Abstract:
Light is delivered and focused at the fingertips of a user. A light source is positioned relative to the user by contacting an arm or a portion of a finger of the user with bendable arm or finger clip, respectively. The light source is supported substantially only from the point of contact with the user to project a beam of light at the fingertips of the user. In this manner the natural movement of the fingers is not confined or limited.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to positioning a source of light to facilitate its more efficient use. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new and improved method of focusing and delivering light at an area of its best and most efficient use near a person&#39;s fingertips to permit the free use of both hands while assuring adequate light to perform detailed tasks.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Using a light to aid in performing a task requires that the light be directed onto the specific task. This usually means that the user must position the light so that a lens can direct the beam where it is needed. Aiming a flashlight in the needed direction often requires holding the light with one hand while attempting to perform a task with the other. This situation becomes inconvenient or impossible when a task requires two hands to perform. In those situations a user will enlist the help of another person to hold the light. In those situations where help cannot be obtained, the user will attempt to balance or prop the light against something to focus the light beam on the work. This situation is rarely satisfactory because of an inability to position the flashlight in optimal location where the illumination is the most needed, or because the support will not adequately hold or position the flashlight resulting in its tendency to move or get bumped out of position. The situation is further aggravated when working in confined spaces, because it is often impossible to position the flashlight in the space where it can effectively illuminate the task while still permitting the user&#39;s hands adequate space for accomplishing the task.  
           [0003]    The user&#39;s hands frequently shade the light from the flashlight. This is especially true when performing detailed tasks requiring fingertip manipulation. To compensate for the lack of light at an object, a person may resort to working on the task in essentially a blind manner. The person lets light shine on the object by moving their hands away so that they can see what needs to be done, and then moving their hands back to shade the object while trying to accomplish the task by feel and memory. Alternating between working on and viewing an object can be awkward and frustrating and is frequently not a very effective or efficient way to accomplish a task.  
           [0004]    Some tasks may be accomplished without illuminating an area surrounding the users fingertips. In those circumstances, too much light is unnecessary or may even be dangerous. For example, pilots flying aircraft at night prefer to have their eyes fully adjusted for night vision. Once the eyes have adapted to night vision, visual acuity increases dramatically. If a pilot illuminates a map or chart used in navigation with an excessive amount of light, the night vision adaptation of the eyes is destroyed. Illuminating a small amount of the chart with a relatively small amount of light will not substantially diminish night vision acuity. Another example is reading at night to avoid disturbing other people in the same environment. In this circumstance, only the words on the page need be illuminated. There are many other examples of circumstances where an excess amount of light beyond that necessary to accomplish a relatively confined task is undesirable.  
           [0005]    These and other considerations have led to the improvements of the present invention.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention pertains to focusing and delivering light near a person&#39;s fingertips where it is most effectively needed to accomplish a task and while permitting the free use of both hands in accomplishing the task. The present invention obtains these improvements without the necessity to enlist another person to hold the light source, or to prop of the light source against some form of structural support. The improvements of the present invention also facilitate the more efficient and effective accomplishment of the task because the light is focused specifically on the task, and the position of the users hands and fingers does not interfere with illumination of the task. Moreover, excessive illumination is avoided in those circumstances where excess light can be detrimental.  
           [0007]    These and other improvements are obtained by a hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus which delivers and focuses a beam of light from a light source at the fingertips of a user. The apparatus comprises a positioning structure which positions the light source relative to the user. The positioning structure contacts one of either an arm or a portion of a finger of the user and supports the light source substantially only from the point of contact with the user to avoid limiting and confining the natural movement of the fingers. When positioned by the positioning structure, the light source delivers and focuses the beam of light in an area adjacent to the fingertips of the user. The apparatus also includes an energy source supported by the user and a photon generator which is energized by the energy source to deliver the photons generated as the beam of light from the light source.  
