Abstract:
A rotatable light device having at least a pair of light bulbs. An elongated bulb housing retains the light bulbs. The bulb housing has an axis of rotation passing through a pair of opposed bushings, with at least one set of power supply wires extending from the bulbs through one of the bushings. A pivot bracket receives the bushings so that the bulb housing can rotate with respect to the bracket 360° about the axis. Alternate and replaceable fastening mechanisms are provided extending from the pivot bracket with the fastening mechanisms being detachable from the bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to a rotatable light device having multiple bulbs for different applications and having a housing which can rotate 360° about an axis for positioning in any chosen location. In particular, the present invention is directed to a rotatable light device having alternate and removable fastening mechanisms. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is often desirable to mount a light in various different locations and on various different elements or surfaces, such as, for example, on a boat or vessel. 
     It is an object and purpose of the present invention to rotate and position a light device to any selected position in a 360° radius. It is a further object and purpose of the invention to provide a light device capable of rotating 360° without interfering with or damaging power supply wires. 
     It may also be desirable to direct light in the interior of a boat. Accordingly, it is desirable to rotate a light device that has been mounted to a boat in various positions and orientations. 
     It is sometimes desirable to provide a black light for providing light from a boat over water so that phosphorescent fishing line will be illuminated without otherwise illuminating a fishing area. 
     It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a rotatable light device having multiple, alternate fastening mechanisms to fasten the light device to a boat. 
     It is an additional object and purpose of the present invention to provide a rotatable light having a suction cup fastening mechanism for attachment to flat surfaces and an alternate rail mount clamp mechanism for attachment to a rail. 
     It is an additional object and purpose of the present invention to provide a rotatable light device having rail mount clamps which are removable and attachable without dismantling the railing or otherwise scratching or drilling into the railing. 
     It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a rotatable light device having rail mount clamps which may be affixed to a pivot bracket by a tongue and groove arrangement. 
     The present invention is directed to a rotatable light device which includes an elongated bulb housing retaining a pair of flourescent light bulbs. The elongated bulb housing has an axis of rotation therethrough. The axis passes through a pair of opposed bushings which will be received in a pivot bracket. The bulb housing also retains a lens which may be clear or colored but is generally translucent. 
     The rotation light device includes alternate and removable fastening mechanisms in order to fasten the light device to a chosen structure. The fastening mechanisms include a suction cup fastening mechanism and a rail lock fastening mechanism. 
     The rail lock mechanism extends from the pivot bracket and may be attached to the pivot bracket by a tongue and groove assembly. The rail lock mechanism will include a pair of rail locks which, when closed, form aligned cylindrical openings for receiving a rail. 
     An alternate, suction cup fastening mechanism is provided for fastening the light device to a surface. A pair of spaced apart suction cups will extend from the pivot bracket. 
     The pivot bracket has a pair of parallel opposed legs which extend from the base of the pivot bracket. The legs each include an opening which, when installed, will be aligned with the axis of rotation. On one side a knob having a bushing therein will extend through the opening in the leg and through a left cap and into the housing. On the opposed side, a bushing will pass through a right cap and through the leg and into the housing. The bushing has a central opening therethrough so that power supply wires or cords may pass from inside to outside of the housing. The bulb housing is capable of being rotated 360° about the axis of rotation with respect to the pivot bracket so that the bulb housing is moved to any desired position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotatable light device constructed in accordance with the present invention illustrating one embodiment having a rail lock mechanism; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the rotatable light device shown in FIG. 1 from an alternate perspective view with the rail lock mechanism attached to the device while FIG. 3 illustrates the rotatable light device with the rail lock mechanism apart from the device; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view, FIG. 5 illustrates a side view, and FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of the rotatable light device of the present invention having an alternate, suction cup fastening mechanism; 
     FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the rotatable light device shown in FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 ; 
     FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of the rail lock mechanism which is a part of the rotatable light device of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a side view, 
     FIG. 10 is an end view and 
     FIG. 11 is a top view of a pivot bracket apart from the rotatable light device of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use the invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the instant invention. 
     While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the details of the invention&#39;s construction and the arrangement of its components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification. 
     Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a rotatable light device  10 . 
     The rotatable light device  10  includes an elongated bulb housing  12  having an axis of rotation therethrough illustrated by dashed lines  14 . The axis of rotation passes through a pair of opposed bushings  16  and  18  (only one bushing visible in FIG.  1 ). As will be described herein, the bulb housing  12  retains a pair of flourescent light bulbs. 
     The bulb housing  12  also retains a lens  20  which may be clear or colored but is generally translucent to permit passage of light therethrough. 
     A switch  24  may be positioned so that one light bulb is lit, or so that both bulbs are lit. 
     The opposed bushings  16  and  18  will be received in a pivot bracket  22 , a portion of which is visible in FIG.  1 . 
     The rotatable light device  10  includes alternate and removable fastening mechanisms in order to fasten the light device to a chosen structure. In the present embodiment, the fastening mechanisms may include a suction cup fastening mechanism and a rail lock fastening mechanism. The suction cup fastening mechanism may be used to secure the rotatable light device  10  to a flat surface such as on a boat. Alternatively, the rail lock mechanism  30  may be used to secure the device to a boat rail or the like. 
     The rail lock mechanism  30  is illustrated in FIG.  1 . FIG. 2 illustrates the light device  10  with the rail lock mechanism  30  attached to the pivot bracket  22  while FIG. 3 illustrates the rail lock mechanism  30  apart from the pivot bracket  22 . The rail lock mechanism  30  may be attached to the pivot bracket by a tongue and groove assembly to be described in detail herein. The rail lock mechanism  30  will include a pair of rail locks which, when in the closed position, will form aligned cylindrical openings for receiving a rail (not shown). When not in use, the rail lock mechanism  30  may be removed from the pivot bracket  22  of the light device  10  and replaced with an alternate fastening mechanism. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view, FIG. 5 illustrates a side view and FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of rotatable light device  10  with an alternate, suction cup fastening mechanism  40  for fastening the light device  10  to a flat surface (not shown). A pair of spaced apart suction cups  60  and  62  will extend from the pivot bracket  22 . 
     FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the rotatable light device  10  utilizing the suction cup fastening mechanism  40 . The bulb housing  12  includes a receptacle to receive a pair of flourescent light bulbs. In one embodiment, one flourescent light will be a standard white light while the other flourescent light will be a black light (bulbs not shown in FIG.  7 ). In one application, the black light might be used to illuminate phosphorescent fishing line. 
     The bulb housing  12  also includes a left cap  42  and a right cap  44  which are parallel to each other. A center member  46  is retained in the housing to separate the light bulbs and act as a reflector. The translucent lens  20  will snap fit over the open receptacle of the bulb housing  12 . The switch  24  will be connected to a transformer within the bulb housing  12 . 
     The pivot bracket  22  has a pair of parallel, opposed legs  50  and  52  which extend from the base of the pivot bracket. The legs  50  and  52  each include an opening which, when installed, will be aligned with the axis of rotation  14 . On one side, a knob  54  having the bushing  16  therein will extend through the opening in the leg  50 , through an opening in the left cap  42  and into the housing  12 . On the opposed side, a bushing  56  will pass through an opening in the right cap  44  and through the leg  52  and into the housing  12 . The bushing  56  has a central opening therethrough so that power supply wires or cords pass from inside the housing  12 . Rotation of the housing will not interfere with the power supply wires. 
     The suction cup mechanism  40  includes a pair of suction cups  60  and  62  which will be connected to the pivot bracket  22  by fasteners such as threaded screws (not seen in FIG.  7 ). In one preferred embodiment, the fasteners are rigidly mounted to the suction cups  60  and  62 . Threaded openings in the pivot bracket  22  receive the fasteners and pass through a pair of tongues, to be described in detail herein. Accordingly, the suction cups may be rotated clockwise to attach and counter clockwise to remove. The suction cups  60  and  62  will adhere to a flat surface so that the pivot bracket is stationary. It will be observed that the suction cups  60  and  62  may be removed from the device in the event that an alternate fastening mechanism is desired. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of one of the rail locks of the rail lock mechanism  30  apart from the rotatable light device  10 . The rail lock includes a top rail portion  70  having an arcuate opening  72  on one side and a groove  74  therethrough on the other side. The rail lock also includes a rail mount  76  which is hinged to the top rail portion  70  by a hinge pin  78 . When in the closed position, the rail mount and top rail close to form a cylindrical opening. The top rail and rail mount are held in closed position by a top rail lock screw  80  which passes through an opening in the rail mount and into the top rail portion  70 . A spring stop  82  is used to retain the pivot bracket  22  from movement in relation to the rail lock mechanism. 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a side view, FIG. 10 illustrates an end view and FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of the pivot bracket  22  apart from the rotatable light device. One leg  50  is visible in the end view in FIG.  10 . As seen in the side view in FIG. 9, the pivot bracket includes a base from which the legs  50  and  52  project. Extending from the base are a pair of parallel tongues  90  and  92  which will receive the rail lock mechanism previously described. 
     As best seen in the top view in FIG. 10, the pivot bracket also includes a pair of threaded openings  94  and  96  which will receive the fasteners from the suction cups  60  and  62 . 
     Accordingly, the pivot bracket  22  will be fixed to a chosen structure by one of the alternate fastening mechanisms and the bulb housing  12  will be permitted to rotate 360° about the axis of rotation to any desired position. 
     Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.