(10) DE 20 2005 004 052 U1 July 14, 2005

(19) Federal Republic of Germany

German Patent and Trademark Office

(12) Utility Model Specification

(21) Application number: 20 2005 004 052.5 (51) Int. Cl.⁷: F21 S 9/03

(22) Filing date: March 15, 2005 F21 V 21/088, F21V 5/00, F21V 23/00,

(47) Registration date: June 9, 2005 H05B 37/00, H02J 13/00

(43) Publication in the // F21Y 101:02, F21W 121:04

Patent Gazette: July 14, 2005

(73) Name and residence of the holder: Bauriedl, Ludwig, 92693 Eslarn, DE Bauriedl, Peter, 92693 Eslarn, DE Bauriedl, Fabian, 92693 Eslarn, DE Sachs, Herbert, 92693 Eslarn, DE

(74) Name and residence of the representative: Patent Attorneys Tergau & Pohl, 90482 Nurnberg

The following information was derived from the documents submitted by the applicant.

(54) Title: Cordless Tree Lights

(57) Main Claim: Cordless tree lights (1) comprising a base clamp (3) for attachment to a branch and comprising an electric candle (2), which is mounted on the base clamp (3) and which comprises a local electric current accumulator (13) and a light source (14), fed by said current accumulator, in a candle body (5), characterized in that the current accumulator (13) is rechargeable by means of a solar module (11), which is provided on an exterior surface (12) of the candle (2) and/or the base clamp (3).

[see figure]

Specification

[0001] The invention relates to cordless tree lights, as claimed in the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such tree lights, comprising a plurality of electric candles, which are independent of one another, are known, in particular, from the WO 2004/076919 A1. In the case of the state of the art tree lights each candle has a separate battery-dependent power supply. Therefore, when the tree lights are on, it is necessary to change the battery on a routine basis - a process that is both labor intensive and expensive in the case of a lighting system of a larger scale.

[0003] Furthermore, it is known from the documents DE 38 24 072 A1 and DE 34 02 595 A1 to make available the power supply of tree lights, comprising a plurality of independent candles, by means of a special central radiation source, in particular a high frequency transmitter or an infrared lamp. In the latter case it is provided that the power, emitted by the radiation source, is absorbed by a solar cell, which is assigned to each one of the candles, and is fed directly to the light source. Such tree lights have, in particular, the drawback that they can be used only in an area that is spatially very restricted on account of the lights’ dependence on the central radiation source. Furthermore, this type of power supply is comparatively ineffective from the viewpoint of efficiency due to the high losses from the process of converting the energy twice (from electric energy into radiation and then back again into electric energy) and due to the largely non-utilized energy that is dissipated into the atmosphere.

[0004] Against this background, the object of the invention is to provide cordless tree lights, which can be operated in an energy-saving mode and can be easily operated and maintained.

[0005] This object is achieved by the invention with the features, disclosed in claim 1.

[0006] According to the invention, the tree lights comprise at least one electric candle, which is mounted in the standard way on a base clamp and which contains a local electric current accumulator and a light source, fed by this current accumulator. In this case the current accumulator is a rechargeable current accumulator, which in turn is fed by a solar module, provided on an exterior surface of the candle and/or of the base clamp.

[0007] A number of the advantages of various conventional tree lights are achieved through a combination of the features of the invention without having to accept simultaneously the drawbacks that are intrinsic in the respective prior art technologies. First of all, the tree lights of the invention are cordless. Therefore, they comprise one unit or a plurality of units, each of which is composed of a candle and an assigned base clamp. These units are independent of one another both spatially and from a power supply viewpoint. Consequently the individual candles of the tree lights may be arranged in a totally random manner independently of one another. Similarly the number of candles can be increased as desired.

[0008] In this case the spatial independence of the candles is also promoted, in particular, by the power supply independence of the candles, since the tree lights do not require a source of energy that is provided specifically for their operation - in particular, no radiation source is required -, but rather their power is supplied solely from the surrounding light, which exists in any event - thus, in particular, supplied by the sunlight or a conventional room illumination system. In this case the power supply independence is achieved, in particular, through the utilization of the energy-rich daylight conditions in order to recover the energy that is usually needed primarily in the dark. Therefore, the tree lights of the invention are suitable for both indoor usage and outdoor usage and at the same time are not subject to any spatial restrictions. At the same time the ease of maintenance that is targeted by the invention is achieved in that the power supply is self-sustaining; and, thus, the tree lights function almost maintenance-free.

