Lighting device

• US 8,356,920 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lancer and Loader Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Lancer and Loader Group LLC
• Inventors: Levine, Jonathan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAMLING, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/954,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20090154151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 362/199, 362/287, 362418-421, 362/232, 362236- 48, 36224901-24903, 36224907-24911
• US Class Current: 362/421
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lighting device is disclosed. The lighting device can include a base, a first light source housing, and a second light source housing. The first and second light source housings each can include a lighting element (e.g., a light-emitting diode). The first and second light source housings can be independently moveable relative to the base. For example, the first light source housing can be rotatable relative to the base around a first axis and a second axis, the first axis being substantially perpendicular to the second axis. Similarly, the second light source housing can be rotatable relative to the base around a third axis and a fourth axis, the third axis being substantially perpendicular to the fourth axis. The base can include a battery compartment and wires electrically connecting the battery compartment to the first and second light source housings.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising:

a base;

a light source housing at least partially inset within the base; and

a swivel arm connecting the light source housing to the base, wherein the swivel arm includes a head and a stem, the stem of the swivel arm is fixedly secured to an internal portion of the base, and the head of the swivel arm is at least partially captured within the light source housing such that the light source housing is prevented from separating from the base and the light source housing can swivel relative to the base on the head of the swivel arm, wherein the light source housing includes a lower shell portion, an upper shell portion, and a lighting-element backing plate positioned between the lower shell portion and the upper shell portion, the lighting-element backing plate has an upper surface and a lower surface, a lighting element is positioned on the upper surface of the lighting-element backing plate, the lower surface of the lighting-element backing plate has a rounded recess, and the rounded recess rests on an upper rounded portion of the head of the swivel arm.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light source housing is substantially shaped as an oblate spheroid.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the base includes a battery compartment.

4. The lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting plate detachably connected to the base.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the base is elongated and the lighting device includes three or more light source housings positioned along the long axis of the base.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the stem of the swivel arm in a plane perpendicular to the length of the swivel arm is not round and a portion of the stem of the swivel arm fits snugly into an opening in the internal portion of the base such that the swivel arm is prevented from rotating around an axis parallel to the length of the swivel arm.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising means for restricting rotation of the light source housing relative to the base around an axis parallel to a length of the stem.

8. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lower shell portion has an opening, the stem of the swivel arm extends through the opening, and a lower rounded surface of the head of the swivel arm contacts a rim adjacent to the opening.

9. The lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the lighting-element backing plate includes a circuit board, and the upper shell portion is at least partially transparent.

10. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the rounded recess extends into the lighting-element backing plate to form a projection on the upper surface of the lighting-element backing plate.

11. The lighting device according to claim 10, wherein three or more lighting elements are positioned on the upper surface of the lighting-element backing plate, the projection is substantially centered on the upper surface of the lighting-element backing plate, and the three or more lighting elements are distributed around the projection.

12. A lighting device, comprising:

a base; and

a light source housing, wherein the light source housing has an upper shell portion including a window, a lower shell portion at least partially inset within the base and a lighting-element backing plate positioned between the upper shell portion and the lower shell portion, the light source housing is substantially shaped as an oblate spheroid with a half-toroid lower portion, a ball joint connects the light source housing to the base, the ball joint includes a ball fixed to one end of an elongated stem, and the elongated stem extends through an opening in the lower shell portion of the light source housing, and the ball is captured in a space between a rounded recess in the lighting-element backing plate and a rim adjacent to the opening in the lower shell portion of the light source housing.

13. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the opening in the lower shell portion is positioned at a narrow end of a tapered recess extending into an underside of the lower shell portion.

14. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the opening in the lower shell portion is substantially centered in the lower shell portion and the lower shell portion is substantially shaped as a half toroid.

15. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the ball includes a nub, the perimeter of the rounded recess in the lighting-element backing plate includes an upper notch, the rim adjacent to the opening in the lower shell portion includes a lower notch, the upper notch and the lower notch form a channel around the nub, and interaction between the channel and the nub restricts rotation of the light source housing around an axis parallel to a length of the stem.

16. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the ball includes four nubs evenly distributed around the ball in a plane substantially perpendicular to the length of the stem, the perimeter of the rounded recess in the lighting-element backing plate includes four upper notches, the rim adjacent to the opening in the lower shell portion includes four lower notches, each of the upper notches pairs with a lower notch to form a channel around one of the nubs, and interaction between the channels and the nubs restricts rotation of the light source housing around an axis parallel to a length of the stem.

17. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the base includes a battery compartment.

18. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the base is elongated and the lighting device includes three or more light source housings positioned along the long axis of the base.

19. The lighting device according to claim 12, further comprising means for restricting rotation of the light source housing relative to the base around an axis parallel to a length of the elongated stem.

20. A lighting device, comprising:

a base including a battery compartment;

a light source housing at least partially inset within the base; and

a swivel arm connecting the light source housing to the base, wherein the light source housing is substantially shaped as an oblate spheroid, the swivel arm includes a head and a stem, the stem of the swivel arm is fixedly secured to an internal portion of the base, the head of the swivel arm is at least partially captured within the light source housing such that the light source housing is prevented from separating from the base and the light source housing can swivel relative to the base on the head of the swivel arm, the light source housing includes a lower shell portion, an upper shell portion, and a lighting-element backing plate positioned between the lower shell portion and the upper shell portion, the head of the swivel arm is captured in a space between a rounded recess in the lighting-element backing plate and a rim adjacent to an opening in the lower shell portion, the stem of the swivel arm extends through the opening in the lower shell portion, and the opening is positioned at a narrow end of a tapered recess extending into an underside of the lower shell portion.