Abstract:
A safety apparatus having a base, a wand coupled to the base, and an illumination source retained by the wand. The base may include a recess to retain the illumination source, or an additional illumination source. The base may also include a port and a hollow interior for selectively filling the interior with ballast for support. The wand may include reflective material along the external circumference for increasing the visibility of the apparatus to on-coming traffic. The apparatus may be used to freely stand on a solid surface, or the base may be evacuated of ballast and used to buoyantly rest on the surface of an aqueous body.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to a device retaining an ambient light source and, more particularly, to a wand coupled to a base for retaining an ambient light source. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Many devices have been constructed and employed for illuminating an object, a surface or an area, including candles, lanterns, flashlights, portable lamps, flares, electroluminescent (EL) material and chemiluminescent material. Presently, EL and chemiluminescent technology and material are considered to be superior to the other items denoted, especially in terms of the intensity of light emitted and for the friendlier environmental impact of the technology. In particular, EL and chemiluminescent technology generate high intensity light without the noxious and damaging chemical by-products of flares. 
   Of particular interest to the present invention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,187, issued in the name of Demsko, discloses a baton for displaying and storing chemiluminescent light in the form of a light stick. In particular, Demsko claims a hand-carriable baton for storing and holding light sticks having a tubular body, closure means, and a socket member mounted to the body for holding a light stick. Demsko discloses the possibility of using a base or stand for freely standing the baton to free the user to move about. Demsko also considers the use of bands or stripes of fluorescent material that may be taped or painted onto the body for greater visibility. 
   However, Demsko fails to disclose sufficient information to enable one to construct the safety apparatus disclosed and claimed by the present invention. Specifically, Demsko fails to enable the coupling of the baton to a base or stand. In contrast, the present invention discloses the coupling between the wand and base. Furthermore, the base of the present invention may include distinct features and arrangements not contemplated by Demsko. 
   In addition, Demsko discloses the use of fluorescent material on the baton for increased visibility. Fluorescent material suffers from poor lightfastness, in which the material absorbs light, degrading the material and degrading reflective performance of the material. In order to combat degradation of the material and the reflective properties of the material, thicker coats of fluorescent material must be applied and clear, protective top coats must be applied. This adds not only to the efficiency of manufacturing the product, but increases labor time and cost. In contrast, the present invention contemplates the use of reflective material typically used on traffic control devices, such as highway barrels. Reflective material absorbs a minimal quantity of light, thereby optimizing the amount of light reflected. The greater and improved reflectivity of light from the material enhances the visibility of the object that the material is adhered or applied to. Furthermore, reflective material is relatively inexpensive per unit, and requires only a single revolution about the wand to provide an effective mechanism for alerting on-coming traffic. For these, and other reasons that will become apparent by reading the disclosure, the present invention improves upon and overcomes the disadvantages of Demsko. 
   A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:
         U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,952, issued in the name of Clemens, discloses a self-illuminating floral device;   U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,442, issued in the name of Brown, discloses an illuminated wand having a battery, a circuit board, movable electrical contacts, an on-off switch and a plurality of electric light sources;   U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,251, issued in the name of Shaffer, discloses a pedestrian crossing safety device having a tubular member with a battery, a flourescent outer surface coloring, an on-off switch and strobe light means for emitting light;   U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,987, issued in the name of Jarvik, discloses a hand held illuminated pointer having a hollow shaft, an electrical battery, an electrical inverter, an electroluminescent lamp and an on-off switch;   U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0080929, published in the name of Golle et al., discloses an electoluminescent safety sign construction.       

   Consequently, there exists a continuous need for new ideas and enhancements for existing products in the safety apparatus industry. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved safety apparatus. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved safety apparatus for freely standing or buoyantly supported, the apparatus emitting a high intensity light for alerting oncoming traffic to a potential danger and/or obstruction. 
   Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a safety apparatus having a base, a wand coupled to the base, and an illumination source retained by the wand. The base may include a recess to retain the illumination source, or an additional illumination source. The base may also include a port and a hollow interior for selectively filling the interior with ballast for support. The wand may include reflective material along the external circumference for increasing the visibility of the apparatus to on-coming traffic. The apparatus may be used to freely stand on a solid surface, or the base may be evacuated of ballast and used to buoyantly rest on the surface of an aqueous body. 
   It is a feature of the present invention to provide a base having an opening for receiving an end of the wand. 
   It is another feature of the present invention to provide a base having one of a variety of geometric configurations. 
   It is another feature of the present invention to provide a wand having a plug for enclosing the interior of the wand, and in combination with a coupled and retained illumination source at the opposite end of the end, providing a buoyant wand for floatation on an aqueous body. 
   It is another feature of the present invention to provide a wand having a tapered end for receiving and retaining the illumination source in an impinged manner. 
