AU2013221941A1 - An led or halogen floodlight - Google Patents

Abstract

An LED or halogen floodlight with a replaceable battery pack where there is provided an LED or halogen floodlight including an LED or halogen lamp having a lamp body; and a battery pack having a battery pack body, wherein the battery pack body is configured to releasably attach to the lamp body such that the battery pack can be attached to, or removed from, the LED or halogen lamp manually without the use of a tool. Fig. 1 Fig. 2 44 4 Q 20~~r' / A 1 > 7 ~ 'N Fig. 3LigA

Description

James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 4: $250.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 AN LED OR HALOGEN FLOODLIGHT WE, GREEN SHEEP NZ LIMITED, a New Zealand company of 6 Victoria Street, Timaru 7190, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 AN LED OR HALOGEN FLOODLIGHT TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a lamp, and in particular to an LED or halogen bulb floodlight including a battery pack. BACKGROUND ART LED and halogen bulb work lamps are used extensively to provide good lighting to an area. The LED work lamp is a lamp that uses a light emitting diode as a light source, while a halogen work lamp is a lamp that uses a halogen bulb as a light source.. For convenience in the following we will refer only to LED lamps, but it should be understood that the same discussion can be made for halogen lamps. The LED work lamp has about a quarter of the power consumption of an ordinary lamp at the same brightness, has a service life of up to ten years, and is easier to carry and use compared to a conventional lamp. Thus LED work lamps have been widely used, for example in maintenance shops, processing shops, construction sites, and so on. Further, with the popularity of the family car and gradually increasing use of household appliances, the LED work lamp is increasingly used in the home. Existing similar LED floodlights are equipped with a power cord, and input of 120V or 220V is used as the working power supply, so that they can only be used in places with a power supply. This can severely limit the places where they can be used. Some LED floodlights have been produced which include a battery pack. These typically use a rechargeable battery which is in a compartment fixed to the body of the LED floodlight. Such a rechargeable LED floodlight has a more compact structure and is easy to carry due to its small size, but there are also some disadvantages. The lithium battery has a limited life and is costly, for example the battery can become ineffective after 500 charges and discharges. However, the LED lamp itself has a long life. Therefore, when the lithium battery can no longer be used, the whole LED lamp is also unable to be further used, and the user must then purchase a new product or replace the lithium battery inside the LED lamp which can involve complicated dismantling. Thus the undamaged LED lamp body part could be wasted, or significant manual labour spent if the lithium battery is replaced. 2 James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 Furthermore, recharging the battery requires access to a power supply. Hence if the battery runs down away from a power source the floodlight will not operate, which can be a major issue, for example if the lamp is being used to illuminate a work place. It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country. Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In order to overcome the disadvantages in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an LED (or halogen bulb) floodlight with a replaceable battery pack that has a simple and practical structural design, is convenient to use and carry, has a high degree of safety, has a longer life, is compatible with various kinds of batteries, where both the battery and the battery pack are replaceable, and possesses a built-in recharging function as well as a replaceable power output port. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an LED or halogen floodlight including: an LED or halogen lamp having a lamp body; and a battery pack having a battery pack body, 3 James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 wherein the battery pack body is configured to releasably attach to the lamp body such that the battery pack can be attached to, or removed from, the LED or halogen lamp manually without the use of a tool. In a preferred embodiment the battery pack body is slidingly engaged with the LED or halogen lamp body. In other embodiments the battery pack body is releasably engaged with the LED or halogen lamp body by a twisting motion. In some embodiments the battery pack body is releasably engaged with the or halogen lamp body by pushing the battery pack body into an aperture in the or halogen lamp body and twisting the battery pack body relative to the LED or halogen lamp body. In a preferred embodiment engagement of the battery pack with the LED or halogen lamp provides an electrical connection between the battery pack and the LED or halogen lamp. In a preferred embodiment the battery pack includes a rechargeable battery enclosed in an integrally formed battery pack body. In a preferred embodiment the battery pack includes an input electrical connector configured to connect to an external power source. In a preferred embodiment the battery pack includes a waterproof plug configured to seal the input electrical connector In a preferred embodiment the battery pack includes an output electrical connector configured to connect to an external power line. In some embodiments the battery pack includes a battery box configured to accept and contain a removable battery. In some embodiments the battery pack includes a battery holder configured to hold and retain a battery. In some embodiments the battery pack includes a battery box cover configured to open to enable access into the battery box and to close to cover the battery box. In a preferred embodiment the battery box and the battery holder are configured for use with a rechargeable battery. 4 James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 In some embodiments the battery box and the battery holder are configured for use with a standard disposable battery. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows s a rear structural schematic view of one embodiment of the present invention: and. Figure 2 shows a rear structural schematic view of another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a perspective structural schematic view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. Figure 4 shows a front perspective structural schematic view of the embodiment shown in Fig.2. BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An LED or halogen floodlight with replaceable battery pack is illustrated in Figures 1 - 4. The LED OR HALOGEN floodlight includes a LED or halogen lamp body 1 and a battery pack 7, 7a. The battery pack is configured to releasably attach to a back surface of the LED or halogen lamp body. The back surface of the LED or halogen lamp body is provided with a sliding plate 2 having a cavity 3 therein. A face of the battery pack 7, 7a is provided with a sliding seat plate 8 which is fixedly connected to the battery pack 7, 7a. Electrical contacts 4 are provided both in the cavity 3 and on the sliding seat plate 8 and matched with each other. The electrical contacts 4 in the cavity 3 and 4a on the sliding seat plate 8 are elastic electrical contacts. A seal ring 5 is provided at the periphery of the elastic electrical contact in the cavity. The seal ring is generally made of wear resistant rubber material, so as to prevent water or steam from entering, thereby functioning to protect the electrical contacts, the LED or halogen lamp body and the battery pack. Thus the service life of the whole LED or halogen lamp may be prolonged. The two side edges of the sliding plate 2 and the sliding seat plate 8 that engage with each other are of a matched segmental-staggered concavo-convex structure. Such a matched segmental-staggered concavo-convex structure makes it easier to take out the battery pack. 5 James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 Specifically, the battery pack slides slightly, such that a concave section of the edge of the sliding seat plate 8 is aligned with a convex section of the edge of the sliding plate 2. This enables the battery pack to be removed by passing the concave sections through the convex sections (or vice versa). An opening 6 is provided at the entrance of the cavity 3, and an elastic pull snap 16 is provided on the sliding seat plate 8, with the elastic pull snap being engaged in the opening when the battery pack is fully engaged with the LED or halogen lamp. Engagement between the elastic pull snap and the opening enables the LED or halogen lamp body and the battery pack to be more securely connected, so that the cavity and the sliding seat plate cannot be easily offset which would otherwise cause poor contact between the electrical contacts. When the battery pack is to be taken out, this may be achieved by slightly pulling the elastic pull snap 16 to release it from engagement with the opening 6. The battery cover 12, 12a is provided with a bayonet fixture 19 and the battery box 11, 11 a is provided with a slot 20 therein, with the bayonet being engaged with the slot when the battery pack is fully engaged with the LED or halogen lamp. The design of the bayonet and the slot enables the battery cover and the battery box to be connected firmly. That is, the battery cover can not easily detach, which prevents the battery or the battery holder in the battery box from falling out, avoids a broken circuit caused by poor contact, and further makes it more convenient to open the cover for replacing the battery. The battery pack 7, 7a is releasable attached to the LED or halogen lamp body 1 by engaging the sliding seat plate 8 in the cavity 3 of the sliding plate 2 and sliding the sliding seat plate 8 into the cavity 3 until fully engaged with the sliding plate 2 on the LED or halogen lamp body. