Abstract:
The add-on illumination device provides a means of consistent, bright illumination to the viewing area of a collapsible (or folding) magnifier. This invention is easily inserted into the magnifier&#39;s lens storage compartment. Its lamps are situated under the edge of the magnifier&#39;s lens and are aimed at the magnifier&#39;s viewing area. The add-on illumination device dramatically improves the visibility of anything being viewed under the magnifier.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable  
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     This invention relates generally to illuminating devices, specifically to an add-on illumination device for existing collapsible magnifiers.  
         [0005]     Many common handheld collapsible magnifiers (also called loupes) such as those used in the printing industry, or by jewelers, do not have their own source of illumination. This results in a user being unable to clearly see magnified detail when necessary. These magnifiers have a long-standing need of a source of illumination that would provide consistent, bright light in close proximity to the object or image being viewed. An add-on illumination device attached to the magnifier would solve that need. Such a device has not previously existed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The add-on illumination device provides a means of consistent, bright illumination to the viewing area of a collapsible (or folding) magnifier. Many common collapsible magnifiers have three parts: A hinged lens support frame, a hinged lid, and a body with a hollow storage compartment. The hollow storage compartment is used to store the lens and its supporting frame when the magnifier is in the collapsed position. The lens storage compartment is put to better use by holding the add-on illumination device. The illumination device is easily inserted into the magnifier&#39;s lens storage compartment. The illumination device&#39;s illumination sources are situated under the edge of the magnifier&#39;s lens. The illumination sources are aimed at the object or image under the lens. The add-on illumination device dramatically improves the visibility of anything being viewed under the magnifier. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1   a  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the add-on illumination device for magnifiers.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1   b  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the illumination device.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the illumination device with the batteries removed.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the illumination device with the batteries installed.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a view of the bottom side of the illumination device.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a common collapsible magnifier with its lens and lens support frame in the opened position, that is, with the lens outside of the storage compartment and the lid closed. The collapsible magnifier is not part of the Add-on Illumination Device invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the illumination device being installed into a collapsible magnifier that has its lid opened.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a view of the illumination device installed into a collapsible magnifier.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a cut-away view from the top of the illumination device showing the internal parts and wiring.  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the electronic circuitry in the illumination device.  
     
    
     DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS  
       [0000]    
       
           10  invention: add-on illumination device  
           12  base  
           14  central enclosure or housing  
           16   a  left side extension  
           16   b  right side extension  
           18   a  left front extension  
           18   b  right front extension  
           20   a  left lamp holder  
           20   b  right lamp holder  
           22   a  left illumination source  
           22   b  right illumination source  
           24  battery holder  
           26  upper battery contact  
           28  lower battery contact  
           30   a  battery  
           30   b  battery  
           30   c  battery  
           32  switch  
           34  resistor  
           36  wire  
           38  wire  
           40  wire  
           42  wire  
           48  wire  
           50  magnifier  
           52  magnifier lens  
           54  lens support frame  
           56  magnifier body  
           58  lens storage compartment  
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0046]     According to the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIGS. 1   a ,  3 ,  4 ,  6 , and  7 :  
         [0047]      FIG. 1   a  shows an elevational view of add-on illumination device  10 . A base  12  is attached to a battery holder  24 . Battery holder  24  is attached to a central enclosure or housing  14 . Housing  14  holds a switch  32 . Housing  14  is attached to side extensions  16   a  and  16   b . Side extensions  16   a  and  16   b  are attached to front extensions  18   a  and  18   b  respectively. Front extensions  18   a  and  18   b  are attached to lamp holders  20   a  and  20   b  respectively. Lamp holders  20   a  and  20   b  hold illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b  respectively. Illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b  are white Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). The size of the LEDs is a common size of about three to five millimeters in diameter. Add-on illumination device  10  directs emitted light from illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b  toward the viewing area of a magnifier  50 . Switch  32  is a push-button momentary type switch, which when pressed, energizes the circuit and lights illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b . When switch  32  is not pressed, the circuit is not energized, so illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b  are not lit. Base  12 , housing  14 , side extensions  16   a  and  16   b , front extensions  18   a  and  18   b , lamp holders  20   a  and  20   b , and battery holder  24  are a semi-rigid non-electrically conductive plastic such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, or such semi-rigid plastic/plastic-alloy.  
