In off-grid regions of the world, around 1.3 billion people who do not have access to electricity depend on kerosene lamps for light and fires for heating water and cooking. Kerosene lamps are dangerous (emitting toxic fumes and risking fire), expensive to use (costing 50-120 USD per year for fuel) and provide only poor illumination (about 20-40 lumen). Fires pollute indoor living areas and harvesting wood for fires contributes to deforestation. Solar-powered apparatus can provide a convenient solution to the problems of off-grid living. However, for a solar-powered apparatus to provide a long-lasting solution, it must be robust enough to withstand heavy daily use and also highly flexible in the way that it can be used. In more developed countries, portable solar-powered apparatus may find use during outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, etc.

There remains a need for an improved solar-powered apparatus.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a solar- powered apparatus comprising a casing for:

(i) a solar panel for converting solar power to electrical power;

(ii) a battery for storing electrical power from the solar panel; and

(iii) an electrical device using electrical power from the battery and/or solar panel;

wherein the casing comprises a window that exposes the electrical device for use and a mounting aperture spaced laterally from the window, the mounting aperture having a resiliency deformable inner surface that can grip an object inserted into the aperture to mount the apparatus.

Alternatively, according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a solar-powered apparatus comprising a casing for:

(i) a solar panel for converting solar power to electrical power;

(ii) a battery for storing electrical power from the solar panel; and

(iii) an electrical device using electrical power from the battery and/or solar panel; wherein the casing comprises a window that exposes the device for use, arranged substantially underneath another window that exposes the solar panel, and a mounting aperture spaced laterally from the windows, the mounting aperture having a resiliently deformable inner surface that can grip an object inserted into the aperture to mount the apparatus.

As is discussed further below, in various embodiments the mounting aperture is integrally formed in or with the casing.

By providing the solar-powered apparatus with a gripping aperture in the casing, the electrical device can be stably mounted onto a variety of different objects. The resiliently deformable inner surface of the mounting aperture ensures that the casing is securely gripped onto an object so as to create a free-standing apparatus with the object forming a stand. An advantage of the gripping surface of the mounting aperture is that the apparatus can be mounted to an object and hold itself in a particular position, e.g. without requiring additional fixings such as a bottle cap being screwed down on top. Because the mounting aperture is spaced laterally from the device window, the casing ensures that the device is mounted in a cantilever fashion. Furthermore, the height and/or angle of the gripping aperture on an object can be adjusted while the apparatus remains stably mounted For example, where the device comprises a light emitter then changing the height and/or angle that the apparatus is mounted on an object may also change the illumination provided through the window. When the apparatus is not mounted to an object, the aperture can conveniently be used to secure the apparatus, e.g. to lock or tie down the apparatus if it is left out in the sun for charging.

A benefit of the present invention is that the gripping aperture enables the apparatus to be mounted onto a range of different objects of different sizes and/or shapes with the inner surface deforming to accommodate the object and its resilience acting to grip onto the object. The mounting aperture may have any suitable shape e.g. circular, polygonal or star-shaped. The mounting aperture may be shaped to match the outer shape of a particular type of object to which it is intended to mount a solar-powered apparatus. The inner surface may be continuous or discontinuous, for example comprising a resilient ring or an array of resiliently deformable tabs that extend radially into the aperture. Such gripping tabs may help to mount the apparatus to an object that is variable in its outer shape. In a set of preferred embodiments the mounting aperture is substantially circular. A circular aperture can provide flexibility in mounting the apparatus to a range of objects having different shapes that may be regular or irregular. A circular aperture is also particularly well suited for mounting the apparatus onto a cylindrical object, such as a knob or post, and preferably the cap or neck of a bottle. Multiple different types of bottle can be accommodated, including plastic bottles (with or without screw cap) or glass bottles (with or without screw cap, crown cork cap, cork stopper, etc.). The invention therefore extends to a free-standing apparatus comprising a bottle as a stand and a solar-powered apparatus as described above mounted to a neck or cap of the bottle. In one set of embodiments the apparatus comprises a free-standing lamp.

