Abstract:
A light apparatus includes a light source and a solar power source configured to provide solar generated power for powering the light source. The solar generated power may charge a battery, which provides power to the light source. The light source and the solar power source may be disposed in a single product that is portable, and the light apparatus may be a camp lantern.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Solar power is emerging as an inexpensive, convenient, renewable, and environmentally friendly source of electrical power. Solar energy cells convert light (e.g., from the sun) into electrical energy. Known solar energy cells include, without limitation, cells comprising doped semiconductor materials. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention utilize solar power to power a portable light apparatus.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0002]     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a light apparatus having a light source, and a solar power source configured to provide solar generated power for powering the light source. The solar generated power may charge a battery, which provides power to the light source. The light source and the solar power source may be disposed in a single product that is portable. In one embodiment, the light apparatus is a camp lantern. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of an exemplary portable light apparatus according to some embodiments of the invention.  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  shows a top view of the portable light apparatus of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  shows a side, cross-sectional view of the portable light apparatus of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0006]      FIG. 4  shows an exemplary electronic circuit that may be used with the portable light apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0007]     This specification describes exemplary embodiments and applications of the invention. The invention, however, is not limited to these exemplary embodiments and applications or to the manner in which the exemplary embodiments and applications operate or are described herein.  
         [0008]      FIGS. 1-4  illustrate an exemplary portable light apparatus  100  according to some embodiments of the invention. As will be seen, portable light apparatus  100  is battery powered and includes both a solar cell for charging the battery or batteries utilizing solar power and a power input jack for charging the batteries using an external source of alternating current or direct current power.  FIG. 1  shows a side view,  FIG. 2  shows a top view, and  FIG. 3  shows a side, cross-sectional view of portable light apparatus  100 .  FIG. 4  illustrates exemplary electronic circuitry for the portable light apparatus  100 .  
         [0009]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , portable light source  100  includes a handle  102 , which allows a user to carry the light source  100  from place to place. The handle  102  includes a clip  104 , which facilitates hanging the light source  100  from a support structure (not shown).  
         [0010]     A light collection window  108  and rim structure  110  form an upper portion of light source  100 . An upper attachment structure  106  extends downward from an inner flooring  302  (visible only in  FIG. 3 ) of rim structure  110  and attaches to the top of a cylindrical window  116 . A base cap  122  threads into the bottom of a base  120 , and a bottom attachment structure  118  extends from the top of the base  120  and attaches to the bottom of the cylindrical window  116 .  
         [0011]     A photovoltaic cell  202  is disposed on inner flooring  302  (visible in  FIG. 3  only). Light collection window  108  allows light (e.g., from the sun) to pass through and strike photovoltaic cell  202 , causing photovoltaic cell  202  to generate a current and/or voltage. Many such photovoltaic cells are known, including without limitation cells comprising doped semiconductor materials, and any such photovoltaic cell may be used. The current and/or voltage generated by photovoltaic cell  202  is output to circuitry  304  (visible only in  FIG. 3 ), which may be a printed circuit board with electrically interconnected circuit components (e.g., integrated circuit “chips,” resistors, capacitors, etc.). Circuitry  304  also provides an electrical connection to a display device  114  and a power input jack  112 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , circuitry  304  is attached to flooring  302 .  
         [0012]     A light source support  306  is also attached to flooring  302  and extends into a light cavity  310  inside cylindrical window  116  as shown in  FIG. 3 . A light source  308  (e.g., a light bulb) can be attached to and detached from light source support  306 , and light source support  306  provides a power connection from batteries  316  to light source  308 .  
         [0013]     Base  120  is hollow, and a base cap  122  threads into the bottom of base  120 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the side walls, a ceiling structure  312 , and base  120  define a storage compartment  314 , which may be used to store such things as a power adapter (not shown) for supplying alternating current or direct current power through jack  112 .  
         [0014]     Light collection window  108  and cylindrical window  116  may be made of any material that is transparent or semi-transparent to light. Non-limiting examples of such materials include clear plastics and glass. Rim structure  110 , flooring structure  302 , and upper attachment structure  106  may be made of any suitable material, include sturdy and rigid materials. Non-limiting examples of such materials include hard plastics, steel or other metals, etc. Moreover, rim structure  110 , flooring structure  302 , and upper attachment structure  106  may be integrally formed as one structure or may be separate structures that are attached one to another.  
         [0015]     Base  120 , lower attachment structure  118 , and ceiling structure  312  may likewise be made of any suitable material, including sturdy and rigid materials, non-limiting examples of which include hard plastics, steel or other metals, etc. And base  120 , lower attachment structure  118 , and ceiling structure  312  may be integrally formed as one structure or may be separate structures that are attached one to another.  
         [0016]     Light collection window  108  may be attached to rim structure  110  in any suitable manner. For example, light collection window  108  may snap fit into rim structure  110 . As another example, light collection window  108  may be screwed, bolted, clamped, glued, etc. to rim structure  110 . Cylindrical window  116  may likewise be attached to upper attachment structure  106  and lower attachment structure  118  in any suitable manner, including without limitation using snap fits, screws, bolts, clamps, glue, etc. Light source support  306  may likewise be attached to flooring structure  302  using snap fits, screws, bolts, clamps, glue, etc.  
