WO2015058220A1

WO2015058220A1 - Light

Info

Publication number: WO2015058220A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2014/000056
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Clive SUTTNER; Frederick Smith Johannes
Original assignee: Suttner Michael Clive
Priority date: 2013-10-02
Filing date: 2014-09-30
Publication date: 2015-04-23

Abstract

A light (10) for use with a beverage bottle includes: (i) a hollow, elongate housing (12) for receiving a battery therein; (ii) at least one LED (16) at or near a first axis end of the housing; (iii) at least one photovoltaic panel (14) located within the housing or on the housing, the portion of the housing with the photovoltaic panel (14) and LED (16) being steed and shaped to fit through a bottle mouth 22 mm in diameter; and (iv) a head (22) at or near the second axial end of the housing that is greater than 22mm in diameter, such that the light (10), with the exception of the head (22), can be inserted through a threaded bottle mouth.

Description

¾CKGROUND

The present invention relates to a light. ore . specifically, the present invention relates to a light with a housing that is msertable within a bottle and that includes a photovoltaic panel on the radial outer surface of the housing.

Sosar powered lights that are correctable to bottles are known. For instance, the SOLAR 8ULP LAMP manufactured by M iW can be screwed to Ihe mouth of a bottle. However, only ihe light emitting diode is designed to protrude Into the bottle.

A drawback of known solar bottle lights is that the photovoltaic panel s located outside the bottle -a^'nd. therefore susceptible to damage.

The present invention aims to address this drawback and to locate- the photovoltaic panel on a section of the light housing that is designed to locate within the protective environment of a bottle.

^■SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,..® light includes: a hoHow, elongate housing for receiving -a battery therein; at least one LED at or near a first axial end of the housing; at least one photovoltaic panel located within the housing or on the housing, the portion of the housing with the photovoltaic panel and LED being sized and shaped to fit through a bottle mouth 22mm in diameter; and a head a! or near the second axial end of the housing thai is greater than 22mm in diameter, such thai the light, with the exception of the head, can be inserted through threaded bottle mouth.

Typically, the at least one photovoltaic panel is on the radial outer surface of the housing.

Generally, the portion of the housing with the photovoltaic panel and LED is sked and shaped to fit within a virtual right circular cylinder 22mm in diameter.

Preferably, the head includes a female threaded portion for, in use, co-operating with the mate threaded portion on a threaded bottle mouth to secure the light to the bottle.

^'Typically, t e head includes a male threaded portion for, in use_t co-operating with the female threaded portion on a threaded bottle cap to secure the cap to the light.

Generally, the housing is right circular .cylindrical.

Preferably;, the housing defines a series of co-axial frustoconieai sections.

Typically, a photovoltaic panel is located on the radial outer surface of each !hustoconicai section.

Generally, the light further includes a switc at or near the second axial end of the housing.

Preferably, the switch Includes an element that is movable aloncf the axis of the housing between a retracted position and an extended position.

Typically, the switch element is biased towards the extended position.

Generally, In use, the action of screwing a cap onto the head causes the switch element to move from the extended to the retracted position.

Preferably, the switch circuit is closed when the switch element is in one of: (!) the retracted position; and (li) the extended position. Typically, the LED is oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

Generally, the LED is angularly offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing by between 20 degrees^' and 70 degrees.

Preferably, at least a portion of the head in axial cross section is polygonal

Typically, the photovoltaic In cross section: (i) forms an arc; or («) comprises at least two linear portions that are angularly offset relative to each other.

Generally, the light further includes a cord that Is secured at one end to the light- Preferably, the cord is attached at one end to the switch. Typically , the head defines an^' annular groove for receiving the cord therein.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, there is provided a light according to the preferred embodiment of ins invention located within a bottle with a bottle cap secured to the bottle, or the head.

Typically the housing is located within the bottle, the head is threadably secured to the bottle mouth and the bottle cap is hreadab!e secured^' to the head .

Optionally, the bottle Is charged with a liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION. OF THE; Q A IMGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a light according to a preferred embodiment of the Invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the light in Figure 1 in an assembled state; and Fig ts e 3 is & cross- sectional side view of the light in Figure 1 and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a sight according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 to 3, a light 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a housing 12, photovoltaic panels 14, a light emitting diode (LED) 16 and bottle IS.

