Abstract:
An adjustable mount for a flashlight. The adjustable mount having a flashlight receiving body adapted to receive a flashlight. The adjustable mount having a connecting body rotatably connected to the flashlight receiving body at a right angle such that the flashlight receiving body rotates about the connecting body at the connection between the flashlight receiving body and the connecting body. The adjustable mount having a support body rotatably connected to the connecting body at a right angle such that the support body rotates about the connecting body at the connection between the support body and the connecting body.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention generally relates to flashlights. More specifically, the present invention relates to flashlights with adjustable mounts. 
     Mechanics, installers, repairpersons and the like commonly have the need to apply portable lighting to their work and, particularly, to aim a beam of light, such as from a flashlight, on a particular portion of the work while the hands remain free to perform operations on the work or to hold tools. It is therefore often desired to adjustably and temporarily fix the flashlight or other light source in space at a particular location and orientation. However, the light must be attached to or rest upon something if it is not held by the worker&#39;s hand, and it is not generally the case that the work or site has a specialized provision for this purpose. A common but inconvenient solution to this problem is for the worker to hold the butt of the flashlight in his or her mouth. Most times when a flashlight is needed, there is a magnetic surface nearby. Most available flashlight mounts are flimsy. What is needed is an adjustable flashlight mount which can be connected to a magnetic surface and is compact and of solid construction. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable mount for a flashlight which can be mounted a surface by a magnetic connection. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable mount for a flashlight which may be adjusted to direct light from the flashlight in a desired direction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An adjustable mount for a flashlight. The adjustable mount having a flashlight receiving body adapted to receive a flashlight. The adjustable mount having a connecting body rotatably connected to the flashlight receiving body at a right angle such that the flashlight receiving body rotates about the connecting body at the connection between the flashlight receiving body and the connecting body. The adjustable mount having a support body rotatably connected to the connecting body at a right angle such that the support body rotates about the connecting body at the connection between the support body and the connecting body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an adjustable mount for a flashlight with an integrated flashlight according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a flashlight body according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a flashlight receiving body according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cutaway view of the flashlight receiving body of  FIG. 7  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a partial exploded view of the adjustable mount for a flashlight of  FIG. 1  according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an adjustable mount for a flashlight which can receive an existing flashlight according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an adjustable mount of  FIG. 13  with the flashlight removed according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded view of an adjustable mount of  FIG. 13  with the flashlight removed according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded view of an adjustable mount of  FIG. 13  with the flashlight removed according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention is an adjustable mount for a flashlight that is compact and of solid construction, as shown in  FIGS. 1-16 .  FIGS. 1-12  show a integrated flashlight embodiment  10 .  FIGS. 13-16  show a removable flashlight embodiment  12 . 
       FIG. 1  shows an adjustable mount with an integrated flashlight. The adjustable mount includes a flashlight receiving body  14 , a support body  16  and a connecting body  18 . The flashlight receiving body  14  retains the integrated flashlight  20 . The connecting body  18  interconnects the flashlight receiving body  14  and the support body  16 . The support body  16  provides support to position the flashlight  20  for the user. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the flashlight receiving body  14  and the support body  16  rotate about the connecting body  18 . The flashlight receiving body  14  rotates about the X-axis at the connecting body  18 . The support body  16  rotates about the Y-axis at the connecting body  18 . Once the support body  16  is positioned, the flashlight  20  can be aimed in a specific direction by rotating the connecting body  18  about the support body  16  and rotating the flashlight receiving body  14  about the connecting body  18 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the front of the integrated flashlight  20 . Shown in  FIG. 2  are a flashlight body  22 , bulb reflector  24 , lens  26 , lens gasket  28  and flashlight head  30  in relation to the adjustable mount.  FIG. 3  shows a different view of the flashlight body  22 , bulb reflector  24  and flashlight head  30  in relation to the adjustable mount.  FIG. 4  shows the flashlight body  22  with an LED bulb  32  mounted to a circuit board  34 . Wires  36  extend from the circuit board  34  into the flashlight body  22  and provide power to the LED bulb  32 .  FIG. 5  shows how the flashlight body  22  is mounted into the flashlight receiving body  14  using two alien screws  38 .  FIG. 6  shows the rear  40  of the flashlight body  22  with the flashlight head  30  on the flashlight body  22 .  FIG. 7  shows the flashlight receiving body  14  apart from the connecting body  18  and with the flashlight body  22  removed.  FIG. 8  shows a cut-away view of the flashlight receiving body  22 . 