           [0008]    Another aspect of the present invention which obtains similar and related improvements is a method of delivering and focusing light at fingertips of a user. The method involves projecting a beam of light from a light source, positioning the light source relative to the user by contacting one of either an arm or a portion of a finger of the user with the light source, supporting the light source substantially only from the point of contact with the user and without limiting and confining the natural movement of the fingers, generating photons, and delivering the photons the light source as the beam of light.  
           [0009]    Further preferable aspects of the hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus and method of delivering and focusing light at the fingertips of the user involve a finger clip that fits on the finger of the user and which supports the light source relative to the finger to project the beam of light at the tip of the finger upon which the finger clip fits. The photon generator can be positioned within the finger clip while the energy source is either in the finger clip or supported by the arm of the user, or the photon generator and the energy source can be supported by the arm of the user. An elongated bendable arm may be connected to an arm of the user and bent to curve above the hand of the user to a position adjacent a fingertip of the user. The elongated bendable arm can include a fiber optic cable. The light source can be a lens, a fiber optic cable, a light emitting diode or a miniature lamp, while the photon generator can be a light emitting diode or a miniature lamp. The light source and the photon generator can be a single device such as a light emitting diode. The energy source can be a battery or a fuel cell. A plurality of light sources may be positioned at the fingertips. The photon generator and the light source may be connected through a fiber optic cable, and the light source can be positioned at a first side of the structure and the fiber optic cable can be attached to a second different side of the structure.  
           [0010]    A more complete appreciation of the scope of the present invention and the manner in which it achieves the above-noted and other improvements can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are briefly summarized below, and by reference to the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus which incorporates the present invention, shown attached to the index finger and arm of a person.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a power pack of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a finger clip and electrical cable of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the finger clip and electrical cable shown in FIG. 3 worn in an alternative position.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of another version of the finger clip shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of another version the finger clip shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus which incorporates the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a power pack of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a finger clip and a fiber optic cable of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross section view of the finger clip shown in FIG. 9 taken substantially in the plane of line  10 - 10  of FIG. 9.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus which incorporates the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 11.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus which incorporates the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]    One embodiment  30  of a hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus which incorporates the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus  30  includes a finger clip  32  which is worn or supported on a finger  34  of a person. The finger clip  32  includes a light source  36 , such as a miniature lamp or light emitting diode (LED), that is powered through an electrical cable  38  that carries electrical energy from a power pack  40  to the light source  36 . The power pack  40  includes an electrical energy source (not shown), such as a battery or miniature fuel cell, which provides electrical energy to the light source  36  through electrical cable  38 . The power pack  40  is attached to the users body, preferably by wearing or supporting it on a forearm  42  or wrist  44  of the user. Energy for the light source  36  is selectively conducted from the power pack  40  through the electrical cable  38  by activating a switch  46  located on the power pack  40 . Powering the light source  36  causes a beam  48  of light to shine from the finger clip  32  in a focused or directed manner toward the fingertips  50  of the person using the apparatus  30 , where the light beam  48  is the most effective and needed for illuminating tasks or items at the tips of the user&#39;s fingers  34 .  
         [0025]    The finger clip as shown in FIGS. 3, 6,  9 ,  11  and  12  are preferably formed from a resilient plastic or similar material with two opposing semicircular arms  52  and  54  that define inward facing concave curved shapes which are separated by a separating dimension  56 . The arms  52  and  54  extend from a top  58  of the clip to a space  60  between the bottom ends of the arms at a bottom  62  of the finger clip  32 . The finger clip  32  has a front face  64  on the arms  52  and  54  from the top  58  to the bottom  62  and a back face  66  on the opposite side of the arms  52  and  54  from the front face  64 . The resilient plastic allows the bottom ends of the arms  52  and  54  to be forced away from each other and deform to enlarge the space  60  between them thereby enlarging the separating dimension  56 . The plastic arms  52  and  54  have a memory to resist the deformation force so when the force is removed the arms  52  and  54  regain their original shape. To place the finger clip  32  on a user&#39;s finger  34 , the arms  52  and  54  are resiliently forced apart to make the separating dimension  56  large enough to accept and fit on the user&#39;s finger  34 . The arms  52  and  54  attempt to regain their original shape by resiliently pushing inward against the finger  34  to hold the finger clip  32  on the wearer&#39;s finger  34 .  
