Lighting device with novel neck mechanism

A lighting device characterized by its light weight and ease of handling. One application of the lighting device is a lighted bookmark which can be placed between the pages of a book and also functions as a portable book light while reading. The invention utilizes a novel neck mechanism possessing a memory effect that repeatedly returns the light-bearing neck to its original curved position when extended. The light-bearing neck of the bookmark can be retracted to fit within the body of the bookmark and can also be pushed to extend out of the bookmark, causing the light to automatically energize above the pages of a book when reading. The novel light-bearing neck mechanism can be successfully incorporated into other lighting devices such as a lighted notepad and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a portable lighting device and more 
particularly to a light that enables the device to be simple, portable, 
and relatively inexpensive. The invention utilizes a novel neck mechanism 
possessing a memory effect that repeatedly returns the light-bearing neck 
to its original curved position when extended. Our application for the 
invention is in a bookmark-type light permitting the user to illuminate a 
small area such as the page of a book. This application of the invention 
can conveniently provide a source of light for reading during travel or 
otherwise, when a source of light is not readily available, and also 
permits reading in any position. The novel light-bearing neck mechanism 
can be successfully incorporated into other products such as a lighted 
notepad and the like and is also applicable to fixed (i.e., non-portable) 
installations. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The prior art describes a number of portable light sources (U.S. Pat. Nos. 
4,432,042 and 4,598,340) as well as book covers (U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,681) 
and clipboards (U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,438) provided with reading lights. 
Typically, small desk lamps or pin-light lamps are well known and require 
a resting surface, such as a desk. Further improvement of these lamps 
permits them to be clamped to the binding of a book or the headrest of a 
bed. These versions are not easily portable and often require a source of 
electricity as well. Small portable book lights of light weight that can 
be entirely attached to a book or magazine are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 
4,680,681 describes a book cover and reading light combination wherein the 
reading light is located at the end of a supporting arm which can be 
pulled out from (for use) or pushed into (for storage) the book cover 
housing. The supporting arm includes flexible sections which permit the 
arm to be moved and adjusted to any position over the book. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
None of these patents disclose how to provide in such a lighting device, a 
neck mechanism capable of returning automatically to its desired extended 
position each time it is extended. The novel neck mechanism disclosed 
herein which possesses a memory that repeatedly returns the light-bearing 
neck to its original curved position when extended. While suggestions have 
previously been made to provide such a capability, no one has suggested a 
way to achieve that functionality as described herein. Therefore, the 
light-bearing neck always returns to a convenient curved position, thus 
illuminating the page, after having been laid flat when retracted into the 
base. The neck mechanism can be readily incorporated in other book, 
notepad, and other lighted devices as well. The light mechanism of the 
invention may moreover be automatically turned on and off by sliding the 
light-bearing neck along the length of the base, in the embodiment shown, 
a bookmark. Alternatively, the light mechanism may be energized or 
deenergized by simply pulling out, or pushing in, the neck into the 
bookmark. The lighted bookmark does not use any clips, and instead relies 
on rubber pads, a tapered body, and the gravity of the batteries to keep 
the bookmark in position while reading. It also can be used to mark the 
reader's page, while on a night stand, and is always ready for convenient 
night reading at a desk or in bed. The battery pack which powers the 
bookmark is easily removable and can also be a rechargeable unit. 
Alternatively, the battery pack can be substituted by an AC power supply. 
The lamp assembly itself can be rotated or swiveled in position to provide 
light where needed, and consists of a replaceable lamp cartridge and a 
vacuum metallized compound parabolic reflector. Finally, the bookmark 
travels naturally while stored in a book and is therefore very convenient 
and portable. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a lighted bookmark that is 
elegant, light weight, portable, easy to use, and capable of extending to 
a curved predetermined position. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a bookmark fitted with an 
unobtrusive light that illuminates only a small area without the need for 
any external source of electricity. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a lighted bookmark that 
permits reading in any position without any external source of 
electricity. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a lighted bookmark that marks 
the reader's page while the book is closed, as on a night stand, and is 
thus conveniently ready for night reading at any time. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a removable battery unit with 
the bookmark that may be a AC rechargeable battery unit as well. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a light-bearing neck member 
that can be retracted into the bookmark and be pushed out of the bookmark 
such that it automatically assumes a curved shape in the latter position, 
yet all the while provides an electrical path through the neck to the 
light at its end. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a light-bearing neck member 
which automatically energizes a light when it is fully extended in its 
curved position and which deenergizes the light when it is pushed into the 
bookmark. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a lighted bookmark that does 
not use any clips to hold it in position and instead relies on rubber 
pads, a tapered body design, and the gravity of the batteries to keep it 
in position. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a bookmark fitted with a light 
that can be rotated or swiveled to adjust the direction and amount of 
light incident on the reading surface. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a bookmark with a superior 
lamp assembly consisting of a replaceable lamp cartridge and a vacuum 
metallized compound parabolic reflector. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a lighted bookmark that is 
naturally stored in a book and hence travels easily along with any reading 
material. 
It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and relatively 
inexpensive lighted bookmark.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Although a specific embodiment of this invention will now be discussed with 
particular reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such an 
embodiment is by way of example only and is illustrative of the many 
applications of the basic principles of this invention. Changes and 
modifications obvious to one skilled in the art are deemed to be within 
the scope of this invention as further defined in the claims. In 
particular, it is important to point out that incorporating the 
light-bearing neck mechanism with its novel memory effect in other book, 
notepad, and other lighted devices is contemplated and deemed to be within 
the scope of this invention. 