The housing 12 is elongate and hollow so as to receive rechargeable batteries 20 therein. The housing 12 defines a longitudinal axis with the LED 18 secured at a fsrst axial end. A portion of the housing 12 is in shape formed from a series of co-axial frustoconicai sections 12a-c. connected end-to end with their bases proximal the first axial end. The portion of the housing 12 including the frusfoconleal sections 12a-c and the LED 16 is sized and shaped, in use, to fit through a mouth of a standard beverage bottle 16 (i.e. a bottle mouth wit an inner diameter of 22mm)^". Preferably, the portion of the housing 12 including the frustoconical sections 12a-e and the LED 16 is sized and shaped to fit within .a virtual right circular cylinder 22mm in diameter.

The housing 12 defines a head 22 at or near sis second axial end. The head 22 is greater than 22mm in diameter, i.e. oversized relative to th mouth o a standard beverage bottis 18.

The head 22 includes a female thread portion 24, I use, thresdab!y to secure the head 22 to the male thread portio proximal the mouth of a beverage bottle S. The head 22 also Includes a male threaded portion 26, in use, threadabiy to secure the head 22 to the female thread portion on the cap 28 of the beverage bottle 18. it will be appreciated that a portion of the head 22 could be polygonal in cross-sectional shape (e.g. octagonal), as shown in Figure 4. This polygonal head 122 will prevent the light 10 from rolling when placed on a slightly inclined surface.

Returning to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown In Figures 1 to 3, a photovoltaic panel 14 is located on the radial outer surface of the housing 12. More specifically, a photovoltaic panel 14 is located on the radial outer surface of each frustoconleal section 12a-c. i use, the photovoltaic panels 14 charge the batteries 20.

!i will be appreciated thai the photovoltaic panei 14 could alternatively be located within a transparent housing. Such an arrangement is shown In Figure 4. In this embodiment, the housing 1 12 Is half cylindrical and the photovoltaic panel 1 14 extends along the diameter of the housing 1 12.

Returning to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the photovoltaic panel 14 in cross section either forms an arc or comprises at least ^'wo linear portions that are angularly offset relative to each other, in other words, the photovoltaic panel could comprise a flat photovoltaic panel that is folded into an L V, U or square shape. A benefit of such an arrangement is that, should the light 10 be placed on a horizontal surface., the curved shape of the photovoltaic panel 14 will maximimise exposure to sunlight over a wider arc of the sun's travel.

A switch 30 i located at or near the second axial end of the housing 12. The switch 30 includes a switch element 32 thai is movable along the axis of the housing 12 between a refracted position and an extended position (in which the switch element 32 is displaced from the first .axial end). The switch element 32 Is biased towards th extended position, in use. the action of threading a cap 28 onto the head 22 causes the cap 28 to push the switch element 32 towards the retracted position. The switch 30 can be configured to close the electrical circuit when the switch element 32 is in one of the extended position an the retracted position . Preferably, e circuit is closed when the switch element 32 is In the retracted position.

The LED IS is oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing 12 so as not to direct light axlaily. Preferably, -the_.- LED 16 is angularly offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing 12 by between 20 degrees and 70 degrees. As -such, the LED 16, In use, directs light towards the side of the bottle 18, which may be more suitable should a user wish to use the light 10 to read. By rotating the bottle 16 (with light 10 inserted), the emitted light can be directed in different directions. A shroud around the LED 16 also assists sn focusing the emitted light. in use:

rechargeable batteries 20 are Inserted into the housing 12; • ^'the portion of the housing 12 with the photovoltaic panels 14 is inserted through the threaded mouth of a standard beverage bottle 13;

* the female threaded portion on the head 22 is threadabiy s c red to the male threaded portion by the mouth of the beverage bottie 18, thereby to secure the light 10 to the bottle 18;

^« the cap 28 of the beverage bottle 18 Is threadabiy secured to the male threaded portion .on the head 22. thereby forcing the switch element 32 towards the retracted position and dosing the electrical circuit connecting the batteries 20 with the LED 16;

the bottie 18 is then rotated to direct the light emitted by the LED 16, as required.

