Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to an illumination device. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing an illumination device included in a portable gas torch apparatus. A control element in a first position, selects a light switch apparatus for turning on or off a light to illuminate the object being heated or soldered. In a second position, the control element selects a gas flow control apparatus for turning on or off the portable gas torch gas flow. In a third position, the control element selects an ignition apparatus for igniting the gas in a burner region of the gas torch.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an illumination device. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing an illumination device included in a portable gas torch apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Portable gas torches are typically used in applications such as plumbing to heat objects such as pipe or tubing joints. A joining compound such as solder is applied to the joint for sealing the joint. On numerous occasions, the joint to be soldered is located in a dark or lowly illuminated location such as under a sink. Sometimes, the construction site is not illuminated and at night supplemental illumination is required. Before the gas torch is lit, a flashlight is required for allowing an operator, such as a plumber, to see the joint. The plumber may have to hold the flashlight in his mouth while holding the gas torch in one hand and the solder in the other hand. Another person may sometimes be required to hold the flashlight to illuminate the joint to be soldered. Typically, many joints need to be soldered in construction of a building so that time wasted results in additional construction expenses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an illumination device included in a portable gas torch. The illumination device includes a light producing apparatus that shines light onto an object before the gas torch is lit. The illumination a device may include a control element for selecting the mode of the portable gas torch operation. In a first position, the control element selects a light switch apparatus for turning on a light in the light producing apparatus. The light producing apparatus illuminates the object being heated or soldered. In a second position, the control element selects a gas flow control apparatus for turning on the portable gas torch gas flow. In a third position, the control element selects an ignition apparatus for igniting the gas in a burner region of the gas torch. The control element may be included in a handle of the portable gas torch so that by using only one hand, an operator may illuminate the object to be heated, turn on the gas flow, and may ignite the gas. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of the present invention will best be understood from a detailed description of the invention selected for the purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a portable gas torch including an illumination device including a light producing apparatus and a pressure switch attached to a gas tank in accordance with a first embodiment; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the portable gas torch including a second embodiment of the illumination device including the pressure switch attached to a portion of a gas control valve; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of an electrical circuit of the illumination device; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a light producing apparatus attached to a gas tube with an adjustable clamping device; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of the illumination device including a handle in accordance with a third embodiment of a portable gas torch; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view of the illumination device of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the illumination device of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic view of a control apparatus including a single control element in a neutral position; 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic view of the control element in a first position selecting a light switch apparatus; 
     FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic view of the control element in a second position selecting a gas flow control apparatus; 
     FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic view of the control element in a third position selecting an ignition apparatus; and 
     FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the illumination device including a light producing device attached to a tube of the portable gas torch. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although certain embodiments of the present invention will be shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present invention will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc. The features and advantages of the present invention are illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings. Although the drawings are intended to illustrate the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates an illumination device  10  including a light producing apparatus  12  and a switch  14 . The light producing apparatus  12  may include any suitable device (e.g., flashlight, penlight, etc.). The light producing apparatus  12  includes a power supply  16 , a light source  18 , and a lens  20 . The power supply  16  may be any suitable source (e.g., battery, rechargeable battery, ac power, etc.). The light source  18  may be any suitable element (e.g., light bulb, flourescent bulb, etc.). The lens  20  focuses the light from the light source  18  onto an object  22 . The object  22  may be any structure that requires illumination such as a joint  24  on a pipe  26  to be soldered. The illumination device  10  is attached to a portable gas torch  28 . 
     The portable gas torch  28  includes a tank  30 , a gas control valve  32 , a tube  34  and a tip  36 . The tank  30  stores a gas  38 . The gas  38  may be any suitable gas (e.g., propane, liquefied petroleum gas with methylacetylene-propadiene (MAPP), etc.). The gas  38  flows from the tank  30  through the gas control valve  32 , through the tube  34 , and through the tip  36  where a flame is produced that heats the joint  24  of the pipe  26  to be soldered. An adjustment knob  56  on the gas control valve  32  may be rotated to adjust the flow rate of the gas  38 . 
     The switch  14  of the illumination device  10  is attached to the tank  30  by any suitable means, such as a belt  40 . The switch  14  may be any suitable switch (e.g., push button, slide switch, pressure sensitive switch, etc.). An electrical circuit diagram of the illumination device  10  is illustrated in FIG.  3 . The power supply  16  is connected to the switch  14  by a conduit  42 . The switch  14  is connected to the light source  18  by a conduit  44 . A conduit  46  connects the light source  18  with the power supply  16 . Activation of the switch  14  completes the electrical circuit and allows electrical current to flow through the light source  18 . The light source  18  illuminates the object  22 . 
