Abstract:
A task lamp with a housing having a lower end adapted to rest on a support surface, a distal end located above the surface, and a light source at or near the distal end of the housing. The lower end of the housing has at least two angled surfaces that are adapted to rest on the support surface, one at a time, so as to support the light source at a particular location relative to the angled surface, where the location is different for each angled surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority of Provisional Patent Application No. 62/070,474, filed on Aug. 27, 2014 and Provisional Patent Application No. 62/124,619, filed on Dec. 29, 2014. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    This disclosure relates to desktop task lamps that give the user the ability to control the location and direction of light in a specific area to allow better visibility when illuminating a task. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    There are many known devices that allow the user to adjust the location and direction of light being produced by the task lamp. This can be accomplished by the use of multiple pivots allowing the arms of the lamp to be manipulated into different positions. These pivots are usually accompanied by friction, spring assist, or a counter weight to keep the arms in the position. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The task lamp allows the user to change the height and location of the light source using a base that has an angular geometry. This is accomplished with no pivots or moving parts. The base acts as a glide allowing the user to easily move the task lamp around the work surface. The head of the lamp is constructed and arranged to allow for fine-tuning the position and angle of the light. This can be accomplished in several manners, such as with a ball and socket arrangement, or a reflector or LED shade in the head of the lamp that can act as a gimbal which keeps from exposing the LED to other occupants in the room. The combination of these movements allows the user to get the light in the most effective position to illuminate the task. 
         [0007]    This disclosure features a task lamp with a housing having a lower end adapted to rest on a support surface, a distal end located above the surface, and a light source at or near the distal end of the housing. The lower end of the housing has at least two angled surfaces that are adapted to rest on the support surface, one at a time, so as to support the light source at a particular location relative to the angled surface, where the location is different for each angled surface. 
         [0008]    The lower end can include a weighted base. The weight may be sufficient to balance the lamp such that it can sit on an angled surface. The task lamp may further comprise a ball-shaped head that holds the light source and is received in a socket such that the ball can be adjusted in two orientations. The task lamp may further comprise a head that comprises a reflector located above the light source, wherein the reflector is gimbaled such that it tends to remain in the same orientation as the head is moved. The task lamp may further comprise a head that comprises a shade located around the light source, wherein the shade is gimbaled such that it tends to remain in the same orientation as the head is moved. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one example of a task lamp. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view thereof. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a section view taken through the center plane. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates the lamp in the three angle positions. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  depicts the head of the lamp moving. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another example of the task lamp. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the lamp of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a section view of the lamp of  FIG. 6  taken through the center plane. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C  depict the lamp of  FIG. 6  in the three angle positions. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11A and 11B  depict the reflector of the lamp of  FIG. 6  moving via a gimbal action. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is an exploded view of another example of the lamp that uses a shade. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 13A, 13B, 14A and 14B  depicts the shade of the lamp of  FIG. 12  moving via a gimbal action. 
       
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
       [0021]      8 —Task Lamp 
         [0022]      10 —Body housing left 
         [0023]      12 —On/Off switch/dimmer 
         [0024]      14 —Lamp Housing Top 
         [0025]      16 —Lamp Housing Bottom 
         [0026]      17 —Lamp Housing Assembly 
         [0027]      18 —Body housing right 
         [0028]      19 —Light Emitting Opening 
         [0029]      20 —Back angled surface 
         [0030]      22 —Mid angled surface 
         [0031]      24 —Front angled surface 
         [0032]      26 —Weight 
         [0033]      28 —Light Source 
         [0034]      30 —Pocket That Captures the Lamp Housing Assembly 
         [0035]      31 —Left Half of Pocket That Captures the Lamp Housing Assembly 
         [0036]      32 —Right Half of Pocket That Captures the Lamp Housing Assembly 
         [0037]      90 —Task Lamp 
         [0038]      100 —Body Housing left 
         [0039]      118 —Head Assembly 
         [0040]      120 —Dome 
         [0041]      140 —Body Housing right 
         [0042]      160 —USB port 
         [0043]      180 —Glides 
         [0044]      220 —Reflector 
         [0045]      240 —LED 
         [0046]      260 —Lens 
         [0047]      280 —Weights 
         [0048]      300 —Memory foam 
         [0049]      320 —Reflector axle 
         [0050]      340 —Back angled surface 
         [0051]      360 —Mid angled surface 
         [0052]      380 —Front angled surface 
         [0053]      400 —LED shade 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0054]      FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of one example of a task lamp ( 8 ) according to the present disclosure. As seen in the exploded view in  FIG. 2  lamp ( 8 ) is comprised of multiple parts: the body housing left ( 10 ), the body housing right ( 18 ), the lamp housing top ( 14 ), the lamp housing bottom ( 16 ) the on/off switch ( 12 ), the light source ( 28 ), and the weight ( 26 ). To assemble the lamp housing, the light source ( 28 ) (which may be but need not be an LED) gets captured between the lamp housing top ( 12 ) and the lamp housing bottom ( 16 ) creating a closed spherical shape. This lamp housing assembly ( 17 ) (consisting of parts  12 ,  14 ,  28 ,  16 ) and the weight ( 26 ) get captured in between the body housing left ( 10 ) and the body housing right ( 18 ) as depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 3  shows the spherical lamp housing assembly ( 17 ) held in a pocket ( 30 ) of the same shape, created by pocket halves ( 31 ) and ( 32 ). This allows the lamp housing assembly ( 17 ) to rotate in two axes within the pocket ( 30 ) as seen is  FIG. 5 . The rotation allows the user to change the angle and direction of the light emitted from opening ( 19 ). The light source ( 28 ) is set deep in the lamp housing to prevent the bulb from being exposed to the user or other people while in use. 
