Light providing apparatus attachable to umbrella and stand assembly

• US 7,134,762 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Inventors: Ma, Oliver Joen-An
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/715,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20050117326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/431, 362/577, 362/183, 362/523, 362/173, 362/20, 362/396, 362/367, 362/365, 362/581, 362/543, 362/249, 362/436, 362/438, 362/450, 362/352, 135/910
• US Class Current: 362/102
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/1027 with means for generating solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/04 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/088 Clips; Clamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/116 Fixing lighting devices to arms or standards F21V21/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 135/91 Illuminated cane or umbrella

Abstract

A light provider for an umbrella and stand assembly, including a body releasably attachable to the assembly, a source or sources of electric light carried by the body, to direct light away from the body, and incident light responsive means on the body to provide electrical energization for the light source, the means configured to receive incident light from a direction or directions spaced away from light directed from the source or sources.

Claims

1. A light for an umbrella pole, comprising in combination:

a) a body comprising an inner surface and a clamping device comprising a gripping surface and a spring located between the inner surface and the gripping surface, the spring configured to resiliently urge the gripping surface into engagement with the umbrella pole, whereby the body is releasably attachable to the umbrella pole,

b) a source or sources of electric light carried by the body, to direct said light away from the body,

c) and incident light responsive means on the body to provide electrical energization for said light source, said means configured to receive incident light from a direction or directions spaced away front light directed from said source or sources.

2. The light claim 1 wherein said body includes multiple sections that become interconnected when said body is attached to the umbrella pole.

3. The light of claim 2 wherein at least two or said sections have hinged interconnection, whereby said sections are clampingly connectable to the umbrella pole.

4. The light of claim 1 wherein said body has upper and lower sides, said means is located to face away from one of said sides, and said source of electric light is located to race away from the other of said sides.

5. The light of claim 4 wherein said means comprise a solar cell or cells, and said light source or sources comprise an LED or LEDs.

6. The light of claim 4 wherein said one side is generally convex in one direction away from the body, and said other side is generally convex in an opposite direction away from the body.

7. The light of claim 1 wherein said body defines a through opening to receive the umbrella pole.

8. The light of claim 7 wherein said opening has at least two selectable sizes to receive poles of different diameters.

9. The light of claim 7 wherein said means comprise solar cells spaced about said through opening, and said light sources comprise LEDs spaced about said central opening, in light concentrating clusters, each cluster received in a light reflecting receptacle.

10. The light of claim 1 including a control to control at least one of the intensity and color of light emission from said source or sources.

11. The light of claim 5 including at least one control to control at least one of the intensity and color of light emission from said LED or LEDs.

12. The light of claim 7 including a pole gripper or grippers at said opening and carried by the body.

13. The light of claim 12 wherein the body includes two sections respectively carrying said grippers, there being a spring or springs urging at least one gripper relatively toward another gripper.

14. The light of claim 3 including latch elements carried by said body sections to latch together when the sections are closed about an umbrella pole.

15. The light of claim 14 including a latch release on at least one of the sections and movable to unlatch said latch elements, there being a guide means to guide the sections when closed about the pole.

16. A lighting device suitable for fastening to a pole-like object, comprising:

a) a base part,

b) and a light source;

c) wherein, the base part comprises a first base part and a second base part pivotably coupled with the first base part, said first and second base parts being divided so that each has an inner sidewall surface facing that of the other, said sidewall surfaces forming a through hole to substantially encircle the pole-like object when said two base parts are connected, said sidewall surfaces having at least one recess formed therein, said base part having a clamp comprising a gripping surface and a resilient member at least partially located in the recess, the gripping surface being movable relative to the sidewall surface between an extended position and a range of clamping positions, the clamping positions being between the extended position and the sidewall surface, the resilient member configured to urge the gripping surface toward the extended position, whereby the lighting device can be self-supported on umbrella poles of different sizes.

17. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the gripping surface is a first gripping surface and the clamp further comprises:

a first member extending from a recess in the inner sidewall surface of the first base part, the first member comprising said first gripping surface; and

a second gripping surface generally opposing said first gripping surface;

the clamp configured to urge the gripping surfaces into frictional engagement with the pole-like object.

18. The lighting device of claim 17, further comprising a second member comprising said second gripping surface, the second member extending from a recess in the inner sidewall surface of the second base part.

19. The lighting device of claim 17, wherein at least one of said gripping surfaces comprises a serrated edge to enhance friction between the serrated edge and the pole-like object.

20. The lighting device of claim 16, further comprising a hinge adjacent a first end of each of said first base part and said second base part, said hinge coupling said first ends of said first and second base parts together.

