Abstract:
This is a device for screwing in and out light bulbs located at elevated positions from floor level comprising a pole or telescoping tubes which interconnect, having at one end a suction attachment or clamping attachment to affix to the electrical lamp and thereby screw it in or out, with a canopy set on the pole or telescoping tube which can catch the light bulb in the event the suction or clamping attachment releases the light bulb.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a device for use in changing light bulbs, which are sometimes called electric lamps, in elevated or hard to reach locations such as high ceilings where direct handling of the light bulbs cannot readily be done by the light bulb changer. 
     The prior art shows the use of suction attachments and capturing attachments at the end of a pole or telescoping tube to reach and engage the light bulb, so that the light bulb can be screwed in or out by rotating the pole or telescoping tube. 
     The problem with all the prior devices has been the danger of the light bulb disengaging from the suction or capture attachment resulting in the light bulb falling. Due to the height of the light bulb, when it falls and shatters the glass shards may cause injury to the light bulb changer as well as any other individual in the immediate area. As the height of the light bulb to be changed increases, small movements by the installer will induce a greater movement at the end of the pole affixed to the light bulb. The unsteady pole movement often results in the bulb striking against the socket, ceiling, fixture or recess wall and dislodging the light bulb or breaking the vacuum seal, resulting in the bulb falling. Additionally, dust and grime build-up on the surface of a light bulb creates an imperfect suction coupling, leading to a premature detachment of the light bulb while it is being held by the suction attachment. The falling light bulb creates a hazardous and dangerous projectile. The invention provides an apparatus and method to catch a falling light bulb which will eliminate the hazard of the falling light bulb and takes the danger out of replacing hard-to-reach overhead light bulbs. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The danger of light bulbs falling when removing and installing light bulbs using extension devices are solved with the invention herein. The invention incorporates a canopy which captures any light bulb which may become dislodged and fall. The canopy is opened prior to removing or installing a light bulb. The canopy in its preferred mode is of a transparent material or open mesh fabric which allows the light bulb changer to view the light bulb from a location beneath the canopy. The canopy operates with expandable ribs to allow adjustment of canopy size and tension as well as provide ease for storage by allowing the canopy to collapse into a closed position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 Conceptual view showing use of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 2 Side view section of the apparatus in a partially collapsed position. 
     FIG. 3 Side view section with canopy fully expanded. 
     FIG. 4 Top view with canopy fully expanded. 
     FIG. 5 Side view section with canopy fully open showing alternate frame structure. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention incorporates a canopy which captures any light bulb which may become dislodged and fall during the light bulb changing operation. The canopy is opened prior to removing or installing a light bulb. The canopy in its preferred mode is of a transparent material or open mesh fabric which allows the light bulb changer to view the light bulb from a location beneath the canopy. The canopy operates with expandable ribs to allow adjustment of canopy size and tension as well as provide ease for storage by allowing the canopy to collapse into a closed position. 
     Referring to FIG. 1 we see the light bulb changer  10  in a conceptual view showing the installer  11  using a stick or pole  12  with the canopy  13  open. There is a shaft  14  within the concave portion of the canopy  13  which has an attachment mechanism  15  to attach to a light bulb  16  being inserted into a ceiling light recess  17 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 1 a small tilting action by the installer  11  results in a large movement of the light bulb  16 . As the length of the stick or pole  12  increases, it becomes more difficult for the installer  11  to hold the stick or pole  12  steady. This increases the possibility that the light bulb  16  may hit or contact the edge of the ceiling light recess  17 . When this type of contact occurs, the light bulb  16  can disengage from the attachment mechanism  15 , resulting in the light bulb  16  falling. The canopy  13  captures the light bulb  16  preventing it from falling and shattering, thus resulting injury and the dangerous condition of broken glass can be avoided. 
     In FIG. 2 we see the canopy  13  partially closed. The collar  20  of the canopy  13  can be adjusted to preferred position on the shaft  14 . This allows the canopy  13  which is supported by ribs  22  which connect to the collar  20  to telescope the canopy  13  outward from the shaft  14  to the desired width and accordingly the desired tension in the canopy material  23 . 
     The canopy  13  can be a fabricated from a variety of flexible canopy materials  23  including but not limited to plastics, nylons, cottons, silks, fabrics, leathers, papers, and metal foils, in both continuous and mesh configurations, if the canopy  13  is collapsible. In its preferred mode, the canopy  13  is collapsible for ease of storage. However, the canopy  13  can also be constructed of a rigid canopy material  23  if it is not desired to close the canopy  13 . The canopy  13  can be in the configuration of an umbrella with its concave side  27  facing the end of the shaft  14  that affixes to the light bulb  16 . However, the canopy  13  can have alternate configurations including but not limited to oval, pyramid, or V shaped to allow the capture of a falling light bulb  16 . 
