Abstract:
A display tool for a light fixture comprising: a pole; a roller, the roller extending angularly from a first end of the pole and roller means being rotatable on an axis angular to the pole; a mounting means for connecting the light fixture to the roller; an actuation means, the actuation means adapted to rotate the roller; and a power source adapted to supply power to the light fixture, whereby an angle of illumination of the light fixture is adjustable by rotation of the pole and the roller.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to tools for positioning objects over a user&#39;s head, and in particular to a tool for positioning light fixtures to determine the desired location before installation.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Accent and decorative lighting is often used for illuminating the exteriors of homes or buildings. Owners and designers may wish to highlight or draw attention to a particular architectural feature or simply to decorate a pathway, porch or doorway with light. Small lights such as LEDs or halogen lights are often used for these purposes.  
         [0003]     A person who intends to install outdoor accent lights on their home for example, would like to be able to test the effect of the light in a particular location before installation rather than just guess that it will look good in that location.  
         [0004]     Moreover, the desired position of accent and decorative light fixtures is often high up on a building wall or on a roof soffit. This makes it difficult for a person to test whether the spot chosen for the light will achieve the envisioned illumination as the location is too high up to reach and because there is no power source yet installed for the fixture. Further, even if the light fixture was positioned in an above location, a person far below it would have difficulty manipulating the fixture to shine in different directions. That person would have to climb up a ladder and manually relocate or readjust the angle of the light and then climb down again to see if the light has the correct effect. Much time, energy and frustration is involved in this method as well, the safety of the person wishing to test the position of their lights is at risk.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a display tool for a light fixture for the purpose of demonstrating how the light fixture will look in a particular location prior to its installation. It is a further object of the invention to facilitate the positioning of the light fixture at various heights and at various angles. It is also an object of the invention to provide power to the light fixture subject of the display tool so that a user may see the effect of the illumination of the light in a particular location.  
         [0006]     The present invention includes a height adjustable telescopic pole with a powered light fixture attached to a rotatable cylinder at the top end. The rotatable cylinder is affixed in a perpendicular position to the telescopic pole. The light fixture is positioned such that the light is directed in a perpendicular direction to the rotatable cylinder and is aligned in the same direction as the telescopic pole.  
         [0007]     The telescopic pole can be set to various heights in order to position the light fixture vertically at a desired height. The rotatable cylinder can be rotated 360 degrees in the vertical plane by means of a guide string/wire. The telescopic pole may be rotated 360 degrees in the horizontal plane by the user. Thus by rotating the cylinder and by rotating the telescopic pole, the display tool may be adjusted such that a light that is actually on may be set at any desired angle.  
         [0008]     The light fixture is powered by a battery pack preferably affixed to the non-adjustable portion of the telescopic pole.  
         [0009]     The present invention therefore provides a display tool for a light fixture comprising: a pole; a roller, said roller extending angularly from a first end of said pole and roller means being rotatable on an axis angular to said pole; a mounting means for connecting said light fixture to said roller; an actuation means, said actuation means adapted to rotate said roller; and a power source adapted to supply power to said light fixture, whereby an angle of illumination of said light fixture is adjustable by rotation of said pole and said roller. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The present invention will be better understood with reference to the drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the positioning tool of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the actuation means of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of the present invention in use.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows the preferred embodiment.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates the components of the display tool for light fixture including a pole, which in the preferred embodiment is an extensible pole  20 . One skilled in the art will realize that other poles are possible, including non-extendable poles for certain applications, or poles with any number of telescopic portions.  
         [0016]     Extensible pole  20  has three parts in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . The first part  21  has a grip  22  for a person to grasp with one hand. The second part,  23  extends outward from the first part telescopically. The third part,  24 , extends outwards from the second part telescopically.  
         [0017]     Adjustment ring  25  is an annular ring fitted about the extensible end of the first part  21 . To allow the second part  23  to slide out from the first part  21 , adjustment ring  25  is loosened by turning in one direction (either clockwise or counterclockwise). When the second part  23  is extended the desired distance from the first part  21 , adjustment ring  25  may be tightened by turning it the opposite direction to secure the second part  23  into place.  
