Patent ID: 7513638

Claim:
A solar-powered collapsible lighting apparatus comprising: a lighting element assembly which comprises a lighting element; a solar cell; a battery unit electrically coupled to the solar cell and to the lighting element assembly; and a collapsible shade which comprises an opening located at the top of the collapsible shade and an opening located at the bottom of the collapsible shade; and a support unit which comprises a top portion that houses the solar cell and the battery unit, a bottom portion positioned within or proximate to the opening located at the bottom of the collapsible shade and a connecting device which connects the top portion of the support unit and the bottom portion of the support unit, wherein the top portion of the support unit is positioned within and at least partially below the opening located at top of the collapsible shade and the lighting element assembly is positioned within the collapsible shade when the collapsible shade is in both its collapsed state and its deployed state.