Patent Publication Number: US-10309590-B2

Title: Solar disk light with swivel mount

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/662,559, filed Sep. 6, 2018, now pending, which is assigned to the assignee of this application and is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject technology relates to small solar-powered lighting devices for portable or landscape use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an aspect of the subject technology, a portable or landscape lighting fixture or luminaire consists of a self-contained light source, for example a disk light body, including one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells for collecting solar energy to power the LEDs, a rechargeable battery for storing energy collected by the solar cells, and driver circuitry to power the LEDs with the stored energy. The disk light body is mounted in a frame by means which permit the disk light to tilt or rotate within the frame, enabling the user to tilt or swivel the disk light to face in different directions. This permits the user to tilt or swivel the disk light to harvest solar energy and cast illumination in different directions while the frame remains in place. 
     For use as a landscape light, a mounting spike is attached to the frame, for affixing the lighting fixture to the ground. The mounting spike is preferably removable from the frame and consists of two interlocking blades. Each blade has integrally formed attachment arms for attaching the blade to the frame. The attachment arms are upswept, curved and shaped to create a clearance or gap between the spike and the ground on the one hand, and the disk light body on the other hand for sufficient clearance that the disk light may be tilted or swiveled within the frame, while the frame remains attached to the ground by means of the spike. 
     The various features of novelty which characterize the subject technology are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the subject technology, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the subject technology are illustrated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view of the top of a disk light according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the bottom of a disk light according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the side of a disk light, with the disk body tilted with respect to the frame, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 4  is a high-angle view of the side of a disk light, with the disk body tilted with respect to the frame, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the side of a disk light, with the disk body tilted with respect to the frame, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 6  is a high-angle view of the side of a disk light, with the disk body tilted with respect to the frame, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 7  is a high-angle view of the frame of a disk light according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 8  is a high-angle view of a disk light with the frame disassembled according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 9  is a high-angle view of a disk light with the frame disassembled according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of a disk body disassembly according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 11  is a view of the blade components of a landscape spike according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 12  is a view of a landscape spike according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 13  is a high-angle view of a side view of a disk light with a landscape spike installed according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 14  is a view of a side view of a disk light with a landscape spike installed according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 15  is a view of a side view of a disk light with a landscape spike installed, with the disk body tilted with respect to the frame, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 16  is a view of a side view of a disk light with a landscape spike installed, with the disk body tilted with respect to the frame, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
         FIG. 17  is a view of a side view of a disk light with a landscape spike installed, with the disk body tilted with respect to the frame, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a non-limiting aspect of the subject technology, as shown in  FIGS. 1-10 and 13-17 , a disk light  1  comprises a disk body  5  pivotably mounted in a frame  2 . Disk body  5  serves as a housing and carrier for solar cells  11  for harvesting solar energy and detecting ambient light; rechargeable battery  12  for storing the harvested solar energy; high-power COB or surface mount LEDs  13  (only one is numbered), powerable by battery  12  for emitting light; a two-position (ON/OFF) latching pushbutton switch  14  for enabling and disabling electrical power delivery to LEDs  14 ; and wiring and driver electronics (not numbered) for driving and controlling the solar cells  11 , battery  12 , and LEDs  13 . Disk body  5  may have 4, 6, 8, or 12 LEDs. The switch, wiring and driver electronics are configured to deliver electrical power to the LEDs from the battery (thereby turning the LEDs on) when the switch is in the ON position and the solar cells are not detecting ambient light; and to cut off power to the LEDs (thereby turning the LEDs off) when the switch is in the OFF position or the solar cells are detecting ambient light. The solar cells  11 , battery  12 , LEDs  13 , switch  14 , and wiring and driver electronics are as known to those of skill in the art. 