It is a particular advantage of the present invention that the gripping aperture can be used to mount the apparatus to an object with the window laterally spaced from the object in a cantilevered manner. To assist in this, preferably the mounting aperture is laterally spaced from the window by a substantially rigid extension of the casing. Preferably the mounting aperture is provided integrally in the rigid extension of the casing. The casing may have a unitary construction including the window, the substantially rigid extension and the mounting aperture. For example, the casing may take the form of a single plastics moulding including the window, the substantially rigid extension and the mounting aperture. Preferably the casing has no moving parts, e.g. no hinge(s), but the extension can be positioned at a desired angle by adjusting the height and/or orientation of the gripping aperture on an object such as a bottle neck. The rigidity of the extension helps to make the cantilevered mounting as stable as possible. The rest of the casing may not be as rigid, for example the casing in the vicinity of the solar panel and/or device may be rubbery so as absorb any shocks that could potentially damage these components. However it is preferable that not only the extension but the entire casing (apart from the resiliency deformable inner surface of the mounting aperture) is substantially rigid, for example moulded from a rigid plastics material such as ABS or polycarbonate. This means that the casing can support itself in a cantilevered mounting arrangement without sagging.

Another window for the solar panel may also be mounted in a cantilevered manner. Preferably the window for the solar panel is mounted in the same cantilevered manner as the window for the electrical device, so that the solar panel and the electrical device are both mounted on the same side of an object that mounts the apparatus. The electrical device may be exposed through a window which is arranged substantially underneath another window that exposes the solar panel.

In a set of embodiments, the casing comprises a cover that exposes the solar panel and extends laterally to provide the mounting aperture. It is preferable that the mounting aperture is laterally spaced from the solar panel by a substantially rigid extension of the cover. The cover may be substantially rigid except for the resiliency deformable inner surface of the mounting aperture. In one example, both the solar panel and the mounting aperture may be provided in a top cover of the apparatus while the window for the electrical device is provided in a bottom cover. This assists in arranging the solar panel substantially above the window for the electrical device, so that the solar panel and electrical device may be mounted together in a cantilevered manner by the mounting aperture. Thus the solar panel and electrical device may be exposed by windows on one side of the casing while the mounting aperture is laterally spaced from the windows on an opposite side of the casing. Of course the mounting aperture and/or solar panel may be provided in the bottom cover instead.

The window that exposes the electrical device may be provided in the same cover or wall of the casing as a window for the solar panel. However, it is preferable that at least one device window is provided in a side wall and/or bottom wall of the casing so that it faces in a different direction to the solar panel exposed through another window in a top wall. This means that the electrical device can be used even when the apparatus is mounted with the solar panel facing upwardly towards the sun e.g. in an opening in the ceiling of a building.

It will be appreciated that the window that exposes the electrical device for use may take the form of an opening in the casing and/or a transparent, semi- transparent or opaque cover. Such a cover may be flexible so as to enable a user to manipulate the electrical device through the cover.

The solar-powered electrical device may be any suitable device, in particular (but not limited) to a device that can run on relatively low DC power e.g. up to only 50 W or 60 W. The electrical device may be chosen from one or more of: a light emitter; a heater; a cooker; a motor (e.g. for a fan); a pump (e.g. for a refrigerator); a radio; and an electrical charging station.

In one set of embodiments the electrical device comprises at least one light emitter and the apparatus is preferably a solar-powered lamp. The light emitter can take advantage of being mounted in a cantilevered manner relative to an object (e.g. bottle) mounting the lamp, which means that the emitted light beam does not suffer interference from the object. In a preferred set of embodiments the window that exposes the light emitter is provided in a bottom cover of the casing. This means that illumination from the lamp can shine downwardly e.g. while the solar panel may faces upwardly through another window in a top cover. In one set of examples, the light emitter is exposed through the window which is arranged in a bottom cover substantially underneath another window that exposes the solar panel through a top cover. A benefit of the cantilevered mounting provided by the gripping aperture is that the light emitter can provide an illumination footprint which does not substantially overlap with the mounting object, e.g. a bottle or the like.

