Flashlight mount

A flashlight mount includes a clamp-type positioning element and an elongate clamping element pivotally connected to an upper section of the clamp-type positioning element. To fasten a flashlight to the mount, an engaging section on a lateral side of the flashlight is inserted into a C-shaped groove on a lateral side of a fastening extension of the elongate clamping element. Once the engaging section is inserted in the C-shaped groove to the greatest extent possible, a limiting recess at one end of the flashlight is engaged with a projection at the corresponding end of the fastening extension to fix the flashlight in position to the elongate clamping element. Then, an object to be clamped is inserted into an insertion space extending laterally into the clamp-type positioning element, before a lower screw rod is rotated upward to secure the clamp-type positioning element to the object in a clamping manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to flashlight mounts and, more particularly, to a flashlight mount for fixing a flashlight rapidly and precisely in position and for being clamped to the edge of an object designed to provide lighting, so as to increase the flexibility of flashlight installation.

2. Description of Related Art

Nowadays, flashlights for illumination purposes can be conveniently adapted to various lighting situations by fastening the flashlights to clamping devices having the appropriate configurations. These clamping devices can be secured to objects intended for different uses to facilitate the installation and removal of flashlights when it is desired to use or not to use the flashlights. Furthermore, in order to enable flexible adjustment of the lighting angle of a flashlight fastened to such a clamping device, a certain section of the clamping device is typically provided with a component configured for angular adjustment, thus allowing users to adjust the lighting direction as needed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a flashlight mount of a novel configuration as an improvement over the conventional flashlight mounts that are designed to be clamped to the edges of various objects. The disclosed flashlight mount can fix a flashlight rapidly and precisely in position and be firmly clamped to the edge of an objet that is intended to provide lighting. With the present invention, the flexibility of flashlight installation is increased.

The first major object of the present invention is to provide a mount for clamping a flashlight, wherein the mount includes a clamp-type positioning element, a lower screw rod, an elongate clamping element, and a screw nut. The clamp-type positioning element has a lower section formed with an insertion space that extends laterally inward. The clamp-type positioning element further has a lower end which is adjacent to the insertion space and penetrated by a threaded hole in which the lower screw rod is screwed. The clamp-type positioning element also has an upper section formed as a receiving tube that has an inwardly extending ball-shaped space. The receiving tube has a threaded outer periphery and is circumferentially formed with a plurality of slots. The slots allow a ball-shaped connecting portion extending from a lower section of the elongate clamping element to be inserted into the receiving tube. The screw nut is mounted around the ball-shaped connecting portion and screwed on the outer periphery of the receiving tube such that the elongate clamping element is pivotally connected to the clamp-type positioning element. The elongate clamping element has an upper section formed as a fastening extension that extends horizontally. A C-shaped groove is concavely provided at one end of a lateral surface of the fastening extension while a projection is formed at the other end of the lateral surface where the C-shaped groove is located. To fasten a flashlight to the mount, an engaging section provided on a lateral side of the flashlight is inserted into the C-shaped groove formed on one side of the fastening extension. Once the engaging section is inserted in the C-shaped groove to the greatest extent possible, a limiting recess concavely provided at one end of the flashlight is engaged with the projection at the corresponding end of the fastening extension, thereby fixing the flashlight securely in position to the elongate clamping element. Following that, an object to be clamped is inserted into the insertion space extending laterally into the lower section of the clamp-type positioning element, and the lower screw rod is rotated upward to secure the clamp-type positioning element to the object in a clamping manner. Thus, not only can the flashlight be flexibly installed, but also the lighting angle of the flashlight can be adjusted as appropriate.

The second major object of the present invention to provide a mount for clamping a flashlight, wherein the mount includes an insertion-type positioning element, an elongate clamping element, and a screw nut. The insertion-type positioning element has a lower section extended with an insertion part. The insertion part has a surface formed with at least one resilient pressing portion. The insertion-type positioning element also has an upper section formed as a receiving tube that has an inwardly extending ball-shaped space. The receiving tube has a threaded outer periphery and is circumferentially formed with a plurality of slots. The slots allow a ball-shaped connecting portion extending from a lower section of the elongate clamping element to be inserted into the receiving tube. The screw nut is mounted around the ball-shaped connecting portion and screwed on the outer periphery of the receiving tube such that the elongate clamping element is pivotally connected to the insertion-type positioning element. The elongate clamping element has an upper section formed as a fastening extension that extends horizontally. A C-shaped groove is concavely provided at one end of a lateral surface of the fastening extension while a projection is formed at the other end of the lateral surface where the C-shaped groove is situated. To fasten a flashlight to the mount, an engaging section provided on a lateral side of the flashlight is inserted into the C-shaped groove formed on one side of the fastening extension. When the engaging section is inserted in the C-shaped groove to the greatest extent possible, a limiting recess concavely provided at one end of the flashlight is engaged with the projection at the corresponding end of the fastening extension, thereby fixing the flashlight securely in position to the elongate clamping element. Following that, the insertion part extending downward from the insertion-type positioning element is inserted into a predetermined space of an object to be connected with the mount. As a result, the at least one resilient pressing portion on one surface of the insertion part presses tightly against the wall of the predetermined space to secure the insertion-type positioning element to the object. Thus, not only is flexible installation of the flashlight achievable, but also the lighting angle of the flashlight can be adjusted as desired.