[0009] Under the spatial conditions that are usually very cramped for tree lights conforming to their genre, an especially advantageous feature is an arrangement, in which the solar module is disposed in a base area of the candle around its periphery.

[0010] An especially low energy requirement, which in turn manifests itself in an especially long life of the tree lights, is achieved in a practical embodiment through the use of one light emitting diode or a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) as the light source.

[0011] The light source and the current accumulator are connected preferably between an especially microelectronic switching module for switching on and off the light source. In particular, this switching module can be remote controlled - for example, with the use of infrared, ultrasonic or any other high frequency transmission technology. As an alternative, the switching module is designed as a twilight switch, which automatically switches on the light source, when the intensity of the surrounding light falls below a given threshold value. To this end the switching module engages optimally with a dedicated light sensor. However, in light of the cramped space conditions, especially advantageous is a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the solar module is utilized as the light sensor for the switching module. To this end, the solar module feeds to the switching module a twilight-indicating switching signal. This switching signal is, in particular, the output power of the solar module (of course, this output power is a function of the surrounding light conditions) or a measurable variable, which is derived from said output power of the solar module. As an alternative, in turn the switching module is also designed as a timer switch. The above described alternative designs of the switching module can also be combined with one another. In particular, one candle can be remote controlled by means of another candle, in order to synchronize the on and off switching events between a plurality of candles of a tree lighting system. For example, only one candle of the tree lights is provided with a twilight switch, which also switches on and off in a synchronous manner other candles by way of the said remote control.

[0012] In one advantageous embodiment the candle or each candle of the tree lights comprises a candle body, which is made, in particular, of a synthetic plastic material. The candle body in turn comprises an opaque shell, on which is mounted a transparent scattering element in a head region of the candle. In this case the scattering element is used to radiate in a homogenous manner the light emitted by the light source. The shell may be designed in any color. In order to radiate colored light, the scattering element can also be tinted. As an alternative, for this purpose the use of a tinted light emitting diode or a transparent scattering element is provided.

[0013] One embodiment of the invention is explained in detail below with reference to one drawing.

[0014] Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a longitudinal view of an electric candle of cordless tree lights, said electric candle being mounted on a base clamp.

[0015] Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of a block diagram of the wiring of the candle, according to Figure 1, in a first embodiment; and

[0016] Figure 3 is a drawing, according to Figure 2, of an alternative design of the wiring.

[0017] Matching parts and quantities are provided with the same reference numerals in all of the figures.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of a longitudinal view of tree lights 1. The tree lights 1 comprise an electric candle 2 - that is, an electric illumination body, which resembles a candle and which is mounted on a base clamp 3, which is designed like a clip.

[0019] The candle 2 can be clamped in the conventional way on a branch of a natural or artificial tree - in particular, a Christmas tree - or on a comparable object by means of the base clamp 3. The candle 2 and the related base clamp 3 form an independent and in itself functional unit of the tree lights 1, which do not require a cable connection for power supply or control purposes - especially when the tree lights are in operation. Preferably the tree lights 1 exhibit a plurality of such independent units, each of which comprises a candle 2 and the assigned base clamp 3.

[0020] The candle 2 is connected to the base clamp 3 by means of a ball joint 4, so that the candle 2 can be swivelled in any direction in relation to the base clamp 3 and, thus, can always be oriented, in particular, in the vertical direction. In this case, the candle 2 is held in any position on the base clamp 3 via frictional engagement.

[0021] The candle 2 comprises an elongated candle body 5, which in turn is formed by a somewhat cylindrical shell 6 and a scattering element 7, which is mounted on the head side of this shell. The shell 6 is made of an opaque plastic material and extends, starting from a base plate 8, facing the base clamp 3, in the direction facing away from the base clamp 3. The scattering element 7 is made of a transparent plastic material and forms a blunt tip at the scattering element’s head end 9, which is spaced apart from the base clamp 3, in the schematic reproduction of a candle flame.

