Abstract:
A lighting apparatus includes a plurality of panels and light emitting elements facing in many or all directions. The lighting apparatus can include a controller and a user-operable power switch for controlling electrical power to the light emitting elements. The lighting apparatus can be portable and can be powered by an internal battery. The lighting apparatus can include an orientation detector for detecting its current orientation, e.g., which lighting panel is facing the ground or is facing directly upward. The lighting apparatus can include a timer, which can be used for automatic shutoff and/or delayed-on functionality. The lighting apparatus can be configured to operate in one or more different operational modes, which can be preset and/or user-selectable.

Description:
[0001]    This is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 9,476,578, filed 14 Mar. 2014 and issued 25 Oct. 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/792,567, filed 15 Mar. 2013, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to lighting apparatus, particularly portable lighting apparatus configured to emit light in multiple directions. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a lighting apparatus comprises a plurality of panels each facing a respective different direction, each light panel including at least one respective light emitting element; an orientation detector for detecting an orientation of the lighting apparatus; and a controller for receiving orientation information from the orientation detector and for controlling electrical power to the light emitting elements based at least in part on the orientation information. 
         [0004]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus can comprise, for example, twelve panels assembled in the shape of a dodecahedron. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments, at least one of the panels can comprise a diffuser. The diffuser can be formed of an at least somewhat fire-resistant material. 
         [0006]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus can further comprise a user-operable mode selection switch for allowing a user to select from among a plurality of operational modes. In some such embodiments, the controller can be further configured for controlling electrical power to the light emitting elements based at least in part on a selected one the plurality of operational modes. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, the controller can be further configured for controlling electrical power to the light emitting elements based at least in part on a preselected one of a plurality of operational modes. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus can further comprise a rechargeable battery for providing electrical power for the at least one light emitting element. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments, at least one of the light emitting elements can be a light emitting diode. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus can further comprise a power switch for allowing a user to turn on the lighting apparatus. In some such embodiments, the lighting apparatus can further comprise a timer for detecting an amount of time since a user operated a power switch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Features, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure are described in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a multisided lighting apparatus  100  according to the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom rear perspective view of the lighting apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a partial cross-sectional view of a panel according to the present disclosure; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of the lighting apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a top front perspective view of an embodiment of a multisided lighting apparatus  100  according to the present disclosure.  FIG. 2  shows a bottom rear perspective view of the lighting apparatus  100 . The lighting apparatus  100  is shaped somewhat like a dodecahedron, however other shapes with more or fewer sides can be used, including, but not limited to embodiments where the apparatus  100  is shaped at least somewhat like a cube, tetrahedron, octahedron, icosahedron, pyramid, cuboid, cube octahedron, buckyball (truncated icosahedron), star, or sphere. 
         [0017]    The lighting apparatus  100  comprises twelve light panels  102 A- 102 L corresponding to respective sides of the lighting apparatus  100 . However, other numbers of light panels  102  can be used. In general, it is desirable to have a light panel  102  on each side so that at least somewhat omnidirectional light can be emitted by the lighting apparatus  100 . 
         [0018]    Each of the light panels  102 A- 102 L includes a respective one of light emitting element arrays  104 A- 104 L. The light emitting element arrays  104 A- 104 L each includes one or more light emitting elements  106 . In the present embodiment, each light emitting element array  104  includes sixteen light emitting elements  106 . However, other numbers of light emitting elements  106  can be used per light emitting element array  104 , including a single light emitting element  106  per light emitting element array  104 . 
         [0019]    The light emitting elements  104  are preferably light emitting diodes (LEDs), however other types of light emitting elements can be used. Characteristics and exact numbers of light emitting elements  104  can vary greatly from one embodiment to another. For example, light emitting elements  104  of different colors and/or brightness levels can be used depending on the intended use of the lighting apparatus  100 . In some embodiments, bright white light may be desired, while in other embodiments it may be desirable to have light of one or more other colors or even light that is not visible to the human eye such as infrared light. In some embodiments, light emitting elements  104  can be of the type that are capable of emitting more than one different color of light. 
         [0020]    In the illustrated embodiment, the lighting apparatus  100  includes a single power switch  108  for allowing a user to turn on and off at least some of the light emitting elements  106 . In some such embodiments, the power switch  108  can be a push-button switch, a toggle switch, a rotary switch, or any other desired type of power switch. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a partial cross-sectional view of a light panel  102 , which can be representative of any of the light panels  102 A- 102 L. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the light panel  102  includes one or more light emitting elements  106  oriented to emit light through a diffuser  110 . The diffuser  110  can be completely transparent, or can have optical properties that reduce, color, and/or spread light passing therethrough. The light emitting elements  106  are supported by a rigid substrate  112 . Additional components, such as wiring and/or circuitry for providing electrical power to the light emitting elements  106 , can be included in the light panel  102  but is not shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows a block diagram of the lighting apparatus  100 . As discussed above, the lighting apparatus  100  includes a plurality of light panels  102 A- 102 L, each having a respective light emitting element array  104 A- 104 L. The light emitting element arrays  104 A- 104 L are controlled by a controller  114 . The controller  114  is connected to the power switch  108 , allowing the controller  114  to detect when the power switch  108  has been operated by a user so that the controller  114  can take appropriate action, for example turning on or off various light emitting element arrays  104 . 
