The invention relates generally to safety lighting, and more particularly to garage safety lighting.
Overhead lighting secured to the ceiling of a garage is the most common type of garage lighting today. It is typically activated by a wall switch located near a standard hinged door of a garage. The wall switch is obviously well out of reach for a homeowner driving their vehicle into the garage for parking making the overhead lighting unavailable when needed. In addition, these ceiling mounted lights are typically poor illuminators of garages at the floor level where people move about. Regardless, the ceiling mounted lights are useless during parking since homeowners typically turn them off when leaving the home.
Most quality garage door openers include lights. Since garage door openers tend to be mounted overhead and typically utilize lower watt bulbs, they too are typically poor illuminators of garages at the floor level. In addition, lights on garage door openers are typically lower lumen and directed in a direction that illuminates parallel to the ceiling they are mounted to as illustrated in the prior art examples of
What is needed are convenient and improved lighting systems for garages that illuminate a garage floor and surrounding areas to enable users to safely move their vehicle in and out of the garage, and safely ambulate about the garage and in and out their home especially when carrying loads such as groceries. What is needed is better garage lighting for homeowners to expose obstacles on or near a garage floor that may be a danger due to tripping and falling, as well as to brightly expose perpetrators who may intend to rob or cause physical harm to a homeowner. What is needed are garage lighting systems that can be activated remotely.
A pair of opposed safety eyes, first safety eye 106 and second safety eye 108, are commonly positioned near floor level with each secured to a respective first vertical rail 102 and second vertical rail 104 of a garage door opening system, or alternatively to a first vertical frame 103 and second vertical frame 105 as illustrated in
In one form, a safety eye light comprises at least one of an opposed infrared sending unit and infrared receiving unit, and one or more safety lights for illuminating a space. In this disclosure, safety light refers a light having a visible spectrum of light commonly used to illuminate a space.
In one form, a safety light on a safety eye light utilizes at least one of: a LED, incandescent, halogen, and fluorescent light source.
In one form, a safety light on a safety eye light is disposed on any one side of an eye-light body of a safety eye light.
In one form, the eye-light body comprises a medial face on a medial facing side.
In one form, the eye-light body comprises a front face on a front facing side.
In one form, the eye-light body comprises a lateral facing side.
In one form, the eye-light body comprises a top facing side.
In one form, the eye-light body comprises a bottom facing side.
In one form, a safety light is disposed on one or more of a front face and a medial face of an eye-light body.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises a single safety light.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises a plurality of safety lights.
In one form, light emitted from a safety eye light is motion activated.
In one form, activation of a safety light within a safety eye light is consequent to opening or closing of a garage door.
In one form, activation of a safety light is consequent to movement of a vehicle in or out of a garage.
In one form, activation of a safety eye light is consequent to motion occurring within a garage such as a person walking.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises a motion detector unit for sensing motion within a predetermined space such as a garage.
In one form, a safety light on a safety eye light once activated remains illuminated for a pre-set amount of time.
In one form, a safety light on a safety eye light is illuminated by activating an activation button mounted on a wall.
In one form, a safety light on a safety eye light is illuminated by activating an activation button on a handheld controller.
In one form, illuminating a safety light on a safety eye light by activating an activation button mounted on at least one of: a wall and on a handheld controller causes consequent continual illumination until actively deactivating the safety light.
In one form, illuminating a safety light by activating a button mounted on a wall or on a handheld controller results in a consequent timed illumination after which the safety light turns off without user intervention.
In one form, a safety light within a safety eye light has an axis of illumination that is directionally adjustable.
In one form, at least one safety light within a safety eye light is pivotably adjustable to direct light in a predetermined direction.
In one form, at least one safety light within a safety eye light is in a fixed direction.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises a plurality of safety lights adjustable to different directions.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises at least two safety lights each directed along divergent axes.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises at least two safety lights each directed along parallel axes.
In one form, the beam width from a safety light in a safety eye light is adjustable.
In one form, one or more safety eye lights is mounted adjacent a vertical garage door rail.
In one form, a safety light of a safety eye light is positioned to illuminate at the floor level at the rear of vehicles.
In one form, a safety light is positioned to illuminate at the rear of vehicles in a garage and down the exterior sides of the vehicles where occupants enter and exit.
In one form, a safety light is integrated in a garage door opener safety eye component.
In one form, a safety light is an automatic function that runs continuously to supply illumination for safety at the floor level.
In one form, a safety eye light supplies light to the back and sides of the garage at the floor level for safety.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises a battery compartment for enclosing a battery therein.
In one form, the safety light within a safety eye light is battery powered.
In one form, a safety eye light comprises a wireless control sensor operable to receive wireless signals from a sending unit on one or more of: an overhead garage door opener, and a remote control causing consequent on/off control of a safety light on the safety eye light.
In one form, a button on a key chain garage door opener remote control is pre-programmed to cause when depressed consequent activation of a safety light on a safety eye light though a wireless signal transmitted from the remote control.
In one form, a button on a visor garage door opener remote control is pre-programmed to cause when depressed consequent activation of a safety light on a safety eye light though a wireless signal transmitted from the remote control.
In one form, a button on a key chain garage door opener remote control is programmable to cause when depressed consequent activation of a safety light on a safety eye light though a wireless signal transmitted from the remote control.
In one form, a button on a visor garage door opener remote control is programmable to cause when depressed consequent activation of a safety light on a safety eye light though a wireless signal transmitted from the remote control.
