Patent Application
20130208454
The present disclosure relates to luminaires, particularly luminaires suitable for outdoor use, including luminaires that comprise a solar power system.
Solar lighting fixtures such as the lighting device 50 shown in
A lighting device according to some aspects of the present disclosure can comprise a lower lens that allows at least a portion of impinging light to pass therethrough and an upper lens that allows at least a portion of impinging light to pass therethrough. The lighting device can also include a circuit housing disposed between the upper lens and the lower lens such that a lower light chamber is at least partially defined by the circuit housing and the lower lens, and an upper light chamber is at least partially defined by the circuit housing and the upper lens. Control circuitry can be at least partially disposed within the circuit housing. An upper lamp can be electrically connected to the control circuitry for directing light into the upper chamber, and a lower lamp can be electrically connected to the control circuitry for directing light into the lower chamber. A solar panel can be exposed to the upper light chamber so as to receive light passing through the upper lens.
A lighting device according to other aspects of the present disclosure can comprise a circuit housing that includes an upper housing shell and a lower housing shell and control circuitry at least partially disposed within the circuit housing. An upper lamp can be electrically connected to the control circuitry for directing light above the upper housing shell, and a lower lamp can be electrically connected to the control circuitry for directing light below the lower housing shell. A solar panel can be supported by the upper housing shell. The control circuitry can turn on the upper and lower lamps when light received by the solar panel is below a threshold switch-on value, and turn off the upper and lower lamps when light received by the solar panel is above a threshold switch-off value. The upper lamp is configured such that light emitted from the upper lamp and received by the solar panel is below the threshold switch-off value.
Features, aspects, and embodiments of the inventions are described in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:
The upper light chamber 101 and the lower light chamber 102 are separated by a circuit housing 103. In some embodiments, the circuit housing 103 can include one or both of an upper bezel 115 and a lower bezel 117 that serve as easily-interchangeable decorative elements.
Other optional elements shown in
Referring to
The upper lens 114 can comprise glass and/or plastic and allows at least a portion of light emitted by the upper lamp 112 to pass therethrough. Likewise, the lower lens 116 can also comprise glass and/or plastic and allows at least a portion of light emitted by the lower lamp 111 to pass therethrough. The upper lens 114 also allows ambient light, such as sunlight, to pass into the upper light chamber 101 and onto one or more solar panels 121 disposed on an upper surface of the circuit housing 103. In alternative embodiments, the upper lens 114 and/or lower lens 116 can be omitted or comprise a grating, such as a decorative metal, ceramic, or plastic grating, in place of or adjacent to the lens 114 and/or 116.
The circuit housing 103 is disposed between the upper light chamber 101 and the lower light chamber 102. The circuit housing 103 comprises an upper housing shell 118 and a lower housing shell 127. The upper housing shell 118 and lower housing shell 127 can be assembled by installing screws 132 into internally-threaded posts 131, or by other fastening means, which can include fasteners and/or adhesives. The upper housing shell 118 and/or the lower housing shell 127 can be formed of plastic and/or metal and can be at least substantially opaque. The upper housing shell 118 and lower housing shell 127 can be assembled together to define a chamber within the circuit housing 103 where control circuitry 136 can be disposed. This allows control circuitry 136 to be hidden from view. The upper housing shell 118 can include a hole through which the upper lamp 112 and/or wiring to the upper lamp 112 can extend. The lower housing shell 127 can include a hole through which the lower lamp 111 and/or wiring to the lower lamp 111 can extend.
Control circuitry 136 can be disposed within the circuit housing. The control circuitry 136 can be electrically connected to battery connections 125 and 135 and to lower and upper lamps 111 and 112. The battery connections 125 and 135 can be exposed in a battery compartment 137 for making contact with a rechargeable battery 126. A battery compartment cover 128 can be provided for enclosing the rechargeable battery 126 in the battery compartment 137.
The control circuitry 136 can also be electrically connected to one or more solar panels 121. The solar panels 121 can convert light into an electric current, which can be provided to the control circuitry 136 for recharging the battery 126. The solar panels 121 can be attached to the upper surface of the upper housing shell 118. The upper housing shell 118 can include one or more holes through which wiring can pass allowing the solar panels 121 to be electrically connected to the control circuitry 136.
In some embodiments, the lighting device 100 can operate as an automatic dusk-to-dawn light fixture where the lower and upper lamps 111 and 112 automatically turn on and off depending on ambient light levels. In such embodiments, the control circuitry 136 can use the electrical current from the solar panels 121 to detect ambient light levels. The control circuitry 136 can turn on (illuminate) the upper and lower lamps 111 and 112 when the amount of light received by the solar panels 121 falls below a threshold switch-on value (e.g., at dusk); and the control circuitry 136 can turn off the upper and lower lamps 111 and 112 when the amount of light received by the solar panels 121 exceeds a threshold switch-off value (e.g., at dawn).
The upper lamp 112 is disposed in the upper light chamber 101 near the solar panels 121. As a result, light emitted by the upper lamp 112 is received by the solar panels 121. For this reason, the threshold switch-off value should be high enough that the light emitted by the upper lamp 112 does not cause the control circuitry 136 to turn off the upper and lower lamps 111 and 112. For example, if the control circuitry 136 is configured to turn on the lamps 111 and 112 at light levels of 70 Lux and turn off the lamps 111 and 112 at light levels of 110 Lux, the light emitted by the upper lamp 111 should be lower than 110 Lux. The threshold values of 70 Lux and 110 Lux are only examples and other Lux values can be used. For example, the switch-on value can be in a range of 12 Lux to 90 Lux, and the switch-off value can be in a range of 80 Lux to 180 Lux.
In place of, or in addition to, the automatic dusk-to-dawn functionality described above, the lighting device 100 can include a user-operable ON/OFF switch 123. In such embodiments, the control circuitry 136 can be electrically connected to the switch 123 such a user can operate the switch 123 to enable and disable operation of the lighting device 100.
As shown in the embodiment in
The lower light chamber 102 can include a reflective element 119 secured to an inner bottom surface of the lower lens 116. The reflective element 119 can be configured for directing light from the lower lamp 111 towards the lower lens 116.
In the embodiment shown in
While various embodiments in accordance with the disclosed principles have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and are not limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the invention(s) should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the claims and their equivalents issuing from this disclosure. Furthermore, the above advantages and features are provided in described embodiments, but shall not limit the application of such issued claims to processes and structures accomplishing any or all of the above advantages.
Additionally, the section headings herein are provided for consistency with the suggestions under 37 C.F.R. 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set out in any claims that may issue from this disclosure. Specifically and by way of example, the “Summary” is not to be considered as a characterization of the invention(s) set forth in issued claims. Furthermore, any reference in this disclosure to “invention” in the singular should not be used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty in this disclosure. Multiple inventions may be set forth according to the limitations of the multiple claims issuing from this disclosure, and such claims accordingly define the invention(s), and their equivalents, that are protected thereby. In all instances, the scope of such claims shall be considered on their own merits in light of this disclosure, but should not be constrained by the headings set forth herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61598174 | Feb 2012 | US |
