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TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention described herein in general relates to a portable light
emitting device and in particular, relates to a multi-mode portable light emitting
device.
BACKGROUND
Light emitting devices are every household's needs. More importantly,
rural or semi-urban houses with no or less electricity in emerging economies rely
only upon small and portable light emitting devices which do not require
electricity from the grid. There are several devices for several reasons to start
with. A torch or flashlight is used for handy use while a lantern is the most
popular lighting device in rural areas that is used more in permanent than portable
fixtures. Buying two or three light emitting devices for one rural household is
costly. Also in the urban areas, people are in a constant search and need for a
single device with multiple modes of usage rather than carrying two or three
products all the time. Thus, there is a need for a multi-mode light emitting device.
For example, US Patent No. 7,677, 759 (Leung) described a combination
flashlight and lantern having a Light Emitting Diode (LED) on variable axis for
its different functionalities. Though, it doesn't have modular structure or a
multimode switch to change the device to different modes. Also, this device has a
lot of elements and moving parts making it expensive and tough to replace
individual elements.
In US Patent Publication No. 2005/020 I092 (Chen), a multipurpose
illumination device is mentioned with two light sources at distant locations. Also,
the structure of the device is of uniform cross section making it unstable for usage
as a lantern.
Accordingly, there is a need of portable light emitting device whose
structure is modular, light sources are at a single location, has removably attached
components, has multi-mode switch for easy operation, and is cheaper in
manufacturing.
SUMMARY
An embodiment of the invention described herein, comprising of at least a
partially hollow main body, a light emitting device housing removably attached to
the hollow main body, a light emitting device holder removably attached to the
light emitting device housing, and at least one power source removably attached
to an inner surface of the hollow main body. In one embodiment, two power
sources are provisioned, one is rechargeable and other is non-rechargeable power
source. The embodiment can be used as a lantern, torch, or reading lamp by
merely changing posture and switch mode.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention
described herein will become better understood with reference to the following
description and appended claims. This summary is provided to introduce a
selection of concepts in a simplified form. This summary is not intended to
identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it
intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The above and further features, aspects, and advantages of the subject
matter will become better understood with regard to the following description,
appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Fig. 1 illustrates the cross- sectional view of exemplary embodiment of the
invention.
Fig.2 illustrates the sectional view of a covering device of the embodiment
of Fig. 1.
Fig.3 illustrates the internal view of a light emitting device housing of the
embodiment of Fig. 1.
Fig.4. illustrates the blown up view of components of the invention
Fig.5. illustrates the one of the preferred but not limited arrangement as a
torch of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
Fig.6. shows the one of the preferred but not limited arrangement as a
lantern of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
Fig.7. shows the one of the preferred but not limited arrangement as a
reading lamp of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
Fig.8. shows the one of the preferred but not limited arrangement as an
ambient light source of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Fig. 1 in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, a main body comprises of at least two pieces 100 and 1l0which are at
least partially hollow in shape with an upper region 120 and a lower region 130.
The lower region 130 has a bigger cross-sectional area than the upper region 120
to stabilize the embodiment while in standing position as illustrated in Fig.7. At
least one of the batteries should be placed in the lower region 1300r the lower part
of the upper region 120 which will provide extra stability to the embodiment
when working in lantern mode or standing posture. An extrusion 140 on the inner
surface of the lower region 130 is meshed with groove 2300f the lower cap 200 to
provide a safe covering to the contents inside the at least partially hollow main
body. An extrusion 150 is attached to the lower region 130 to rotatably hinge a
hook 300to the lower region 130. Upper region 120 has an opening 170 to
accommodate a switch. An extension surface 160 at the uppermost region of the
upper region 120 with less cross-sectional area than the upper region 120 is used
to couple with the light emitting device housing 500.
The rechargeable set of batteries which may be accessed less frequently by
the users may preferably be placed in the upper region 120wherein they are less
accessible to the users of the invention. The non-rechargeable or replaceable set
of batteries may preferably be placed completely in the lower region 130 or
partially in regions 130 and 120 so as to have them easily accessible to the users
of the invention after disengaging the cap assembly illustrated in Fig. 2 from the
main body of the invention.
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Referring to Fig. 2 in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, a cap assembly comprises of at least one partially hollow cylindrical
cap 200 and one or more hooks 300 held with the cap 200 using covering 400.
The cap 200 comprises of an upper region 210 and a lower region 220, wherein
the upper region 210 has a lesser diameter than the lower region 220. The upper
region 210 has an outer diameter essentially less than equal to the inner diameter
of the lower region 130 of the main body illustrated in Fig. 1. The upper region
210 of the cap 200 has a channel engraved on its outer surface to engage with the
extrusion 140 on the inner surface of the lower region 130 of the main body. This
engagement holds the cap assembly as illustrated in Fig. 2in position for covering
the contents on the inside of the main body. The hook 300 comprises of a bar
element 310, an element 330 and a hinge 320. The bar element 310 along with the
hinge 320 are rotatably attached to the channel 240 on the lower region 220 of the
cap 200. The covering 400 holds the hinge 320 in position to allow the bar
element 310 and the curved element 330 to rotate along the axis of the hinge 320.
The slot 410 on the covering 400 allows the bar element 310 to rotate freely along
the axis of the hinge 320, while the covering 400safeguards the hinge 320 from
coming out of the channel 240. This setup provides user an option to hang the
lamp using his/her fingers or any other support such as a hook on a wall or
ceiling, as illustrated in Fig. 7.