         [0026]    In the top  58  of the finger clip  32  shown in FIG. 3, there is located a light source  36  which can be any device that uses electrical power to produce photons, such as a miniature lamp or LED. The light source  36  preferably includes a lens  68  that distributes the light from the source  36  in a general direction away from the front face  64  of the finger clip  32 . The electrical cable  38  enters the finger clip  32  at the back face  66 , and the light source  36  is electrically connected to the distal end  70  of the electrical cable  38  in a crown  72  on the top  58  of the finger clip  32  which surrounds the connection. The crown  72  encloses all of the light source  36  except for the lens  68  which extends from the crown  72  so that light can pass from the light source  36  unimpeded. Additionally, the material forming the finger clip  32  holds the light source  36  and the electrical cable  38  securely to the finger clip  32  while keeping contaminants from the connection between the light source  36  and the electrical cable  38 . The crown  72  is formed by encasing the light source  36  if the light source  36  is larger than the front face  64  of the finger clip  32 . If the front face  64  of the finger clip  32  is larger than the light source  36  then the crown  72  is not needed and the light source  36  and connection to the electrical cable  38  are embedded in the material forming the top  58  of the finger clip  32 .  
         [0027]    The power pack  40 , shown in FIG. 2, includes a plastic housing  74  that is generally rectangular shaped with a slight curvature along one axis. The battery or fuel cell (not shown) is installed within the power pack  40  in a battery compartment covered by a cover  76  as shown in FIG. 2. The cover  76  is removable to allow a spent battery or fuel cell to be removed and a new battery or fuel cell to be installed.  
         [0028]    The power pack  40  has brackets on opposite ends that attach to a band  82  with hook and loop type fasteners. The hook and loop band  82  attaches to a first bracket (not shown) on one side of the power pack  40  and extends to a second bracket  80  on the opposite side of the power pack  40  where it can be looped through the second bracket  80  and attached to itself as shown in, FIG. 2. In this manner, the power pack  40  can be securely held to the forearm  42  or wrist  44  of a person by adjusting the hook and loop band  82  to the size needed.  
         [0029]    The finger clip  32  in FIG. 1 is shown positioned on the finger  34  so that the light source  36  is on the top  58  of the finger  34  or toward the back side of a hand  84 . In this position light  48  from the light source  36  shines over the top of the finger  34  to illuminate an area essentially at the fingertip  50 . In this way light  48  from the light source  36  can be directed to the area where it is needed in a convenient manner. The position shown in FIG. 1 also allows the use of the inside of the hand  84  to grasp larger objects without having the light source  36  interfere. Because of the separating space  56  between the arms  52  and  54 , the finger clip  32  can be rotated around the finger  34  to position it at a selected circumferential orientation with respect to the finger  34 . In this way the finger clip  32  can be positioned as is shown in FIG. 4, for example, to shine light beam  48  on the inside or palm side of the finger  34  where it could be particularly useful to aid in picking up small items with the index finger and thumb.  
         [0030]    In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 the power pack  40  has a series of electrical receptacles  86  in a front face  88  that are configured to receive a plug  90  on the proximal end  92  of the electrical cable  38  attached to the finger clip  32 . The receptacles  86  are electrically connectable to the internal power source through the conventional push button type power switch  46  that can be activated to alternate between an on state that connects the electrical power to the receptacles  86 , and an off state that disconnects the power source from the receptacles  86 .  
         [0031]    The power pack  40  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes enough receptacles  86  to attach multiple finger clips  32 , but there could be more or less than the five receptacles  86  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. If the user needs more light  48  than that available from one finger clip  32 , multiple single finger clips  32  can be worn on the fingers  34  of the user and each one of the multiple finger clips  32  is connected to the power pack  40  at a receptacle  86  with a separate electrical cable  38 . Multiple finger clips  32  can be easily attached or removed from the power pack  40  by using the plug  90  and receptacle  86 . Powering only the number of light sources  36  needed uses less energy so battery life or fuel cell capacity is extended.  
