# US 10,766,554 B1 · Compact, waterproof rechargeable light assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,554 B1 - Document ID: US10766554B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/041,566 - Filed: 2018-07-20 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-21 - Assignees: Light & Motion Industries - Applicants: Light & Motion Industries - Inventors: Daniel T. Emerson; Jarod Armer; David William Tolan; Brooks Patrick Lame - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766554B1 ## CPC - B62J 6/015: using electrical power not supplied by the cycle motor generator, e.g. using batteries or piezo elements - B62J 6/04: Rear lights - B62J 6/01: Electric circuits - B62J 6/029: characterised by the structure, e.g. casings - B62J 6/03: Supporting means therefor, e.g. mounting brackets - B62J 43/30: for providing power to equipment other than for propulsion - B62J 45/00: Electrical equipment arrangements specially adapted for use as accessories on cycles, not otherwise provided for - B62J 45/41: characterised by the type of sensor - F21S 9/02: the power supply being a battery or accumulator - F21V 21/0816: {Strap fasteners, e.g. fasteners with a buckle} - F21V 21/0885: {for portable lighting devices} - F21V 23/0442: {activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors} - F21V 31/04: Provision of filling media - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - B62J: CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A bicycle light has in one embodiment a mounting base to connect to the bicycle, and an LED light unit for insertion into and removal from the base. The light unit includes a printed circuit board with LED driver and a rechargeable battery, all of which are encapsulated by a direct overmolding that forms a casing for the unit. For charging the light unit is pulled out from the base and plugged into a USB port via an extending USB blade. A motion detector on the PCB shuts off the LED if no motion is detected for several minutes, thus eliminating need for any exterior switch. Another embodiment is without the USB blade, with the battery charged by inductive charging. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light projecting device, comprising: an LED light unit, the light unit including an LED, a printed circuit board with electronics including an LED driver driving the LED, and a rechargeable battery connected to the printed circuit board, the LED light unit comprising the printed circuit board, battery and LED encapsulated in a low-pressure overmolding, through the length of the LED light unit, with molding material in direct contact with and encapsulating the circuit board, battery and at least part of the LED to form an integral casing, which is a sole casing of the LED light unit, whereby the LED light unit is completely waterproof, a switch for connecting the LED to power from the battery, the switch being wholly internal and activated by an internal switching device comprising one of: a motion sensor, a proximity sensor, a gesture sensor, a moisture sensor, an RF sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and an internal switching device responsive to external force on a prescribed part of the overmolding, and means for recharging the battery. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light projecting device of claim 1, wherein the internal switching device comprises a motion detector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light projecting device of claim 1, wherein the internal switching device comprises a gesture sensor responsive to a particular pattern of movement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The light projecting device of claim 1, wherein the means for recharging comprises an inductive charging unit inside the casing, effective to charge the battery when the casing is placed adjacent to an inductive charger. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light projecting device of claim 1, wherein the means for recharging comprises charging contacts exposed at the casing's exterior. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light projecting device of claim 1, further including an optical detector in the casing for sensing light level outside the casing such that the LED cannot be connected to power unless outside light is below the preset level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light projecting device of claim 1, wherein the LED driver includes two modes for driving the LED, a continuous and a flashing mode, and wherein an optical detector in the casing for sensing light level outside the casing such that with outside light below a preset level the LED is driven in a continuous illumination mode, whereas if outside light level is above the preset threshold, the LED is driven in a flashing mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The light projecting device of claim 1, wherein the low-pressure overmolding includes an exterior shaped feature providing for attachment to a bracket or gripping device. ### Claim 9 A light projecting device, comprising: an LED light unit, the light unit including an LED, a printed circuit board with electronics including an LED driver driving the LED, and a rechargeable battery connected to the printed circuit board, the LED light unit comprising the printed circuit board, battery and LED encapsulated in a low-pressure overmolding, through the length of the LED light unit, with molding material in direct contact with and encapsulating the circuit board, battery and LED to form an integral casing, which is a sole casing of the LED light unit, whereby the LED light unit is completely waterproof, a motion detector switch contained within the light unit for connecting the LED to power from the battery, such that the LED is powered by the battery when the light unit has been moved, and means for recharging the battery. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The light projecting device of claim 9, wherein the means for recharging comprises an inductive charging unit inside the casing, effective to charge the battery when the casing is placed adjacent to an inductive charger. ### Claim 11 A light projecting device, comprising: an LED light unit, the light unit including an LED, a printed circuit board with electronics including an LED driver driving the LED, and, at one end of the printed circuit board, an extending tongue comprising a USB blade configured to be inserted into and closely fit into a USB port, the USB blade having conductors positioned to receive power when the blade is inserted into a powered USB port, the LED light unit comprising the printed circuit board and LED and, including the printed circuit board, the LED and a portion of the USB blade being encapsulated in a low-pressure overmolding, through the length of the LED light unit, with molding material in direct contact with and encapsulating the circuit board, LED and part of the USB blade to form an integral casing, which is a sole casing of the LED light unit, whereby the LED light unit is completely waterproof, whereby the LED light unit can be plugged into a powered USB port to supply power to illuminate the LED, and the LED light unit can be supported and retained in a separate device or base via the USB blade in such a powered USB port of the separate device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The light projecting device of claim 11, further including a switch for controlling power to the LED, the switch being wholly internal and activated by an internal switching device comprising one of: a motion sensor, a proximity sensor, a gesture sensor, a moisture sensor, an RF sensor, a magnetic field sensor, and an internal switching device responsive to external force on a prescribed part of the overmolding. ### Claim 13 A bicycle light, comprising: a base unit with a mounting device for connection to a part of a bicycle, the mounting device not being a part of a bicycle, the base unit defining a case or shell, an LED light unit insertable into the case or shell, the light unit including an LED, a printed circuit board including an LED driver driving the LED, a rechargeable battery connected to the printed circuit board and, at one end the printed circuit board including an extending tongue comprising a USB blade configured to be inserted into and to closely fit into a USB charging port or into a receiving slot, the USB blade having conductors positioned to receive charging power when the blade is inserted into a powered USB charging port, and the base unit having a receiving slot extending interiorly and of size to receive the light unit by sliding the tongue with the USB blade of the light unit into the receiving slot to grip the USB blade and fully enclose the USB blade within the base unit, the receiving slot being without power contacts and configured for retention of the light unit to the base unit.