     The flashlight receiving body  14  includes a battery socket  42  to receive a battery  44 , as shown in  FIGS. 7-9 . The battery  44  is shown in  FIG. 9 . The flashlight receiving body  14  includes a flashlight body socket  46  to receive the flashlight body  22 , as shown in FIGS.  5  and  7 - 8 .  FIG. 8  shows a negative pin channel  48  to receive a negative pin assembly. The negative pin channel  48  has a top  50 , bottom  52  and leads to a switch cavity  54 . The switch cavity  54  includes internal mechanics of a switch  55  (not shown) and a first switch contact  56  and second switch contact  58 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The negative pin assembly includes a negative pin  60 , pin spring  62 , internal pin contact  64  and pin retainer  68 . The internal pin contact  64  is mounted into the top  50  of the negative pin channel  48  and is wired to the first switch contact  56  in the switch cavity  54  by using a wire  70  for a negative connection, as shown in  FIG. 7 . The pin spring  62  screws onto a threaded section  72  of the internal pin contact  64  and onto a threaded section  74  of the negative pin  60 . The bottom  52  of the negative pin channel  48  includes a threaded section  76  to receive a threaded body  78  of the pin retainer  68 . The threaded body  78  of the pin retainer  68  is hollow and leads to a pin tip hole  80  at a head  82  of the pin retainer  68 . The pin tip hole  80  is only large enough to allow passage of a pin tip  84  of the negative pin  60 . The hollow threaded body  78  allows for insertion of the negative pin  60 , such that the pin tip  84  extends out from the pin retainer  68  at the pin tip hole  80 . The pin spring  62  allows movement of the negative pin  60  between the head  82  of the pin retainer  68  and the internal pin contact  64 . The pin spring  62  is made of a electrical conducting material. The head  82  of the pin retainer  68  includes a slot  86  to allow the use of a screw driver. 
       FIG. 7  shows a negative contact  88  mounted in the flashlight body socket  46 . The negative contact  88  of the flashlight body socket  46  is wired to the second switch contact  58  in the switch cavity  54  using a wire  90  for the negative connection.  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  6  and  9 - 12  show a flashlight button  92  which is internally contacted to the mechanics of the switch.  FIG. 8  shows two threaded flashlight body screw holes  94 , a position stud hole  96  and a positive contact slot  98 .  FIG. 6  shows the two alien screws  38 , a negative contact  100 , a positive contact  102  and a position stud  104 , which all extend out from the rear  40  of the flashlight body  22 . The threaded flashlight body screw holes  94  are for receiving the alien screws  38  of the flashlight body  22  to secure the flashlight body  22  in the flashlight body socket  46 . The positive contact  102  is a pin which extends out from the rear  40  of the flashlight body  22  and slides into the positive contact slot  98 . The positive contact  102  is positioned such that part of the pin extends into the battery socket  42  and is able to contact the positive end  106  of the battery  44 , when the battery  44  is in the battery socket  42 . The negative contact  100  extending from the rear  40  of the flashlight body  22  is a spring loaded pin that is aligned to contact the negative contact  88  of the flashlight body socket  46 , when the flashlight body  22  is secured in the flashlight body socket  46 . The negative contact  100  of the flashlight body  22  is spring loaded to allow for the pin to be pressured against the negative contact  88  of the flashlight body socket  46 . The position stud hole  96  is for receiving the position stud  104  of the flashlight body  22  to ensure proper alignment of the negative contact  100  of the flashlight body  22  with the negative contact  88  of the flashlight body socket  46 . 
