Patent Publication Number: US-2007117534-A1

Title: Combination measurement device and lamp

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 094140808, filed on Nov. 21, 2005.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates to a measurement device and a lamp for a bicycle, and more particularly to a combination measurement device and lamp.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      A conventional bicycle may be mounted with a lamp on a handle unit for purposes of illumination or to alert the others of the bicycle rider&#39;s presence. A measurement device, such as a stopwatch or a speedometer/odometer for measuring respectively the lapsed time and the distance traveled by the bicycle may also be mounted on the bicycle. When a bicycle is mounted with both a lamp and a measurement device, however, the following drawbacks are encountered: 
          (1) A process for mounting such separate members to the bicycle is troublesome.     (2) The lamp and the measurement device are disposed fixedly on a frame of the bicycle, and therefore cannot be removed from the frame for other utilizations.        

     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The object of this invention is to provide a combination measurement device and lamp that can be mounted to a handle unit of a bicycle and that can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages associated with the prior art.  
      According to this invention, a combination measurement device and lamp includes a housing unit, a measurement device unit, a light source unit, and a power source unit. The measurement device unit is disposed in the housing unit and in proximity to an upper side surface of the housing unit, and includes a measurement body having a display face visible through a window in the housing unit. The light source unit is attached to and disposed in front of the housing unit. The power source unit is disposed within the housing unit, and is coupled electrically to the light source unit. A support is connected removably to a lower side surface of the housing unit. In one embodiment, the support has a configuration that can be connected removably to a handgrip of a bicycle. As such, the combination measurement device and lamp can be mounted to the bicycle with ease by simply assembling the support to the bicycle. Furthermore, the combination measurement device and lamp can be removed from the bicycle for other utilizations, e.g., as a desk lamp on a desk. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a combination measurement device and lamp according to this invention, in which a support is removed;  
       FIG. 2  is a fragmentary top view of the first preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary bottom view of the first preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 4  is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment when a light source unit is disposed in a normal position;  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic side view of the first preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating a first position of the light source unit;  
       FIG. 7  is a fragmentary sectional view of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating a second position of the light source unit;  
       FIG. 8  is a fragmentary side view of the second preferred embodiment of a combination measurement device and lamp according to this invention, illustrating a first modified support;  
       FIG. 9  is a fragmentary side view of the third preferred embodiment of a combination measurement device and lamp according to this invention, illustrating a second modified support;  
       FIG. 10  is a fragmentary side view of the fourth preferred embodiment of a combination measurement device and lamp according to this invention, illustrating a third modified support; and  
       FIG. 11  is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the fifth preferred embodiment of a combination measurement device and lamp according to this invention, illustrating a modified light source unit. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Before the present invention is described in greater detail in connection with the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that similar elements and structures are designated by like reference numerals throughout the entire disclosure.  
      Referring to FIGS.  1  to  5 , the first preferred embodiment of a combination measurement device and lamp according to this invention includes an operation assembly  100  and a support  200 .  
      The operation assembly  100  includes a housing unit  10 , a measurement device  20  configured as a stopwatch, a light source unit  30 , and a power source unit  40 .  
      The housing unit  10  has upper and lower side surfaces  11 ,  12 , front and rear end portions  13 ,  14 , and a connecting portion  15  disposed on the lower side surface  12 . The upper side surface  11  is formed with a window  111 . In this embodiment, the housing unit  10  includes upper and lower housing halves  16 ,  17  that are interconnected fixedly. The upper housing half  16  has a top surface constituting the upper side surface  11  of the housing unit  10 . The lower housing half  17  has a bottom surface constituting the lower side surface  12  of the housing unit  10 . The housing unit  10  further includes a control knob unit  18  disposed on the rear end portion  14  thereof. The control knob unit  18  includes a pair of first and second control knobs  181 ,  182 .  
      The connecting portion  15  is formed with two parallel slots  151  each having an open end at the rear end portion  14 .  
      The upper housing half  16  includes a primary housing portion  161 , an auxiliary housing portion  162 , and a transparent panel  163 . The auxiliary housing portion  162  is connected fixedly to the primary housing portion  161  so as to define an accommodating space  1611  therebetween. The window  111  is formed in the auxiliary housing portion  162 , and is in spatial communication with the accommodating space  1611 . The transparent panel  163  is disposed fixedly within the window  111 .  
      The primary housing portion  161  of the upper housing portion  16  includes a pair of left and right pivot arms  164 ,  165  that extend forwardly from two opposite sides thereof. The lower housing  17  also includes a pair of left and right pivot arms  171 ,  172  that extend forwardly from two opposite sides thereof and that are aligned respectively with the left and right pivot arms  164 ,  165  of the primary housing portion  161 . Each of the left and right pivot arms  164 ,  165 ,  171 ,  172  has an inner side surface that is formed with a plurality of semispherical grooves  1641 ,  1651 ,  1711 ,  1721  arranged along a semicircle. The left pivot arms  164 ,  171  cooperate to define a pivot hole. The right pivot arms  165 ,  172  also cooperate to define a pivot hole.  
