Solar powered illumination device for a container
OwnerWenkwei Guo, Chieh-Yu Cheninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mailbox including a box having a box door, a first box door, a photocell circuit, and a cartridge. The box door is pivotally connected to a first wall of the box. The cartridge includes a light source and an electric power source. The light source illuminates an interior surface of the box. The photocell circuit includes a photocell panel. The photocell circuit charges the electric power source using energy acquired by the photocell panel. The electric power source powers the light source. The cartridge is removably mounted to a second wall of the box to electrically connect and disconnect the cartridge to the photocell circuit.
Claims31
A mailbox, comprising:
- a box having a box door pivotally connected to a first wall of the box and a pair of substantially parallel guide channels mounted to a second wall of the box, wherein each channel includes a continuous groove;
- a light source to illuminate an interior of the box;
- an electric power source to power the light source;
- a photocell circuit which includes a photocell panel, wherein the photocell circuit charges the electric power source using energy acquired by the photocell panel;
- and
- a cartridge housing the electric power source and the light source, wherein the cartridge includes a pair of linear extensions that are slidingly received by grooves to enable the cartridge to be slid into a connection with the photocell circuit.
2-3. (canceled)
An apparatus for lighting an interior of a container, comprising:
- a cartridge that includes a cylindrical bar mounted along one end of the cartridge and configured to mate with a pair of swinging hinges mounted to a wall of the container;
- a light source to illuminate an interior of the container;
- and
- an electric power source to power the light source,
- wherein the cartridge houses the electric power source and the light source.
20-21. (canceled)
A mailbox, comprising:
- a box having a box door pivotally connected to a first wall of the box and a pair of substantially parallel guide channels mounted to a second wall of the box, wherein each channel includes a continuous groove;
- a light source to illuminate an interior of the box;
- an electric power source to power the light source;
- a cartridge housing the electric power source and the light source, wherein the cartridge includes a pair of linear extensions that are slidingly received by the grooves to enable the cartridge to be slid into a connection with the electric power source;
- and
- one of a clear or translucent panel mounted in an opening of the box door.
An illumination device for a container, comprising:
- a lower housing including a light source, a rechargeable battery to power the light source, and a pair of openings in a top portion of the lower housing;
- and
- an upper housing including a photocell circuit to charge the rechargeable battery and a pair of extensions extending from a bottom portion of the upper housing and configured to mate with the openings,
- wherein the lower housing removably interlocks with the upper housing via alignment of the openings and corresponding extensions and a rotation of one of the housings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.