Accordingly the light emitter may be offset from a rigid extension of the casing that provides the mounting aperture. By adjusting the height and/or angle of the gripping aperture on the object, the width and/or angle of the light beam can be changed to suit a user's needs. Such benefits may also extend to other types of electrical device mounted by the solar-powered apparatus.

In a preferred set of embodiments the apparatus has a substantially planar construction, that is, the width of the apparatus in the lateral plane of the casing is greater than the height of the apparatus as measured perpendicular to the lateral plane of the casing. Not only does this help to make the apparatus compact so that it is portable, but a flat construction also enables multiple apparatus to be mounted onto the same object. In particular, it is preferable that the mounting aperture is provided in a substantially flat extension of the casing that is thin, e.g. less than 10 mm thick and preferably less than 5 mm thick. As is mentioned above, such an extension may be rigid and this can help to make it thin. The extension of the casing may then be used to mount the apparatus onto an object and multiple extensions may be stacked one on top of another so that multiple apparatus are mounted on the same object, e.g. on the same bottle neck. In one example, there is disclosed a free-standing lamp arrangement comprising a bottle as a stand and a plurality of solar-powered lamps mounted to a cap or neck of the bottle. Of course the bottle may be substituted by another cylindrical object.

In such a free-standing arrangement, each solar-powered apparatus such as a lamp may comprise a flat (and preferably rigid) extension of the casing that is mounted so as to extend in a different direction from the object. In other words, the multiple apparatus may be arranged around a circumference of the object, extending in different radial directions so that only the mounting apertures in the extensions overlap. Preferably two, three or four apparatus such as lamps are mounted around the same object, e.g. bottle neck or cap, to form a free-standing arrangement. Because the device window of each apparatus is spaced laterally from the mounting aperture so as to be mounted in the manner of a cantilever, multiple apparatus can extend radially outwardly from the same bottle or other object without respective windows overlapping with one another. This may provide for up to 360° of functionality such as illumination and can allow multiple users to take advantage of the same mounting stand, for example, when a lamp

arrangement is used in a school. In one set of examples, the extension in the casing may comprise one or more interlocking members that protrude from the mounting aperture so that one apparatus may be locked to another when mounted to the same object with the extensions stacked one on top of another. This can increase the stability of the free-standing arrangement and also help to ensure that multiple apparatus are spaced evenly around the object so that it is not likely to tip over in a particular direction.

Preferably the mounting aperture is integrally formed in the casing, and preferably in a substantially rigid extension of the casing. In one set of

embodiments the resiliency deformable inner surface of the aperture may be provided by a separate piece of material, for example a resiliency deformable ring that is inserted into the aperture. In another set of embodiments the resiliency deformable inner surface may also be integrally provided. In one example, the inner surface may be split into an array of radially extending tabs that can be deformed to accommodate and grip an object. In another example, the inner surface may comprise a ring of different thickness material or a ring of an entirely different material that is over-moulded to form the inner surface of the aperture. The resiliency deformable inner surface of the aperture may be formed from an elastomeric material such as thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO). Thus, in a preferred set of embodiments the inner surface of the mounting aperture is made from an elastomeric material while the rest of the casing is made from a substantially rigid thermoplastic or thermoset material.

