Abstract:
A portable pocket light, comprising three sections; (1) a main body containing an electric circuitry board, battery compartment, and a power switch; (2) a lamp section containing a light source, a lens, and a means for rotatably attaching said lamp section to the main body and facilitating rotation of said lamp section in a 300 degree arc about the an extended axis of said main body, and (3) a sheath section comprising two prongs, and an axial means for rotating said main body an unimpaired 360 degrees within the confines of the two sheath prongs. The two prongs further facilitate a self-standing base by means of which the pocket light may rest on a surface and provide stable, adjustably aimed illumination in a plurality of directions and orientations. The pocket light is fabricated with an integral spring-loaded clip which enables temporary attachment of the pocket light to the brim of a wearer&#39;s cap, a shirt pocket, or other stable object. Overall, the disclosed pocket light provides low power consumption, and adequately bright light in either a hands-free or a handheld application.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    (1) Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The inventive concept is within the field of small, portable pocket lights that may be conveniently carried on one&#39;s person and used for illumination in a variety of situations where space is limited. Generally, such lights are popular but they frequently suffer from several drawbacks. Typically, the aiming of the light is limited and not adjustable relative to the main body of the light case. Most pocket lights of this genre are limited to one specific application, such as reading books, road maps, or small documents. The vast majority of such lights cannot aim their illumination from an assortment of positions, provide angled light beam focus, and easily change light direction while free-standing, as can the inventive concept disclosed herein. 
         [0006]    (2) Description of the Related Art, Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
         [0007]    Pocket lights with clips are known in the industry. For example, a pocket light designed to fit over the top of the shirt pocket of a user is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,306,348. Many pocket lights are bulky and comprise a great many components. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,137 has two joints and a telescope arm which consists of several parts, but the device can only provide a relatively limited range of light beam directions. 
         [0008]    Other documents presenting similar products include U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,457 (Parker, 1995), disclosing a small-sized versatile-use flashlight which has a hand holdable battery housing with a cap being pivotally mounted on said housing. Within the cap is included appropriate electrical connections to supply battery power to a light bulb mounted within a light bulb housing. The light bulb housing is pivotally mounted onto the cap with the plane of the pivotal movement of the light bulb housing being perpendicular to the plane of the pivotal movement of the cap relative to the battery housing. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,528 (Vandenbelt, 1995) is an invention utilizing a neck mechanism possessing a memory effect that repeatedly returns a light-bearing neck to its original curved position when extended. The mechanism features a light-bearing neck which 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. 
         [0010]    In general, the drawback of these and other prior art lighting devices is that their designs restrict them to a single type of use or purpose, either as a flashlight, a headlight, or a reading light. Most of them are not configured to provide multi-functional application. Having a single light device with multi-functional applications can save space and money for the general consumer. 
         [0011]    As a result, a need exists for a lighting device having multi-functionality or uses, such as a flashlight, a hat light, a pocket light and a task light, which will overcome the drawbacks of the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The inventive concept disclosed is essentially a three-member pocket light device. The first member comprises a main body which is rotatingly connected to a second member comprising a lamp section, said second member further having a battery-powered lamp within, and a third member comprising a sheath. The sheath comprises an upper prong and a lower prong, mutually parallel to each other. Between the two prongs of the sheath is an opening sufficient dimension to slidingly and pivotably connect to, and encompass, the main body. When all three members are deployed and positioned within the limits of their various travel ranges, the assemblage of the first, second, and third members of the device provides a wide variety of member-relative positions, orientations, and device placements to accomplish almost any illumination coverage that a user may need. 