         [0018]     Similarly, adjustment ring  26  is an annular ring fitted about the extensible end of the second part  23 . To allow the third part  24  to slide out from the second part  23 , adjustment ring  26  is loosened by turning. When the third part  24  is extended the desired distance from the second part  23 , adjustment ring  26  may be tightened by turning it the opposite direction to secure the third part  24  into place.  
         [0019]     A hook shaped arm  60  is fixedly attached to the non-extensible end  27  of third part  24 . This hook shaped arm is bent angularly away from the non-extensible end  27 .  
         [0020]     Roller  30  is a rotatable cylinder with two capped ends. The roller  30  rotates along its long or horizontal axis. One end of roller  30  is attached to the tip of hook shaped arm  60 . The other end has a mounting means  35  for mounting a light fixture  10 . In a preferred embodiment roller  30  has a spring embedded between it and hook shaped arm  60  to return roller  30  to a starting position after roller  30  has been rotated.  
         [0021]     Mounting means  35  can be adapted to hold a variety of different light fixtures such as halogen lights, LEDs, or incandescent bulbs. LEDs are used in the preferred embodiment.  
         [0022]     Wire  55  connects at one end to light fixture  10  and at the other end connects to power source  50 . Power source  50  in the preferred embodiment is a battery pack and is located on the third part  24  of extensible pole  20 . Wire  55  preferably runs from light fixture  10  through a hole in one end of roller  30 , through the interior of roller  30  and out through a hole on the other side of roller  30 . Wire  55  is attached or even wound loosely around arm  60  and connects to power source  50 . Alternatively, wire  55  may connect directly from power source  50  to mounting means  35 .  
         [0023]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an actuation means  40  is used by a person to turn or rotate roller  30 . In the preferred embodiment the actuation means  40  comprises a cord  41  having a first end being fixedly attached to roller  30  by a tying it to roller  30 . In the preferred embodiment a screw head or a bolt attached to roller  30  is provided to tie the end of the string to roller  30 .  
         [0024]     To position a light fixture  10 , the cord  41  is pulled at its free end, the roller  30  rotates and turns light fixture  10  in up to a 360 degree radius. To right roller  30  to its original position, cord  41  is released and due to the spring in roller  30 , roller  30  returns back to its original position.  
         [0025]     A person may wish to use a reel  42  situated at grip  22  on the extensible pole  20 . The reel  42  pulls or stretches cord  41 . A lock mechanism  44  is used to hold or fasten the cord  41  in place once the desired rotation of roller  30  is achieved. This allows the user to have his or her hands free to hold and manoeuver the extensible pole  20  and not have to hold onto the cord end. Upon releasing the lock mechanism  44  and thereby the cord  41  from its locked position, the cord  41  returns to its original position based on the spring in roller  30 , likewise returning light fixture  10  to its rest position.  
         [0026]     A person skilled in the art will realize that the actuation means may take other forms. For example, roller  30  may have to cords attached to it to, one to rotate the roller in either direction.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a person who pulls on cord  41  with one hand can manipulate light fixture  10  by rotating roller  30 . By rotating extensible pole  20  the person can manipulate light fixture  10  up to 360 degrees in the plane perpendicular to extensible pole  20 . By rotating roller  30 , the person can manipulate light fixture  10  up to 360 degrees in the plane perpendicular to roller  30 . The person can also tilt extensible pole  20  angularly. With all of these possibilities of adjustment, the angle of illumination of light fixture  10  is adjustable to any angle by rotation and tilting of extensible pole  20  and by rotation of roller  30 .  
         [0028]     The versatility of the present invention is only limited by a user&#39;s imagination and other configurations would be evident to a skilled person.  
         [0029]     The above described embodiments of the present invention are meant to be illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications, which would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. The only limitation to the scope of the present invention are set out in the following claims.