     The flashlight body  22  includes a bulb cavity  108  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5 . The bulb cavity  108  includes screw holes  110  which lead to the rear  40  of the flashlight body  22  to allow passage of the alien screws  38 . The bulb cavity  108  includes the positive contact  102  and the negative contact  100  of the flashlight body  22  extending into the bulb cavity  108  to allow connection with the wires  36  from the circuit board  34 . Once the flashlight body  22  is secured in the flashlight body socket  46  with the alien screws  38 , the wires  36  of the circuit board  34  are connected to the positive contact  102  and the negative contact  100  of the flashlight body  22 . The bulb cavity  108  includes a lip  112  for the circuit board  34  to rest upon, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The circuit board  34  includes reflector slots  114  to receive alignment legs  116  extending from the bulb reflector  24 . The bulb reflector  24  is the standard shape for a bulb reflector and includes a bulb hole  118 . The bulb reflector  24  is placed over the bulb  32  such that the bulb  32  extends into the bulb hole  118  of the bulb reflector  24 , when the bulb reflector  24  is installed into the bulb cavity  108 . The lens  26  is slightly larger in diameter than the bulb reflector  24  and rests against the bulb reflector  24  to protect the bulb  32 . The lens gasket  28  rest against the lens  26  and is positioned between the lens  26  and the inside of the flashlight head  30 . The lens gasket  28  provides a seal between the lens  26  and the flashlight head  30 . The flashlight body  22  includes outside  120  threads and the flashlight head  30  includes inside threads  122 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The flashlight head  30  screws onto the flashlight body  22  to secure the bulb  32 , bulb reflector  24 , lens  26  and lens gasket  28  in place. 
       FIGS. 9-10  shown the disassembly of flashlight receiving body  14  in relation to the connecting body  18 . The flashlight receiving body  14  also includes rotation end  124 , rotation end cap  126 , conducting surface  128  and battery spring  130 . The rotation end  124  includes a conducting surface cavity  132  and the conducting surface  128  includes a battery cavity  134 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The conducting surface  128  rests in the conducting surface cavity  132  of the rotation end  124 . The battery cavity  134  of the conducting surface  128  includes a spring cavity  136  to receive the battery spring  130 . The rotation end  124  includes a rotation boss  138  with a screw hole  140 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 12 . The flashlight receiving body  14  includes threads  142  about the outside surface near a bottom  144  of the flashlight receiving body  14 . The battery  44  is placed in the battery socket  42 , so that positive end  106  of the battery  44  contacts the positive contact  102  of the flashlight body  22 . The assembled rotation end  124 , conducting surface  128  and battery spring  130  are placed toward the bottom  144  of the flashlight receiving body  14 , such that the negative end  146  of the battery  44  rests in the battery cavity  134  of conducting surface  128  and against the battery spring  130 . The battery spring  130  and the conducting surface  128  are both of an electrical conducting material and form an electrical connection from the negative end  146  of the battery  44  to the conducting surface  128  via the battery spring  130 . The rotation end cap  126  includes a center hole  148  to allow passage of the rotation boss  138 , as the rotation end cap  126  is threaded onto the flashlight receiving body  14  and against the bottom  150  of the rotation end  124 . When the rotation end  124  is mounted to the flashlight receiving body  22 , a top  152  of the conducting surface  128  contacts the pin tip  84  of the negative pin  60 . This provides an electrical connection from the negative end  146  of the battery  44  to the first switch contact  56  which is connected to internal pin contact  64  of the negative pin assembly. 
     The connecting body  18  has a flashlight end  154  and a support body end  156 .  FIG. 10  shows a round cutout  158  at the flashlight end  154 . There is a rotation boss socket  160  in the round cutout  158  of the flashlight end  154 . The round cutout  158  is large enough to receive the rotation end cap  126 , but small enough so there is a slight amount of friction between the rotation end cap  126  and a remaining portion  162  of the connecting body  18  at the round cutout  158 . The rotation boss  138  of the flashlight receiving body  14  fits into the rotation boss socket  160  of the connecting body  18 , when the flashlight receiving body  14  is secured to the connecting body  18 . There is a hole  164  in the flashlight end  154  of the connecting body  18  from the rotation boss socket  160  to the outside of the connecting body  18 . A screw  166  is inserted into the hole  164  of the flashlight end  154  and screwed into the screw hole  140  of the rotation boss  138 , in order to secure the flashlight receiving body  14  and the connecting body  18  together. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the support body end  156  of the connecting body  18  is round with a rotation boss  168  extending outward. The support body  16  includes a connecting body end  170  and a support end  172 . The connecting body end  170  of the support body  16  includes a round cutout  174  similar to the round cutout  158  of the flashlight end  154  of the connecting body  18 . There is a rotation boss socket  176  in the round cutout  174  of the connecting body end  170  of the support body  16  to receive the rotation boss  168  of the connecting body  18 . The rotation boss  168  of the connecting body  18  fits into the rotation boss socket  176  of the support body  16 , when the connecting body  18  is secured to the support body  16 . The round cutout  174  of the connecting body end  174  of the support body  16  is large enough to receive the support body end  156  of the connecting body  18 , but small enough so there is a slight amount of friction between the support body end  156  of the connecting body  18  and a remaining portion  178  of the support body  16  at the round cutout  174  of the connecting body end  174  of the support body  16 . There is a hole  180  in the connecting body end  174  of the support body  16  from the rotation boss socket  176  to the outside of the support body  16 . A screw  182  is inserted into the hole  180  of support body  16  and screwed into a screw hole  184  of the rotation boss  168  of the connecting body  18 , in order to secure the support body  16  and the connecting body  18  together. The support end  172  of the support body  16  includes two magnet sockets  186 , as shown in  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 12  shows two magnets  188  which are secured in the magnet sockets  186 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , and  9 - 10 . 
