Versatile lighting device

• US 7,604,370 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Versalite Associates LLC
• Original Assignee: Versalite Associates LLC
• Inventors: Dowdy, Randal A., Pendleton, Justin D., Guyer, Jeffrey A., Roderman, Brian L., Tanner, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US11/345,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20060176689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 362/269, 362/427, 362/233, 362/177, 362/187, 362/197, 362/199, 362/239, 362/291, 362/369, 362/372, 362/382, 362/410, 362/413, 362/414, 362/421
• US Class Current: 362/199
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/304 for pictures
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/308 for aquaria
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A wall or ceiling mountable lighting device comprises a self-contained single or multiple LED light source for emitting warm yellow-white light corresponding to halogen or incandescent light and a control circuit controlled by a remote control unit to energize and deenergize the light source and control light intensity. A rechargeable battery power source mounted on the lighting device is connectable to apparatus for charging the battery without removing the battery from the device. The apparatus includes an elongated probe assembly releasably connectable to the lighting device to perform the recharging process. The lighting device is particularly adapted for ease of placement of a light source for decorative purposes and/or illuminating artifacts in locations which would require substantial structural modifications to install conventional lighting.

Claims

1. A lighting device in combination with a battery-charging apparatus for providing one of decorative illumination, or illumination of a particular subject with aesthetically pleasing light, the combination comprising:

a housing supporting at least one light emitting diode light source and a lens that focuses light emitted by the light source;

a support coupled to the housing that adjusts the direction of a light beam emitted by the light source; and

a base which supports the housing, a control circuit, and a power source, wherein;

the control circuit controls at least one of the intensity of light emitted by the light source or the direction of the light beam generated by the light source; and

the power source is electrically connected to the control circuit, and provides power controlling at least one of energization of the light source or direction of the light beam emitted by the light source, and comprises a chargeable battery unit, wherein,

the battery unit comprises connection apparatus connecting the battery unit to a charging apparatus when the battery unit is located beyond the grasp of a user and when charging the battery unit, wherein the charging apparatus comprises a head member selectively engaged with the battery unit electrically connecting the battery unit to the battery charging apparatus during charging of the battery unit and disconnecting the battery unit from the battery charging apparatus when not charging the battery unit, and wherein the battery unit comprises a unit housing, which comprises spaced apart curved fingers which selectively receive the head member of the charging apparatus and bias electrical contacts of the head member of the charging apparatus into engagement with electrical contacts on the battery unit electrically connecting the battery unit to the battery charging apparatus during charging of the battery unit and wherein;

the charging apparatus comprises a telescopic or folding elongated pole or rod coupled to the head member of the charging apparatus.

2. The lighting device set forth in claim 1 wherein

the power source comprises an AC electrical power source and the lighting device comprises a circuit which converts AC power from the power source directly to DC power on the lighting device whereby the lighting device may be hard wired to the AC power source.

3. The lighting device set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the control circuit comprises a receiver that receives a radiation signal from a remote control unit effecting at least one of energizing or deenergizing the light source or controlling an intensity of light emitted by the light source.

4. The lighting device set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

a decoding circuit in the control circuit which transmits instructions to a controller controlling energization of the lighting device in response to a predetermined signal from the remote control unit.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the battery unit is a modular battery unit with a plurality of packs of battery cells where more packs increase the operation life of the lighting device between charging operations.

6. A method of charging a battery unit of a lighting apparatus when the battery unit is located beyond the grasp of a user, wherein the battery unit comprises connection apparatus connecting the battery unit to a charging apparatus when charging the battery unit, wherein the charging apparatus comprises a head member selectively engaged with the battery unit electrically connecting the battery unit to the battery charging apparatus during charging of the battery unit and disconnecting the battery unit from the battery charging apparatus when not charging the battery unit, and wherein the battery unit comprises a unit housing, which comprises spaced apart curved fingers which selectively receive the head member and bias electrical contacts of the head member into engagement with electrical contacts on the battery unit electrically connecting the battery unit to the battery charging apparatus during charging of the battery unit and wherein:

the charging apparatus comprises a telescopic pole coupled to the head member of the charging apparatus, the method comprising;

using the telescopic pole coupled to the head member of the charging apparatus, extending the head member to the spaced part curved fingers;

selectively engaging the head member with the spaced apart curved fingers, wherein the spaced apart curved fingers are laterally and upwardly extending arcuate fingers which selectively receive the head member and bias electrical contacts of the head member into engagement with electrical contacts on the battery unit electrically connecting the battery unit to the battery charging apparatus during charging of the battery, wherein the battery unit is included in the lighting apparatus and wherein the lighting apparatus and the battery unit are located beyond the grasp of the user, such that the spaced apart curved fingers support the head member and bias the electrical contacts of the head member into engagement with the electrical contacts on the battery unit during charging of the battery unit; and

applying electrical power to the head member causing the battery unit to be charged.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising disconnecting the telescopic pole from the head member during charging of the battery unit.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein disconnecting the telescopic pole from the head member during charging of the battery unit comprises disconnecting a magnetic cooperation between the telescopic pole and the head member, such that disconnection is accomplished when the connection between the elongated pole and the head member is beyond the grasp of the user.