energy is stored in said storage device, wherein said energy storage device is located inside the pole; and

wherein said pole comprises at least one lower pole vent, at least one upper pole vent, and an interior air flow space in fluid communication with said at least one lower pole vent and said at least one upper pole vent, so that a draft is created up through said interior air flow space to cool the pole.

29. A solar-powered pole as in claim 28, further comprising an axial sleeve within at least a portion of the pole creating an annular air flow space that is said interior air flow space.

30. A solar-powered pole as in claim 29, wherein said storage device is a battery that is contained inside said sleeve.