     Operation of the adjustable mount with the integrated flashlight is as follows. The support body  16  is positioned on a piece of magnetic material, such that the magnets  188  of the support end  172  make magnetic contact with the magnetic material. The support body  16  can then free stand due to the magnetic connection to the magnetic material and provide support for the flashlight  20 . In order to point the flashlight  20  in a particular direction, the connecting body  18  is rotated at the connecting body end  170  of the support body  16  and flashlight receiving body  14  is rotated at the flashlight end  154  of the connecting body  18 . Rotation at both ends of the connecting body  18  provides three-dimensional positioning of the flashlight  20  between the X-axis and Y-axis shown in  FIG. 1 . The flashlight button  92  extending from the flashlight receiving body  14  is manipulated to provide a connection between the first switch contact  56  and second switch contact  58 . When there is a connection between the first switch contact  56  and second switch contact  58 , there is a connection between the negative battery end  146  and the negative wire of the wires  36  from the bulb  32  to produce light, as the positive end  106  of the battery  44  is always connected to the bulb  32  via the positive wire of the wires  36 . 
       FIG. 13  shows the embodiment  12  of the adjustable mount to receive an existing flashlight  192 . The difference between the embodiment  10  of the adjustable mount to receive an existing flashlight and the embodiment  12  of the adjustable mount with the integrated flashlight is the flashlight receiving body  14 .  FIGS. 15 and 16  show a one piece molded flashlight receiving body  14 , which does not require the many electrical components described for the embodiment  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-12 . The flashlight receiving body  14  includes a flashlight receiving hole  194 , which is shown as a through hole to receive the end  196  of the flashlight  192 . The flashlight receiving hole  194  does not have to be a through hole, but could also be a socket to receive the end  196  of the flashlight  192 .  FIG. 13  shows a switch  198  of the flashlight  192 . The flashlight  192  can be secured in the flashlight hole  194  with a tight frictional fit between the flashlight  192  and the interior wall  200  of the flashlight hole  194 . The flashlight  192  could also be secured in the flashlight hole  194  by using a set screw  202  and set screw hole  204 , as shown in  FIG. 16 . The embodiment  12  of the adjustable mount of  FIGS. 13-16  similarly includes a support body  16  and a connecting body  18  that are connected in the same manner as was described for the embodiment  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-12 . The one piece molded flashlight receiving body  14  includes a rotation end  206  with the rotation boss  138 . The rotation end  206  replaces the rotation end cap  126  of the embodiment  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-12  and is positioned into the round cutout  158  of the flashlight end  154  of the connecting body  18 . The rotation boss  138  fits into the rotation boss socket  160  of the flashlight end  154  in the same manner as described for the embodiment  10  of  FIGS. 1-12 . The flashlight receiving body  14  connects to connecting body  18  in the same manner as described for the embodiment  10  of  FIGS. 1-12  using the screw  166 , hole  164 , rotation boss socket  160 , screw hole  140  and rotation boss  138 . 
     While different embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to the embodiments could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements are illustrative only and are not limiting as to the scope of the invention that is to be given the full breadth of any and all equivalents thereof.