Dual-powered flickering symbolic or religious light (electronic yahrzeit)

Claim 1

A flickering symbolic religious light simulating an operating candle comprising: a photovoltaic cell unit having a first terminal and a secod terminal; a rechargeable electrical energy source having a first terminal and a second terminal; an overcharge protection unit having a first terminal and a second terminal; said first terminal of said overcharge protection unit being connected to said first terminal of said photovoltaic cell unit; said second terminal of said protection unit being connected to said first terminal of said rechargeable electrical energy source; said second terminal of said rechargeable source being connected to said second terminal of said cell unit, wherein said first terminal of said protection unit is (a) passing current to said second terminal of said protection unit while a voltage at said first terminal of said protection unit is greater than a voltage at said second terminal of said protection unit, and (b) is not passing current otherwise; a 2-cell flip-flop means having a left cell, a right cell, a first terminal, and a second terminal; each of said cells having a time constant means, a lamp, and a transistor/gated switch; each of said lamps being in an output switching path of each said switch; each said time constant means of each of said cells being connected between said first terminal of said flip-flop means and a gate of said transistor/gated switch of said other cell; said time constant means of each cell determining a gating-OFF time of said switch of said other cell; wherein said first terminal of said flip-flop means is connected to said first terminal of said rechargeable electrical energy source; said second terminal of said flip-flop means is connected to said second terminal of said rechargeable electrical energy source; a housing enclosing said lamps and having at least one flickering candle appearance opening and at least one candle symbol; said photovoltaic cell unit being mounted atop said housing; each lamp of said cell pair being located so as to be proximate the other lamp and viewable through said opening; and each said time constant means has a time constant in the fraction of a second range to thereby cause said lamps to be alternatingly ON to continuously simulate a flickering appearance of an operating candle.

Claim 10

A method of operating a dual-powered flickering symbolic/religious light for simulating an operating candle comprising the steps of: providing at least one solar cell unit for recharging an electrical energy source; driving a flip-flop means by at least one of said solar cell unit and said electrical energy source; said flip-flop means having a pair of cells each containing a time constant means, a lamp, and a transistor/gated switch, said lamp in each cell being connected in an output switching path of said transistor/gated switch thereof, wherein each time constant means in said cell pair is connected so as to determine a gating ON and OFF cycle of said transistor/gated switch in said other cell; protecting said electrical energy source from overcharging by said solar cell unit by (a) allowing current passage from said solar cell unit while an output voltage thereof is greater than an output voltage at said rechargeable electrical energy source, and (b) not allowing current passage otherwise; providing a housing enclosing said lamps and having thereon at least one flickering candle appearing opening, said solar cell unit being mounted atop said housing, each lamp of said cell pair being located so as to be proximate the other lamp and viewable through said opening, each said time constant means having a time constant in the fraction of a second range to thereby cause said lamps to be alternatingly ON to continuously simulate a flickering appearance of an operating candle; and placing said light in an area in association with commemorating a deceased.

Claim 11

A method of operating a dual-powered flickering symbolic/religious light for simulating an operating candle comprising the steps of: providing at least one solar cell unit for recharging an electrical energy source; driving a flip-flop means by at least one of said solar cell unit and said electrical energy source; said flip-flop means having a pair of cells each containing a time constant means, a lamp, and a transistor/gated switch, said lamp in each cell being connected in an output switching path of said transistor/gated switch thereof, wherein each time constant means in said cell pair is connected so as to determine a gating ON and OFF cycle of said transistor/gated switch in said other cell; protecting said electrical energy source from overcharging by said solar cell unit by (a) allowing current passage from said solar cell unit while an output voltage thereof is greater than an output voltage at said rechargeable electrical energy source, and (b) not allowing current passage otherwise; providing a housing enclosing said lamps and having thereon at least one flickering candle appearing opening, said solar cell unit being mounted atop said housing, each lamp of said cell pair being located so as to be proximate the other lamp and viewable through said opening, each said time constant means having a time constant in the fraction of a second range to thereby cause said lamps to be alternatingly ON to continuously simulate a flickering appearance of an operating candle; and placing said light in an area in association with commemorating a deceased.