         [0013]    The device may be conveniently compacted into a unit having the shape of a rectangular box, with the main body and the lamp section being symmetrically enclosed between the upper and lower prongs of the sheath member. A spring-loaded clip integral to the upper prong enables a user to effectively use the pocket light by attaching it to shirt pocket, a cap brim, or other suitable object. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the pocket light with the lamp section and main body section in storage position within the prongs. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a pocket light with an integral clip showing on one side of the sheath member. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the lamp, main body section, and grommet separated from the sheath member, with the lamp section and main body section are in a semi-storage position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2A  depicts the two-pronged sheath member and its associated threaded fastener and cap. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective exploded view of a pocket light and its sheath. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3B  presents a side view of the sheath member, with the grommet being separated. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the internal components, cavities, and structure of the separated front cover, rear cover, and battery door of the main body, with the lamp shown assembled and attached to the main rear cover. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an elevation view of the present invention depicting the arc of travel rotation of the lamp section with respect to the main body and the rotation of the combined lamp section and main body section with respect to the sheath. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6A  is an elevation front view of the pocket light with the lamp section and main body partially extended from the storage position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective rear view of the pocket light with the lamp and main body section being longitudinally extended relative to the sheath. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7A  is the perspective view of the pocket light in one of the self-standing mode positions with the light standing on the footings of the sheath. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7B  is the perspective view of the pocket light in one of the self-standing mode positions. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7C  is the perspective view of the pocket light in one of the self-standing mode positions for vertical light aiming 
           [0027]      FIG. 7D  is the perspective view of the pocket light in another of the self-standing mode positions with the light standing on the two prongs of the sheath. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8A  depicts a user&#39;s shirt having a front pocket to which the pocket light is attached by means of the pocket light clip. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8B  is a perspective view of a cap wherein the pocket light is clipped onto the brim of the cap. 
           [0030]      FIG. 9A  presents a view of a user&#39;s hand holding the pocket light. 
           [0031]      FIG. 9B  illustrates a user&#39;s hand holding the pocket light with the lamp section and main body in extended position. 
           [0032]      FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of the pocket light according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention with the lamp section and main body section in storage position within the prongs. 
           [0033]      FIG. 10B  is a perspective view of a pocket light according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention with an integral clip showing on one side of the sheath member. 
           [0034]      FIG. 10C  is a perspective view of the pocket light according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention with lamp, main body section, anchors, cover plugs separated from the sheath member, with the lamp section and main body section are in a semi-storage position. 
           [0035]      FIG. 10D  depicts the two-pronged sheath member of a pocket light according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 10E  is a front view of a pocket light with built-in clip in the open position according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 10F  is a back view of a pocket light with built-in clip in the open position according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0038]    For matters of illustration and clarity of understanding, the following sections will be descriptive of the preferred embodiment of the inventive concept. An overall understanding of the general inventive concept can be acquired by viewing  FIG. 2 , which presents the main body  18  and the lamp section  15  in a stowed configuration, mated to each other. The main body  18  comprises a main front cover  30  and a main rear cover  32  and a slidable battery cover  38  fitted onto both main front and main rear covers  30 ,  32 . A rear oval channel  35  is shown constructed within the rear main cover  32 . A corresponding front cover oval channel  33  (out of view) is constructed in an exact same manner and having dimensions precisely coinciding with the rear cover oval channel  35 . 