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art this can be done manually, i.e. it does not require the use of a tool. Thus the structural design of the present invention is more practical, and the electrical contacts 4, 4a of the LED or halogen lamp body 1 and the battery pack 7, 7a are not likely to be mismatched, thereby having good contact performance, being safer to use, with longer life. In some embodiments a plurality of cavities are provided in the sliding plate for use with different wattages of the LED or halogen lamp. For example, one cavity may be provided for 5 W and 10 W; two cavities may be provided for 30 W, 40 W and 50 W; and one or two cavities may be provided for 20 W. 6 James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 The battery pack 7, 7a in one embodiment of the present invention is configured for use with a standard disposable battery pack 7. The standard disposable battery pack is further provided with a standard disposable battery, a battery holder 10, a battery box 11 and a battery cover 12. The standard disposable battery is installed in the battery holder 10 which is then installed in the battery box 11. The battery cover 12 is installed on the battery box 11. Preferably the standard disposable battery is a dry battery or a nickel hydrogen battery. Such a structure of the standard disposable battery pack makes it convenient to install and replace the dry battery or nickel hydrogen battery. The user may select various kinds of batteries in accordance with his/her different requirements. The battery pack is also configured for use with a lithium battery pack 7a. The lithium battery pack is provided with a lithium battery, a lithium battery box 11 a and a lithium battery cover 12a. The lithium battery is installed in the lithium battery box, and the lithium battery cover is located on the lithium battery box. . Such a structure of battery pack makes it convenient to install and replace the lithium battery. The battery pack 7, 7a in the present invention is provided with an input electrical connector in the form of a charger slot 17. A waterproof plug 18 is provided to cover the charger slot 17. The waterproof plug is connected to the battery pack 7, 7a via a soft connecting body (not shown). The charger slot is designed in such a manner that the battery pack may be detached as a whole to recharge the nickel hydrogen battery or the lithium battery when the battery dies, without the need to take the battery out and place it in a separate charger for recharging. Thus, the operation is easy. The design of the waterproof plug 18 prevents water from easily getting into the charger slot 17, which protects the battery pack and results in safer use. The design of the charger slot can be matched to any other kind of charger such as an AC/DC adapter, a 12/24V car charger, a solar charger or magnetic-field charger with a DC output port, and so on. The battery pack is provided with a control panel 13 including a control switch 14 and a power level indicator light 15. The power level indicator light may show the remaining power level, so that the user may arrange to replace the battery at an appropriate time during use and make the relevant preparations, thereby avoiding interrupted operation as a result of suddenly having no power. Pressing the control switch 14 for a short time controls the turn on and turn-off state of the LED or halogen lamp, and can also control colour variations. Pressing the control switch for an extended time adjusts the brightness of the LED or 7 James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 halogen lamp, and the control switch can then be released when the desired brightness is achieved. The battery pack includes an output electrical connector. As such, the battery pack may serve as an emergency power supply alone. Depending on the requirements of the user, the battery box may be provided with a plurality of output ports (for example, USB output ports and the like), thereby being capable of charging electronic devices such as a mobile phone. The battery pack includes standard disposable battery pack which may or may not include a charger slot. The standard disposable battery pack without a charger slot is designed such that the standard disposable battery, the standard battery box and the standard battery cover are detachable. Thus, the dry battery or the nickel hydrogen battery may be conveniently replaced. The standard disposable battery pack with the charger slot is designed such that the standard disposable battery, the battery box and the battery cover are detachable. In addition to using a dry battery or a nickel hydrogen battery, the LED or halogen lamp body may also be directly powered with an AC power source by connecting an AC/DC adapter into the charger slot. Alternatively, it is possible to recharge the nickel hydrogen battery in the battery holder by using an AC power source, and it is possible to recharge and illuminate at the same time. The dry battery is cheaper, and will meet the needs of users who do not use the LED or halogen lamp often. For example, it can be used for emergency lighting by buying and installing a dry battery. If the user prefers not to use a dry battery, a standard nickel hydrogen battery may be bought and installed to provide a rechargeable floodlight. The battery pack includes a lithium battery pack which may or may not include a charger slot. The lithium battery pack without the charger slot is designed such that the lithium battery, the battery box and the battery cover are detachable. When the power level of the lithium battery runs down, a fresh lithium battery may be installed instead, or the removed lithium battery may be fully recharged using a charger, and remounted for further use. When the lithium battery fails, a new lithium battery may be installed for continued use. The lithium battery pack with the charger slot is generally designed such that the lithium battery, the battery box and the battery cover are of one integrated structure. When the power level of the lithium battery runs down, it may be recharged directly through the charger slot, and it is possible to recharge and illuminate at the same time. When the lithium battery fails, the user may directly power the LED or halogen lamp body through the charger slot. 8 James & Wells ref: 701072AU/62 The lithium battery pack with the charger slot is designed such that the lithium battery, the battery box and the battery cover are detachable. When the power level of the lithium battery runs down, a fresh lithium battery may be installed instead. Alternatively, the lithium battery may be fully recharged using a charger, and remounted for further use; or may be recharged directly through the charger slot, thereby charging and lighting at the same time. When the lithium battery fails, a fresh lithium battery may be installed for continued use, or the LED or halogen lamp body may be directly powered through the charger slot. Compared with the prior art, the present utility model has the following advantages and effects: The standard disposable battery pack and the lithium battery pack may be replaced at will and be matched with LED or halogen lamp bodies of different wattages, so as to meet the requirements of different users. The structural design is practical, safe, securely connected, convenient to use, reduces resource waste and manual costs, and has wider application. Most importantly, by carrying spare batteries (standard or disposable and/or rechargeable batteries) the LED or halogen lamp may have an extended useful life without the need to provide a local power supply. Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof of the accompanying claims. Green Sheep NZ Limited by their Attorneys JAMES & WELLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 9