     As best seen in  FIG. 10 , disk body  5  consists of lower shell  15  and upper shell  16 , both made of metal or plastic which may be injection-molded. Lower shell  15  is attached to upper shell  16 , for example, by screws, to form a disk-shaped housing. In a non-limiting embodiment, battery  12  and switch  14  are disposed on a lower surface of upper shell  16 ; solar cells  11 , LEDs  13 , and the driver electronics are disposed on an upper surface of upper shell  16  and are encapsulated with a transparent polymer layer. To enable use of switch  14 , lower shell  15  carries a flexible boot  17  in a hole through lower shell  15  to cover switch  14 . A polymer or elastomer O-ring seal  37  seals and weatherproofs any gap around the circumference when lower shell  15  is assembled to upper shell  16 . 
     Disk body  5  has pegs  18  extending therefrom, for supporting disk body  5  tiltably and rotatably in frame  2 . Pegs  18  are disposed to be co-linear to form a stable axis of rotation for disk body  5  in frame  2 . Pegs  18  may be integrally formed with and extend from either lower shell  15  or upper shell  16 . In the non-limiting embodiment of the Figures, pegs  18  are integrally formed with and extend from lower shell  15 . 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 , frame  2  comprises frame top  3  and frame bottom  4  which is attached to frame top  3  by screws passing through holes in frame bottom  4  and affixed into holes in frame top  3 . Frame  2  defines a circular opening  21  for receiving disk body  5 . Frame bottom  4  comprises an inner rim  9 . Likewise, frame top  5  comprises an inner rim  10 . Inner rims  9 ,  10  each have, respectively, pairs of notches  19 ,  20 . The notches are arranged co-linearly on the respective inner rims. Frame top  3  and frame bottom  4  are assembled to form frame  2  such that respective inner rims  9 ,  10  meet to form circular opening  21 . Likewise, the pairs of the notches  19 ,  20  meet to form through-going holes  22  in frame  2  for receiving, holding and supporting pegs  18  of disk body  5 , in a rotatable and tiltable configuration. Preferably, circular opening  21  is sized and shaped with respect to disk body  5  to allow for a clearance gap about the circumference of disk body  5 , which permits disk body  5  to tilt and rotate about pegs  18 . In a non-limiting embodiment, the clearance gap is sufficient to permit disk body  5  to perform complete rotations without colliding with or contacting frame  2 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 2 , frame  2  has recesses  23  in frame bottom  4  to permit removable attachment of a landscape spike to disk light  1 . As best seen in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , in the non-limiting embodiment shown, landscape spike  30  is composed of long blade  31  and short blade  32 , which are preferably made of metal or plastic. Blades  31 ,  32  have, respectively, slots  33 ,  34  for assembling and interlocking the blades together to form spike  30 , as shown. Blades  31 ,  32  have integrally formed pegs  35  for insertion into recesses  23  to removably attach spike  30  to frame  2 . Pegs  35  are integrally connected to blades  31 ,  32  by curved, upsweeping arms  36 . Preferably, blades  31 ,  32  taper to a point on the end opposite the arms  36 . Preferably, pegs  35  extend beyond arms  36  as shown, to provide additional points of contact with the ground when spike  30  is inserted into the ground. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 14-17 , the curved and/or upsweeping shape of arms  36  opens up a clearance gap  40  between spike  30  and disk light  1 , so that disk body  5  is given room to tilt within frame  2 . According to a non-limiting embodiment, disk body  5  may be tilted up to 40 degrees from horizontal until it contacts an arm  36 . In other non-limiting embodiments, disk body  5  may be tilted up to 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, or 85 degrees from horizontal (0 degrees relative to the frame) until it contacts an arm  36 . In other non-limiting embodiments, disk body  5  may perform complete rotations without contacting an arm  36 . The permitted degree of tilt will depend on the geometry of arms  36 , frame  2  and disk body  5 . 
     According to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology, a landscape light kit comprises disk light  1 , long blade  31  and short blade  32 . The end-user assembles blades  31 ,  32  to form spike  30 , and assembles spike  30  to disk light  1 , to form a finished tiltable landscape disk light assembly. 
     It should be understood that the ornamental appearance of the tiltable disk lights and components thereof as shown in the Figures are within the scope of the subject technology. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. It will also be understood that the present invention includes any combination of the features and elements disclosed herein and any combination of equivalent features. The exemplary embodiments shown herein are presented for the purposes of illustration only and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention.