Rechargeable LED utility light

A portable utility light has a hollow housing formed of releasably joined front and rear housing halves with a lens opening. A plurality of LEDs is mounted in the housing adjacent the lens opening and positioned in rows and columns. A reflector member has a plurality of cone-shaped apertures each receiving one of the LEDs with a facing reflective surface. A transparent lens member is mounted in the lens opening to permit light generated from the LEDs to exit the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to illumination devices and, in particular, to an LED utility light.

Portable lights, which can be manually moved and suspended about a work site to aid a user to obtain the best lighting conditions, are well known. It has been the practice to use incandescent light bulbs, suitably encased in light guards, for this purpose. Such lights are often referred to as trouble lamps, extension lights, work lights, inspection lights, utility lights, and the like, and are commonly employed by mechanics and other workers who require a concentration of light while frequently changing locations. Such a trouble light is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,647 to Kovacik et al. Fluorescent lights have several advantages in use as compared with the incandescent bulbs. As an example, for the same wattage fluorescent lights usually provide more light with less glare. In the past, attempts have been made to convert portable lights such as extension lights to fluorescent tubes.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are well known for providing illumination to digital displays and the like. It has become more common for a concentration of LEDs to be utilized for providing illumination. LEDs are particularly advantageous because of their low power consumption per candlepower produced when compared to incandescent light bulbs and, to a lesser degree, to fluorescent light bulbs.

The art continues to seek improvements. It is desirable to provide a portable light having lower power consumption that also provides sufficient illumination for a work site. It is also desirable to be able to place and orient the portable light in as many locations and positions as possible. It is further desirable to provide a utility light that does not always require the use of an external power supply cord. It is always desirable to provide utility lamps that are lightweight and cost-effective to produce.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a portable utility light including: a hollow housing having a lens opening formed therein; a plurality of LEDs disposed in the hollow housing adjacent the lens opening; a reflector member disposed in the housing and having a plurality of apertures of cone-shaped profile formed therein, each of the apertures receiving an associated one of the LEDs; and a transparent lens member mounted in the lens opening permitting light generated from the LEDs to exit the housing. The housing is formed by a front housing half releasably attached to a rear housing half and is generally arcuate in a horizontal plane.

The LEDs are mounted on a circuit board in rows and columns. The reflector member has a reflective surface facing the lens member. The light includes a battery disposed in the housing and connected to the LEDs by a switch. An electrical plug is mounted to the housing and connected to the battery for connection to an external power source to recharge the battery. The battery is a DC battery and a transformer means is connected to the battery for recharging.

A hook member is disposed in a recess formed in an exterior surface of the housing and is rotatable between a stored position in the recess and an extended position. The hook member is attached to the housing by a ball and socket connection permitting the hook member to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the hook member.

A lanyard can be attached to the housing. A pair of handle cushions is attached to opposite sides of the housing. A carrying case is provided for receiving and retaining the light.

The lens member has a plurality of focusing portions formed thereon facing the LEDs for focusing light generated by said LEDs. In the alternative, the lens member can be flat or have concave portions for generating a flood light effect.

The LED utility light in accordance with the present invention advantageously provides a portable handheld utility light that does not need to be connected constantly to an external power supply and may be placed and oriented in many locations and positions with the use of the hook member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now toFIGS. 1–4, a rechargeable LED utility light in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at10. The utility light10includes a horizontally split hollow light housing12formed with a rear housing half14and a front housing half16. When attached, the housing halves14and16define an upper light portion18extending from a hollow lower handle portion20. The front housing half16has a lens opening19formed in the upper light portion18. The housing halves14and16are substantially arcuate in cross section to form the housing12with a substantially oval cross section (seeFIG. 7). The housing12is preferably formed of a lightweight material, such as plastic or the like, as the utility light10is contemplated to be both handheld and portable. The rear housing half14includes a plurality of strengthening ribs22extending across interior walls thereof. A plurality of bosses24having a larger diameter portion26and a smaller diameter portion28extend from an inner surface30of the rear housing half14for receiving respective fasteners (not shown). The fasteners extend through the bosses24from corresponding posts32formed in and extending inwardly from an interior surface17of the front housing half16to secure the halves14and16together to form the housing12, discussed in more detail below. During assembly, the smaller diameter portion28of each of the bosses24is received by a corresponding aperture34formed in an associated one of the posts32of the front housing half16.

An exterior surface36of the light portion18of the rear housing half14is formed to define a recess38for receiving and storing a hook member40therein. The hook member40includes a ball portion42that is connected to a shank portion44. The recess38has closed bottom wall46at the interior surface30of the rear housing half14, best seen inFIG. 2. The wall46interrupts at least a portion of two of the strengthening ribs22. The shape of the recess38corresponds to the shape of the hook member40in plan view. When the hook member40is disposed in the recess38, the hook member40does not extend above the exterior surface36of the rear housing half14. Adjacent a lower portion of the recess38is a sloped surface36aof the exterior surface36that provides access to the hook member40for improved removal and stowage for the hook member40. A plurality of elongated vent openings37are formed in the wall of the rear housing half14, which provide a flow of cooling air for the electric components disposed in the light housing12, discussed in more detail below.

The ball portion42of the hook member40cooperates with a hook ball retainer48disposed between the housing halves14and16when the housing12is assembled. The hook ball retainer48includes a pair of fastener receivers50extending from opposing sides of a ball receiver52. The fastener receivers50are placed between an upper pair of mating bosses24and posts32of the light portion18. The ball receiver52, in conjunction with a curved surface54defining an upper aperture56in the rear housing half14, receive the ball portion42of the hook member40. After the ball portion40is snap fit into the aperture56, the ball portion40, the ball receiver52and the curved surface54function as a ball and socket connection. As shown inFIG. 6, this connection allows the hook member40to rotate between the stored position to an extended position as indicated by an arrow45. Once out of the recess38, the hook member40is free to rotate about its longitudinal axis. The hook member40, therefore, provides a means for placing and orienting the utility light10during use.

Each of a pair of elongated handle cushions60includes a plurality of attachment fingers62having a stop portion64and a shaft portion66. The handle cushions60are each attached to the handle portion20of the housing12by placing the shaft portion66of the attachment fingers62in corresponding grooves68formed between the rear half14and the upper half16of the housing12. The stop portions64prevent accidental removal of the cushions60from the housing12after the housing12has been assembled. The handle cushions60are each preferably constructed of a soft, easily deflectable material.

A battery70is disposed in a recess formed between the rear half14and the front half16of the handle portion20. The battery70is preferably a rechargeable battery, such as a nickel metal hydride battery or similar rechargeable-type battery. The battery70is maintained in its position in the recess by a battery retainer72(seeFIG. 4) disposed on an upper surface thereof. The battery retainer72includes a pair of legs74each extending downwardly from opposing ends thereof and defining an aperture76therein, and a pair of wing portions78extending upwardly from the opposing ends. The apertures76of the legs74each receive a free end of a post80extending upwardly from the interior surface17of the front housing half16. The wing portions78extend beyond the outer edges of the battery70to provide additional support for the battery70when the utility light10is assembled.

The hollow housing12defines a space between the rear half14and the front half16thereof for receiving a plurality of electrical lighting components, including an LED circuit board assembly82, a reflector member84, a lens member86, and a switch88. The switch88is disposed in an aperture90formed in the rear half14of the housing12and electrically connects power from the battery70to the LED circuit board assembly82. No power converter for the circuit board assembly82is necessary since the battery70is a DC power source, advantageously reducing the size and weight of the utility light10. The LED circuit board assembly82includes a plurality of LEDs92, best seen inFIGS. 6 and 7, extending from an upper surface94thereof. The LEDs92are operable to emit light in a well-known manner when electrical power is connected from the battery70to the circuit board assembly82through the switch88. A plug circuit board87is disposed between the rear half14and the front half16of the housing12and electrically connects a pin-type electrical plug89and the battery70. The plug circuit board87is preferably attached to a pair of posts81extending upwardly from the interior surface17of the front housing half16. The plug89is disposed in an aperture91formed between the rear half14and the front half16of the housing12.

The reflector member84is fit over the front surface of the LED circuit board assembly82. The reflector member84includes a plurality of spaced apart through apertures85. The front surface of the reflector member84is preferably mirror chrome plated or has a similar highly reflective surface. The number of apertures85corresponds to the number of LEDs92on the circuit board assembly82. The walls of the reflector member84that define each of the apertures85are also mirror chrome plated and taper radially outwardly from the rear surface of the reflector member84to the front surface of the reflector member84to form a generally cone-shape profile, best seen inFIG. 6. A width, indicated by an arrow96inFIG. 2, of the reflector member84is greater than a width, indicated by an arrow98, of the circuit board assembly82. A plurality of support legs100is formed on the periphery of the reflector member84. The support legs100extend rearwardly from the rear surface of the reflector member84and, because the width96is greater than the width98, when the reflector member84is placed over the circuit board assembly82the support legs extend beyond the periphery of the circuit board assembly82and rearwardly of the rear surface of the circuit board assembly82. The support legs100engage with corresponding support pins102extending inwardly from outer edges of the support ribs22of the lower housing half14. A flange120extends from opposed upper and lower ends of the reflector member84. The flange120has an upwardly extending portion120aand an outwardly extending portion120b, best seen inFIG. 6.

