Lighting apparatus having rechargeable battery, charger and LED bulb

A lighting apparatus comprising:

• a lamp having a socket for receiving a light bulb, the socket having first and second socket contacts, one of which is constituted by a threaded portion of said socket;
• a bulb having a base, the bulb having two bulb contacts one of which is constituted by a threaded portion of said base, and including a light-emitting diode having an anode connected to a first of said bulb contacts and a cathode connected to a second of said bulb contacts, the threaded portion of the base of said bulb being threaded into said threaded portion of said socket whereby the bulb is removably fitted to said socket, with the first and second bulb contacts in electrical contact respectively with said first and second socket contacts, said light-emitting diode being operable to emit light in response to direct current applied to said bulb contacts at a potential substantially lower than 100 volts;
• a rechargeable battery having positive and negative terminals;
• a pair of conductors respectively connecting said first socket contact to the positive battery terminal, and said second socket contact to the negative battery terminal, the connections of said battery terminals to said socket contacts being independent of the connection of the bulb contacts to the socket contacts;
• a charger connectible to a source of alternating line current at a voltage of at least approximately 100 volts rms, for converting said line current to a DC voltage at a potential substantially lower than the rms value of said line current voltage, said charger having positive and negative output conductors connected respectively to the positive and negative terminals of the battery.