     The light producing apparatus  12  is attached to the tube  34  of the portable gas torch  28  by a clamping apparatus  46 . The clamping apparatus  46  is illustrated in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  4  and includes a first clamping bracket  48 , a second clamping bracket  50 , a wing nut  52  and a threaded screw  54 . The first clamping bracket  48  clamps onto the tube  34  of the portable gas torch  28 . The second clamping bracket  50  clamps to the light producing apparatus  12 . The wing nut  52  and the threaded screw  54  adjustably attach the second clamping bracket  50  with the first clamping bracket  48 . An operator may tighten or loosen the wing nut  52  to secure the light producing apparatus  12  into a selected position. This adjustability allows the operator to aim the light from the light producing apparatus  12  to illuminate the desired object  22 . 
     When working in a dark location, the operator may grasp the tank  30  with one hand while simultaneously pressing upon the switch  14 . The light source  18  provides illumination in the dark so that the operator may easily view the object  22  to be worked on. This light is very helpful when the operator is working in a tight dark confined space, such as under a sink in a kitchen. 
     A second embodiment of an illumination device  10 A is illustrated in FIG.  2 . In this embodiment, the switch  14 A of the light producing apparatus  12 A is attached to the gas control valve  32 . The switch  14 A may be attached to the gas control valve  32  using any suitable fastener  56  (e.g., hook and loop fasteners, glue, adhesive tape, clamps, straps, etc.). The operator may simultaneously grasp the gas control valve  32  and the switch  14 A. This lights the light source  18  of the illumination device  10 A and provides illumination on the object  22 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a third embodiment of an illumination device  10 B including a light producing apparatus  12 B, a control apparatus  60 , and a handle  58  of a portable gas torch  28 B. The light producing apparatus  12 B is attached to the handle  58 . The portable gas torch  28 B includes a tank  30 B, the handle  58 , a tube  34 B, and a burner  62 . The light producing apparatus  12 B provides illumination on the object  22 . FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view of the illumination device  10 B. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates a partial cross-sectional side view of the illumination device  10 B including the handle  58 . The control apparatus  60  includes a control element  64 , a light switch apparatus  66 , a gas flow control apparatus  68 , and a ignition apparatus  70 . A conduit  72  connects the tank  30 B with the gas flow control apparatus  68 . The tank  30 B stores a gas supply  38 . The gas  38  flows from the tank  30 B through the conduit  72  to the gas flow control apparatus  68 . The gas flow control apparatus  68  may stop or allow gas  38  flow from the conduit  72  to a conduit  74 . The conduit  74  connects the gas flow control apparatus  68  with a pressure regulator valve  76 . The pressure regulator valve  76  includes a control knob  78  that may be rotated to select a desired pressure of gas  38 . A conduit  80  connects the pressure regulator valve  76  with the tube  34 B. A burner  62  is connected to the tube  34 B. The tube  34 B may include an air inlet port  82 . The air inlet port  82  allows air to enter the tube  34 B to mix with the gas  38 . Therefore, gas  38  may flow from the tank  30 B, through the conduit  72 , through the gas flow control apparatus  68 , through the conduit  74 , through the pressure regulator valve  76 , through the conduit  80 , through the tube  34 B and through the burner  62 . The gas  38  may burn in the burner  62  and the resulting flame  84  may be directed onto a selected object  22 . The selected object  22  may include a joint  24  to be soldered. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 7, the control apparatus  60  includes the ignition apparatus  70 . The ignition apparatus  70  may include any spark producing ignition source, such as a piezoelectric spark generator. An electrical conduit  86  carries the electrical current from the ignition apparatus  70  to a sparking element  88 . The sparking element  88  ignites the gas  38  and air mixture in the tube  34 B and a flame is developed that exits the burner  62 . 
     The light producing apparatus  12 B includes a power supply  16 B, a light source  18 B, a lens  20 B, an override switch  90  and a body  92 . The power supply  16 B may be any suitable source (e.g., battery, rechargeable battery, ac power, etc.). The light source  18 B may be any suitable element (e.g., light bulb, flourescent bulb, etc.). The lens  20 B focuses a light  91  from the light source  18 B onto the object  22 . The light switch apparatus  66  is connected to the power supply  16 B by a conduit  94 . A conduit  96  connects the power source  16 B with the light source  18 B. A conduit  98  connects the light source  18 B with the override switch  90 . A conduit  100  connects the override switch  90  with the light switch apparatus  66 . The override switch  90  includes a switch arm  102  which the operator may move to open or close the override switch  90  which stops current or allows current to flow between the conduit  98  and the conduit  100 . Activating the light switch apparatus  66  and closing the override switch  90  allows current to flow from the power supply  16 B, through the conduit  96 , through the light source  18 B, through the conduit  98 , through the override switch  102 , through the conduit  100 , through the light switch apparatus  66  and through the conduit  94  back to the power supply  16 B. The light  91  generated by the light source  18 B passes through the lens  20 B and illuminates the object  22 . 