         [0017]     Light apparatus  100  may be constructed to be water proof and/or resistant to other weather elements, such as wind, etc. For example, all of the elements of light apparatus  100  that form an outer surface of light apparatus may be formed of water and/or weather proof materials. In addition, the joints between such elements may be provided with water proof and/or weather proof gaskets, seals, or other means of protecting inner portions of light apparatus  100  from water and/or other damaging weather elements. Thus, for example, light collection window  108 , rim structure  110 , upper attachment structure  106 , cylindrical window  116 , lower attachment structure  118 , base  120 , and base cap  122  may be constructed of water and/or weather proof materials, and the joints between each of those elements may be fitted with water and/or weather proof gaskets or seals.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary implementation of circuit  304  according to some embodiments of the invention. As shown, the exemplary implementation of circuit  304  shown in  FIG. 4  includes a switch  806 , charging regulation module  810 , driver  816 , and power regulation module  814 .  
         [0019]     Battery  316  (which may comprise more than one battery) provides power for light source  308 , and power regulation module  814  regulates the supply of power from battery  316  to light source  308 , which may be a light emitting diode, conventional light bulb, or any other electrically driven light source. Among other functions, power regulation module  814  may monitor the charge stored in battery  316  and cut power from battery  316  to light source  308  if the charge stored in battery  316  drops below a predetermined level. As is known, the operating life of many types of rechargeable batteries may be shortened if the charge stored in the batteries is fully dissipated. In addition, if the charge stored in battery  316  drops below a predetermined level, the remaining charge may be reserved solely to power circuit  304 .  
         [0020]     Power regulation module  814  may receive an input  818  that causes power to be cut to light source  308  regardless of the level of the charge stored in battery  316 . For example, input  818  may originate from an on/off switch (not shown) on light apparatus  100  that allows a user to turn light source  308  on and off.  
         [0021]     As shown, driver  816  may receive a signal from battery  316  indicative of the level of charge stored in battery  316 , and driver  816  may utilize the signal from battery  316  to drive display  144  to display information regarding the level of charge stored in battery  316 . For example, display  114  may display an indication showing the level of charge stored in battery  316 . As another example, display  114  may display a warning that the charge stored in battery  316  has dropped below a predetermined level.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , battery  316  may be charged by photovoltaic cell  202 , which as discussed above, produces a current and/or voltage when struck by light (e.g., from the sun). Circuit  304  includes a switch  806  for selecting between photovoltaic cell  202  and an alternative charging source  804  (which may represent one or more alternative charging sources). For example, alternative charging source  804  may be alternating current power available through standard electrical outlets in homes and commercial buildings. Such a power source may be connected to light apparatus  100  through jack  112 . Input  808  to switch controls which source of power—from photovoltaic cell  202  or alternative charging source  804 —is provided through switch  806  to charging regulation module  810  and then to battery  316 . Input  808  may originate from a user activated switch on light apparatus  100 .  
         [0023]     Alternatively, input  808  may be dependent on the presence or absence of an input plug (not shown) in jack  112 . In such a configuration, if a plug is present in jack  112 , input  808  causes switch to select the output of alternative charging source  804  as the power passed to charging regulation module  810 . On the other hand, if a plug is not present in jack  112 , input  808  causes switch  806  to select the output of photovoltaic cell  202  as the power presented to charging regulation module  810 .  
         [0024]     Power from photovoltaic cell  202  or alternative charging source  804 , provided through switch  806  and charging regulation module  810 , recharges battery  316 . Charging regulation module  810  may comprise circuitry, such as one or more diodes, that allows current to flow from switch  806  to battery  316  but prevents current from flowing in the reverse direction, that is, from battery  316  to switch  806 . Charging regulation module  810  may also include charge controlling circuitry configured to disconnect battery  316  from switch  806  while battery  316  is fully charged, which prevents battery  316  from over charging and may prolong the working life of battery  316 . Thus, charging regulation module  810  may be configured to determine whether battery  316  is fully charged and connect power from photovoltaic cell  202  or alternative charging source  804  to battery  316  only while battery  316  is not fully charged.  
         [0025]     Battery  316  may comprise one or more batteries of any type that is rechargeable. For example, battery  316  may comprise one or more deep cycle batteries (which are batteries that discharge a small current over a long period of time as opposed to a shallow cycle battery, which is configured to discharge large currents over a short period of time). Non-limiting examples of suitable batteries include nickel cadmium batteries or lead-acid batteries.  
         [0026]     Because light apparatus  100  is portable and is capable of running solely from solar generated power (power generated by photovoltaic cell  202 ), light apparatus  100  has a number of uses and applications. For example, light apparatus  100  may be configured as a portable lantern for out door activities, such as camping. As another example, light apparatus  100  may be configured as a portable emergency light source. As yet another example, light apparatus  100  may be used as perhaps the only source of electrical light in rural areas where electrical power is not readily available. For example, in such an area, light apparatus  100  may be placed in direct sun light during day light hours to charge battery  316 . Then, at night, relying solely on charged battery  316 , light apparatus  100  provides light. Indeed, light apparatus  100  may be hung by clip  104  of handle  102  at night in homes that lack electrical power.  
         [0027]     Although specific embodiments and applications of the invention have been described in this specification, there is no intention that the invention be limited these exemplary embodiments and applications or to the manner in which the exemplary embodiments and applications operate or are described herein.