Solar or wind powered light

• US 7,789,524 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence E Anderson
• Original Assignee: Lawrence E Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Lawrence E
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US12/462,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20100134014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 362/183, 362/192
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/08 characterised by means for in situ recharging of the batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/026 rechargeable by using wind power, e.g. using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/03 rechargeable by exposure to light
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/035 the solar unit being integrated within the support for the lighting unit, e.g. within or on a pole
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/043 driven by wind power, e.g. by wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/28 Circuit arrangements for protecting against abnormal temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects

Abstract

A LED lighting assembly comprising at least one LED; the at least one LED being mounted to a support; at least one solar element for creating electric power from solar power; at least one battery for storing electricity generated by the solar element; at least one wind vane operatively associated with the support; at least one motor/generator having a first mode for generating electric power from the wind turbine; and at least one shaft operatively connected to the at least one motor/generator and the support; the motor/generator having a second mode in which the motor/generator operates to rotate the support; the at least one motor/generator being operatively connected to the at least one battery for storing electric power therein.

Claims

1. An A solar and wind powered rechargeable LED lighting assembly comprising:

at least one LED;

the at least one LED being mounted to a support;

at least one solar element for creating electric power from solar power operatively associated with the support;

at least one battery for storing electricity generated by the solar element;

at least one wind vane operatively associated with the support;

the at least one wind vane operative to turn in response to wind;

a casing with an opening for controlling the entry of wind to the wind vane;

a wind direction detector for controlling the opening of the casing in response to the direction of the wind;

at least one motor/generator having a first mode for generating electric power from the at least one wind vane turbine; and

at least one shaft operatively connected to the at least one motor/generator and the support;

the motor/generator having a second mode in which the motor/generator operates to rotate the support;

the at least one motor/generator being operatively connected to the at least one battery for storing electric power therein;

whereby the wind direction detector controls the opening of the casing to enable the wind to turn the at least one wind vane to power the at least one motor/generator to generate electricity which recharges the at least one battery.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a light detector;

the light detector controlling the operation of the LED.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the support is operatively associated with a shaft for rotation thereon;

and wherein the support has a plurality of wind vanes operatively associated therewith which cause the support to rotate and causes the shaft to rotate which causes the at least one generator to generate electric power in the first mode; and

when the motor/generator is in the second mode, the motor/generator causes the support to rotate whereby the wind vanes operate to cool the at least one LED.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one wind vane comprises a plurality of wind vanes operatively associated with the support to form a wind turbine;

the support being operatively associated with the shaft;

the shaft being operatively associated with the at least one motor/generator, such that when the motor/generator is in the first mode, the wind causes the wind turbine to turn and the motor/generator operates to generate electricity, and when the motor/generator is in the second mode, the motor/generator causes rotation of the support to generate air flow to cool the at least one LED.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one motor/generator comprises a motor which rotates the support.

6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one strobe element which causes the LED to turn on and off.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the strobe element is operatively associated with the shaft;

whereby as the shaft rotates the strobe element makes contact intermittently causing intermittent operation of the at least one LED.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one solar element having a surface for absorbing sunlight and the support are supported by the shaft;

the shaft being pivotally mounted to a pivot which is driven by a second motor,

whereby through the operation of the second motor the solar element surface is positioned to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets.

9. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a cover operatively associated with the support and a wind direction detector operatively associated with the cover causing the cover to turn when the wind changes direction;

and wherein the at least one vane comprises a plurality of wind vanes operatively associated with the support to cause rotation thereof; and

wherein the wind causes the support to rotate roate, the cover covers the wind vanes for which the force of the wind is in a direction opposite to the rotation of the vanes.

10. The assembly of claim 8 further comprising a controller which is programmable which controls the operation of the first and second motors.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one LED and the at least one solar element are fabricated as a single unit.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one LED comprises a first semiconductor crystal and the at least one solar element comprises a second semiconductor crystal, the first and second semiconductor crystals being formed on a common substrate.

13. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a programmable controller for controlling the motor/generator for selectively changing the motor/generator from the first to the second mode.

14. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor and wherein the motor/generator operates in the first mode when the wind is causing the support to turn and operates in the second mode in response to the temperature sensor to generate air flow to cool the assembly.

15. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an ambient light condition detector and wherein the at least one LED is activated by the ambient light condition detector.

16. A solar and wind powered LED lighting assembly comprising:

at least one LED;

the at least one LED being mounted to a support;

at least one solar element for creating electric power from solar power;

at least one battery for storing electricity generated by the solar element;

a wind turbine operatively associated with the support;

the wind turbine having a casing with an opening for controlling the entry of the wind;

a wind direction detector for controlling the opening of the casing in response to the direction of the wind;

at least one motor/generator having a first mode for generating electric power from the wind turbine; and

at least one shaft operatively connected to the at least one motor/generator and the support;

the motor/generator having a second mode in which the motor/generator operates to rotate the support;

the at least one motor/generator being operatively connected to the at least one battery for storing electric power therein;

whereby the wind direction detector controls the opening of the casing to enable wind to enter the casing and cause the wind to turn the wind turbine to generate electricity recharge the at least one battery.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the wind turbine rotates on an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the wind direction.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the wind turbine rotates on the support and the wind direction detector is operatively associated with the cover causing the cover to turn when the wind changes direction;

and wherein the wind turbine comprises a plurality of wind vanes operatively associated with the support to cause rotation thereof; and

wherein the wind causes the support to rotate; and

the casing covers the wind vanes for which the force of the wind is in a direction opposite to the rotation of the vanes.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the at least one solar element and the support are supported by the shaft;

the shaft being pivotally mounted to a pivot which is driven by a second motor,

whereby through the operation of the second motor the solar element surface is positioned to absorb sunlight from the sun as the sun rises and sets to recharge the at least one battery.

20. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the at least one LED comprises a first semiconductor crystal and the at least one solar element comprises a second semiconductor crystal, the first and second semiconductor crystals being formed on a common substrate.