Abstract:
A telescopic flashlight that includes a universally adjustable mirror unit for reflecting the light of the lighting unit over a universal range, which mirror unit is readily and easily attached and detached from the distal end of the flashlight apparatus via a metallic mounting collar that is magnetically retained by means of an annular magnet affixed to the distal end of the apparatus, which mounting collar itself is rotatable relative to the distal end of the flashlight apparatus in order to provide two of the three degrees of freedom on motion of the mirror proper.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 13/346,836, filed on Jan. 10, 2012; 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a telescopic flashlight, and, in particular, to such a telescopic flashlight disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,295, which patent is incorporated by reference herein, and which discloses a telescopic, collapsing flashlight having an extensible stem with a retractable and bendable flexible member, which allows for hard-to-reach areas and locations to be illuminated. The illuminating structure or device of the flashlight is attached to, and located at, the distal end of the flexible member, and includes a power button. At the distal end of the illuminating body, there is also provided a magnetic collar for use in attracting and holding a metal object during use of the flashlight. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,142 there is disclosed an adjustable illuminating apparatus having an adjustable lighting unit, and which is also provided with an adjustable reflecting mirror unit mounted at the end of the apparatus, with the light from the lighting unit impinging on the mirror and being reflected thereby. The reflecting mirror unit is mounted to the end of the apparatus via mating threaded parts. 
     In published U.S. Application Number US2005/0201085, there is disclosed a telescopic flashlight apparatus having at one end thereof a pivotal mirror unit for reflecting the light emanating from the lighting unit to various locations. This mirror unit is cumbersome, and difficult to attach and remove. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a telescopic, collapsible flashlight apparatus that includes a universally adjustable inspection mirror unit for reflecting the light of the lighting unit over a universal range, which mirror unit is readily and easily attached and detached from the distal end of the flashlight apparatus via a mounting collar having an annular metallic mounting ring that is magnetically retained by means of an annular magnet affixed to the distal end of the apparatus where the lighting or illuminating device is located, which mounting collar itself is rotatable relative to the distal end of the flashlight apparatus in order to provide two degrees of freedom of rotational motion of the mirror proper. 
     It is also the primary objective of the present invention to provide such a telescopic flashlight apparatus with a distal, adjustable mirror unit that is itself removably detachable, such that the mirror proper may be attached and re-attached to the mounting collar at will, so that when the mirror proper is not needed for directing the light from the lighting unit to hard-to-see or get-at places or locations, it may be removed from the metallic mounting collar, so that it does not interfere with the normal and average use of the flashlight apparatus. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The invention will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the telescopic flashlight device with universally-adjustable mirror unit of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the universally-adjustable mirror unit of the flashlight device of  FIG. 1  and showing various positions it may be assume in a first plane; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 3  but showing the universally-adjustable mirror unit pivoted to various positions via a first pivot in a second plane; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 3  but showing the universally-adjustable mirror unit pivoted to various positions via a second pivot in the second plane; 
         FIG. 5  is an assembly view, in perspective, showing the telescopic flashlight device with universally-adjustable mirror unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an assembly view of the universally-adjustable mirror unit of the invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a transverse cross-sectional view of the assembled universally-adjustable mirror unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the telescopic flashlight device with universally-adjustable mirror unit is indicated generally by reference numeral  10 . The basic telescopic flashlight is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,295, which patent is incorporated by reference herein. The telescopic, collapsing flashlight  10  includes a main, hollow, cylindrical handle, body portion or casing  12 , used for gripping the flashlight, and in which is received a series of collapsing, hollow, telescoping elements or sections  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22 . Each telescopic element  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 , and  22  is collapsible into the immediate-adjacent element closer to the main body portion or housing  12 , in the manner depicted in  FIG. 1 , for storage, and for removal therefrom for expansion and use. The degree to which the telescoping elements are pulled out is variable so that the flashlight may be used in all environments. The end of the main body portion is provided with a enlarged head or section  12 ′, to which is secured a magnet for attracting and holding metal objects. 
     At the end of the telescopic section  22  there is provided a flexible, bendable member or section  26  which is collapsible into the telescopic section  22 , and to the end of which is attached or mounted an illuminating or lighting unit or device  30 . The illuminating device  30  comprises a hollow main housing  32  serving as a battery or power-cell compartment, a push-button switch  34 , or the equivalent thereof, and a removable bulb-fixture  38  ( FIG. 5 ) containing one or more halogen lighting bulbs or LCD&#39;s. The distal end  38 ′ of the removable bulb-fixture  38  also mounts a forwardly-facing, annular magnet, such as magnet-ring  40 , by which objects may be picked up and held. 