         [0039]    Further shown in  FIG. 2  is a hollow cylindrical grommet  44 , placed upright within the rear oval channel  35 . The cross-sectional diameter of the grommet  44  is approximately equivalent to the short dimension width of the front and rear oval channels  33 ,  35 . When the main body  18  is completely assembled, the main body  18  may be moved back and forth a distance equivalent to the long dimension of the front cover oval channel  35 , and perpendicularly to the axis of the grommet  44 . The grommet  44  serves as a protective cover and a rotational means for the main body  18  about the axis of a threaded fastener  46 , shown in  FIG. 2A . The common axis of the threaded fastener  46  and the grommet  44  extend perpendicularly from the fastener guide  16 , shown in  FIG. 2A  to an integral slab nut  47  (not shown) integral to the interior surface of the upper prong  41 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  further shows the lamp section  15 , having a front lamp cover  20  and a rear lamp cover  26 . The lens  22  (out of view) of the pocket light  10  is contained within the front lamp cover  20 . The lamp section  15  and the main body  18  are releasably joined together by the pivotal union of a lamp section neck  66 ,  68  (shown in  FIG. 3A ), and main body collar  62 ,  64  (shown in  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 4 ). This union, being an element of the preferred embodiment is referred to as the “neck-collar combination” and will be explained in detail within this document. The neck-collar combination allows the lamp section  15  to be rotated within a three hundred (300) degree arc, about the extended longitudinal axis  73  of the main body  18 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 2A  illustrates the sheath  40  which is constructed so as to enclose, lengthwise, the main body  18  and the lamp section  15  between the upper prong  41  and the lower prong  42  of the sheath  40 . In a fully-stowed configuration, the con-joined main body  18  and lamp section  15  are placed lengthwise within the sheath  40 . The axis of the previously described grommet  44  is aligned with the center of a fastener guide  16  integral to the lower prong  42 . In this manner, a threaded fastener  46  is then inserted upwards through a sheath hole  49  (shown in  FIG. 3A ) co-located with the fastener guide  16  in the lower prong  42 . The threaded fastener  46  passes through the grommet  44  and is then rotatingly secured into a slab nut  47  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) which is integral to the upper prong  41  of the sheath  40 . A cap  48  is inserted into the sheath hole  49  to cover the head of the threaded fastener  46 . 
         [0042]    Once the pocket light  10  is secured within the sheath  40 , the main body  18  is enabled to rotate, in a complete 360 degree arc, about the axis of the threaded fastener  46  and the grommet  44 , and within the confines of the upper and lower prongs  41 ,  42 , as is more fully shown in  FIG. 5 . A spring-loaded clip  60  is attached to the upper prong  41  of the sheath  40  to facilitate attachment of the pocket light  10  to a person&#39;s shirt pocket, the brim of a cap, or other suitable object. 
         [0043]    A general idea of the variety of combinations of pocket light  10  orientations is depicted in  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B,  7 C, and  7 D. In  FIG. 7A , the pocket light  10  is shown deployed by means of the sheath  40  standing upright on its footings  45 , said footings out of view underneath the sheath back  43 . The main body  18  has been extended a short distance by sliding the oval channel  33 , within the sheath  40  and perpendicularly to the grommet  44  axis. Afterwards, the main body  18  is then rotated approximately 135 degrees counter clockwise about the grommet axis  74 , one end of said grommet  44  being co-axial with the circular cap  48  shown on the lower prong  42 . The lamp section  15  has been rotated 90 degrees about the main body collar axis  73 , thereby placing the lens  22  in a position to cast a beam of illumination in the direction indicated. 
         [0044]    In  FIG. 7B , the pocket light  10  is depicted in a variation of  FIG. 7A , with the main body  18  having been rotated 45 degrees in a downward direction about the grommet  44  axis as represented by the cap  48 . Further, in  FIG. 7B , the lamp section  15  has been rotated approximately 45 degrees clockwise about the main body collar axis  73 . 
         [0045]    In  FIG. 7C , the main body  18  depicted in  FIG. 7A  has been rotated counter-clockwise from right to left in  FIG. 7A  approximately 90 degrees about the axis  74  of the internal grommet  44  (the end of said axis penetrating the cap  48 ) and slide in a downward direction about the grommet  44  axis. Subsequently, the sheath  40  is rotated 90 degrees (from left to right in  FIG. 7A ) and positioned on a surface and resting on the parallel edges of the upper prong  41  and the lower prong  42 , as is shown in  FIG. 7B . 
         [0046]    In  FIG. 7D , the main body  18  depicted in  FIG. 7A  has been rotated counter-clockwise 90 degree about the grommet axis  74  and self standing on the two prongs of the sheath. Further, in  FIG. 7D , the lamp section  15  has been rotated approximately 15 degrees clockwise about the main body collar axis  73 . 
