Patent Publication Number: US-10317052-B2

Title: Battery powered LED set up stand

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
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     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the more popular light displays uses LED lights, which typically may be arranged in a temporary holiday yard display or in a more permanent light display. One of the difficulties with designing and setting up a light display is that after the LED lights are arranged in the desired pattern the field installer needs to connect each of the LED lights to a power source in order to obtain the full visual effect of the light display, which allows one to observe and decide if any of the LED lights should be relocated. Unfortunately, if there are a number of LED lights that need to be rearranged it becomes time consuming for the installer to move and rewire each of the LED lights until the proper LED arrangement is obtained. The invention described herein allows an installer to quickly and on-the-go set up, arrange or rearrange a LED light within an LED yard display without having to wire or rewire the LED lights each time a LED light in the light display is moved, or replaced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A portable, battery powered LED set up stand for field installer use in creation of a low voltage LED yard display through on-the-go field placement of LED lights within an LED yard display. The LED set up stand can power an LED light as the installer locates or relocates the LED light in the LED yard display without the installer having to wire or rewire the LED light each time an LED light is relocated. The LED set up stand having a first extension for connection to one of a set of interchangeable support bases to enable mounting or attachment of the LED set up stand to different types of surfaces. The LED set up stand including a second extension for temporarily supporting a variety of LED light products thereon with the LED set up stand carrying an internal low voltage replaceable dc power source for powering an LED light product secured thereto during an on-the-go creation of an LED yard display through a process of on-the-go locating and relocating of LED lights within the LED yard display. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the portable battery powered LED set up stand attached to a flat bottom support base; 
         FIG. 2  is an isolated side view of the flat bottom support base of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an additional support base comprising a flat blade stake for soil engagement; 
         FIG. 3A  is a side view of the flat blade stake of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the portable battery powered LED set up stand revealing a battery compartment and a LED light mounted to a top side of the LED set up stand; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a laser light mounted on the portable battery powered LED set up stand with a flat blade stake for temporary soil support of the laser light; and 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the portable battery powered LED set up stand with a coupling and pole for vertically position an LED light during arrangement of a light display. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portable battery powered LED set up stand  10 , with the bottom of the set up stand  10  secured to the top of a flat bottom cylindrical support base  20  and  FIG. 4  shows the portable battery powered LED set up stand  10  with the top of the set up stand  11  connected to an LED light base  51  in just one of the ways the versatility of the LED stand can be used to support and display LED lights. 
     In the example of  FIG. 1  portable battery powered LED set up stand  10  comprises a rectangular shaped housing  10   b  with a female thread  12  in extension  11  for temporary threaded securement to the under side of an LED light fixture. Extension  11  includes a set of radial fins  11   a  for supporting the extension  11  in a vertical or upright orientation on a top side of housing  10   b . LED set up stand  10  and extension  11  preferably comprise a lightweight polymer plastic with extension  11  having an internal thread  12  for temporary threaded engagement with a variety of LED light fixtures that may be used in arranging a field display of LED lights. LED set up stand housing  10   b  includes a sliding panel  15  that slides open to permit access to a battery compartment  10   a  located within the housing  10   b  ( FIG. 4 ). An electrical wire  16  with a two socket female connector  17  extends from the battery compartment within the LED set up stand  10  to supply dc power from batteries therein to a LED light or the like that is secured to the set up stand  10  to provide a water resistant stand around the set of batteries therein. In the example shown the LED set up stand  10  is supported in an upright condition on a flat surface through a flat underside  22  of base  20 . Preferably, base  20  is a high-density material that provides sufficient weight so that, the base  20 , which extends beyond the edges of the LED set up stand, provides a stability that prevents accidental tipping the LED set up stand  10  during use. 
       FIG. 2  is a partially sectional side view of the flat bottom circular support base  20  of  FIG. 1  revealing a hollow extension  21  extending from the top of the support base  20  with the extension  21  having a set of internal threads  21   a  for temporarily engaging a threaded male extension  18  ( FIG. 4 ) on the bottom of LED set up stand  10 . Support base  20  is well suited for supporting the LED set up stand on a solid surface or floor since the weighted mass of support base  20  provides stability without need for permanent or temporary attachment of the support base to a surface or floor. Preferably the base weighs more than the housing LED set up stand  10  and the LED lights mounted thereon to enhance the field stability of the LED set up stand. 