     The control apparatus  60  is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 8-11. The control apparatus  60  includes the control element  64 , the light switch apparatus  66 , the gas flow control apparatus  68 , the ignition apparatus  70 , a housing  110 , and a detent apparatus  102 . The housing  110  is attached to the handle  58  (FIG.  7 ). FIG. 8 illustrates the control element  64  in a “neutral position” which means that the light switch apparatus  66 , the gas flow control apparatus  68 , and the ignition apparatus  70  are not activated. The control element  64  includes a first member  104 A, a second member  104 B, and a third member  104 C. The detent apparatus  102  includes a tip member  106  and a support member  108 . The support member  108  is attached to the housing  110  and the tip member  106  is resiliently attached to the support member  108  and is biased toward the control element  64 . The control element  64  includes a first notch  112 A, a second notch  112 B, a third notch  112 C, and a forth notch  112 D. The tip member  106  engages with each notch  112 A- 112 D as each notch passes over the support member  108 . This engagement assists the operator in locating a “neutral position”  114  (FIG.  8 ), a first position  116 A (FIG.  9 ), a second position  116 B (FIG.  10 ), and a third position  116 C (FIG. 11) of the control element  64 . The engagement pressure created between the tip member  106  and each notch  112 A- 112 D is at a level that still allows the operator to move the control element  64  from one position to another. A resilient member  118 , such as a spring, is attached between the housing  110  and the control element  64 . The resilient member  118  returns the control element  64  to the “neutral position” whenever the operator releases the control element  64 . 
     FIG. 8 illustrates the control element  64  in the “neutral position”  114 . The tip member  106  of the detent apparatus  102  is engaged with the notch  112 A. FIG. 9 illustrates the control element  64  in the first position  116 A. The tip member  106  of the detent apparatus  102  is engaged with the notch  112 B. The first member  104 A of the control element  64  has depressed a plunger  120  of the light switch apparatus  66 . The light switch apparatus  66  is activated and the light source  18 B is illuminated (FIG.  7 ). 
     FIG. 10 illustrates the control element  64  in the second position  116 B. The tip member  106  of the detent apparatus  102  is engaged with the notch  112 C. The second member  104 B of the control element  64  has depressed a plunger  122  of the gas flow control apparatus  68 . The gas flow control apparatus  68  is activated and gas  38  is allowed to flow from the tank  30 B to the burner  62  (FIG.  7 ). 
     FIG. 11 illustrates the control element  64  in the third position  116 C. The tip member  106  of the detent apparatus  102  is engaged with the notch  112 D. The third member  104 C of the control element  64  has depressed a plunger  124  of the ignition apparatus  70 . The ignition apparatus  70  is activated and sends an electric current through the conduit  86  to the sparking element  88  which ignites the gas  38  in the burner  62  (FIG.  7 ). 
     The operator may allow the control element  64  to return to the second position  116 B as illustrated in FIG.  10 . In this position the gas  38  is flowing to the burner to maintain a flame, and the light source  18  is shining light  91  upon the object  22 . As illustrated in FIG. 10, the operator may press upon a pin  128  of a locking pin apparatus  126  to hold the control element  64  in the second position  116 B. The locking pin  128  passes through the housing  110  and presses into a recess  130  of the control element  64 . To release the control element  64 , the operator lifts the pin  128  out of the recess  130  of the control element  64 . 
     The operator operates the illumination device  10 B by depressing an end  132  of the control element  64  so that the control element  64  is in the first position  116 A (FIG.  9 ). The end  132  of the control element  64  protrudes beyond the handle  58  (FIG.  7 ). In this first position  116 A, the light source  18 B is illuminating the object  22 . The operator then depresses the end  132  of the control element  64  so that the control element  64  is in the second position  116 B (FIG.  10 ). The gas  38  flows from the tank  30 B to the burner  62  (FIG.  7 ). The operator then depresses the end  132  of the control element  64  so that the control element  64  moves to the third position  116 C (FIG.  11 ). The gas  38  is ignited by the sparking element  88  and the gas  38  ignites in the burner  62  (FIG.  7 ). The operator then holds the control element  64  in the second position  116 B or uses the locking pin apparatus  126  to secure the control element  64  in the second position  116 B. The gas  38  flows and burns in the burner  62 . To turn off the gas  38  and the light source  18 B, the operator releases the locking pin apparatus  126  and the resilient member  118  returns the control element  64  to the “neutral position”  114  (FIG.  8 ). 
     FIG. 12 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the illumination device  10 C. The illumination device  10 C includes a light producing apparatus  12 C attached to a tube  34 C of a portable gas torch  28 C using a clamping apparatus  46 C similar to the clamping apparatus  46  in FIG.  1 . The tube  34 C is attached to a handle  58 C of the portable gas torch  28 C. The illumination device  10 C includes a control element  64 C that operates the illumination device  10 C in a similar manner to the control element  64 B (FIGS.  7 - 11 ). 
     The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. For example the illumination device  10  may be used with any suitable device (hand tool, dentistry tool, etc.) to provide illumination of an object  22 . Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.