Pneumatic landscape light

• US 5,628,558 A
• Filed: 01/30/1996
• Issued: 05/13/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airlight Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: James L. Iacono, Nils L. Reed
• Inventors: Reed, Nils L., Iacono, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Basichas, Alfred
• Application Number:
  US08/593,826
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 362/288, 362/285, 362/153.1, 362/267, 362/431, 362/403
• US Class Current: 362/288
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/028 being retractable, i.e. having two fixed positions, one recessed, e.g. in a wall, floor or ceiling, and one extended when in use
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/22 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/109 of gardens

Abstract

An in-ground, pneumatically-operated, extensible-and-retractable landscape light comprised of an elongated outer housing having an air inlet in its body and an opening in its upper end into which is received in a telescoping, mating relationship an elongated inner housing which has a light source operably connected to the upper end thereof. The light source may be comprised of a light bulb and a source of electrical power, and the light source may be sheltered by an interchangeable light source sheltering unit. In use, the injection of air into the outer housing through the air inlet raises the inner housing from its retracted position to its extended position. The inner housing may be selectively locked in its extended position by a locking mechanism such as a solenoid with a solenoid plunger attached to one housing and a notch for receiving the plunger in the other housing.

Claims

1. An in-ground, pneumatically-operated, extensible and retractable landscape light comprising:

a) an elongated outer housing adapted to be at least partially buried in a surrounding volume of ground, the outer housing having an upper end with an opening therein, a lower end, an inner surface, and an outer surface;

b) an elongated inner housing having an upper end a lower end, and an outer surface the inner housing being received into the opening in the upper end of the outer housing in a telescoping, mating relationship and being at least partially within the outer housing when in a retracted position and projecting at least partially outside the outer housing when in an extended position;

c) an inlet in the outer housing for allowing air to be injected into the outer housing for pneumatically forcing the inner housing to an extended position; and

d) a light source operably connected to the elongated inner housing for illuminating an area of landscape surrounding the light.

2. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 1 wherein the inner and outer housings are cylinders and the inner housing is disposed generally concentrically within the outer housing.

3. The pneumatic landscape of claim 1 further comprising a means for biasing the inner housing toward the retracted position of the inner housing.

4. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 3 wherein the biasing means is a spring.

5. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 2 further comprising a an O-ring encircling the inner housing for creating a substantially airtight seal between the inner housing and the outer housing.

6. An in-ground, pneumatically-operated, extensible and retractable landscape light comprising:

a) an elongated outer housing adapted to be at least partially buried in a surrounding volume of ground, the outer housing having an upper end with an opening therein, a lower end, an inner surface. and an outer surface;

b) an elongated inner housing having an upper end and a lower end, the inner housing being received into the opening in the upper end of the outer housing in a telescoping, mating relationship and being at least partially within the outer housing when in a retracted position and projecting at least partially outside the outer housing when in an extended position;

c) an inlet in the outer housing for allowing air to be injected into the outer housing for pneumatically forcing the inner housing to an extended position;

d) a light source operably connected to the elongated inner housing for illuminating an area of landscape surrounding the light; and

e) a means secured to the light for selectively locking the inner housing in the extended position of the inner housing whereby the inner housing may be held in an extended position without a constant influx of pressurized air when the locking means is activated, and the inner housing may be allowed to retract when the locking means is deactivated.

7. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 6 wherein the locking means is comprised of a selectively energized solenoid secured to the inner housing which includes a solenoid coil and a locking plunger biased to ride against the inner surface of the outer housing, and a receiving notch in the inner surface of the outer housing for receiving the locking plunger wherein the locking plunger and the receiving notch are disposed to align when the inner housing is in an extended position whereby the locking plunger enters the receiving notch when the inner housing is extended to lock the inner housing in an extended position and the inner housing may be freed to retract by an energization of the solenoid coil to draw the plunger out of the receiving notch.

8. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 6 wherein the locking means is comprised of a selectively energized solenoid secured to the outer housing which includes a solenoid coil and a locking plunger biased to ride against the outer surface of the inner housing, and a receiving notch in the outer surface of the inner housing for receiving the locking plunger wherein the locking plunger and the receiving notch are disposed to align when the inner housing is in an extended position whereby the locking plunger enters the receiving notch when the inner housing is extended to lock the inner housing in an extended position and the inner housing may be freed to retract by an energization of the solenoid coil to draw the plunger out of the receiving notch.

9. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 6 wherein the light source is located in the upper end of the inner housing, and the upper end of the inner housing has a light sheltering unit attached thereto with at least a portion of the light sheltering unit being formed of a translucent material for allowing the light source to illuminate a surrounding landscape.

10. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 9 wherein the light sheltering unit is detachable from the inner housing whereby it may selectively removed and replaced.

11. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 10 wherein the light sheltering unit is detachable by means of compatible threads disposed on the light sheltering unit and the inner housing whereby the two are detachably connected in a threaded relationship.

12. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 9 wherein the light source is comprised of a light bulb and a source of electrical power.

13. The pneumatic landscape light of claim 12 wherein the electrical power source is comprised of electrical wiring extending from a main source of electricity to and into the inner housing where it is operably connected to the light bulb.