         [0032]    As an alternative to wearing multiple finger clips  32  if more light  48  is needed at the fingertip  50 , the finger clip  32  can be made with multiple light sources  36  as shown in FIG. 5. Powering multiple light sources  36  can be accomplished by a single electrical cable  38  because the power requirements for each light source  36  is typically small.  
         [0033]    To facilitate use of the finger clip  32  in a comfortable and convenient position which is not adversely influenced by the position of the electrical cable  38 , the electrical cable  38  can be attached to the finger clip  32  at the bottom end  62  of one of the arms  52  or  54  as shown in FIG. 6. This allows the electrical cable  38  to pass out of the way over the back of the hand  84  while the light  48  shines from the inside of the hand  84 . Longer or shorter electrical cables  38  can be provided depending on the needs of the user.  
         [0034]    Another embodiment  94  of the hands-free light focusing and delivering apparatus which incorporates the present intention is shown in FIGS. 7-10. The hands-free light focusing and delivering apparatus  94  incorporates a fiber optic cable  96  to conduct light from a power pack  98  to a finger clip  100 . The power pack  98  includes an internal photon generator, such as a miniature lamp or LED (not shown), that can be any device that uses electrical power to produce photons. The photon generator is optically connected to a series of optical receptacles  102  in the front face of the power pack  98 . A proximal connector  104  on the fiber optic cable  96  is inserted into the optical receptacle  102 , to align the fiber optic cable  96  to receive light from the photon generator. The fiber optic cable  96  conveys this received light to the finger clip  100  where the distal end of the fiber optic cable  96  or a lens  106  acts as the light source  108 .  
         [0035]    The finger clip  100  shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 has a lens  106  attached to the top  58 . The light is delivered to the lens  106  from the fiber optic cable  96  and the lens  106  causes the light to be delivered and focused in the light beam  48  on a point established by the optical characteristics of the lens  106 , as shown in FIG. 7. Although a lens  106  is shown as used in the finger clip  100 , the lens  106  is not necessary if the distal end of the fiber optic cable  96  itself is shaped as a lens to focus the light in a beam  48 .  
         [0036]    The optical receptacles  102  receive the proximal connector  104  of the fiber optic cable  96  and hold the cable  96  securely in alignment with the photon generator. In this alignment the photon generator transmits light through the optical receptacles  102  into the fiber optic cable  96  where the light is then transmitted to the finger clip  100 . Power from the battery to the photon generator in the power pack  98  is controlled by a push button  46  in the same way as the power pack  40  shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0037]    Multiple light sources  108  can be incorporated in the single finger clip  100  to deliver additional light beams  48 , in a manner similar to the circumstance illustrated in FIG. 5. Moreover, multiple finger clips  100  can be worn by the user. One or more fiber optic cables  96  are connected to the power pack  98  and to each of the light sources  108  in these circumstances. The finger clip  100  shown in FIG. 9 can also be positioned on the finger  34  to shine from the inside or outside of the hand  84  or other positions as necessary similar to the finger clip  32  shown in FIG.  4 . Also, the fiber optic cable  96  can connect to the bottom end  62  of one of the arms  52  or  54  of the finger clip  100  in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 6. Additionally the fiber optic cables  96  can be different lengths so that the finger clips  100  can be farther or closer to the power pack  98 .  
