Light providing apparatus attachable to umbrella and stand assembly

• US 7,497,583 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Original Assignee: Oliver Joen-An Ma
• Inventors: Ma, Oliver Joen-An
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US11/599,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20070133191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 362/102, 362/183, 362/352, 362/365, 362/367, 362/396, 362/431, 362/436, 362/438, 362/450, 362/577, 362/240, 362249-252, 135/16, 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, comprising 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 body comprising a generally circular outer periphery, an inner sidewall surface at least partially defining an opening for receiving the pole, the opening extending along a transverse axis,

the body further comprising a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a hinge coupling the first housing portion to the second housing portion at a first location adjacent the outer periphery, the hinge being configured to enable pivoting of the first housing portion and the second housing portion relative to each other about an axis parallel to the transverse axis of the opening between a first position and a second position,

wherein when in the first position, the first housing portion and the second housing portion are coupled at the hinge but spaced apart at a location spaced from the hinge such that a gap larger than the umbrella pole extends at the outer periphery between the first and second portions, the gap permitting the inner sidewall surface to be moved into adjacency with the umbrella pole; and

wherein when in the second position, the first housing portion and the second housing portion are moved into adjacency at the location spaced from the hinge;

the body further comprising a first lateral surface extending between the outer periphery and the inner sidewall surface and a second lateral surface extending between the outer periphery and the inner sidewall surface, the first and second lateral surfaces being disposed on opposite sides of the body;

a clamping device comprising a gripping surface and a resilient member adjacent to the gripping surface biasing the gripping surface away from 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 at least 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 at various positions along a range of umbrella poles of different diameters;

the first lateral surface having a plurality of recesses therein around the opening, each recess having mounted therein a source or sources of electric light, to direct the light away from the first surface of the body, the light being mountable on an umbrella pole with the light sources pointing downwardly; and

means on or in the body for providing energy to the light sources.

2. The light of claim 1 wherein the means for providing energy comprises at least one battery.

3. The light of claim 1 wherein the means for providing energy comprises at least one solar panel.

4. The light of claim 3 wherein the means for providing energy further comprises a battery configured to be recharged by the at least one solar panel.

5. The light of claim 1 wherein the first and second housing portions of the body are sized and configured as semicircles.

6. The light of claim 1 wherein the first and second housing portions of the body are hingedly connected.

7. The light of claim 1 wherein a control switch for the light sources is disposed on the first housing portion of the body and at least a portion of the light sources are disposed on the second housing portion of the body, the control switch being operable to cause the light sources to be energized.

8. The light of claim 1 wherein the resilient member comprises a spring.

9. The light of claim 1, wherein the first lateral surface is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the opening for receiving the pole.

10. The light of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a guide protrusion disposed on one of the first and second sidewall surface and a guide recess formed on the other of the first and second sidewall surfaces, the guide recess and the guide protrusion configured to guide and orient opposite sides of the body into engagement.

11. The light of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a latch disposed on one of the first and second sidewall surface and a slot disposed on the other of the first and second sidewall surfaces, the slot configured to receive and engage the latch, the latch being actuatable to disengage the latch from the slot.

12. The light of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises a guide protrusion disposed on one of the first and second sidewall surface and a guide recess formed on the other of the first and second sidewall surfaces, the guide recess and the guide protrusion configured to guide and orient opposite sides of the body into engagement.

13. The light of claim 1, further comprising a control switch located at the other periphery of the body to switch the light sources on and off.

14. The light of claim 1, further comprising a recess extending from one of the first and second inner sidewall surfaces, the resilient member being disposed in the recess, the recess extending across an area substantially smaller than the surface area of the first and second inner sidewall surfaces.

15. The light of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second lateral surfaces comprises a domed surface between the inner sidewall surfaces and the outer periphery.

16. The light of claim 1, wherein the source or sources of electric light comprises a plurality of LEDs and a reflective element positioned to enhance the amount of light transmitted from the first lateral surface.