The third object of the present invention is to provide the foregoing mounts for clamping a flashlight, wherein the insertion part of the insertion-type positioning element has a lower end laterally extended with a hook. After the insertion part is inserted into the predetermined space of the object to be connected with the mount, the hook is engaged with a bottom portion of the object to fix the mount in position to the object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, a flashlight mount5according to a first embodiment of the present invention is configured to clamp a flashlight and includes a clamp-type positioning element1, a lower screw rod2, an elongate clamping element3, and a screw nut4.

The clamp-type positioning element1has a lower section formed with an insertion space11. More specifically, the insertion space11extends laterally into the lower section of the clamp-type positioning element1. The clamp-type positioning element1further has a lower end which is adjacent to the insertion space11and penetrated by a threaded hole12into which the lower screw rod2can be screwed. The upper section of the clamp-type positioning element1is formed as a receiving tube13having an inwardly extending ball-shaped space131, as shown more clearly inFIG. 4. The outer periphery of the receiving tube13is formed with threads132, and the receiving tube13is circumferentially provided with a plurality of slots133to facilitate tightening of the screw nut4.

The elongate clamping element3has a lower section extended with a ball-shaped connecting portion31and an upper section formed as a fastening extension32that extends horizontally. A C-shaped groove321is concavely provided at one end of a lateral surface of the fastening extension32, as shown inFIG. 1, while a projection322is formed at the other end of the lateral surface where the C-shaped groove321is provided.

The clamp-type positioning element1and the elongate clamping element3are put together in the following manner. Referring toFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the lower screw rod2is screwed into the threaded hole12at the lower end of the clamp-type positioning element1. The screw nut4is mounted in advance around the ball-shaped connecting portion31in the lower section of the elongate clamping element3. Then, the ball-shaped connecting portion31of the elongate clamping element3is inserted into the ball-shaped space131formed in the upper section of the clamp-type positioning element1. Following that, the screw nut4, which has been mounted around the ball-shaped connecting portion31, is screwed on the outer periphery of the receiving tube13such that the elongate clamping element3is pivotally connected to the clamp-type positioning element1. Thus, the assembly process of the mount5is completed.

Referring toFIG. 5, a flashlight6having an elliptical cross-section and an engaging section61is fastened to the mount5as follows. The engaging section61provided on a lateral side of the flashlight6is inserted into the C-shaped groove321formed on one side of the fastening extension32, as can be seen more clearly inFIG. 7. Once the engaging section61is inserted in the C-shaped groove321to the greatest extent possible, a limiting recess62concavely provided at one end of the flashlight6is engaged with the projection322at the corresponding end of the fastening extension32, as shown more clearly inFIG. 6, thereby fixing the flashlight6securely in position to the elongate clamping element3. Following that, an object to which the mount5is to be clamped (exemplified herein by the edge7of a fireman's helmet) is inserted into the insertion space11extending laterally into the lower section of the clamp-type positioning element1, as shown inFIG. 7, and the lower screw rod2is rotated upward to fasten the clamp-type positioning element1to the object in a clamping manner. Thus, the flashlight6not only can be flexibly installed but also allows angular adjustment to the desired lighting directions.

FIG. 8andFIG. 9show a flashlight mount5′ according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein the flashlight mount5′ includes an insertion-type positioning element1′, an elongate clamping element3, and a screw nut4. The elongate clamping element3and the screw nut4in the present embodiment have the same configurations as their counterparts in the mount5described above. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the insertion-type positioning element1′.

The insertion-type positioning element1′ has a lower section extended with an insertion part14. The insertion part14has a surface formed with at least one resilient pressing portion141. In addition, the lower end of the insertion part14is laterally extended with a hook15. The insertion-type positioning element1′ further has an upper section formed as a receiving tube13having an inwardly extending ball-shaped space131. The receiving tube13has an outer periphery formed with threads132and is circumferentially provided with a plurality of slots133.

The insertion-type positioning element1′ and the elongate clamping element3are assembled in the following way. As shown inFIG. 10andFIG. 11, the ball-shaped connecting portion31extending from the lower section of the elongate clamping element3is inserted into the ball-shaped space131formed in the upper section of the insertion-type positioning element1′. Then, the screw nut4, which has been mounted around the ball-shaped connecting portion31in advance, is screwed on the outer periphery of the receiving tube13such that the elongate clamping element3is pivotally connected to the insertion-type positioning element1′. Thus, the assembly process of the mount5′ is completed.

Referring toFIG. 12andFIG. 13, when it is desired to fasten a flashlight6having an elliptical cross-section and an engaging section61to the mount5′, the engaging section61on a lateral side of the flashlight6is inserted into the C-shaped groove321on one side of the fastening extension32. When the engaging section61is inserted in the C-shaped groove321to the greatest extent possible, a limiting recess62concavely provided at one end of the flashlight6is engaged with the projection322at the corresponding end of the fastening extension32to fix the flashlight6securely in position to the elongate clamping element3. Then, the insertion part14extending downward from the insertion-type positioning element1′ is inserted into a predetermined space71of an object to which the mount5′ is to be connected (exemplified herein by the edge7′ of a fireman's helmet whose form is different from that shown in the previous embodiment). As a result, the resilient pressing portions141on one surface of the insertion part14press against the wall of the predetermined space71, and the hook15is engaged with a bottom portion of the object, thereby connecting the insertion-type positioning element1′ firmly to the object. Hence, the flashlight6not only can be flexibly installed but also can be angularly adjusted to the desired lighting directions.