Solar powered light assembly to produce light of varying colours

• US 7,429,827 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simon N. Richmond
• Original Assignee: Simon N. Richmond
• Inventors: Richmond, Simon Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; David Hung
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US11/102,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 315149-152, 315/153, 315/154, 362/800, 362/276, 362/183, 362/194, 362249-252
• US Class Current: 315/149
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/04 simulating flames
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/004 with a lamp housing in direct contact with the floor or ground
• 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 9/037 the solar unit and the lighting unit being located within or on the same housing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0824 Ground spikes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/109 of gardens
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting

Abstract

A garden light 10 having a body (11) with a post (12), the lower end of which is provided with a spike (13). The upper end of the post (11) receives a lens assembly (12). Secured to the lens assembly (12) is a cap assembly (24) that has three LEDs that are activated to produce a varying color light.

Claims

1. A lighting device to produce light, said device including:

a base;

a lens mounted on the base and generally enclosing a chamber;

a circuit having at least one lamp to produce a light, the lamp being mounted to direct light into said chamber, connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the circuit and a solar cell exposed to said chamber so as to receive light passing through said lens and operatively associated with the connections to charge the battery, and a primary switch operable to control said circuit;

a battery compartment including a cavity to receive said battery and having said connections;

a closure member attached to said compartment but movable relative thereto to expose said cavity to provide for insertion of said battery; and

wherein

said switch is exposed to said cavity so that upon movement of said closure member to expose said cavity, a user has access to said switch to operate the switch.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said device has at least two lamps to produce light of a desired colour including a varying colour.

3. The lighting device of claim 2 wherein, said circuit includes a light sensitive switch that renders the circuit operative at low light levels.

4. The lighting device of claim 3 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said primary switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

5. The lighting device of claim 4 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said integrated circuit being connected to a sub-circuit switch, the sub-circuit switch being operable to select said desired fixed colour.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein, said circuit includes a sub-circuit, said primary switch is a first switch with said first switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the battery to said sub-circuit, and wherein said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein, said second switch is exposed to said chamber.

8. The lighting device of claim 7 wherein, said lens is fixed to said battery compartment and said battery compartment threadably engages said closure member so that relative rotation between the closure member and said compartment moves said closure member between an open position exposing said cavity and a closed position closing said cavity.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said closure member includes a socket, and said device includes a spike engaged in said socket and projecting therefrom to provide for the spike to be inserted in a ground surface so that the device is supported thereby.

10. The lighting device of claim 2 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to the lamps to deliver electric power thereto so that the lamps produce said desired colour, with said switch being an on/off switch to deliver electric power from the batteries to said sub-circuit.

11. The lighting device of claim 2 wherein, said circuit includes a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit operable to select a desired fixed colour, with said switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operable to select said desired fixed colour.

12. The device of claim 2 wherein, said circuit includes a sub-circuit, said switch is a first switch with said first switch being an onloff switch to deliver electric power from the battery to said sub-circuit, and wherein said sub-circuit includes an integrated circuit and a second switch connected to said integrated circuit, the second switch being operable to select a desired fixed colour and exposed to provide for access thereto by a user.

13. A lighting device to produce light of varying colour, said device comprising:

a lens generally enclosing a chamber;

a circuit including;

at least two lamps of different colours to produce a desired colour including a varying colour, the lamps being mounted to direct light into said chamber;

connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the circuit;

a solar cell mounted on a surface so as to be exposed to light and operatively associated with the connections to charge the battery;

a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit for controlling said lamps, and a selection switch, said selection switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operable to select a desired fixed colour; and

a volatile memory retained for a period of time and associated with said integrated circuit, said memory causing operation of said circuit to produce said desired fixed colour.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said memory is a switch.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein said memory forms a portion of said integrated circuit.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein said light sub-circuit is connected to said lamps to deliver electric power thereto, so that the lamps produce said desired colour.

17. The device according to claim 13, further comprising an on/off switch operable to control delivery of electric power from said battery to the sub-circuit.

18. The device according to claim 13, wherein said circuit includes a light sensitive switch that renders the circuit operative at low light levels.

19. The device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a voltage cut-off sub-circuit, wherein said cut-off sub-circuit interrupts delivery of power to said lamps, upon a voltage in said cut-off sub-circuit reaching a predetermined threshold.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein said voltage cut-off sub-circuit forms a portion of said integrated circuit.