         [0056]    The weight ( 26 ) allows the lamp to balance on the three angled surfaces ( 20 ,  22 ,  24 ) created by the three flat sides on the bottom of the base. See  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 4  shows how the three flat sides/surfaces ( 20 ,  22 ,  24 ) on the base manipulate the height and reach of the lamp (i.e., the location of the lamp head that includes the light source) above the lamp support surface (e.g., a desk or table on which the lamp is placed). The geometry depicted shows three facets ( 20 ,  22 ,  24 ) allowing for three different height and reach options. The lamp could include more or fewer facets to allow for more or fewer options of height and reach. 
         [0057]    To use the lamp the user would activate the on/off switch ( 14 ), this would turn the light source ( 28 ) on. The user can select which angled surface ( 20 ,  22 ,  24 ) would give them the correct height and reach for the task at hand. The base can be (but need not be) made with smooth contact surfaces that sit on the work/support surface so the lamp can be slid around with ease. Once the user has the lamp in the right placement on the work surface and the height and reach set to their desired position, the head assembly ( 17 ) can be rotated around to adjust the angle of the light to get the most effective delivery of illumination on the task. To turn off the lamp the user would deactivate the on/off switch ( 14 ). 
         [0058]    Additional examples of the task lamp are shown in  FIGS. 6-14 .  FIG. 6  depicts a perspective view of another task lamp ( 90 ) in an assembled state. As seen in the exploded view in  FIG. 7  task lamp ( 90 ) is comprised of multiple parts: the body housing left ( 100 ), the body housing right ( 140 ), the dome ( 120 ), the glides ( 180 ), memory foam ( 300 ), the reflector axle ( 320 ), the LED ( 240 ), the reflector ( 220 ), the lens ( 260 ), and the weight ( 280 ). To assemble the head, the LED ( 240 ) gets adhered to the reflector ( 220 ). The reflector axle ( 320 ) is slid through a hole in the top of the reflector ( 220 ). The axle ( 320 ) is then received in bosses in the housing. The head assembly ( 118 ) (consisting of parts  120 ,  220 ,  240 ,  260 , and  320 ) along with the glides ( 180 ), memory foam ( 300 ) and the weight ( 280 ) all gets captured in between the body housing left ( 100 ) and the body housing right ( 140 ) as depicted in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 8  shows the lamp ( 90 ) in a section view through its central plane, showing the placement of all the internal components. As seen in  FIG. 8  the reflector axle ( 320 ) is located at the top of the reflector ( 220 ). This creates a gimbal effect and uses gravity to keep the reflector ( 220 ) facing downward despite which angled surface ( 340 ,  360 ,  380 ) the lamp is resting on. The movement of the gimbal effect in the reflector ( 220 ) can be seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
         [0060]    The lamp ( 90   a ) could also be built with the LED ( 240 ) adhered directly to the dome ( 120 ). This scenario can be seen in  FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 . An LED shade ( 400 ) would use the same gimbal motion of the reflector ( 220 ) but instead of moving the light source it moves the LED shade ( 400 ) around a fixed LED ( 240 ) to prevent exposure of the light source to users. LED shade ( 400 ) is preferably generally conical, or a half cone as shown in  FIG. 12 , to block light from projecting forward of the lamp. 
         [0061]    The weight ( 280 ) captured in the base (see  FIG. 8 ) allows the lamp to balance on one of the three angled surfaces at a time ( 340 ,  360 ,  380 ). The angled surfaces are created by the geometry of the base.  FIG. 9  shows how the three angled surfaces ( 340 ,  360 ,  380 ) on the base manipulate the height and reach of the lamp. The geometry depicted shows three facets ( 340 ,  360 ,  380 ) allowing for three different height and reach options. The lamp could include more or fewer facets to allow for more or fewer options of height and reach. 
         [0062]    The glides ( 180 ) can have a memory foam ( 300 ) placed behind them to dampen the movement of the lamp and help eliminate rocking. Memory foam ( 300 ) is used so there is no spring back of the lamp when setting to the desired angled surface ( 340 , 360 , 380 ) 
         [0063]    To use lamps  90  and  90   a,  the user would activate the on/off switch located on the dome ( 120 ), this would turn the LED ( 240 ) on. The user can select which angled surface ( 340 ,  360 ,  380 ) would give them the correct height and reach for the task at hand. The base glides ( 180 ) make smooth and slippery contact points to the work surface so the lamp can be slid around with ease. Once the user has the lamp in the most ergonomic position on the work surface, they can use the on/off switch to dim or brighten the lumen output of the LED ( 240 ). 
         [0064]    A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that additional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concepts described herein, and, accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.