The Applicant has recognised that when the casing comprises a top cover and a bottom cover connected together, a spacing may preferably be defined between the top cover and the bottom cover so as to provide an insulating layer of air between one or more of the components housed in the casing. This can be particularly beneficial for preventing the battery from overheating. When the apparatus is placed outside in the sun to charge, the battery can heat up and this detrimentally decreases its lifespan. It is therefore preferable for the casing to include a spacer below the solar panel so as to create an insulating layer of air that minimises the transmission of heat from the solar panel to other components below such as the battery. Furthermore, it may be possible to set up a flow of air through the space provided below the solar panel by providing the casing with suitable air inlet and/or outlet vents. However, the Applicant has recognised that a potential problem with providing air inlets and/or outlets is that the vents may also allow moisture to enter the casing and interfere with the electrical components. Thus, in a preferred set of embodiments the top cover comprises an outer peripheral flange that overhangs the bottom cover and the air inlet and/or outlet vents are provided radially inside the flange. This means that air must flow underneath the flange before it can change direction to enter the inlet and conversely it must flow around the flange after it exits the outlet. Accordingly, there is no straight-through path for air flow into and out of the casing, and any liquid splashed onto the casing cannot immediately enter due to the protection provided by the flange.

This feature is considered novel and inventive in its own right and, when viewed from a second aspect, the present invention provides a solar-powered apparatus comprising a casing for:

(i) a solar panel for converting solar power to electrical power;

(ii) a battery for storing electrical power from the solar panel; and

(iii) an electrical device using electrical power from the battery and/or solar panel;

wherein the casing comprises an internal spacer to create a space between the solar panel and the battery, and wherein the casing is arranged to provide a non-straight air flow through the space between the solar panel and the battery.

It will be appreciated that a non-straight air flow through the space inside the casing can help to keep the battery (and other components such as the electrical device) cool while also ensuring that there is no direct path for liquid to enter the casing. The casing is not sealed in a fluid-tight manner but it is at least splash- proof. The air flow may follow any tortuous path through the space between the solar panel and the battery.

In one set of embodiments the casing comprises a top cover that exposes the solar panel e.g. through a window and a bottom cover that houses the battery. Air inlet and/or outlet vents may be provided in the top cover and/or bottom cover. However this may complicate moulding of the casing. In a set of preferred embodiments, the top cover is connected to the bottom cover with one or more spacings between the top cover and bottom cover that provide air inlet and/or outlet vents. This may take the form of a continuous spacing between the top cover and bottom cover so that air can enter and/or exit from any direction. Further preferably the top cover may comprise an outer peripheral flange that overhangs the bottom cover, with the air inlet and/or outlet vents being provided radially inside the flange. This means that air must flow underneath the flange before it can change direction to enter a vent and conversely it must flow around the flange after it exits a vent. Such a peripheral flange therefore provides a convenient way of providing a non- straight air flow.

Of course the air flow through the space may be made non-straight e.g. tortuous by other means, in addition or alternatively, such as one or more baffles positioned in the space created by the internal spacer. This may provide the benefit of an increased contact area to improve the insulating effect. The internal spacer may take the form of one of more spacer elements. Preferably the internal spacer is rigid so that the air space has a constant size. The internal spacer may have a height of 1 , 2, 3, 4 mm, or up to 5 mm, in a compact, portable apparatus.

It is not essential for an apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention to include a mounting aperture. However it is preferable for the casing to comprise a mounting aperture so that the apparatus can conveniently be

suspended from another object for hands-free use, e.g. hung from the ceiling to provide a light or a fan. If the aperture does not grip onto an object then it may be held in position by independent means e.g. mounted onto a bottle neck with a cap screwed down against the casing. It is further preferable for the mounting aperture to have a resiliency deformable inner surface that can grip an object inserted into the aperture to mount the apparatus. Such a mounting aperture may have any of the features already described above. This increases the number of ways in which the apparatus can be used, e.g. mounted horizontally as well as suspended vertically. This can also help to ensure that the apparatus does not move once mounted. The apparatus may be mounted to an object, such as bottle neck or cap, to be free-standing, for example as a free-standing lamp. As is described above, the mounting aperture may be provided in a rigid extension of the casing so that the apparatus can be supported in a cantilevered manner. There will now be described some further features that are applicable to any aspect of the invention.