   It is further contemplated that the present invention may include a base having a plurality of recesses for retention of a plurality of illumination sources and/or the retention of an envisioned telescopically adjustable wand. In such a configuration, the apparatus is a compact, light weight and easily storable device that is capable of quick assembly and disassembly. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
       FIG. 1   a  is an exploded perspective of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, disclosing an illuminated safety apparatus having a base, a wand coupled to the base, and an illumination source retained by the wand; 
       FIG. 1   b  is a side view of the apparatus assembled; 
       FIG. 2   a  is an exploded perspective view of the wand depicting a removable handle at an end, and the illumination source retained by the wand at an opposing end; 
       FIG. 2   b  is a side view of the wand assembled; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the end at which the illumination source is retained by the wand taken along line III—III of  FIG. 2   a , the sectional view illustrating an internal taper for supporting the illumination source, the internal taper terminating as a skirt or other boundary for providing frictional or interference impingement of the illumination source within the wand; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the base; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the base having a recess formed in the anterior surface thereof; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the base having a recess formed in the posterior surface thereof; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the base having a recess formed in a lateral or side surface thereof; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the base having a recess formed in two or more of the lateral or side surfaces thereof; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the wand having a removable plug for enclosing the storage area, and in combination with the retention of the illumination source, the wand is closed and thus provided with buoyancy on aqueous bodies; 
       FIG. 10  is a elevation depicting the wand buoyantly supported by an aqueous body; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the wand having reflective material applied to the external circumference of the wand; 
       FIG. 12  is an elevation of the wand having reflective material, a plug and buoyantly supported by an aqueous body; 
       FIG. 13  is an elevation of the wand having reflective material, a plug and buoyantly supported by an aqueous body; 
       FIG. 14  is a front or rear view of a net with a safety apparatus tethered to the net, the apparatus having a spherical or globular base for flotation on the surface of the body “B”; 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention in which a plurality of recesses are formed in the base, one recess for retaining a telescopically adjustable wand, and at least one other recess for retaining an illumination source; 
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of  FIG. 17  depicting the recess retaining the illumination source; 
       FIG. 17  is a front or side view of an apparatus having a spherical or globular base and an eyelet for tethering the apparatus to an object; 
       FIG. 18  is a top view of the spherical or globular base; 
       FIG. 19  is an exploded perspective similar to  FIG. 1   a , wherein the apparatus further comprises a collar having an annular ring and aperture; 
       FIG. 20  is a side view similar to  FIG. 1   b  depicting the collar of  FIG. 19 ; 
       FIG. 21  is an exploded perspective similar to  FIG. 2   a , wherein the apparatus further comprises a collar having an annular ring and aperture and further having reflective material consistent with the reflective material found on the wand; and 
       FIG. 22  is a side view similar to  FIG. 2   b  depicting the collar of  FIG. 21 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 21 . 
   1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 , a safety apparatus  10 , is shown in accordance to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  10  comprises a base  12 , a wand  14  removably coupled to the base, and an illumination source  16  retained by the wand  14 . The base has an opening  18  for receiving an end  22  of the wand  14 , thereby supporting the wand  14  in an upstanding or upright orientation. The illumination source  16  may comprise any number of sources, including chemiluminescent, electro luminescent, fluorescent, incandescent, light emitting diodes (LED) or other similar sources suitable for transmitting visible light. 
   The base  12  may have a port  26  fluidly communicated with a hollow interior. The port  26  provides ingress and egress to the hollow interior. A cap  28  for the port  26  may be removed so that ballast may be selectively supplied for filling the hollow interior. In selectively placing ballast within the hollow interior, the base  12  is provided ballast or weight for securely supporting the wand  14  and the illumination source  16  when coupled to the base  12 . Ballast may include fluid, sand, gravel, or any other suitable material that may fill the interior for providing a weighted base  12 . 
   The base  12  may further include a recess  30  formed on the anterior, posterior or lateral portions of the base  12  structure, the recess  30  retaining an illumination source  16  until utilization of the source  16  is required.  FIG. 5  depicts one embodiment of the base  12  having a recess  30  formed in the anterior or superior surface  12   a  of the base  12 .  FIG. 6  depicts another embodiment of the base  12  having a recess  30  formed in the posterior or inferior surface  12   b  of the base  12 .  FIG. 7  depicts another embodiment of the base  12  having a recess  30  formed in the lateral or side surface  12   c  of the base  12 .  FIG. 8  depicts another embodiment of the base  12  having a recesses  30  and  30 ′ formed in the lateral surfaces  12   c  of the base  12 . It is further envisioned that a combination of multiple recess variations may be formed in the base  12 , including a recess  30  in the anterior and posterior surfaces  12   a  and  12   b , respectively, a recess  30  in the anterior and lateral surfaces  12   a  and  12   c , respectively, and a recess  30  in the posterior and lateral surfaces  12   b  and  12   c  respectively. As is evident from  FIG. 5  through  FIG. 8 , the base  12  may assume a variety of geometric configurations, including the disc or circular configuration of  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 , the orthogonal configuration of  FIG. 5 , or the triangular configuration of  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . Also contemplated are other polygonal configurations, including pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, spherical or globular configurations, and other varied configurations. 