     The annular magnet  40  is used to removably, temporarily and rotatably mount a universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44 . The universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44  is comprised of a removable mounting collar or annular ring-element  46 , defining an inner, circular main portion  48  defining an exteriorly-located or outer annular surface section, which is substantially circular in shape that defines an outer or outwardly-facing opening  50 . To the interior-facing portion of the exteriorly-located or outer annular surface section is mounted an annular element or ring  54  made of magnetic material, such as ferrous metal, which is attracted to, and held by the, annular magnet  40 . The inner or inwardly-facing opening  56  of the annular ring-element  46  has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the distal end of the removable bulb-fixture  38 , so that the annular ring-element  46  may be telescopingly mounted thereover, and held removably in place thereat, by means of the annular magnet  40  magnetically retaining the annular ring-element  46  via the metallic ring or annular element  54 , whereby the entire universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44  is rotatable in a first degree of rotational motion about the end of the flashlight. It is noted that the central or inner opening of the annular ring-element  46  has a diameter less than the diameter of the distal end of the removable bulb-fixture  38 , whereby the interior-facing portion of the metallic annular ring  54  abuts against the annular end-surface distal end  38 ′ of the removable bulb-fixture  38  in face-to-face contact with the annular magnet  40  to allow for the mounting thereto. The material from which the annular ring element  46  is made is preferably plastic providing a low coefficient of friction, which readily allows the rotation thereof about the distal end  38 ′ of the illuminating device  30 , which is also made of plastic having a low coefficient of friction. The facing and contacting surfaces of the annular magnet  40  and the metallic annular ring  54  also offer a low coefficient of friction, whereby no obstruction to the rotation of the mounting annular ring-element  46  exists. Alternatively, the annular ring  46  may be made entirely of a low-coefficient-of-friction magnetic material, such as ferrous metal, which obviates the need for the metallic annular ring  54 . 
     The removable mounting collar or annular ring-element  46  is also provided with an eccentric or protruding section  58  defining a through-opening or hole  60 . The opening  60  has a first outer portion  60 ′ that is preferably hexagonal in shape for part of the depth of the opening  60 , and a second inner portion  60 ″ that is circular in shape for the remainder of the depth thereof. Mounted in the circular portion  60 ″ is a circularly-shaped magnetic rod or post-element  64 , as best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     The universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44  also consists of the main mirror-portion  68 , which contains the mirror-element proper  70 , which is preferably circular in shape. The circular-shaped mirror  70  has a mounting eccentric or ear  72  defining a bottom pivot shaft or post  72 ′ that is pivotally mounted at one end  76 ′ of a mounting bracket  76 , in a conventional manner; the mirror unit is allowed a second degree of rotational motion different from the first degree of rotational motion provided by the annular ring-element  46 . To the other end  76 ″ of the mounting bracket  76  is pivotally mounted a metallic mounting pin or shaft  80 , made of ferrous metal or the like, which defines a hexagonally-shaped main shaft portion  80 ′ which is partially receivable in the first, outer hexagonally-shaped portion  60 ′ of the opening  60 , whereby the metallic mounting pin or shaft  80 , and thus the mirror-element proper  70 , are removably mounted to the mounting collar or annular ring-element  46 , and where the mirror unit is also allowed additional degrees of rotational motion via the spherical or ball joint at the upper end of the pin  80 . Thus, the universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44  is removable from the illuminating or lighting unit or device  30  in two ways or sections: The first by means of the metallic collar, or an annular element or ring  46 , by which the entire mirror unit  44  is removable, and the second by means of the metallic mounting pin or shaft  80 , by which part of the mirror unit  44  is removable, whereby differently-shaped or sized mirrors  70  may be mounted to the illuminating device. For example, a prism mirror, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,009, may be attached to the illuminating apparatus, which prism mirror displays a non-inverted image of the object or objects, being viewed in the proper sense and handedness. 
     While the universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44  has been disclosed for use and removable attachment to a telescopic, collapsing flashlight, it may be used in all types of flashlights incorporating an annular magnet at the distal end of the lighting unit itself, or at the distal of another section of the flashlight. Moreover, the universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44  may incorporated into other lighting devices not considered to be a flashlight, as long as it incorporates a magnetic ring or magnetic, in a manner equivalent to the mounting of the universally-pivotal reflection mirror unit  44 . 
     It is also noted that instead of the forwardly-facing annular magnet  40  located on the front surface of the illuminating device  30 , a collar-magnet that circumferentially surrounds the end  38 ′ thereof may be used, in which case the annular element or ring  46  would be located or mounted to interior annular rim-surface thereof for face-to-face contact with the collar-magnet. 
     While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.