As is mentioned above, the mounting aperture may optionally be used to hang the apparatus instead of gripping onto an object for cantilevered mounting. Furthermore, the apparatus may be provided with additional, or even alternative, mounting means that are independent of any mounting aperture having an inner gripping surface. This can increase the flexibility of use and provide a user with multiple mounting options. For example, the casing may comprise one or more loops or through-holes that can be used to hang or otherwise support the apparatus. Preferably two, three, four or more loops or through-holes are provided by the casing, and preferably spaced evenly around the solar panel and/or device, so that the apparatus can be supported stably in a substantially horizontal orientation. Where the casing includes a top cover comprising an outer peripheral flange that overhangs a bottom cover, multiple loops or through-holes may be provided by the peripheral flange so that mounting the apparatus does not interfere with the solar panel and/or device.

The casing is preferably moulded from a plastics material. As is mentioned above, this is preferably a substantially rigid plastics material such as ABS or polycarbonate. Additionally, or alternatively, the plastics material is preferably UV- resistant to prolong the lifetime of the apparatus.

Where the electrical device comprises a light emitter, any suitable type of light emitter may be provided, for example a conventional incandescent bulb or a plasma discharge lamp. However, a preferred light emitter is a light emitting diode (LED) due to its low power consumption. In all cases the light emitter may comprise one or more light emitters, for example an array of light emitters may be preferred to a single emitter.

The apparatus is preferably portable. Furthermore, the weight and dimensions of the apparatus are preferably suited to it being mounted to a standard drinks bottle e.g. 330 ml, 500 ml, 750 ml, 1 litre, 1.5 litre, 2 litre, etc. that is at least partially filled to act as a stand without tipping the bottle over. In a free-standing apparatus, such as a free-standing lamp, comprising a bottle as a stand and a solar-powered apparatus as described above mounted to a neck or cap of the bottle, the bottle may have a standard neck diameter of 28 mm. Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a solar-powered apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the solar-powered apparatus;

Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the solar-powered apparatus mounted to the neck of a bottle;

Figure 4a is a cross-sectional view of the solar-powered apparatus showing an exemplary air flow path therethrough and Figure 4b is a close-up cross-sectional view of the casing extension;

Figure 5a shows a free-standing arrangement comprising one solar-powered apparatus mounted to a bottle, Figure 5b shows a free-standing arrangement comprising two solar-powered apparatus mounted to a bottle, and Figure 5c shows a free-standing arrangement comprising three solar-powered apparatus mounted to a bottle; and

Figure 6a shows a first alternative way of supporting the solar-powered apparatus and Figure 6b shows a second alternative way of supporting the solar-powered apparatus.

There is seen in all of the Figures a solar-powered apparatus 2 comprising an outer casing 4 which houses a solar panel 6 and other components. It may be seen from Figure 1 that the solar panel 6 is exposed through an opening in the casing 4 so as to collect solar power when the apparatus 2 is left out in the sun. Some of the other main components, seen in Figure 2, include a battery 8, an electronic circuit board 10 and a space 9 to accommodate an electrical device (not shown), for example a motor or one or more light emitting diodes. The casing 4 includes a rigid extension 5 that provides a mounting aperture 36 having a resiliently deformable inner surface 38. The aperture 36 can grip an object inserted therein to mount the apparatus 2 in a cantilevered manner.

