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US 9,316,365 B1Granted
Retrofit solar powered lighting assembly for flagpole
OwnerGordon Koinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an assembly that changes retrofits a flagpole with a solar powered area light, whereby the flag is removed from connection with the residential flagpole and stored. The assembly optionally includes a remote control so that a user can select from a number of operational modes for area lighting. The assembly also includes support bar connectors formed from two parts that are usable in either a connection of a support bar to the top of the flagpole or for connecting the support bar to the top of a downward directed solar lighting fixture.
Claims13
A flagpole and solar powered light conversion assembly comprising:
- (a) a flagpole with an attachment structure for attaching a flag at a top section of the flagpole and with connection means for attaching a decorative piece at a top of the top section;
- (b) a first connector connected to the connection means;
- (c) a support bar extending laterally from the first connector;
- (d) a second connector connected to a distal end of the support bar and the second connector connected with a top end of a protective housing;
- (e) the protective housing defining a housing axis and a substantial downward concavity on an underside, where an upper surface comprises four or more solar panels fixed substantially equidistant from each other and oriented with a top edge inclination toward the housing axis of from 30 degrees to 60 degrees from vertical;
- (f) lights arranged on a reflective and downward facing support secured to the underside of the protective housing, where a transparent cover is fixed to the underside of protective housing beneath the downward facing support to define a weather protected space in the protective housing;
- (g) the solar panels having electrical connection with solar storage batteries and a light microprocessor, both fixed within the weather protected space, the light microprocessor operating under a control program to act to turn on or off the lights according to user input from a user interface communicating with the light microprocessor and from input from a light level sensor that detects ambient light;
- (h) the first and second connectors are identical and each comprise two housing parts that mate together to form an external housing;
- (i) the housing parts are a support bar housing part and a cap housing part, each housing part being generally identical to the other except that the support bar housing part comprises a horizontal cylindrical extension extending from a generally vertical half cylinder wall and where the cylindrical extension is adapted to engage one end of the support bar;
- (j) each housing part comprises a cap plate extending inward toward an axis of the half cylinder wall and also from a top or bottom edge of the half cylinder wall, which cap plate defines a bolt hole;
- (k) the bolt holes of the housing parts vertically align and are adapted to receive a bolt shaft;
- and
- (l) a first bolt is inserted into the bolt hole of the first connector and the bolt fixes the first connector to the connection means.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.