     We also see in FIG. 2 a suction cup  30  which is utilized to affix to the light bulb  16 . The suction on the light bulb  16  can be broken by pulling on a release string  26  which is attached to the outer surface  31  of the suction cup  30 . A spring  21  can be utilized on the shaft  14 , with a lock/release button  19  to allow the canopy  13  to open automatically when the lock/release button  19  is depressed. The lock/release button  19  can also have multiple positions for setting the canopy  13  at multiple positions. One end of the canopy  13  is attached to a shaft extension connector  24  which is connected to an interlocking pole  35  of extendable segmented sections to adjust the length desired for the interlocking pole  35 . The connection shown for the interlocking pole  35  is by use of an interlocking button  25  which passes through an aligning hole  36  in the shaft extension connector  24 . 
     The mounting stem  18  allows the suction cup  30  to be removed and alternate devices to be affixed to the mounting stem  18 . Alternate attachments can be multiple suction devices and devices consisting of a multi-ribbed clasp or a base from which flexible ribs extend which can fit over the light bulb  16  exerting enough pressure on the bulb surface so that the light bulb  16  can be unscrewed and held in the device when sufficient space is available. 
     In FIG. 3 we see the canopy  13  in an open position configuration for the light bulb changer  10 . The interlocking pole  35  is shown utilized with an interlocking button  25  which may be a set screw or a retractable pin that passes through the shaft extension connector  24 . The canopy  13  has a series of ribs  22  to support the canopy material  23  and allow the canopy  13  to collapse into various positions depending on the location of the deployment collar  33 . A spring  21  is shown which allows the canopy  13  to be opened automatically into the fully open position. The shaft  14  has a mounting stem  18  that connects to a suction cup  30  with a rotation lock to prevent rotation. 
     The suction cup  30  attaches to the light bulb  16  and is released by pulling the release string  26  which is attached to the outer surface  31  of the suction cup  30 . The canopy material  23  is preferably transparent, translucent, or a see-through mesh to allow the installer  11  to be able to visually observe the light bulb  16  being removed or installed. 
     The length of the shaft  14  is preferably greater than the radius of the canopy  13 , to make access to the light bulb  16  easy while keeping any falling light bulb  16  within the canopy  13  area. 
     In FIG. 4 we see the device from a top oblique position. The canopy material  23  is supported by an alternate arm configuration  43 . A lock/release button  19  is carried on the shaft  14  to allow the position of the canopy  13  to be set as desired. An aperture  42  in the canopy material  23  allows the release string  26  to pass through the canopy  13  and connect with the suction cup  30  at its outer surface  31 . 
     In FIG. 5 we see an alternate configuration for the light bulb changer  10 . The interlocking pole  35  is shown consisting of telescoping pole sections  36  &amp;  37  which can be locked into any desired length by rotating the relative section in a clockwise direction around the longitudinal axis of the interlocking pole  35  and released by rotation in the opposite direction. The attachment from the interlocking pole  35  to the canopy  13  is shown using threading  29  on the interlocking pole  35 , a universal adapter  44  which is inserted into a receiving shaft  40  with a rotation lock  28  to prevent rotation. The canopy  13  has rigid arms  39  to support the canopy material  23 , stabilizers  32 , and a deployment collar  33 . The canopy  13  comprises a spring  21  and is locked in place by a collar locking pin  34  being retractable in the shaft  14 . The shaft  14  has threading  45  on its end, with a universal adapter  44  if needed, to connect to a suction cup  30  with rotation lock  28  to prevent rotation. 
     The suction cup  30  attaches to the light bulb  16  and is released by pulling the release string  26 . The canopy material  23  is preferably transparent, translucent, or a see through mesh to allow the installer  11  to visually observe the light bulb  16  being removed or installed. 
     The length of the shaft  14  is preferably greater than the radius of the canopy  13 , to make access to the light bulb  16  easy and keep any falling light bulb  16  within the canopy area. 
     The method of this invention includes the steps of: 
     fabricating a canopy  13  which is in the shape of a truncated convex surface; 
     connecting a stick or pole  12  at the apex of the convex surface of the canopy  13 ; 
     connecting a shaft  14  to the canopy within the concave portion of the canopy  13 ; 
     attaching a suction cup  30  to the end of the shaft  14 ; 
     affixing the suction cup  30  to the light bulb  16  that is to be installed or removed. 
     The features of my invention are as follows: 
     1. Provides an extension pole to reach high or inaccessible locations to install or remove a light bulb without danger from movement of the pole. 
     2. Allows the installer the ability to set the canopy for the desired size. 
     3. Allows the installer the ability to fully view the light bulb from below when it is being installed or removed while being protected by the canopy from the falling light bulb. 
     4. Provides a protective canopy that will capture any falling light bulb or any light bulb that has been removed or dislodged from the suction cup or other retractor device. 
     The invention may be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. The embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.