[0022] In a base region 10 of the candle 2 that abuts the base plate 8, the shell 6 is designed so as to taper off in relation to the outer periphery of the candle 2. In this region that tapers off in a neck-like manner, the shell 6 is surrounded by a sheath-shaped solar module 11, which comprises one photovoltaic cell or a plurality of photovoltaic cells. Therefore, the solar module 11 and the shell 6 are designed, in particular, in such a manner that the (photovoltaically active) exterior surface 12 of the solar module 11 aligns with the surface of the shell 6 above the base region 10 - that is, forms a smooth surface.

[0023] The hollow interior of the shell 6 exhibits additional active components of the candle 2. These components comprise a rechargeable current accumulator 13, a light emitting diode 14 as a light source and an electronic switching module 15, which is connected between the current accumulator 13 and the light emitting diode 14 and which is intended for switching on and off the light emitting diode 14.

[0024] The electric wiring of the candle 2 is depicted in detail in a block diagram in Figure 2. As evident from the block diagram, the solar module 11 generates electric energy subject to the usual incoming daylight flux T and outputs correspondingly to the current accumulator 13 an electric output power A. As a consequence, the current accumulator 13 is recharged, in particular, during the day. This charging process is controlled by means of an electronic charging circuit 16, which is connected between the solar module 11 and the current accumulator 13. The current accumulator 13 in turn feeds the light emitting diode 14, controlled by the switching module 15 that is connected in-between, with a supply current V and, in so doing, excites the light emitting diode 14 to emit light L. The switching module 15 is designed by choice as either a binary ON/OFF switch or as a dimmer circuit.

[0025] In the design, according to Figure 2, the switching module 15 can be remote controlled by means of a control unit 17, which is external with respect to the candle 2. In this case the communications between the control unit 17 and the switching module 15 takes place with the simultaneous use of a conventional wireless transmission technology - for example, infrared transmission or ultrasonic transmission. If the tree lights 1 comprise a plurality of candles 2, then these candle can be actuated preferably jointly by means of the control unit 17, so that upon depressing a button, all of the candles 2 can be switched on without contact and without cables.

[0026] In an alternative wiring of the candle 2, the switching module 15 is designed, according to Figure 3, as a twilight switch, which then switches on the light emitting diode 14, when the ambient brightness falls below a defined threshold value. In this case the switching module 15 uses advantageously the solar module 11 as the light sensor. According to Figure 3, this functionality is realized in that the charging circuit 16 checks the output power A of the solar module 11 as a function of the ambient brightness and emits to the switching module 15 a switching signal S that is a function of the value of the output power A. The switching module 15 is switched on in this manner, when the ambient brightness and, thus, the output power A fall below a specified threshold value A, and is switched off, when the ambient brightness and correspondingly the output power A exceed the threshold value.

List of Reference Numerals

1 tree lights

2 candle

3 base clamp

4 ball joint

5 candle body

6 shell

7 scattering element

8 base plate

9 head end

10 base region

11 solar module

12 exterior surface

13 current accumulator

14 light emitting diode

15 switching module

16 charging circuit

17 control unit

A output power

L light

T incoming daylight flux

Patent Claims

1. Cordless tree lights (1) comprising a base clamp (3) for attachment to a branch and comprising an electric candle (2), which is mounted on the base clamp (3) and which comprises a local electric current accumulator (13) and a light source (14), fed by said current accumulator, in a candle body (5), characterized in that the current accumulator (13) is rechargeable by means of a solar module (11), which is provided on an exterior surface (12) of the candle (2) and/or the base clamp (3).

2. Tree lights (1), as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the external surface (12), holding the solar module (11), envelops the periphery of a base region (10) of the candle (2).

3. Tree lights (1), as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized by a light emitting diode (14) as the light source.

4. Tree lights (1), as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized by a switching module (15), which is connected between the light source (14) and the current accumulator (13), for the purpose of switching on and off the light source (14), the switching module (15) being remote controlled without a cable.

5. Tree lights (1), as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized by a switching module (15), which is connected between the light source (14) and the current accumulator (13), for the purpose of switching on and off the light source (14), the switching module (15) being designed as a twilight switch.

6. Tree lights (1), as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the solar module (11) acts as the light sensor for the switching module (15), in that the switching module (15) is fed by the solar module (11) a twilight-indicating switching signal (S).

7. Tree lights (1), as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the candle body (5) comprises an opaque shell (6) and a transparent scattering element (7) in a head region of the candle (2).

Followed by 2 sheets of drawings.

Attached Drawings

[see figure]