21. The device according to claim 19, wherein said circuit further comprises:

a capacitor, wherein said capacitor is arranged to store charge when an output voltage of said battery is greater than a stored charge on said capacitor and discharge charge when said output voltage of said battery is lower than said stored charge.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein said voltage cut-off sub-circuit prevents said capacitor from discharging further stored charge, upon a voltage in said cut-off sub-circuit reaching a predetermined threshold, such that a retained stored charge on said capacitor provides sufficient voltage to said memory to retain the selected desired colour for a period of time.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein said retained stored charge is substantially zero volts.

24. A lighting device to produce light of varying colour, said device comprising:

a lens generally enclosing a chamber;

a circuit including;

at least two lamps of different colours to produce a desired colour, the lamps being mounted to direct light into said chamber;

connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power the circuit;

a solar cell mounted on a surface so as to be exposed to light and operatively associated withthe connections to charge the battery;

a light sub-circuit having an integrated circuit for controlling said lamps to produce lighting effects, and a selection switch, said selection switch being connected to said integrated circuit and operable to select a desired lighting effect; and

a volatile memory retained for a period of time and associated with said integrated circuit, said memory causing operation of said circuit to produce said lighting effects.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein said lighting effect is selected from the group of lighting effects consisting of:

a specific colour changing effect, a colour brightness effect, a colour changing frequency effect, a colour changing sequence effect, and a colour light intensity effect.

26. The device according to claim 24, wherein said desired colour includes a varying colour.

27. A lighting device to produce light of varying colour, said device including:

a lens;

a circuit having

at least two lamps of different colours to produce a varying colour, said lamps being mounted to direct light through said lens,

connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power said circuit,

a solar cell mounted so as to be exposed to light and operatively associated with said connections to charge said battery, and

a user operated switch operable to control said circuit, with said switch being accessible by a user thereby enabling said user to manipulate said switch to control delivery of power to said lamps; and

a spike for positioning said connections above a ground surface.

28. The lighting device of claim 27, wherein said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to said lamps to deliver power thereto so that said lamps produce a desired color, with said switch controlling said sub-circuit.

29. The lighting device of claim 27, wherein said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to said lamps to deliver power thereto so that said lamps produce light, with said switch being an on/off switch to deliver power from said battery to said sub-circuit.

30. The lighting device of claim 27, wherein any one of said at least two lamps is a single diode that emits light when energized, and wherein said at least two lamps are at least three lamps comprising a diode that emits red light, a diode that emits blue light and a diode that emits green light.

31. The lighting device of claim 27, wherein said circuit includes a light sub-circuit connected to said lamps to deliver power thereto, wherein said light sub-circuit varies said power to each of said lamps so as to vary both intensity of light emitted and frequency of changes to said intensity to produce a continuous color changing cycle.

32. A lighting device to produce light of varying color, said device including:

a lens;

a circuit having

at least two lamps of different colors mounted to direct light through said lens,

an activation sub-circuit to provide power to said lamps only at low light levels, and

a light sub-circuit to independently control delivery of power to each of said lamps so as to vary intensity of light emitted over time to produce a continuous color changing cycle,

connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power said circuit, and

at least one solar cell mounted so as to be exposed to light and operatively associated with said connections to charge said battery; and

a spike for positioning said connections above a ground surface.

33. The lighting device of claim 32, further comprising at least one user operated switch operable to control said circuit, with said switch being accessible by said user thereby enabling said user to manipulate said switch to control delivery of power to said lamps.

34. The lighting device of claim 32, wherein said light sub-circuit further independently controls delivery of power to each of said lamps so as to vary frequency of changes to said intensity.

35. A lighting device to produce light of varying color, said device including:

a body including a post;

a lens connected to said body;

a circuit having;

a plurality of lamps of different colors to produce a varying color, said lamps being mounted to direct light through said lens,

connections for at least one rechargeable battery to power said circuit,

a solar cell mounted so as to be exposed to light and operatively associated with said connections to charge said battery, and

at least one user operated switch operable to control said circuit, with said switch being accessible by a user thereby enabling said user to manipulate said switch to control delivery of power to said lamps.