In one form, a safety light is included on both of the opposing safety eye light modules (eye-light body).
In one form, a safety light is included on only one of the opposing safety eye light modules.
In one form, a safety light of a safety eye light is directed towards one or more of the side walls of a space such as a garage.
In one form, a safety light of a safety eye light is directed to spread towards both the side walls and floor of a space such as a garage.
In one form, safety light(s) of a first safety eye light have different illumination directions than safety light(s) on a second safety eye light.
In one form, safety light(s) of a first safety eye light are directionally adjustable to have different illumination directions that safety light(s) on a second safety eye light.
In one form, a safety eye light utilizes a mount bracket for securing a safety eye light to a vertical rail of a common garage door opening system.
In one form, the mount bracket is fastened to the vertical rail.
In one form, the mount bracket has slotted fastener holes operable to facilitate bracket positioning, mounting, and alignment with an opposed safety eye light.
In one form, the mount bracket comprises a C-shaped deflectable clamp operable to secure to a vertical rail by friction.
In one form, a safety eye light utilizes a mount bracket operable to secure the safety eye light to a vertical frame or wall of a space using fasteners.
In one form, a safety eye light utilizes a wall or rail bracket having a bendable arm for directing the illumination path of a safety light of a safety eye light.
In one form, one embodiment of a method of operating a safety light on a safety eye light comprises the following steps. A user programs a button referred to as ‘X’ on a remote control associated with a garage door opener (or alternately the button my be pre-programmed). The remote control may be in a variety of forms including: a key chain remote, a visor remote, a remote integrated into a vehicle, and an indoor/outdoor wall mounted remote. The user presses button ‘X’ on the associated remote indicating to turn on/off a safety light of a safety eye light associated with the garage door opener. The wireless signal from the remote activated by button ‘X’ is received by a receiver located in the garage door electric operator causing consequent opening or closing of a power line switch powering the safety light in the safety eye light. The safety light turns on/off. Alternatively, the garage door opener sends a wireless signal to a wireless control sensor on the safety eye light causing consequent activation/deactivation of the safety light.
In one form, one embodiment of a method of operating a safety light on a safety eye light comprises the following steps. The user presses a button on a remote control associated with a garage door opener. Again, the remote control may be in a variety of forms including a key chain remote, a visor remote, a remote integrated into a vehicle, and an indoor/outdoor wall mounted remote. The signal from the remote is received by a receiver in the garage door opener. This causes a consequent action by the opener of closing a power line switch thereby powering the safety eye light(s) and activating the garage door opener to raise or lower the garage door. Alternatively, the garage electric operator may send a wireless signal to wireless control sensor on the eye-light body thereby activating the safety light to turn on or off. When complete, the safety eye light turns off or may be timed delayed allowing for example an occupant time to walk into their home.
In one form, one embodiment of a method of operating a safety light on a safety eye light comprises the following steps. A safety eye of a safety eye light senses a break in the infrared light beam transmitted between opposed safety eyes of a first safety eye light and a second safety eye light. A safety eye signal is sent to the garage electric operator causing the power to be sent from the garage door opener to the safety light on the safety eye light. Alternatively, the electric operator sends a wireless signal to a wireless control sensor on the safety eye light to turn it on.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated when considered in connection with the following detailed description and appended drawings, wherein each drawing is according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein, and wherein:
Select embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the Figures. Like numerals indicate like or corresponding elements throughout the several views and wherein various embodiments are separated by letters (i.e. 100A, 100B, 100C). The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive way, simply because it is being utilized in conjunction with detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may include several novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the invention described herein.
Like the safety eyes illustrated in
As illustrated in
In one embodiment, a method of operating a safety light on a safety eye light comprises the following steps as illustrated in
In yet another embodiment, a method of operating a safety light on a safety eye light comprises the following steps. The user presses a button on a remote control associated with a garage door opener indicating to raise/lower the garage door (step 182). Again, the remote control may be in a variety of forms including a key chain remote, a visor remote, a remote integrated into a vehicle, and an indoor/outdoor wall mounted remote. The signal from the remote is received by a receiver (wireless control sensor) in the garage door opener (step 184). This causes a consequent action by the opener of closing a power line switch thereby powering the safety eye light(s) and activating the garage door opener to raise or lower the garage door (step 186). The garage door raises/lowers then the safety light turns on/off. Alternatively, the garage door opener may send a wireless signal to the wireless control sensor (step 178) thereby activating the safety light to turn on or off. When complete, the safety eye light turns off or may be timed delayed allowing for example an occupant time to walk into the house (step 188).
In another embodiment of a method of operating a safety light on a safety eye light comprises the following steps. A safety eye of a safety eye light senses a break in the infrared light beam (step 190). A safety eye signal is sent to the garage opener (step 192) consequently causing the power to be sent from the garage door opener to the safety light on the safety eye light (step 194) changing the safety eye light from a state of dis-illumination to a state of illumination. Alternatively, the opener sends a wireless signal to the wireless control sensor of the safety eye light to turn the safety light on (step 196).
It is noted that the terms “substantially” and “about” and “generally” may be utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.
The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No. 62/832,698 filed Apr. 11, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and relied upon.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5934019 | Rotharmel | Aug 1999 | A |
20180209199 | Liu | Jul 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20200325717 A1 | Oct 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62832698 | Apr 2019 | US |