Referring to Fig. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, a light emitting device housing500comprises of at least two partially
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hollow pieces600and 800;and at least one light emitting device holder 700.The
partially hollow piece 600 of the light emitting device housing 500 has at least
two faces 610 and 620 with holes for fitting the light emitting devices mounted on
the light emitting device holder 700. The faces 610 and 620 may not necessarily
be at the same orientation as the concentric faces 630 and 640. Additionally, the
faces 610 and 620 may not be at the same orientation with each other, allowing
the light from the light emitting device to be emitted in multiple directions. The
light emitting device holder 700 can have at least two faces 710 and 720, which
may not necessarily be at the same orientation with each other. It is necessary
though that the face 710 has the same orientation as face 610, and the face 720
has the same orientation as face 620 on the partially hollow piece 600. The
extrusion 180 on the extension surface 160 of the main body illustrated in Fig.
Imeshes with the slot 650 on the inner surface 640 of the partially hollow piece
600. This meshing will enable the light emitting device housing 500 to create a
mechanical as well as electrical contact with the main body and create a fully
functional light emitting device in at least one of the many possible ways of
creating a fully functional light emitting device. This setup can be useful in the
torch mode as illustrated in Fig. 5 or the upside hanging lantern mode as
illustrated in Fig. 6 or any other mode. The lower partially hollow piece 800 of
the light emitting device housing 500 also has a slot830 similar to slot 650 on the
inner surface 820. When slot 830 meshes with the extrusion 180, the resultip-g
fully functional light emitting device can be another of the many possible ways of
creating a fully functional light emitting device. This setup can be useful in the
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reading lamp mode as illustrated in Fig. 70r ambient lighting mode as illustrated
in Fig. 8 or any other mode. The outer surface 630 of the partially hollow piece
600 and outer surface 810 of the partially hollow piece 800 may be of the same
outer diameter so as to have a uniform outer diameter for the light emitting device
housing 500.
The set of light emitting devices on face 7100f the light emitting device
holder 700 may be named Set A, and the set of light emitting devices on face
nOofthe light emitting device holder 700may be called Set B. In one of the many
possible setups, the set of light emitting devices Set A or the set of light emitting
devices Set B may be powered up only one set at a time for conserving battery
power and depending on the coupling orientation of the light emitting device
housing 500 with the main body. Both the set of light emitting devices Set A and
Set B may be powered up simultaneously to have more amount of light. Powering
up of both sets of light emitting devices simultaneously may be achieved using a
push button electrical switch or any other electrical switch. This switch can be
located in the slot 840 situated on one of the surfaces of the light emitting device
housing 500, as illustrated in Fig. 3a. Switching off this switch will lead to light
being emitted from only one set of the at least two sets of light emitting device
sets Set A or Set B, depending on the coupling orientation of the light emitting
device housing 500 with the main body, and under the circumstances that the
main power switch is on and the batteries are charged.

We Claim:
1. A portable lighting device comprising:
at least partially hollow main body having a lower region and an upper
region, wherein a cross-sectional area of the lower region is larger than a crosssectional
area of the upper region, and the lower region is heavier than the upper
region by virtue of additional insertions;
a light emitting device housing removably attached to the upper region of
the at least partially hollow main body;
a light emitting device holder removably attached to the light emitting
device housing, wherein the light emitting device holder comprises at least one
light emitting device attached to the light emitting device holder;
at least one power source removably attached to an inner surface of the at
least partially hollow main body and electrically connected to at least one light
emitting device; and
at least one covering device removably attached to the lower region of the
at least partially hollow main body, with at least one hook removably and
rotatably attached to the at least one covering device.
2. The portable lighting device of claim 1, further comprising at least one and
preferably two power sources removably attached to the inner surface of the at
least partially hollow base, wherein at least one first power source is rechargeable
power source and at least one second power source is non-rechargable power
source.
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3. The portable lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one power source is
equipped to recharge power from at least one of the energy selected from a group
consisting of solar energy, thermal energy, hydel energy, wind energy, biomass
energy, nuclear energy, mechanical energy, hydrogen-based energy, and
methanol-based energy.
4. The portable lighting device of claim 1, wherein at least one first light emitting
device is attached to a first surface of the light emitting device holder and at least
one second light emitting device is attached to a second surface adjacent to the
first surface of the light emitting device holder.
5. The portable lighting device of claim 1, wherein a ratio of anouter cross-sectional
area of the lower region of the partially hollow base to anouter cross-sectional
area of the upper region of the partially hollow base is in a range of about 1: 1 to
4:1.
6. The portable lighting device of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the partially
hollow base is cylindrical in shape with an outer diameter at the lower region of
the partially hollow base in a range of about 1 inch to 5 inches.
7. The portable lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device housing
is removably attached to the at least partially hollow main body.
8. The portable lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device housing
can be removably attached to the at least partially hollow main body.
9. The portable lighting device of claim 4, wherein the at least one first light
emitting device emits light when the light emitting device housing is removably
attached to the at least partially hollow main body via the at least first coupling
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switch off.
least one power source completely or partially charged.
at least one first emitting device or the at least one second light emitting device
option, and the at least second light emitting device emits light when the light
position.
main body via the at least second coupling option, under the circumstances that at
least one first emitting device or the at least one second light emitting device and
and drawing power from the at least one rechargeable battery, switching on the at
an outer surface of the partially hollow base, wherein the multi-mode switch has
at least one mode selected from a group of modes consisting of switching on the
emitting device housing is removably attached to the at least partially hollow
switch-on mode selected from a group of modes consisting of switch on and
emit light simultaneously if an auxiliary electrical dual mode switch is in a
emitting device and the at least one second light emitting device power up and
drawing power from the at least one non-rechargeable battery, and switching off.
extra stability to the portable lighting device in a vertical or close to vertical
10. The portable lighting device of claim 9, wherein the at least one first light
11. The portable lighting device of claim 7, further comprises a multi-mode switch at
12. The portable lighting device of claim I, wherein the at least one hook provides