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the lighted bookmark of 
the present invention in operation. The bookmark provides a convenient and 
close direct source of light for the reader. It can be used either to read 
at a table or while reclining in a chair with an unobtrusive light that 
illuminates only a small area or while travelling in a vehicle or an 
airplane. FIG. 2 shows the present invention when not in use for reading 
but now functioning as an elegant bookmark. In this position it is easy to 
see why the lighted bookmark travels naturally with any reading material. 
FIG. 3 shows a side elevational view of the lighted bookmark 27 with the 
light-bearing neck 2 in the retracted position. As shown in FIG. 3 the 
neck 2 is made up of a plurality of individual vertebrae 3 strung together 
linearly on longitudinal electrically conductive members 8, the members 
preferably being pre-curved spring stainless steel strips. The term 
"vertebrae" is used to describe vertebrae like stacked segments. The 
individual vertebrae segments 3 are made of insulating material, 
preferably, a resilient plastic. The light-bearing neck 2 can be pushed in 
and out of the base 1 of the bookmark 27 by moving the button 6 at the 
bottom end of the neck 2, or alternatively by simply pulling it out from 
the lamp end. In this position the lamp 4 is turned off since there is no 
electrical connection between the battery pack 5 and the lamp assembly 4. 
As shown in FIG. 4, when the neck 2 is pushed out of the base 1 of the 
bookmark 27, the neck naturally curves inward due to the precurved spring 
stainless steel metal strips 8 the neck. Therefore, the light-bearing neck 
2 is flat in its retracted position in FIG. 3 and curved in the extended 
position in FIG. 4 and retains its shape with repeated operation over a 
period of time. In essence, this invention provides a memory effect in the 
operation of the neck with the result that the neck always returns back to 
its curved position when extended out after having been laid flat when 
retracted into the bookmark. When the bookmark is in operation as shown in 
FIG. 4, the lamp is turned on since there is electrical contact between 
the metal strips 8 in the neck 2, shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, and the battery 
contacts 21 and 22. As shown in FIG. 8, when the neck is in the extended 
position, the battery contacts are electrically connected to the metal 
strips 8 through the half vertebrae 28 in the base of the neck 2 and form 
the passive switch 17 in FIG. 8. Now, when the neck 2 is retracted into 
the bookmark 27 the battery contacts 21 and 22 come up against the 
complete vertebrae 3 in the neck, and hence there is no electrical 
connection to the metal strips 8. As a result the passive switch mechanism 
17 operates to turn the light off when the neck is retracted. The strips 8 
thus serve the dual function of providing the shape necessary for the neck 
and providing current to the lamp, at the same time affording a way to 
string together the plastic neck vertebraes resulting in a strong, light 
weight, inexpensive, reliable structure with the properties described 
above. 
FIG. 5 shows a perspective transparent view of the light-bearing neck 2 
consisting of individual neck vertebrae 3 and the head base assembly 7. 
The metal strips 8 within the neck 2 are positioned to be in the middle 
and away from the edges of the neck and run along the entire length of the 
neck from the button 6 to the head base assembly 7 and serve as the 
electrical connection between the battery pack 5 and the lamp 4 when the 
neck 2 is in the extended position. The metal strips 8 extend out of the 
topmost vertebra in the neck and the extended end of the metal strips 10 
makes electrical contact to the head contacts 9 through the sliding 
contacts 16. The passive switch contact is therefore formed between the 
spring-actuated contacts which connect via spring pressure to the contacts 
on the battery box, 21 and 22. The pivot 11 facilitates movement of the 
entire lamp assembly 4, and thus the direction and amount of light 
incident on any reading surface may be reasonably adjusted. The sliding 
contacts 16 ensure that electrical contact is maintained during any lamp 
pivoting action. FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the compound parabolic 
reflector 29 and reflector and lamp cartridge assembly 14. When the 
bookmark is assembled the lamp 13 makes electrical connection to the head 
contacts 9 through the lamp contacts 12. The lamp and reflector assembly 
14 shown in FIG. 6 is placed in the lamp head cover 15 shown in FIG. 7, 
and the lamp head cover 15 is then snapped onto the head base 7. 
As shown in FIG. 9, the replaceable battery assembly used in the lighted 
bookmark is designed to operate with two commercial batteries 24. The 
entire battery pack housing 20 snaps onto the backside at the front end of 
the base 1 of the bookmark, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, through the snap 
bosses 25. The positive terminal 18 and the negative terminal 19 of the 
batteries 24 are internally connected up to the positive and negative 
battery contacts 21 and 22 respectively. In another embodiment, an AC 
power source, including a transformer in series between the snap-on 
portion and the wall plug, which snaps onto the unit in the same position 
as the removable battery pack may be used instead of the battery pack. The 
lamp is preferably a halogen bulb operating from two AA batteries. 
A representative assembly sequence for the lighted bookmark would consist 
of the following steps: (a) Installing the base contacts to the base 
housing; (b) Sliding individual vertebrae onto the neck subassembly and 
securing them via the button at the end of the metal strips; (c) Placing 
the neck assembly onto the base housing and trapping it in place with the 
base cover housing; (d) Ultrasonically, or otherwise welding the base 
housing to the base cover housing, thus trapping the neck assembly in the 
groove provided for it in the base; (e) Installing the lamp into the 
compound parabolic reflector assembly; (f) Snapping the head contacts over 
the bosses in the head base; (g) Snapping the head base to the end of the 
neck protruding from the top of the base; (h) Placing the reflector and 
lamp assembly into the head cover and snapping the head cover onto the 
head base; (i) Installing three contacts into the battery pack; and (j) 
Snapping the battery pack onto the backside of the front of the base of 
the bookmark. 
It will be appreciated that, although the invention has been set forth in 
considerable detail to describe the embodiments and advantages over prior 
art structures, such detailed description is not intended in any way to 
limit the broad features or principles of this invention, and accordingly, 
the appended claims should be construed broadly in a manner consistent 
with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.