Patent Application
20070247830
The present invention is directed to an illuminating device. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an illuminating device that permits the lighting of an area or pathway.
Outdoor illumination devices come in all manner, shape and size. Powered lighting is commercially available in alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) types. Although powered lighting has the advantage of always being available, it requires that wire or cable be run from a power source to the light. This can be very expensive and, often, the lights cannot be readily moved once installed.
Other types of lighting are known, such as solar powered lamps. These lamps are limited in their use in that they can only be used after “charged” by the sun, or have a limited time to operate after being charged. Moreover, these lamps can be quite costly. This is particularly true when it is desired to illuminate a large area. Battery powered lamps are another alternative, however, the batteries would require frequent replacement (likely every day), which would also costly very quickly.
Along these lines, golf has become a very popular game. In fact, it has become so popular, that tee times are extending later and later into the afternoon and as such, games are often called due to darkness. Illuminated golf balls, of the chemiluminescent type and electrical type (e.g., LED-containing) have come into use. While these balls allow a player to locate a ball and continue play, they do not provide any general area illumination or lighting for foot traffic along the course.
Although “hard-wired” lighting would be ideal along a golf course, the length of many courses (in excess of 7000 yards) and the width of such courses, makes such a lighting installing cost prohibitive. Moreover, the cost for solar powered lighting is also cost prohibitive due to the large number of lamps that would have to be installed and replaced on a likely fairly consistent basis.
Accordingly, there is a need for a non-powered lighting device that can be placed as desired in any soft surface. Desirably, such a device is inexpensive and is readily replaceable. Most desirably, such a device can be actuated “as-needed”, in order to maximize usable life.
A surface supported lighting media includes a chemiluminescent element such as a light stick and a reusable support element. The support element is configured for insertion into a surface, for example, the ground, in a desired orientation. The support element includes a surface insertion spike and a stick receiving portion.
The present surface supported lighting media provides an inexpensive, non-powered lighting device that can be placed as desired in any penetratable surface, such as along a golf course. The light stick is readily replaceable and advantageously, can be actuated “as-needed”, in order to maximize usable life.
The light stick and the support element releasably engage one another to support the light stick in a desired orientation when the support element is inserted into the surface. The light stick can be disengaged from the support element for replacing the light stick.
In one form, the light stick includes an annular sleeve and the support element includes an insert portion configured for receipt in the sleeve. The support element can include an enlarged contact region, such as a flange at a location at which the light stick and the support element engage one another.
In an alternate embodiment, the support element includes a sleeve-like receiving element configured for receiving the light stick. The support element can include a contact region (e.g., a base) within the sleeve-like receiving element to provide a location at which the light stick and the support element engage one another. Optionally, the support element includes a retaining element to releasably secure the light stick element in the sleeve-like element.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.
The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein.
Referring now to the figures, and in particular to
The support element 14 includes a spike portion 20 and an insert 22 that is received in socket portion 16 of the stick 12. A flange 24 is disposed at the juncture of the insert 22 and the spike 20. The spike 20 is preferably formed with a penetrating tip 26.
The chemiluminescent light stick 12 can be any of a number of commercially available light sticks. One preferred configuration of the light stick 12 has an outside chamber 28 and a breakable inside chamber 30 within the outside chamber. The outside chamber 28 contains a first chemical solution 32 and the internal chamber 30 contains a second solution 34 such that the internal chamber 30 is breakable by a user so that the solutions 32, 34 mix and react with one another to chemically drive the chemiluminescent light emission. In one known combination of solutions the first solution 32 contains a reductant compound and a fluorescent dye compound and the second solution 34 contains an oxidant compound and a solvent. One known oxidant is hydrogen peroxide, which can be used an oxalic phthalate reductant and water solvent. Exemplary fluorescent dye compounds are 9,10-diphenylanthracene, 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene, and 5,6,11,12-tetraphenylnaphthacene. Other combinations of chemicals and methods/materials for providing the chemiluminescent effect will be recognized by those skilled in the art and are within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
In use, the support element insert 22 is inserted into the socket 16 of the light stick 12, the inside or internal chamber 30 in the light stick 12 is broken and the chemicals 32, 34 in the stick 12 are mixed to provide the chemiluminescent effect. The spike 20 (the media 10) is inserted as surface, for example into the ground G, and the light stick 12 is supported in a desired orientation. Advantageously, the flange 24 provides a relatively large surface at which the light stick 12 and support 14 contact one another and over which pressure is exerted on the light stick 12. This prevents over-stressing the light stick 12 at the socket 16, which could otherwise result in tearing the light stick 12 material.
It will be appreciated that the embodiment 10 of
Optionally, the support 114 can include a gripping element 136 inside of the sleeve 116 that can permit the support portion 114 and sleeve 116 to accommodate light sticks 112 of various diameters. The gripping element 136 can, for example, be formed by a thin, flexible inwardly extending membrane that is slit or cut radially (as at 138), or discrete, elongated “fingers” (not shown) that extend inwardly to engage the sides of the light stick 112 when the stick 112 is inserted into the sleeve 116.
All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure.
In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular.
From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the disclosed, exemplary embodiment.