17. A light for mounting around a pole, the pole having a longitudinal axis, the light comprising:

a clamshell housing having an outer periphery and comprising a first portion and a second portion configured to be coupled to the first portion adjacent 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;

at least one light source recessed into at least one of the first and second lateral surfaces, the light sources being configured to direct the light away from the clamshell housing;

means on or in the clamshell housing for providing energy to the light source;

at least one clamp including a gripper for engaging the pole in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pole and a spring adjacent to the gripper for biasing the gripper away from the inner sidewall surface;

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 a range of poles of different sizes,

the light being mountable on an umbrella pole with the light sources pointing downwardly.

18. The light of claim 17 wherein the means for providing energy comprises at least one battery.

19. The light of claim 17 wherein first and second portions are pivotally coupled.

20. A light for mounting around a pole, the pole having a longitudinal axis, the light comprising:

a housing comprising first and second portions, the first portion being configured to be coupled to the second portion to define an opening configured to receive the pole, the first portion defining a first inner sidewall surface and the second portion defining a second inner sidewall surface,

the housing having a generally circular outer periphery when the first and second portions are coupled,

the housing having a lower surface extending between at least one of the first and second sidewall surfaces and the outer periphery;

at least one light source carried by the first portion of the housing and being substantially flush with the lower surface to direct the light away from the housing;

means on or in the housing for providing energy to the light source;

a control switch for the light source, the control switch being disposed on the second portion of the housing, the control switch being operable to cause the light source on the first portion of the housing to be energized; and

at least one clamp extending from one of the first and second inner sidewall surfaces for engaging the pole when the first and second portions are coupled, the clamp comprising a gripping surface and biasing means for biasing the gripping surface away from the inner sidewall surfaces, the biasing means comprising a spring, at least a portion of the clamping device being movable relative to the inner sidewall surfaces between an extended position and a range of clamping positions, the clamping positions being located at least between the extended position and the sidewall surface, the gripping surface being located between the biasing means and the extended position, whereby the light can be self-supported at various positions on a range of poles of different sizes.

21. The light of claim 20 wherein light sources are carried on both the first and second portions of the housing.

22. The light of claim 20 wherein the means for providing energy comprises at least one battery.

23. The light of claim 20 wherein first and second portions are pivotally coupled.

24. The light of claim 20 further comprising a recess extending from one of the first and second inner sidewall surfaces, the clamp extending from the recess, the recess extending across an area substantially smaller than the surface area of the first and second inner sidewall surfaces.

25. A light for mounting around a pole, the pole having a longitudinal axis, the light comprising:

a housing comprising first and second portions, the first portion being configured to be coupled to the second portion to define an opening configured to receive the pole, the first portion defining a first inner sidewall surface and the second portion defining a second inner sidewall surface;

at least one light source carried by the first portion of the housing, the light source being configured to direct the light away from the housing;

means on or in the housing for providing energy to the light source;

a control switch for the light source, the control switch being disposed on the second portion of the housing, the control switch being operable to cause the light source on the first portion of the housing to be energized; and

at least one clamp extending from one of the first and second inner sidewall surfaces for engaging the pole when the first and second portions are coupled, the clamp comprising a gripping surface and biasing means for biasing the gripping surface away from the inner sidewall surfaces, at least a portion of the clamping device being movable relative to the inner sidewall surfaces between an extended position and a range of clamping positions, the clamping positions being located at least between the extended position and the sidewall surface, whereby the light can be self-supported on the pole;

wherein the housing includes a recess and the clamp further comprises a first member and the biasing means comprises a plurality of threaded pillar parts, a transmission and a crank handle, the first member comprising the gripping surface and a sliding block being slidable within the recess, the plurality of threaded pillar parts being configured to drive the sliding block, the transmission transmitting longitudinal force to the sliding block via rotation of the threaded pillar parts, the crank handle being configured to cause the pillar parts to rotate whereby the gripping surface of the clamp is urged into engagement with the pole.

26. The light of claim 25 wherein the transmission part further comprises a drive gear coupled with the crank handle and a pair of driven gears coupled with the drive gear and whith the pillar parts, wherein rotation of the crank handle induces rotation in the pillar parts to slide the sliding block.