         [0047]    Views of the pocket light  10  in its stowed, or compacted configuration are presented in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B . The pocket light clip  60  shown in  FIG. 1B  is a useful feature that enables a user to actively use the pocket light  10  while affixed to a shirt S pocket of the user, as depicted in  FIG. 8A , or attached to the brim of a baseball cap C, as illustrated in  FIG. 8B . In either mode of clip-on use, the user&#39;s hands are free to perform necessary tasks while the positioning of the pocket light  10  provides illumination in the task area.  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 9B  illustrate the relative size of the pocket light in relation to a user&#39;s hand H as a handheld task light application. 
         [0048]      FIG. 3A  presents, in the first horizontal row, the components of the lamp section  15 , being a lamp front cover  20 , a lamp front cover neck  66 , a lamp section stop  70 , a lens  22 , a light source (being an LED as shown in this illustration), and the lamp rear cover  26 . 
         [0049]    The second horizontal row of  FIG. 3A  displays the main front cover  30  and its integral front cover oval channel  33 , a typical AA size battery  56 , a spring battery terminal  50 , a secondary battery terminal  52 , a primary battery terminal  54 , and a battery door  38 , which door  38  slidingly fits into a notch  57  shown in the main front cover  30 . To the right of the battery  56  is shown a control circuitry board  34  and a power switch  36 , which work in conjunction with each other to establish the on or off flow of dc current from the battery  56  to the light source  24   
         [0050]    Also depicted in the second horizontal row of  FIG. 3A  is an internal view of the main rear cover  32 , displaying the rear cover oval channel  35 , a battery compartment  58 , the main rear neck  64 , and a main body stop  72 . The sheath  40  is shown in  FIG. 3A , and  FIG. 3B , including a threaded fastener  46 , which, upon assembly of the pocket light  10 , is inserted through the sheath hole  49  and through a fastener guide  16 . The grommet  44  is thereupon placed in alignment with the slab nut  47 , and the threaded fastener  46  is rotatingly secured into the slab nut  47 . Afterwards, a cap  48  is placed into the sheath hole  49 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 4  depicts a close-up view of the internal configuration of the main front cover  30  and the main rear cover  32 . The main front cover  30  and the main rear cover  32  have matching perimetral edges, and when the covers  30 ,  32  are juxtaposed onto each other, may be latched together by cooperation of plastic tabs along the edges of both covers  30 ,  32 . The stop  70  and the lamp front neck  66  of the lamp section  15  are shown engaged with the stop  72  of the main rear cover  32 , thus forming the “neck-and-collar” combination. The interior surface of the battery door  38  is comprised of the primary battery terminal  54 , which, upon closing the battery door  38 , engages with the secondary battery terminal  52 . The secondary battery terminal  52  is wired directly to the control circuitry board  34 . A battery compartment  58  is constructed for placement of a battery as the power source which, in turn, makes contact with the spring battery terminal  50 . The spring battery terminal  50  is further soldered to the control circuitry board  34 . 
         [0052]    Wiring from the control circuitry board  34  travels through the lamp front cover neck  66  to the terminals of the light source  24  (not shown) positioned immediately under the lens  22 . A power switch  36 , which is electrically wired to the control circuitry board  34 , is used to close or open a circuit for supplying current to the light source  24 . In the preferred embodiment, as shown herein, the light source  24  is depicted as a light emitting diode (LED), however any appropriate lighting means may be used in the pocket light  10 . From the positions shown in  FIG. 4 , the main front collar  62  and the main front cover  30  will be placed securely over the lamp front cover neck  66  and the main rear cover  32 , respectively, forming a completely joined main body  18  and lamp section  15 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 5  illustrates the 360 degree uninterrupted range of rotation  13  of the main body  18  as it pivots about the grommet axis  44 , said axis co-located and aligned with the center of the cap  48 , and also co-located with the extended axis of the threaded fastener  46 .  FIG. 5  further presents the manner in which the lamp section  16  rotates in a 300 degree arc about the extended main body collar axis  73 .  FIG. 6A  presents a partially extended pocket light, while  FIG. 6B  depicts the main body  18  and lamp section  15  being fully longitudinally extended from their stored position within the sheath  40 . 