Claims (14)

1. An LED or halogen floodlight including: an LED or halogen lamp having a lamp body; and a battery pack having a battery pack body, wherein the battery pack body is configured to releasably attach to the lamp body such that the battery pack can be attached to, or removed from, the LED or halogen lamp body manually without the use of a tool.

2. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein the battery pack body is slidingly engaged with the LED or halogen lamp body.

3. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein the battery pack body is releasably engaged with the LED or halogen lamp body by a twisting motion.

4. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in claim 1 wherein the battery pack body is releasably engaged with the LED or halogen lamp body by pushing the battery pack body into an aperture in the lamp body and twisting the battery pack body relative to the lamp body.

5. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein engagement of the battery pack with the LED or halogen lamp provides an electrical connection between the battery pack and the LED or halogen lamp.'

6. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the battery pack includes an input electrical connector configured to connect to an external power source.

7. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in claim 6 wherein the battery pack includes a waterproof plug configured to seal the input electrical connector.

8. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the battery pack includes an output electrical connector configured to connect to an external power line.

9. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the battery pack includes a battery box configured to accept and contain a removable battery. 1

10. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in claim 9 wherein the battery box is configured for use with a rechargeable battery.

11. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in claim 9 wherein the battery box is configured for use with a standard disposable battery.

12. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the battery pack includes a battery holder configured to hold and retain a battery.

13. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the battery pack includes a battery box cover configured to open to enable access into the battery box and to close to cover the battery box.

14. An LED or halogen floodlight as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the battery pack includes a rechargeable battery enclosed in an integrally formed battery pack body. 2