      The measurement device  20  includes a measurement body  21 , an operation key  22 , and an annular pad  23 . The measurement body  21  is disposed within the accommodating space  1611  in the housing unit  10  and in proximity to the upper side surface  11  of the housing unit  10 , and has a display face  211  visible through the transparent panel  163  disposed in the window  111  in the housing unit  10 . The operation key  22  is disposed on the transparent panel  163 , and is operable to contact the measurement body  21 . The annular pad  23  is disposed between the measurement body  21  and the transparent panel  163 , and has an opening  231  aligned with the display face  211  of the measurement body  21 . Alternatively, the measurement device  20  may be a speedometer or a calorimeter.  
      The light source unit  30  is disposed pivotally between the left and right pivot arms  164 ,  165 ,  171 ,  172  of each of the upper and lower housing halves  16 ,  17 , and includes a pair of transparent front and rear light shades  31 ,  32 , a reflection plate  33 , a circuit board  34 , a plurality of first lamps  35 , and a plurality of second lamps  36 . The rear light shade  32  is disposed behind and connected fixedly to the front light shade  31 , and is disposed pivotally between the left and right pivot arms  164 ,  165 ,  171 ,  172  of the upper and lower housing halves  16 ,  17 . In this embodiment, the rear light shade  32  has two opposite side surfaces each formed with a pivot pin element  320 ′ and a plurality of semispherical projections  321  disposed around the pivot pin element  320 ′ and arranged along a circle. The pivot holes defined by the upper and lower housing halves  16 ,  17  engage respectively the pivot pin elements  320 ′ of the rear light shade  32 . The projections  321  of the rear light shade  32  engage respectively the grooves  1641 ,  1651 ,  1711 ,  1721  in the left and right pivot arms  164 ,  165 ,  171 ,  172  of the housing unit  10 . As such, an indexed rotation of the light source unit  30  can be performed. In this embodiment, the light source unit  30  is rotatable by 45° at a time. As such, the light source unit  30  is rotatable relative to the housing unit  10  from the normal position shown in  FIG. 4  to a first position shown in  FIG. 6  whereat the first lamps  35  direct light upwardly, and to a second position shown in  FIG. 7  whereat the first lamps  35  direct light downwardly. The reflection plate  33  is disposed between the front and rear light shades  31 ,  32 . The circuit board  34  is disposed between the reflection plate  33  and the rear light shade  32 . The first lamps  35  are disposed between the front light shade  31  and the reflection plate  33 , and are in electrical connection with the circuit board  34 . The second lamps  36  are disposed between the rear light shade  32  and the reflection plate  33 , and are in electrical connection with the circuit board  34 . In this embodiment, the first lamps  35  are configured as white light-emitting diodes, and the second lamps  36  are configured as red light-emitting diodes. The first control knob  181  of the control knob unit  18  is operable to activate the first lamps  35 . The second control knob  182  of the control knob unit  18  is operable to activate the second lamps  36 .  
      The power source unit  40  is disposed within the housing unit  10 , and is coupled electrically to the circuit board  34  of the light source unit  30 . The power source unit  40  includes a battery seat  41  disposed between the upper and lower housing halves  16 ,  17 , a circuit board  42  disposed on the battery seat  41 , a rechargeable battery set  43  disposed within the battery seat  41  and coupled electrically to the circuit board  42 , and two charging plates  44  fastened to the lower housing half  17 . The first and second control knobs  181 ,  182  can be operated to contact the circuit board  42 . Each of the charging plates  44  has an electrode  441  that extends outwardly of the housing unit  10  via the corresponding slot  151 .  
      The support  200  includes a connecting portion  230 , a upright threaded rod  240 , a C-shaped retaining ring  250 , and a knob  220 . The connecting portion  230  is formed with an integral dovetail tongue (not shown) fitted within a dovetail groove  173  (see  FIG. 3 ) in the housing unit  10 , and a positioning recess (not shown) engaging a positioning protrusion  174  (see  FIG. 3 ) so as to prevent removal of the dovetail tongue from the dovetail groove  173 . The positioning protrusion  174  can be removed forcibly from the positioning recess. As such, the connecting portion  230  is connected removably to the lower side surface  12  of the housing unit  10 . The threaded rod  240  has an upper end journalled on the connecting portion  230 , as well as a pair of left-hand and right hand-threaded portions  241 ,  242 . The C-shaped retaining ring  250  has two ends  250 ′ formed with threaded holes  251 ,  252  engaging respectively the left-hand and right-hand threaded portions  241 ,  242 . When the threaded rod  240  is rotated in a direction, the ends  250 ′ of the C-shaped ring  250  move toward each other. When the threaded rod  240  is rotated in an opposite direction, the ends  250 ′ of the C-shaped retaining ring  250  move away from each other. The knob  220  is connected fixedly to a lower end of the threaded rod  240 , and is operable so as to sleeve the C-shaped retaining ring  250  fixedly on a bicycle (not shown), that is, on a handgrip of a handle unit of the bicycle.  
      As such, the combination measurement device and lamp of this invention can be mounted to the bicycle with ease by simply assembling the support  200  to the bicycle. Furthermore, the combination measurement device and lamp can be removed from the bicycle for other utilizations, e.g., as a desk lamp on a desk.  
       FIG. 8  shows a first modified support  300  that is configured as a charging seat for charging the battery seat  43  (see  FIG. 1 ) when the connecting portion  15  of the operating assembly  100  is connected removably to a connecting portion  320  of the support  300 .  
       FIG. 9  shows a second modified support  400  that includes a supporting body  410 , a connecting portion  420  connected fixedly to the supporting body  410  and connected removably to the connecting portion  15  of the operation assembly  100 , and a suction cup  430  fastened to the supporting body  410  for attachment to a smooth surface.  
       FIG. 10  shows a third modified support  500  that includes a supporting body  510 , a connecting portion  520  connected fixedly to the supporting body  510  and connected removably to the connecting portion  15  of the operation assembly  100 , and a clamp portion  530  fastened to the supporting body  510 . The clamp portion  530  can be fastened to a pocket on a pair of pants, a belt, etc.  
       FIG. 11  shows a modified light source unit  30 , which is similar in construction to the first preferred embodiment except that the second lamps  36  are replaced with a buzzer  50 . In this embodiment, the second control knob  182  can be operated so as to control operation of the buzzer  50 .  
      With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only as indicated by the appended claims.