Granted Patent B2

US 9,500,347 · App. 13/331,764 · Granted Nov 22, 2016

Inventor: Simon N. Richmond (Princeton, NJ)

F21V21/0824H02S20/00H02S40/38B65D2201/00F21S8/08F21S9/03F21V17/007F21V23/04F21W2131/10F21W2131/109F21Y2101/02Y02E10/50

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. A light device and package comprising:

at least one light device comprising:

at least one diffuser;

at least one light emitting element which receives electrical power from an electrical power storage device disposed during use in said light device, said at least one light emitting element being arranged so as to generate light through said at least one diffuser;

a photovoltaic device for recharging said electrical power storage device;

control circuitry arranged to control power supplied from said electrical power storage device to said at least one light emitting element during use;

a test device comprising:

at least two conductors comprising a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor;

a test switch connected across said at least two conductors;

a device package comprising:

an opaque package portion and

at least one light transmissive package portion;

wherein said device package contains said at least one light device and said at least two conductors;

wherein said test device is removably connected to said control circuitry, said test device being disposable in a first configuration wherein said test switch is connected between said electrical storage device and said at least one light emitting element via said at least two conductors, and a second configuration wherein said test switch and said at least two conductors are disconnected from said electrical storage device and said at least one light emitting element;

wherein in said first configuration said test switch is supported by said device package to provide access to operate said test switch by a user located external from said device package; and

wherein some of said emitted light is viewable by a user through said at least one light transmissive package portion when said test switch is disposed by said user in said first configuration.

2. The light device and package of claim 1 , wherein said at least one light device further comprises a light activation sub-circuit to activate said at least one light emitting element at low ambient light levels; and wherein said opaque package portion shields a part of said light device from ambient light so as to activate said light activation sub-circuit when said test switch is disposed by said user in said first configuration.

3. The light device and package of claim 1 , wherein said at least one light device further comprises at least one device switch operable to control at least part of said control circuitry, thereby enabling a user to manipulate said at least one device switch after said test device is detached from said control circuitry.

4. The light device and package of claim 1 , wherein said at least one light emitting element is a plurality of light emitting elements.

5. The light device and package of claim 4 , wherein said at least one diffuser is a plurality of diffusers including diffusers selected from the group consisting of transparent, partially transparent, translucent, and partially transparent and translucent diffusers disposed in a generally linear configuration during normal use; and

wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are arranged so as to generate said emitted light which passes at least partially through each of said diffusers.

6. The light device and package of claim 1 , further comprising a pole portion for elevating said photovoltaic device above a surrounding substrate when said photovoltaic device is supplying power to charge said electrical power storage device.

7. The light device and package of claim 1 ,

wherein said at least one light device includes a first light device and a second light device;

wherein said at least two conductors includes a first pair of conductors and a second pair of conductors;

wherein said test switch is connected across said first pair of conductors to said first light device and said second pair of conductors to said second light device;

wherein each of said first and second pairs connect to said test device in said first configuration and said second configuration.

8. The light device and package of claim 7 , wherein said first and second light devices each comprises at least one device switch operable to control at least part of said control circuitry; and

wherein an aperture in an outer surface of said device package includes a first window and a second window in said outer surface;

wherein said device switch of said first light device is positioned in a first device switch position causing said control circuitry to implement a first lighting mode;

wherein said device switch of said second light device is positioned in a second device switch position causing said circuitry to implement a second lighting mode so that a portion of said first light device displaying said first lighting mode is visible by said user via said first window and a portion of said second light device displaying a second lighting mode visible by said user via said second window when said test switch is disposed in said first configuration.

9. The light device and package of claim 8 , wherein said first and second lighting mode is selected from the lighting mode group consisting of a color changing mode, a flashing mode, a dual-brightness mode, a fixed brightness mode, a fixed emitted color mode, a mode wherein the perceived emitted color varies in brightness, a mode wherein the perceived emitted color varies in color over time and any combination thereof.

10. The light device and package of claim 1 , wherein said test switch is urged into a disengaged position when not activated by said user.

11. The light device and package of claim 1 , wherein said test switch is recessed relative to an outer surface of said device package and wherein said device package further comprises an aperture in said outer surface to provide said access via said aperture.

12. A light device and packaging comprising:

at least one light device comprising:

at least one diffuser;

at least one light emitting element which receives electrical power from an electrical power storage device disposed during use in said light device, said at least one light emitting element being arranged so as to emit light through said at least one diffuser;

a photovoltaic device for recharging said electrical power storage device;

control circuitry arranged to control power supplied from said electrical power storage device to said at least one light emitting element during use;

a packaging comprising at least one wall;

a test device comprising:

at least two conductors comprising a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor;

a test switch connected across said at least two conductors;

wherein said test switch is fixed to said wall and positioned to enable a user to operate said test switch;

wherein said test device is removably connected to said control circuitry, said test device being disposable in a first configuration wherein said test switch is connected between said electrical power storage device and said at least one light emitting element via said at least two conductors, and a second configuration wherein said test switch and said at least two conductors are disconnected from said electrical storage device and said at least one light emitting element; and

wherein in said first configuration, said test switch is at least partially supported by said packaging portion to provide access for a user to operate said test switch; and wherein some of said emitted light is viewable by said user through said at least one diffuser when said test switch is disposed by said user in said first configuration.

13. The light device and packaging of claim 12 , wherein said at least one light device further comprises a light activation sub-circuit to activate said at least one light emitting element at low ambient light levels;

wherein said light device and packaging further comprises a second packaging portion; and

wherein said second packaging portion shields a part of said at least one light device from ambient light so as to activate said light activation sub-circuit when said test switch is disposed by said user in said first configuration.

14. The light device and packaging of claim 12 , wherein said wall further comprises an aperture and wherein said test switch is positioned to enable said user to operate said test switch via said aperture.

Priority Claims (2)

Continuity (9)