         [0038]    Another embodiment  110  of the hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus delivery is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus  110  is essentially entirely incorporated within a finger clip  112 , such that the light source  114  and power pack  116  are contained within the finger clip  112 . A button cell type battery (not shown) is installed in a battery compartment  118  in one of the finger clip arms  52 . A battery cover  120  holds the battery in place and keeps contaminants out of the battery compartment  118 . The button cell is electrically connected to a miniature pushbutton power switch  122  which selectively connects and disconnects the light source  114  to and from the battery. The finger clip  112  is formed from a resilient plastic material that deforms to fit the finger  34  of the user and when worn as shown in FIG. 11, the light beam  48  illuminates past the end  50  of the finger  34  of the wearer. As with the previous embodiments if more light is desired, then multiple clips  112  can be worn or each clip  112  can have multiple light sources  114 . Also, the clip  112  can be positioned so that the light source  114  is in different positions circumferentially around the finger  34  to shine the light beam  48  where it is most needed.  
         [0039]    Another embodiment  124  of a hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus which incorporates the present intention is shown in FIG. 13. The hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus  124  utilizes a power pack  126  with an internal photon generator (not shown) and a bendable structure  128  which extends proximally from the power pack  126  to a distal end  130  located adjacent to the fingertips  50 . The distal end  130  of the bendable structure  128  includes a light source  132 . The light source  132  may be electrically powered, such as a miniature lamp or LED, in which case the bendable structure  128  functions as a conduit for confining an electrical cable (not shown) to deliver energy from the power pack  126  at the receptacles  136  to the light source  132 . The light source  132  may also be an optical lens or the distal end of a fiber optic cable (not shown) which has the characteristics of an optical lens, in which case the bendable structure  128  functions as a conduit for confining a fiber optic cable to deliver light energy from the power pack  126  at the receptacles  136  to the light source  132 .  
         [0040]    In the hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus  124  a finger clip is not required because the bendable structure  128  positions the light source  132  at the desired location to project the light beam  48  near the fingertips  50 . Instead, it is advantageous to connect the bendable structure  128  to the wrist  44  with a wrist strap  134  to facilitate a more stable location of the bendable structure  128  relative to the user&#39;s fingertips  50 . The wrist strap  134  also prevents the connection between the bendable structure  128  and the power pack  126  from absorbing all of the mechanical load and stress necessary to position the bendable structure  128  in the desired location.  
         [0041]    When the bendable structure  128  includes an electrical cable leading to a light source in the form of a miniature lamp or LED at the distal end of the bendable structure  128 , the power pack  126  is similar to the power pack  40  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Power is conveyed from the power pack  128  to the receptacles on the front  88  of the power pack  126 . The electrical cable attaches to the receptacle  136  at its proximal end and passes through the bendable structure  128  to its distal end where it is connected to the light source  132 . Power is conveyed from the receptacles  136  to the light source  132  with the electrical cable to energize the light source  132  to produce the light beam  48 .  
         [0042]    When the bendable structure  128  includes a fiber optic cable, the power pack  126  is similar to the power pack  98  shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 in that it has a built in photon generator that emits light and is optically connected to the optical receptacles  136  on the front face  88  of the power pack  126 . When a fiber optic cable is inserted into the optical receptacles  136 , light from the photon generator is directed into the fiber optic cable.  
         [0043]    The embodiments of the hands-free light delivering and focusing apparatus, and its method of use for delivering the light beam  48  to the fingertip  50  area of the user allows the user the freedom to work with both hands because the light  48  is delivered to the area where it is needed the most. By wearing the finger clip  32 ,  100  or  112 , the user is able to adjust the light  48  onto a task by simply moving a finger  34 , rather than holding a light with one hand while attempting to do work with the other hand, or having another person hold the light. The full tactile feel and manipulation available from the user&#39;s fingers is not impeded, as would be the case if gloves or other more confining devices needed to be worn in order to project the light in the desired location. It is not necessary to resort to balancing or propping a light against a support in order to have light directed were needed. Instead, because the inherent delivery of the light beam  48  at the fingertip location  50 , the light is always available where it is most needed. The user&#39;s hands  84  and fingers  34  do not shade the work area so the full senses of both tactile feel and sight are available to perform the task. These and other improvements and advantages will be more apparent after comprehending the full ramifications of the present invention.  
         [0044]    Presently preferred embodiments of the invention and many of its improvements have been described with a degree of particularity. This description is of preferred examples of implementing the invention, and is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.