Retrofit solar powered lighting assembly for flagpole

• US 9,316,365 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ko, Gordon
• Original Assignee: Ko, Gordon
• Inventors: Ko, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cattanach, Colin
• Application Number:
  US14/242,719
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 248/125.7, 248/219.2, 248/219.3, 248/289.11, 362/192, 362/431, 362/812
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/32 Flagpoles
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 13/00 Electric lighting devices with built-in electric generators with solar cells F21L4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/08 characterised by means for in situ recharging of the batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/037 the solar unit and the lighting unit being located within or on the same housing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/116 Fixing lighting devices to arms or standards F21V21/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/00 Light sources with three-dimensionally disposed light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 17/00 Flags; Banners; Mountings therefor

Abstract

The present invention is an assembly that changes retrofits a flagpole with a solar powered area light, whereby the flag is removed from connection with the residential flagpole and stored. The assembly optionally includes a remote control so that a user can select from a number of operational modes for area lighting. The assembly also includes support bar connectors formed from two parts that are usable in either a connection of a support bar to the top of the flagpole or for connecting the support bar to the top of a downward directed solar lighting fixture.

Claims

1. A flagpole and solar powered light conversion assembly comprising:

(a) a flagpole with an attachment structure for attaching a flag at a top section of the flagpole and with connection means for attaching a decorative piece at a top of the top section;

(b) a first connector connected to the connection means;

(c) a support bar extending laterally from the first connector;

(d) a second connector connected to a distal end of the support bar and the second connector connected with a top end of a protective housing;

(e) the protective housing defining a housing axis and a substantial downward concavity on an underside, where an upper surface comprises four or more solar panels fixed substantially equidistant from each other and oriented with a top edge inclination toward the housing axis of from 30 degrees to 60 degrees from vertical;

(f) lights arranged on a reflective and downward facing support secured to the underside of the protective housing, where a transparent cover is fixed to the underside of protective housing beneath the downward facing support to define a weather protected space in the protective housing;

(g) the solar panels having electrical connection with solar storage batteries and a light microprocessor, both fixed within the weather protected space, the light microprocessor operating under a control program to act to turn on or off the lights according to user input from a user interface communicating with the light microprocessor and from input from a light level sensor that detects ambient light;

(h) the first and second connectors are identical and each comprise two housing parts that mate together to form an external housing;

(i) the housing parts are a support bar housing part and a cap housing part, each housing part being generally identical to the other except that the support bar housing part comprises a horizontal cylindrical extension extending from a generally vertical half cylinder wall and where the cylindrical extension is adapted to engage one end of the support bar;

(j) each housing part comprises a cap plate extending inward toward an axis of the half cylinder wall and also from a top or bottom edge of the half cylinder wall, which cap plate defines a bolt hole;

(k) the bolt holes of the housing parts vertically align and are adapted to receive a bolt shaft; and

(l) a first bolt is inserted into the bolt hole of the first connector and the bolt fixes the first connector to the connection means.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the support bar is from 6 inches to 4 feet long.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the support bar is from 1 foot to 3 feet long.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein a portion of the assembly located at an elevation and spatial orientation above and outward from the connection means weighs from 0.75 to 5 pounds.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein a portion of the assembly located at an elevation and spatial orientation above and outward from the connection means weighs from 1.5 to 2 pounds.

6. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a user interface wherein the user interface comprises an on/off switch, whereby moving the switch to an “

on”

position causes the light microprocessor to detect an ambient light level and to turn the lights on if the ambient light level is below a predetermined level stored in an onboard memory of the light microprocessor.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a hand-held remote control device having a housing containing a device microprocessor operating under a device program and connected with a battery, a wireless communication module, and a push button interface, where pressing a first button in the push button interface sends a command signal to a light wireless module connected with the light microprocessor and causes the light microprocessor to detect an ambient light level and to turn the lights on if the ambient light level is below a predetermined level stored in an onboard memory of the light microprocessor.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein pressing a second button of the push button interface sends a command signal to the light wireless module connected with the light microprocessor and causes the light microprocessor to detect an ambient light level and to turn the lights on if the ambient light level is below a predetermined level stored in an onboard memory of the light microprocessor or if motion is sensed in one or more motion sensors connected with the light microprocessor.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein pressing a second button of the push button interface sends a command signal to the light wireless module connected with the light microprocessor and causes the light microprocessor to detect an ambient light level and to turn the lights on if the ambient light level is below a predetermined level stored in an onboard memory of the light microprocessor and to turn the lights off after a predetermined time period.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein pressing a second button of the push button interface sends a command signal to the light wireless module connected with the light microprocessor and causes the light microprocessor to detect an ambient light level and to turn the lights on if the ambient light level is below a predetermined level stored in the light microprocessor and to turn the lights off if a predetermined amount of time has passed, where the predetermined amount of time is a value stored in an onboard memory of the light microprocessor.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a second bolt is inserted into the bolt hole of the second connector and the bolt fixes the second connector to a top end of the protective housing.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first connector comprises anti-rotation means so that the first connector cannot rotate relative to the flagpole.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the second connector comprises anti-rotation means so that protective housing cannot rotate relative to the second connector.