The casing 4 may take the form of a single integral housing, but it may be seen from Figure 2 that in the preferred embodiment the casing 4 comprises a substantially planar top cover 14 connected to a bottom cover 16 that houses the battery 8 and printed circuit board 10 as well as providing the device space 9. In addition to the solar panel 6 exposed through the top cover 14, there is also provided an operation button 18 that a user may press to turn the apparatus on and off. The on/off button 18 is positioned over a micro switch 20 that is mounted on the circuit board 10. The solar panel 6 is supported on an internal spacer 22 which is e.g. around 2 mm high and acts to create an internal space below the solar panel 6 so that an insulating layer of air provided. The spacer 22 is provided on an intermediate support panel 24 which also provides a number of upstanding support members 26 on which the solar panel 6 rests so that it cannot flex.

It will further be understood from Figure 2 that the top cover 14 is connected to the bottom cover 16 by way of five screws 28 that pass through corresponding bosses 30 providing holes through the support panel 24. Corresponding bosses 32 on the underside of the top cover 14 are inserted into the bosses 30 on the intermediate support panel 24 so as to form a tight connection between the top cover 14 and bottom cover 16. This means that the solar panel 6 is tightly sandwiched between the support panel 24 and the top cover 14 so that it is not prone to damage caused by flexing. Although the top cover 14 and bottom cover 16 are tightly connected together, it will be appreciated from the cross-sectional view of Figure 4a that there remains an air flow path from one side of the apparatus 2 to another through the internal space created by the spacer 22. It can be seen that the top cover 14 is provided with an outer peripheral flange 34 that overhangs the bottom cover 16 to create an annular vent through which air may enter and exit the space between the solar panel 6 and the support panel 24. However, it can be seen that there is not a straight air flow path through the apparatus 2 as air must flow underneath the flange 34 in order to enter the space and flow out underneath the flange in order to exit. This means that the apparatus 2 is splash-proof as liquid cannot readily enter the space inside.

It is seen from Figure 3 that an electrical device (not shown) housed in the casing 4 may be exposed through a window 15 in the bottom cover 16. If the device comprises a light emitter then it is ideally positioned to shine light downwardly when the apparatus 2 is mounted substantially horizontally to a bottle 40 in a cantilevered manner. As is shown in more detail in Figures 4a and 4b, the top cover 14 of the apparatus 2 includes an extension 5 that spaces the mounting aperture 36 laterally from the bottom cover 16. In this example the mounting aperture 36 is ring-shaped, but of course other shapes may be used instead. In this embodiment the mounting aperture 36 has a resiliency deformable inner surface 38 provided by a ring of rubbery e.g. elastomeric material that is inserted into the aperture 36 and moulded over the core material of the top cover 14 so as to provide an inner gripping ring, as can be seen from Figure 4b. The resiliently deformable inner ring 38 allows the apparatus 2 to grip onto an object that is inserted into the aperture 36 in order to mount the apparatus in a desired position.

Figures 5a to 5c show one, two and three solar-powered apparatus e.g. in the form of lamps 2 mounted onto to the cap of a bottle 40 using the gripping ring 36. As each lamp 2 is mounted in a cantilever fashion, it is possible to mount multiple lamps onto the same bottle 40 acting as a stand so as to provide illumination all the way around its circumference.

It may also be seen that the apparatus 2 is provided with additional, and possibly alternative, mounting means in the form of corner loops 42. Even if the mounting ring 36 were to be omitted, the corner loops 42 may be used to hang the apparatus 2 from an object e.g. as seen in Figure 6a or to mount the apparatus 2 on legs e.g. as seen in Figure 6b.

It will be appreciated that the solar-powered apparatus is not limited to the particular combination of features described in this example. While it has been described that the height and/or angle of the apparatus can be adjusted by changing the position of the mounting aperture on an object such as a bottle, of course the apparatus may include additional or alternative means to enable its adjustment. For example, the casing could have a hinged area, possibly a hinge that can be fixed with interlocking teeth or similar. Alternatively, or in addition, the casing might include a gooseneck or other adjustable extension. This could allow a user to adjust the apparatus by tilting the casing independently of moving the mounting aperture up and down. The mounting aperture may not even be used to grip onto an object at all, and the apparatus simply suspended using this as a loop.