21. The lighting device of claim 20, further comprising a latch adjacent a second end of said first and second base parts, said latch configured to connect said first and second base parts.

22. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the base part includes a recess and the clamp further comprises:

a first member comprising a sliding block slidable within the recess and a first engagement surface;

a plurality of threaded pillar parts configured to drive the sliding block;

a transmission transmitting longitudinal force to the sliding block via rotation of the threaded pillar parts; and

a crank handle configured to cause the pillar parts to rotate whereby the first engagement surface is urged into engagement with the pole-like object.

24. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the lighting device further comprises a solar power charging unit.

25. The lighting device of claim 24, wherein the solar power charging unit further comprises:

a plurality of solar panels located on the base part;

a plurality of wires; and

a solar-charging circuit,

wherein, each solar panel is electrically connected in series to the solar-charging circuit in the base part by said wires.

26. The lighting device of claim 16 wherein the base part has a generally circular, disk shape, and further comprising:

a symmetrically divided first base part and a second base part each having a semi-circularly curved inner sidewall surface facing that of the other in which a circular through hole is formed to substantially encircle the pole-like object when said two base parts are locked together; and

a clamp to lock said two base parts together.

27. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the base part further comprises:

a hinge; and

a latch;

wherein the first and second base parts are held together by the hinge along a corner edge of each of said first and second base parts while the other corner edges are releasably coupled together by the latch.

28. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein the light source comprises LED lamps.

29. The lighting device of claim 28, wherein the light source comprises a rechargeable battery supplying electricity to the LED lamps.

30. The lighting device of claim 16, further comprising a solar panel and a battery configured to be recharged by said solar panel, said solar panel and said battery providing energy to the light source.

31. The lighting device of claim 16, further comprising a battery coupled with the light source to provide energy to the light source.

32. The lighting device of claim 31, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery and further comprising a corded charging unit.

23. The lighting device of 22, wherein the transmission further comprises:

a drive gear coupled with the crank handle; and

a pair of driven gears coupled with the drive gear and with the pillar parts;

wherein rotation of the crank handle induces rotation in the pillar parts to slide the sliding block.

33. A light for an umbrella pole, comprising in combination:

a) a body comprising an inner sidewall surface at least partially defining an opening for receiving an umbrella pole,

b) a clamping device comprising a gripping surface and a resilient member located between the gripping surface and the inner sidewall surface, at least a portion of the clamping device being movable relative to the sidewall surface between an extended position and a range of clamping positions, the clamping positions being located between the extended position and the sidewall surface, the resilient member urging the gripping surface toward the extended position, whereby the light can be self-supported on umbrella poles of different sizes,

c) a source or sources of electric light carried by the body, to direct said light away from the body,

d) and means on or in the body for providing energy to said light source.

34. The light of claim 33, wherein the means for providing energy comprises at least one solar panel.

35. The light of claim 34, wherein the means for providing energy comprises a battery configured to be recharged by said at least one solar panel.

36. The light of claim 33, wherein the means for providing energy comprises a battery.

37. The light of claim 36, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery and further comprising a corded charging unit.

38. The light of claim 33 including at least one stand gripper carried by the body at said opening.

39. The light of claim 38, wherein the body includes two sections carrying said grippers, there being at least one spring urging at least one gripper relatively toward another gripper.

40. The light of claim 38, including means for adjusting said at least one gripper.

41. A light for mounting around a pole, comprising:

a clamshell housing having an outer periphery and comprising a first portion and a second portion pivotably coupled to the first portion adjacent a location on the outer periphery, the first portion having a first inner sidewall surface and a first lateral surface extending outwardly from the inner sidewall surface to the outer periphery of the clamshell housing, the second portion having a second inner sidewall surface and a second lateral surface extending outwardly from the inner sidewall surface to the outer periphery of the clamshell housing, the first and second portions defining an opening configured to receive the pole having a longitudinal axis;

at least one light source and power supply for the light source(s) carried by the clamshell housing, the housing having one or more opening(s) by means of which the light source(s) direct light away from at least one of the first and second lateral surfaces;

at least one clamp for engaging in use, the pole in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pole, the clamp extending in said direction from at least one of the inner sidewall surfaces and being spring-biased in said direction;

the first and second portions being connectable together adjacent the opening between them, to cause the clamp to grip the pole so that the light is self supported thereon; and

the clamp being biased to be able to engage poles of different diameters and to be mountable at various locations along the pole.

42. The light of claim 41, wherein the light source(s) are located between the outer periphery and the opening.

43. The light of claim 41, wherein the light source(s) are recessed in the housing.

44. The light of claim 41, wherein light from the light source(s) can be directed upward toward an umbrella mounted on the pole or downward away from the umbrella.