The lens member86is received in the lens opening19extending through the upper portion of the front housing half16during assembly of the utility light10. The lens member86is preferably constructed of clear plastic material or similar material. The lens member86includes a plurality of posts104extending rearwardly therefrom that cooperate with apertures106formed in the reflector member84and with apertures108formed in the circuit board assembly82during assembly of the utility light10. The lens member86includes a flange122extending from opposed upper and lower ends thereof. The flange122includes a stepped portion122a, best seen inFIG. 6. A flange123extends from opposed ends of the front housing half16that define the aperture102, best seen inFIG. 6, for cooperating with the stepped portions122aduring assembly of the utility light10.

As seen inFIGS. 6 and 7, the lens member86has a plurality of focusing portions125that correspond in number and position to the LEDs92. Each of the focusing portions125is formed as a convex protrusion on the rear surface of the lens member86facing the reflector member84. The focusing portions125collect and focus light from the corresponding LEDs92to generate a collective focused beam of light exiting the lens member86. However, the rear surface of the lens member86could be flat, so that no focusing is provided, or the areas adjacent the LEDs92could be formed with concave shapes, so that the light exiting the lens member86is dispersed for a flood light effect.

A lanyard110is preferably provided for routing through a hole114formed in a flange112on a lower portion of the rear housing half14. An A/C transformer means116is preferably provided for attachment to the electrical plug89for recharging the battery70. The transformer means116connects to a source of standard AC power “120 V”, reduces it to a lower voltage and converts to DC power to operate the LEDs92. A carrying case118is preferably provided for attachment to a belt loop or the like (not shown) for ease of portability of the utility light10.

During assembly of the utility light10, the hook member40and the handle cushions60are placed in their respective mounting locations. The switch88is placed in the aperture90, the reflector member84is fit over the upper surface94of the LED circuit board assembly82(placing the LEDs92in the respective apertures85of the reflector member84), and the support legs100are placed on the support pins102. The battery retainer72is placed on the posts80and the battery70is placed on the battery retainer72. The lens member86is placed in the aperture102, and the stepped portion122aengages with the flange123of the upper housing half16to retain the lens member86in the aperture102. Alternatively, the lens member86is placed on the reflector84with the stepped portion122aresting on the outwardly extending portion120b. The upper housing half16is placed on the lower housing half14, and a flange124on the outer edge of the upper housing half16overlaps a corresponding flange126on the outer edge of the lower housing half14, best seen inFIG. 5, and the respective bosses24are received and engaged in corresponding posts32, best seen inFIG. 5. When the halves14and16are joined, a tongue128extending from a rear edge of the housing half14cooperates with a groove130formed between a pair of flanges132extending from a rear edge of the housing half16, best seen inFIG. 7, to provide ease of alignment of the split halves14and16during assembly of the light housing12. A flange134on the outer edge of the upper housing half16overlaps a corresponding flange136on the outer edge of the lens member86, best seen inFIG. 7. Fasteners such as screws (not shown) or the like are then placed in each of the engaging bosses24and posts32and the housing halves14and16are secured together to form the housing12.

The switch88includes a switch housing88awith a pair of electrical terminals (not shown) extending from a lower surface thereof and a switch rocker88bon an upper surface. One of the terminals is connected to the battery70through the circuit board87and the other of the terminals is connected to the LED circuit board assembly82. The switch rocker in the on and off positions alternately provides power from the battery70to the LED circuit board assembly82. The switch76is easily actuated by a thumb or finger of a person (not shown) holding the handle portion20to light the LEDs92of the circuit board assembly82with one hand while also orienting and hanging the light10with the same hand.

An electrical schematic of the utility light10is shown inFIG. 8. The A/C transformer116is provided for a charging connection from an external power source117through the transformer116to the battery70. The electrical power from the battery70is directed through the switch88to the LED circuit board assembly82.