     The field installer often must set up LED light displays in a variety of different configurations and on a variety of different support surfaces, which can hinder set up of an LED light display. A feature of LED set up stand  10  is that it provides the versatility to accommodate different support surfaces with the same LED set up stand through use of a set of interchangeable bases. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of an example of a second type of support base  30  and  FIG. 3A  is a side view of support base  30  that can be temporarily secured to the LED set up stand  10  to provide stable support on soil surfaces. Support base  30  comprises a pointed stake that includes a first flat side blade  31  and a second flat side blade  32  joined by a central reinforcing rib  36  located between internal edges of blades  31  and  32 . The end of blades  31  and  32  converge to an apex  35  for ease in soil penetration. That is, the support base  30  forms a pointed stake that can be hand forced into soil by the installer to temporarily support the LED set up stand  10  during the evaluation of an LED light display. After evaluation of the light display is completed the stake  40  and the LED set up stand  10  can be removed from the soil for reuse in another location and the LED light can be permanently mounted and hardwired for part of a permanent LED display. Thus, a feature of the invention is that the field installer can use the LED set up stand with a variety of different support bases independent of the LED light carried in the LED set up stand. 
       FIG. 3  shows a top portion of stake  30  includes a hub  33  having a set of internal threads  34  for temporary threaded engagement of an extension  18  ( FIG. 4 ) on the bottom of the LED set up stand  10  that enables the LED set up stand  10  to be supported either by the stake  30 , which can be forced into the soil, or the base  20  of  FIG. 2 , which can be placed on a flat surface. That is, stake  30  and base  20  are interchangeable with each other so that a user can select one or the other to mount to the underside of set up stand  10 . Thus, a field installer can support the LED set up stand  10  in different field conditions by merely engaging the lower threads  18  on the set up stand  10  with an appropriate base. A feature of the invention is size and shape of the LED set up stand and the support bases are sufficiently large and hand graspable so the filed installer can through hand grasping and without the aid of tools attach or remove an LED light or a support base from the LED set up stand. Consequently, the selection of the appropriate support base from a set of support bases can be determined on-the-go and set up without hand tools during an LED setup phase by the field installer. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of LED set up stand  10  revealing a sliding door  15 , which slides on guides or rails within the housing (not shown) to provides access to a battery compartment  10   a  with a set of batteries  19  therein. Typically, the low voltage source in the LED set up stand comprise eight 1.5 volt dry cell batteries, which are connected in series to deliver 12 volts although higher or lower low voltage sources may be used. A sliding battery door  15 , which is shown in the open condition in  FIG. 4 , permits access to the batteries  19  in the battery compartment  10   a  for quick replacement of spent batteries. A feature of the invention described herein is that the batteries need not be replaced for many hours since the present invention take advantage of the current consumption of an LED light being low. A further feature is that the use of a low voltage power source avoids safety problems that can occur with 120 volt power sources, which may be reduced to a lower voltage, since the LED light set up stand  10  can eliminate the presence of harmful 120 volts during the setting up of the LED display. 
     In the example of  FIG. 4 , which is partially in section, an LED light  50   a  mounts in a shroud  50  with the shroud  50  pivotally mounted to support  51 , which has a lower end threaded into the female threads  34  in top extension  11  on LED set up stand  10 . The pivotal mounting permits one to adjust the angular orientation of the LED light on-the-go. 
     Extending from LED light  50   a  is a first low voltage electrical lead  55  having a bared end  55   a  and a second low voltage electrical lead  56  having a bared end  56   a , which are used to power the LED light  50   a  located in shroud  50 . 