         [0023]    Electrical power for the light emitting elements  106  and other electrical components is provided by a battery  118 . The battery  118  can be replaceable and/or rechargeable. Embodiments that include a rechargeable battery  118  can also include means for recharging the battery  118  without removing the battery  118  from the lighting apparatus  100 , for example by providing the lighting apparatus  100  with recharging electrical leads that can be electrically connected to an external power source, and/or by wirelessly recharging the battery  118 , for example using an electromagnetic field charger. 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus  100  can include a timer  116 , either integrated into the controller  114  or as a separate unit. In such embodiments, the timer  116  can be used for an automatic shut-off feature, where the light emitting elements  106  are automatically turned off by the controller  114  after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, as determined by the timer  116 , since a user operated the power switch  108  to turn on the light emitting elements  106 . Alternatively, or additionally, the timer  116  can be used for an on-delay feature, where the controller  114  waits for a predetermined amount of time to turn on the light emitting elements  106 , the predetermined amount of time being measured by the timer  116  from the time that a user operates the power switch  108  to turn on the light emitting elements  106 . 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus  100  can include an orientation detector  120 . For example, the orientation detector  120  can include a gravity switch or other detector that can be used to detect which of the light panels  102 A- 102 L is facing down or which of the light panels  102 A- 102 L is facing up. In some such embodiments, this information can be used by the controller  114  to determine which of the light emitting element arrays  104 A- 104 L to turn on or to turn off. 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus  100  can include a mode switch  122 . The mode switch  122  can be user-accessible or factory preset. The mode switch  122  can allow the lighting apparatus  100  to operate in one of a plurality of different operational modes. The operational modes can include modes the light emitted from the lighting apparatus  100  is directed in a different direction or cone shape depending on the selected mode. Some such operational modes can benefit from the inclusion of the orientation detector  120 . 
         [0027]    For example, in some embodiments, the operational modes can include one or more of an upward-spotlight mode, an upward-floodlight mode, and downward-floodlight mode. 
         [0028]    In the upward-spotlight mode, if the lighting apparatus is oriented as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , then only the single most upward-facing light emitting array  104 A will be illuminated by the controller  114 . If the lighting apparatus  100  includes the orientation detector  120 , the controller  114  can determine, based on information from the orientation detector  120 , that the current most upwardly-facing light panel is light panel  102 A, so only the light emitting element array  104 A will be illuminated while the lighting apparatus is “ON”. If the lighting apparatus  100  is rotated from the orientation shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the orientation detector  120  can detect the change, relay this information to the controller  114 , which in turn can turn on and off the light emitting arrays  104 A- 104 L as appropriate so that only the light emitting element array  104  that currently faces a most upward direction will be on. 
         [0029]    In the upward-floodlight mode, if the lighting apparatus is oriented as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , then only the group of somewhat upwardly-facing light emitting arrays  104 A,  104 B,  104 C,  104 G,  104 H, and  1041  will be illuminated by the controller  114 . If the lighting apparatus  100  includes the orientation detector  120 , the controller  114  can determine, based on information from the orientation detector  120 , that the current most upwardly-facing light panel is light panel  102 A, so only the light emitting element array  104 A and neighboring light emitting element arrays  104 B,  104 C,  104 G,  104 H, and  1041  will be illuminated while the lighting apparatus is “ON”. If the lighting apparatus  100  is rotated from the orientation shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the orientation detector  120  can detect the change, relay this information to the controller  114 , which in turn can turn on and off the light emitting arrays  104 A- 104 L as appropriate so that only the light emitting element arrays  104  that currently face a somewhat upward direction will be on. 
         [0030]    In the downward-floodlight mode, if the lighting apparatus is oriented as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , then only the group of somewhat downwardly-facing light emitting arrays  104 D,  104 E,  104 F,  104 J, and  104 L (excluding the ground-facing light emitting array  104 K) will be illuminated by the controller  114 . If the lighting apparatus  100  includes the orientation detector  120 , the controller  114  can determine, based on information from the orientation detector  120 , that the current ground-facing light panel is light panel  102 K, so only the light emitting element arrays  104 D,  104 E,  104 F,  104 J, and  104 L will be illuminated while the lighting apparatus is “ON”. If the lighting apparatus  100  is rotated from the orientation shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the orientation detector  120  can detect the change, relay this information to the controller  114 , which in turn can turn on and off the light emitting arrays  104 A- 104 L as appropriate so that only the light emitting element arrays  104  that currently face a somewhat downward direction (but not directly facing the ground) will be on. 
         [0031]    Still further modes are possible, such as modes that turn on only side-facing light emitting element arrays (e.g., light emitting element arrays  104 B- 104 J and  104 L as oriented in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) or modes that cause the light emitting element arrays  104 A- 104 L to flash or turn on and off together, in groups, or individually, including modes where the light emitting element arrays  104 A- 104 L turn on and off in predetermined or random sequences. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus  100  can be configured for use by fire and rescue emergency personnel. For example, some such embodiments of the lighting apparatus  100  can have a very rugged construction, and include fire-rated materials, such as fire proof or fire resistant metals and plastics, so that the lighting apparatus  100  can be used inside a smoke-filled room during search and rescue operations, for example within a burning structure. In some such embodiments, the lighting apparatus  100  can be preconfigured to operate in the above-described downward-floodlight mode. Such embodiments can allow fire and rescue personnel to quickly and easily turn on the lighting apparatus  100  and deploy the lighting apparatus  100  into a smoke-filled structure without the need to be concerned with careful placement. Preferably, such embodiments include the orientation detector  120  so that the lighting apparatus  100  can be tossed into a smoke-filled room, automatically determine its orientation, and illuminate only the somewhat downwardly-facing light panels  102  so that the ground instantly becomes flooded with light. The upwardly-facing light panels  102  can automatically remain off, preventing personnel from being blinded by the bright light being reflected by smoke. 
         [0033]    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. 
         [0034]    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. 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.