   The wand  14  may have a removable handle  20  at an end  24  for grasping and controlling the wand  14  during insertion or removal and, if necessary, to separately use the wand  14  as a hand controlled safety apparatus. The wand  14  has a tubular structure, terminating at opposing ends  22  and  24 . The wand  14  has an end  22  internally tapered for retaining the illumination source  16  by frictional and/or gravitational impingement therein. The internal taper terminates as a skirt or other boundary  32 , the taper and skirt providing frictional or interference impingement of the illumination source  16  within the wand  14 . It is envisioned that the wand  14  may include reflective material  34  about the external surface or circumference of the wand  14 . The reflective material  34  is envisioned to be of the type embodied by the 3M® Scotchlite® Reflective Material brand manufactured and sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (or 3M), or other similarly functioning material. As depicted in  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13 , the reflective material  34  may comprise a single color ( FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 ) or a plurality of colors ( FIG. 13 ) as generally denoted by  34   a  and  34   b . It is also envisioned that the wand  14  may include a lanyard  36  for assembly and disassembly, for use of the wand  14  by hand, or for retrieving the wand  14  from an aqueous body “B”. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 19  through  FIG. 22 , the safety apparatus  10  may include a collar  90  or  92  having an annular ring and aperture or end  94 . The collar  90  or  92  fits onto the wand  14  at the end  22 , with the annular ring and aperture  94  allowing penetration of the illumination source  16 . The collar  90  or  92  is envisioned as centering the illumination source  16  and firmly supporting the source  16  in a generally upright manner so that the source  16  does not tilt, sway or become dislodged from the wand  14  through incidental contact. As depicted in  FIG. 21  and  FIG. 22 , the collar  92  may also include reflective material consistent with the reflective material provided on the wand  14 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 9  through  FIG. 15 , the wand  14  may further include the addition of a plug  38  inserted into the end  24 , opposite the end  22  that retains source  16 . The plug  38  is inserted to prevent the ingress of aqueous material or fluid. The plug  38  provides the wand  14  with buoyancy (see  FIG. 10  through  FIG. 15 ). The wand  14  may then be used in an aqueous environment or body “B”, such as a pool, stream, creek, river, lake or ocean for identifying the area for a variety of reasons, including dangerous conditions or for rescue purposes. As depicted in  FIG. 14 , the wand  14  may be used to identify a harvesting net  40 , wherein the wand  14  has a spherical or globular base  12 ′ secured to the net  40 . The spherical or globular base  12 ′ provides the apparatus with buoyancy for flotation on the body “B” surface. As further depicted in  FIG. 17  and  FIG. 18 , the base  12 ′ may further include an eyelet  80  for securing a lanyard  82  to the net  40 , thereby securing the apparatus in place to operate as a warning or indicator of a particular environment. As depicted in  FIG. 14 , it is envisioned that a number of apparatuses  10  may be used and spaced apart at predetermined distances so that the length of the netting  40  will be visible to approaching water craft and swimmers. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16 , another embodiment of the present invention is depicted, wherein the apparatus  50  comprises a base  52  having at least a pair of recesses  54  and  56 . One recess  54  retains the wand  58  and the other recess  56  retains the illumination source  60 . In this embodiment, the wand  58  is telescopically adjustable for extending and collapsing the structure and is inserted in an opening  62 . This embodiment is envisioned as providing a convenient and easily transported apparatus for assembly and use as a safety apparatus. The base  52  may incorporate some, many or all of the limitations disclosed previously, including the use of a port  64  and cap  66  for ingress and egress to a hollow interior, or the variant geometric configurations discussed previously. The wand  58  comprises opposing ends  68  and  70 , one end for retaining the illuminating source  60  as previously disclosed (by an internal taper), and optionally, the other end receiving and accommodating the insertion of an additional illumination source for storage. The wand  58  may include the reflective material  72  as previously disclosed, the material  72  applied to the external surface or circumference of the wand  58 . 
   The present invention is envisioned as a safer alternative to the conventional fuses (also known as “fusies”) used for illumination. Because a “fusie” is an incendiary device, the potential for accidental injuries, death, property damage or other damage is minimized by using the present invention. Furthermore, a “fusie” is a potential weapon for a terrorist that may not arouse the suspicion other “prohibited” items might (e.g., box cutters). Thus, the present invention is envisioned as a responsible and effective replacement for “fusie”-type illumination devices. 
   It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
   2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
   To use the present invention, a user will place the wand  14  into the base  12 , and place the base  12  in a location advantageous for casting the greatest illumination to the area of concern. The illumination source  16  is activated and placed into the tapered end  22  of the wand  14 , the wand  14  thereby retaining the illumination source  16 . Reflective material  34  optionally provided along the external surface of the wand  14  reflects oncoming light back to the source, thereby further indicating the positioning of the apparatus  10 . Ballast may be added to the base  12  through port  26 , thereby providing further stability to the apparatus  10 . 
   The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.