     In order to power the LED light  50   a  through the LED set up stand  10  there is provided an electrical cord  16  and a female connector  17 , which connects to the batteries  19  in the LED set up stand  10 . In this example a male connector  40  connects to female connector  17  with a male connector  40  having a first electrical lead  41  with a first alligator clip  42  attached thereto for forming a first temporary electrical connection to bared wire  56   a  and a second electrical lead  43  having a second alligator clip  44  attached thereto for forming a second temporary electrical connection to bared wire  55   a  to provide low voltage dc power to illuminate the LED light  50 . Thus, a feature of the LED self-powered set up stand is that LED set up stand can be independently positioned of other LED lights with the LED light on the LED set up stand and powered independently of other LED lights by connecting each of the alligator clips  44  and  42  to the electrical leads  55   a  and  56   a  of the LED light  50   a . Conversely, if one wants to determine how the light arrangement would appear without the LED light  50   a  one can merely disconnect one of the alligator clips  42  or  44  to depower the LED light  50   a . While quick clip connectors such as alligator clips are preferred other types of connections may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the LED set up stand  10  in combination with a support stand  30  attached to the underside of stand  10  and a light  90  attached to the top of set up stand  10 . In this example a laser light  91  mount on the LED set up stand  10  with a support base comprising a flat blade stake  30  that is threadingly engaged with a lower threaded extension  18 . Stake  30  allows one quickly and easily provide the LED set up stand with soil support. The example of  FIG. 5  illustrates the first extension  11  and the second extension  30  are located along a common axis  9 , which enhances the stability of the LED set up stand during the placement and evaluation of an LED light display. 
       FIG. 5  shows the LED set up stand  10  has the top cylindrical extension  11  supporting a different LED housing  94  having a pivotal pin  93  for pivotally supporting housing  92  thereon. In this example a laser light  91  is attached to housing  92  through an electrical connection such as a socket connection (not shown). An electrical lead  95  from light  91  includes a male electrical connector  96  that connects to female connector  17  for temporary powering of laser light  91  as the visual appearance of a laser light arrangement is evaluated. In this example to power or depower light  91  one merely connects or disconnects female connector  17  and male connector  96 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the versatility of the LED set up stand  10  since it can accommodate different LED lights as well as different types of electrical connections, a feature appreciated by the person setting up the field display. 
     While the support base  20  and  30  are used for mounting the LED set up stand on a support surface the set up stand  10  includes a further support base that permits vertical positioning of an LED light.  FIG. 6  shown an exploded view of the LED set up stand  10  with another type of support base with the support base including a female coupling  70  and a pole  73  having a threaded end. In this embodiment the coupling  70  has a first set of threads on one end that matches the threads on extension  18  on the LED set up stand  10  and a second set of threads  70   b  on the opposite end that matches the threads typically found on a broom handle or the like, which is usually 5 or less threads per inch. A feature of the support shown in  FIG. 6  is a pole or convention broom handle  73  can be used to vertically support or position the LED set up stand  10 . The pole  73  enables a person to elevate or lower the LED so the LED light can be viewed in different positions as part of the process of setting up an LED landscape design. Thus, the invention enables both vertical and horizontal temporary positioning of LED lights to allow the installer to evaluate the most desirable location of the individual LED lights in the light system. A further feature is that if desired, the lower end of the pole can be sharpened or fitted with a blade to allow the pole to hold the LED stand and the LED light at an elevated condition. 
     Thus, a feature of the invention is an installer friendly method of LED set up and temporary viewing of an LED light display without the necessity to hard wire the LED lights. Typically, an operator may form a set of stand alone components by attaching an LED light to a self-powered LED set up stand having a support base. The operator than has the ability to form a LED light arrangement using numerous LED set up stands with each LED set up stand independently powered. In the next step the operator places the first powered set up stand in a first location and further self powered set up stands in other locations to complete the LED light layout without having to hardwire any of the LED lights. In the next step the operator illuminates each of the LED lights on the self powered set up stands using the dc power source on the self powered set up stand. Once powered the operator can view the LED light display to determine if any of LED lights should be removed or rearranged, which the operator can do without having to connector or disconnect the LED lights since each of the LED set up stands contain their own power source. During the set up process some of the self-powered set up stand can be mounted on a flat bottom base and others can be mounted on a stake while others may be mounted on a pole. 
     A further feature of the invention is that one can replace an LED light on a self-powered set up stand with a different LED light, for example a different color LED. In addition the method may include the step of powering at least one of the LED lights through a temporary electrical connection from the self powered LED set up stand and electrical leads from the LED light. 
     A further feature is that one can replace the dry cell batteries in the first powered LED set up stand with a fresh set of dry cell batteries, which preferably may be AA dry cell batteries, which are commercially available and inexpensive.