Optionally, the bottie I S may be charged with a liquid (even, a coloured liquid) to alter the light characteristics (e.g. intensity and colour) of the light emitted by the LSD 18. it will be appreciated thai In use, the sun is generally oriented at an altitude to the light 10. and the longitudinal axis of the housing 12 is oriented substantially vertically with the head 22 above the LED 16. As such, the sloping sides of the trusioconlcal section 12a-c renders the photovoltaic panels more efficient to receive ligh rays and generate electricity.

However, it wit! be appreciated that the portion of the housing 12 with the photovoltaic panels 14 need not be formed from a series of frustocones. Alternatively, such portion of the housing 12 may he right circular cylindncaS 22mm or less in diameter.

•Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the heed 22 need not include threaded portions. Instead, the head, could be only slightly oversized relative to the mouth of the beverage bottie 18 so as to prevent the. light 10 from being wholly inserted within the bottle 18. For instance, the head 22 could be 22;5rnrn in diameter, in this embodiment, the ca 28 could threadabiy be secured directly to the male threaded portion proximal the mout of the bottie 18.

Even further, the head could define an annular groove (not shown) for receiving a cord {not shown) therein. The cord could be connected to the light 10 at one end and, when unwound from the annular groove, the cord could be used to hang the light 10. It is also envisaged that the cord could be connected at one end to the switch 30 so as to actuate the switch 30 between the on and off conditions by tugging at the cord.

Claims

1. A light Including: hollow-, elongate housing for receiving a battery therein;^' at least one LED at or near a first axial end of the housing; at least one photovoltaic panel located within the housing or on the housing; the portion of the housing with the photovoltaic panel and LED being sized and shaped to fit through a bottle mouth 22mm in diameter; and a head at or near the second axial end of the housing that is greater than 22mm in diameter,. such thai the light, with the exception of the head, can be inserted through a threaded bottle mouth.

2. Ά light according to claim 1 , whsrein the at least one photovoltaic panel is on the radial outer surface of the housing.

3. A light according to claim 2, wherein the portion of the housing with the photovoltaic pane? and LED is sized and shaped to fit within a virtual right circular cylinder :?2rnm In diameter.

4. A light -according to ciaim 3, wherein the head Includes a female threaded portion for. in use, co-operating with the male threaded portion on s threaded bottle mouth to secure the light to the bottle.

5. A light according to claim 4, wherein the head Includes a male threaded portion for In use, co-operating with the female threaded portion on a threaded bottle cap to secure the cap to the light.

6. A light according to claim 5, wherein the housing is right circular cylindrical

7. A light according to ciaim 6, wherein the housing defines a series of co-axiai frustoconicai sections,

S. A light according to claim 7. wherein a photovoltaic panel is located on the radial outer surface of each irustoconicai section.

S. A light according to either ciaim 6 or ciaim 8_t further including a switch at or near the second axial end of the housing.

10. A light according to claim 9, wherein the switch includes an element that is movable along the axis of the housing between a retracted position and an extended position,

11. A light according to claim 10. wherein the switch element is biased towards the extended position.

12. A light according to claim 1 1. wherein, In use, the action of screwing a cap onto the head causes the switch element to move from the extended to the retracted position.

13. A light according to ciaim 12, wherein the switch circuit is closed whe th switch element is In one of: (!) the retracted position; and (si) the extended position .

14. A light according to claim 13, wherein the LED is oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

15. A light according to claim 14, wherein the LED is angularly offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing by between 20 degrees and 70 degrees.

16. A light according to claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the head in axial cross section Is polygonal

17. A light according to claim 16, wherein the photovoltaic in cross section: ( ) forms an arc; or (si) comprises at least two linear portions that are angularly offset relative to each other.

18. A sight according to claim 17 further including a cord that is secured at one end to the light.

19. A light, according to claim 18, wherein the cord is attached at one end to the switch.

20. A Isght according to claim 19, wherein the head defines an annular groove for receiving the cord therein.

21. A light according to claim 20 located within a bottle with a bottle ca secured to the bottle or the head.

22. A light according to claim 21, wherein the housing is located within the bottle, the head is threadabiy secured to the bottle mouth and the bottle cap is threada hie secured to the head.

Alight according to claim 22, wherein the bottle is charged with a liquid.