         [0048]      FIGS. 2 and 3  best show how “coin-cell” type batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  are used in add-on illumination device  10 . An upper battery contact  26  and a lower battery contact  28  make an electrical connection to batteries  30   a  and  30   c  respectively. Batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  are electrically connected in series by being stacked together in battery holder  24 . The three batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  are preferably size CR2032.  
         [0049]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show how the bottom side of add-on illumination device  10 , with base  12  and battery holder  24 , is shaped and sized to fit into lens storage compartment  58 .  
         [0050]      FIG. 6  shows how add-on illumination device  10  is inserted into lens storage compartment  58  inside magnifier  50  while illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b  are slid past lens  52 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 7  shows magnifier  50  with add-on illumination device  10  installed. Lamp holders  20   a  and  20   b  are angled to direct light from illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b  toward the object being viewed under magnifier  50 .  
         [0052]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show the wiring of add-on illumination device  10 . Batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c , each supplying about 3 volts are connected in series to provide about 9 volts to the electrical circuit. Batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  must all be oriented the same way so that they provide a sum of their respective voltages in the circuit. Batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  must also be oriented so that their positive side connects to the positive side of illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b , and the negative side of batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  connects to the negative side of illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b . The uppermost battery  30   a  is electrically connected to upper battery contact  26 . Upper battery contact  26  is electrically connected to one terminal of switch  32  by means of a wire  48 . The second terminal of switch  32  is electrically connected to one lead of a resistor  34  by means of a wire  36 . Resistor  34  is used in the electrical circuit to limit the amperage of the circuit to within the tolerances of illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b . Resistor  34  has a resistance value of about ninety ohms and a wattage rating of about one-eighth watt. The second lead of resistor  34  is electrically connected to one lead of illumination source  22   a  by means of a wire  38 . The second lead of illumination source  22   a  is electrically connected to one lead of illumination source  22   b  by means of a wire  40 . The second lead of illumination source  22   b  is electrically connected to lower battery contact  28  by means of a wire  42 .  
       ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT  
       [0053]      FIG. 1   b  shows an elevational view of an alternative embodiment of add-on illumination device  10 . A single illumination source  22   a  is used instead of two. As  FIG. 1   b  shows, side extension  16   b , front extension  18   b , and lamp holder  20   b  are omitted. Resistor  34  (shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 ) has a resistance value of about two hundred and seventy ohms. Since one illumination source  22   b  is omitted, wires  40  and  42  are electrically connected as a single wire. This embodiment with only one illumination source  22   a  can be made with two batteries  30   a  and  30   b  instead of three batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c . With two batteries  30   a  and  30   b , the resistor  34  has a resistance value of about one hundred and twenty ohms.  
       ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENTS  
       [0054]     Illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b : Colored LEDs, miniature incandescent light bulbs, or other types of illumination sources may be used instead of white LEDs. Switch  32  can be a push-on/push-off type switch or a slide type switch. Either type would enable hands-free use of add-on illumination device  10 . Batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  can be a size other than CR2032 as long as space allows, and they are able to supply a sufficient amount of electrical energy to illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b . The number of batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c  may be more or less in quantity than the preferred embodiment depending on the voltage supplied by the batteries  30   a ,  30   b , and  30   c , the voltage requirements of illumination sources  22   a  and  22   b , and the number of illumination sources used.  
         [0000]     Operation of the Invention:  
         [0055]     After a simple one-step installation as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the add-on illumination device  10  is ready for use at any time. Magnifier  50  is placed over the object or image to be viewed. The user pushes switch  32  with a finger or thumb to energize add-on illumination device  10 , creating a flood of bright light on the object or image under the lens  52  of magnifier  50 .  
       CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE OF INVENTION  
       [0056]     Thus the reader will see that the add-on illumination device is extremely easy to install and use, and it provides an excellent source of illumination to a magnified image or object. Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to the various embodiments, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the description of the embodiments illustrated but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.