         [0054]      FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, 7 C, and  7 D as explained earlier, present four varied means of arranging the pocket light  10  in a self-standing mode, which thereby provides illumination to an area where a task requires both hands of the user to accomplish. 
         [0055]      FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B  present two means of attachment of the pocket light  10  to common articles of clothing of a user.  FIGS. 9A and 9B  present the relative size of the pocket light  10  and the relative positioning of the lamp section partially extended and fully extended from the sheath. 
         [0056]    FIGS.  10 A, 10 B, 10 C, 10 D, 10 E and  10 F represent the appearance of an alternative embodiment of pocket light  400  wherein the previously-mentioned oval channel  33 ,  35  become  433 ,  435  and is fabricated into the center portion of prong  442  and  441  of a differently-designed sheath  440 . The lamp section  415  is exactly the same as lamp section  15  of the preferred embodiment of pocket light  10  while the main body section  418  does not have oval channels as main body section  18  of the preferred embodiment. 
         [0057]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  present the alternate embodiment of pocket light  400  in its stowed, or compacted configuration. The pocket light clip  460  shown in  FIG. 10B  is a useful feature that enables a user to actively use the pocket light  400  as same as the preferred embodiment of the pocket light  10  previously discussed. The power switch  436  has similar function as power switch  36  (shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B ). 
         [0058]    The key difference between the preferred and alternate embodiment of the invention can be shown in  FIG. 10C  and  FIG. 10D .  FIG. 10C  shows the lamp section  415 , having a front lamp cover  420  and a rear lamp cover  426 . The lens of the pocket light  400  (not shown) is same as the lens  22  (shown in  FIG. 3A ). The lamp section  415  and the main body section  418  are releasably joined together by the pivotal union construction as the preferred embodiment of the present invention (shown in  FIG. 3A ). 
         [0059]      FIG. 10D  illustrates the sheath  440  which is constructed so as to enclose, lengthwise, the main body  418  and lamp section  415  between the upper prong  441  and lower prong  442  of the sheath  440 . In a fully-stowed configuration, the conjoined main body  418  and lamp section  415  are placed lengthwise within sheath  440 . The rotation axis  474  with similar function as axis  74  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) is aligned with the center of through-hole-opening  448 . In this manner, anchor  446  passes through the oval opening  433  and is inserted into the through hole opening  448 . Another anchor  446  passes through oval opening  435  and is inserted into the through hole opening  448  on the other side. Fasteners  444  are then inserted into the center of anchors  446  and keep the main body section  418  secured within the sheath  440 . 
         [0060]    Once the pocket light  400  is secured within the sheath  440 , the main body  418  is enabled to rotate, in a complete 360 degree arc, about the axis  474 , and within the confines of the upper and lower prongs  441 ,  442  as the preferred embodiment of the invention described above. The alternate embodiment of the pocket light  400  can be oriented in similar ways as the preferred embodiment of the pocket light  10  shown in  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B and  7 C. However, the alternate embodiment of the pocket light  400  cannot be deployed the same way as the pocket light  10  as shown in  FIG. 7D .  FIGS. 10E and 10F  shows one of the orientations when the alternate embodiment of the pocket light  400  deployed and rested on a level surface by the bottom section of the main body  418  and the sheath back  443 . 
         [0061]    While preferred embodiments of the present inventive concept have been shown and disclosed herein, it will be obvious to those persons skilled in the art that such embodiments are presented by way of example only, and not as a limitation to the scope of the inventive concept. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions may occur or be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and totality of this inventive concept. Such variations, changes, and substitutions may involve other features which are already known per se and which may be used instead of, in combination with, or in addition to features already disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is intended that this inventive concept be inclusive of such variations, changes, and substitutions and not limited by the scope of the claims presented herein.