Power blackout bulb

• US 8,132,933 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chao, Albert
• Original Assignee: Chao, Albert
• Inventors: Chao, Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US12/854,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20120039063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 362/20, 362/640, 362/50, 362/183, 362/192, 362/147, 315/291, 315/119, 315/121, 315/122, 340/463, 340/468
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A blackout light bulb has a housing with an Edson screw at one end for screwing into a light fixture socket and a plurality of spaced apart LEDs mounted to its opposite end. A flexible stalk is connected to the housing between the Edison screw and the LEDs and can be bent into a selected shape for positioning a free end of the stalk as desired. A circuit board in the housing has an electronic circuit connected to the Edison screw, to the LEDs and to a photo cell at the free end of the stalk. A rechargeable battery in the housing is connected to the circuit board so that it is charged under certain normal conditions and so that it lights up the LEDs under other blackout conditions.

Claims

1. A blackout light bulb comprising:

a housing having an illumination end base end;

an Edson screw connected to the base end of the housing for screwing into a light fixture socket;

a plurality of spaced apart LEDs mounted to the illumination end of the housing;

a flexible stalk having a first end connected to the housing at a location between the illumination end and the base end of the housing, the flexible stalk having an opposite free end and being bendable into and holding a selected shape for positioning the free end at a selected location with respect to the illumination end of the housing;

a circuit board mounted in the housing;

an electronic circuit mounted to the circuit board and electrically connected to the Edison screw for receiving AC power from the Edison screw when a light fixture socket to which the Edison screw is screwed is being supplied with AC power;

a rechargeable battery mounted in the housing and electrically connected to the circuit board, the circuit having a plurality of operating modes, at least one of said modes being for supplying electrical power for charging the battery and at least one of said modes being for supplying electrical power from the battery to the circuit;

a photo cell mounted at the free end of the stalk and electrically connected to the circuit for sending a first signal to the circuit under a first high ambient light condition, a second signal to the circuit under a second intermediate ambient light condition, and a third signal to the circuit under a third low ambient light condition; and

the circuit including components for executing;

a first mode of operation during a first high ambient light condition when the photo cell sends the first signal and AC power is being supplied by the Edison screw for charging the battery;

a second mode of operation during a second intermediate ambient light condition, and power supplied to the socket, the photo cell sends the second signal to partly light the LED and charge the battery;

a third mode of operation during a first high ambient light condition with no power supplied to the socket, the photo cell sends the first signal for not lighting the LEDs and not charging the battery; and

a fourth mode of operation during a third low ambient light condition and no power supplied to the socket, the photo cell sends the third signal for fully lighting the LEDs.

2. The blackout light bulb of claim 1, wherein the stalk comprises an outer flexible sheath containing a pair of wires for connecting the photo cell to the circuit and a length of flexible, repeatedly bendable material that can be bend into any desired shape and that keeps that shape so that the photo cell can be placed at the selected location.

3. The blackout light bulb of claim 1, wherein the stalk comprises an outer flexible plastic sheath of heat shrink material containing a pair of wires for connecting the photo cell to the circuit and a length of flexible metal, repeatedly bendable material that can be bend into any desired shape and that keeps that shape so that the photo cell can be placed at the selected location.

4. A blackout light bulb comprising:

a housing with an Edson screw at one end for screwing into a light fixture socket;

a plurality of spaced apart LEDs mounted to an opposite end of the housing;

a flexible stalk connected to the housing between the Edison screw and the LEDs for bent into a selected shape for positioning a free end of the stalk at a selected location;

a light sensor cell connected at the free end of the flexible stalk;

a circuit board in the housing with an electronic circuit connected to the Edison screw, to the LEDs and to the light sensor cell;

a rechargeable battery in the housing connected to the circuit board; and

a plurality of electronic components in the circuit connected so that the battery is charged under certain normal conditions sensed by the light sensor cell and so that the battery lights up the LEDs under other blackout conditions sensed by the light sensor cell.

5. The blackout light bulb of claim 4, wherein the stalk comprises an outer flexible plastic sheath containing a pair of wires for connecting the photo cell to the circuit and a length of flexible, repeatedly bendable material that can be bend into any desired shape and that keeps that shape so that the photo cell can be placed at the selected location.

6. The blackout light bulb of claim 4, wherein the stalk comprises an outer flexible plastic sheath of heat shrink material containing a pair of wires for connecting the photo cell to the circuit and a length of flexible metal, repeatedly bendable material that can be bend into any desired shape and that keeps that shape so that the photo cell can be placed at the selected location.

7. A blackout light bulb comprising:

a housing having an illumination end base end;

an Edson screw connected to the base end of the housing for screwing into a light fixture socket;

a plurality of spaced apart LEDs mounted to the illumination end of the housing;

a circuit board mounted in the housing;

an electronic circuit mounted to the circuit board and electrically connected to the Edison screw for receiving AC power from the Edison screw when a light fixture socket to which the Edison screw is screwed is being supplied with AC power;

a rechargeable battery mounted in the housing and electrically connected to the circuit board, the circuit having a plurality of operating modes, at least one of said modes being for supplying electrical power for charging the battery and at least one of said modes being for supplying electrical power from the battery to the circuit;

a photo cell mounted at the housing and electrically connected to the circuit for sending a first signal to the circuit under a first high ambient light condition, a second signal to the circuit under a second intermediate ambient light condition, and a third signal to the circuit under a third low ambient light condition; and

the circuit including components for executing;

a first mode of operation during a first high ambient light condition when the photo cell sends the first signal and AC power is being supplied by the Edison screw for charging the battery;

a second mode of operation during a second intermediate ambient light condition, and power supplied to the socket, the photo cell sends the second signal to partly light the LED and charge the battery;

a third mode of operation during a first high ambient light condition with no power supplied to the socket, the photo cell sends the first signal for not lighting the LEDs and not charging the battery; and

a fourth mode of operation during a third low ambient light condition and no power supplied to the socket, the photo cell sends the third signal for fully lighting the LEDs until the battery is exhausted.