Patent Publication Number: US-9431779-B1

Title: Extension cord light source

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     NA 
     REFERENCE TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     NA 
     REFERENCE TO JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENTS 
     NA 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING 
     NA 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to lighting devices, and, more particularly, relates to the lighting devices that are portable, and, in greater particularity, relates to lighting devices that are attached or attachable to extension cords. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Portable lighting devices and extension cords are a necessity in construction work whether at home or in a commercial setting. The power to a particular area may be disconnected to outlets for various reasons and thus the extension cord is necessary as well as a portable light source such as with a drop light. As a result, there may be numerous cords on the floor presenting a tripping hazard or even an electrical hazard. 
     Extension cords come in a wide variety of sizes from a simple lamp cord having two wires to heavy duty commercial cords with three wires. The wire gauge changes to support different loads. There may be multiple outlets and the covering may be thicker to prevent cutting, cracking, or even burning. U.S. Patent Application 2006/0039136 discloses an electrical cord with a male plug with a forward pointing light source having an independent power source and a switching means therein. Further there are female plugs having a pilot light therein for indicating power. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,927 discloses a conventional drop light having a conventional incandescent light bulb in a housing with a switch. A partial hood is attached to the base of the light with a hinged gate guard. A hook at the top allows the light to be placed where appropriate. U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,153 discloses a hand-held fluorescent lamp with a female outlet in the handle. Design Pat. 298,657 discloses a lamp with an extending cord with a male plug for attachment to an extension cord and a female plug for additional extension cords thereon. The use of LEDs instead of fluorescent lamps or incandescent lamps is used on numerous lighting sources from desktop lamps to operating room lighting devices such as shown in U.S. Patent Application 2013/0258661 or U.S. Pat. No. 7,387,403. LED dimmer switches and lighting with LEDs is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,593,079 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,387,403. These patent references are incorporated by reference. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a lighting device that cooperates with extension cords. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a light source that cooperates with an extension cord or other power sources to minimize cords and/or cables. 
     An extension cord light source provides a source of light without additional cords or light units. A light source is attached or is attachable to the end of an extension cord. The light source may be bulb shaped source having multiple LEDs therein and enclosed in clear plastic housing and allows for multi-directional light beams. The LEDs are connected to a switch with multiple positions for controlling the amount of light. The extension cord lines pass through the bulb and into an outlet being at least one female plug. This combination thus eliminates the need for a drop light when an extension cord is required. A removable hood/shade may be also attached to the bulb to prevent unnecessary light. A pilot lamp is included in the bulb to indicate that the power is present and also provides a minimal light source until the bulb is activated. The bulb may have a male plug therein that will accept the female plug of a conventional extension cord and thus the light source can be removed if unnecessary and/or placed in another location. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide light source for use with an extension cord. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide the light source that uses multiple LEDs for use with an extension cord. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide the light source that uses LEDs and can be removed from an extension cord and be connected to other power sources. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide the light source that has a manually adjustable light source. 
     A yet still further object is to provide the light source that can be attached to a light fixture such as a lamp or another power source. 
     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates by side view an extension cord light source of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates by a front end view the extension cord light source of  FIG. 1  showing a female outlet; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates by a front end view the extension cord light source of  FIG. 2  having a reflecting rotatable hood thereon; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates by a cross sectional view the internal arrangement of the extension cord light source having a removable female plug on the extension cord; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates by a cross sectional view the internal arrangement of the extension cord light source without female plug on the extension cord of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates extension cord light source plugged into an adapter that can be screwed into a ceiling light outlet; and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates various shapes for the housing of the light source. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a light source that cooperates with an extension cord or other power sources to minimize cords and/or cables, and provides maximum utility. 
     In general, an extension cord light source provides a source of light without additional cords or light units. A light source is attached or attachable to the end of an extension cord. The light source may be a light bulb-shaped source having multiple LEDs therein. Clear plastic encloses the devices therein and allows for multi-directional light beams. The LEDs are connected to a switch with multiple positions for controlling the amount of light or just an on-off switch. The extension cord lines can pass through the bulb and into an outlet being a female plug. This combination thus eliminates the need for a drop light. A removable shade may also be attached to the bulb to prevent unnecessary light. A pilot lamp is included in the bulb to indicate that the power is present and also provides a minimal light source until the bulb is activated. The bulb may have a male plug therein that will accept the female plug of a conventional extension cord and thus the light source can be removed if unnecessary. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an improved extension cord light source  10  is shown. An extension cord  12  has a first end  14 , not shown, with a male plug thereon and a second end  16  with a female plug as shown herein. The male plug is adapted to plug into a source of power, not shown. The extension cord  12  may have three wires therein, one being for power  22 , one being a common  24 , and one being a ground  26 . An LED light source  26  is connected to the second end  16  of the extension cord  12  and may be a bulb-shaped light source  28  having a plurality of light devices such as LEDs  30  or the like therein. The bulb-shaped light source has a housing  32  substantially composed a durable clear plastic material. The LEDs  30  can be arranged therein to maximize light out. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the LEDs  30  number  12  with  4  in each plane and separated by 90 degrees. The LEDs are pointing axially, but can also point radially with respect to the cord second end  16 . The connected wires are not shown, but are considered conventional and have electrical means for connecting within the light source  26  the plurality of LED light devices  30  to a source of power therein and to a switch  40 . At least one female power outlet  34  is connected to the source of power through the wires. 
       FIG. 2  shows a front end with the female power outlet  34  as well as the LEDs  30  embedded in clear durable plastic with a particular arrangement, that is only representative of a unique arrangement because many different arrangements are possible within the scope of the invention.  FIG. 3  shows the bulb shaped housing  28  with a partial shade/hood  36  that may be rotated about the bulb shaped housing  28  so that the intense light from some of the LEDs  30  may be blocked. Further the shade  36  may have a reflective surface  62  on the inside of the shade  36  and by designing the hood  36  to be just over 180 degrees it may be snapped on and also removed as needed. 
       FIG. 4  shows an embodiment 42 showing partial wiring from the LEDs  30  to a sliding switch that may have three positions, off, low and high, or even be a dimmer switch, not shown, to adjust the light to a particular level. An alternative LED positioning is shown by LEDs  48  being mounted radially. The housing  32  has a male plug outlet  50  embedded therein with the female outlet  52  removably attached the male pins  54  and the outlet  52  attached to the second end  16  of the cord  12 . The female outlet  52  may be fully mounted within the outlet  48 . Additionally to the LEDs  30 / 48 , a pilot light  56  may be included to indicate power on to the light source  10 . The necessary electronics and wiring may be included in an electrical section  58  and is considered to be conventional. One or more female outlets may be included in the housing  32 .  FIG. 5  shows a similar source light  60  as  FIG. 4  except the cord end  16  is attached directly into the electrical section  58  thus making the light source  60  dedicated to one particular extension cord  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a bulb shaped light source  70  wherein a male plug  72  has pins  74  extending beyond said housing  76  such that the light source  70  is adapted to be plugged into a wall outlet or another extension cord or any outlet or an adapter  78  that can be screwed into a lamp  80  such as may be used in construction and hanging from ceilings. 
     As an additional benefit one or more of the LEDs  82  may be used to illuminate a logo or company name “ABC” or such on the outside of the housing  32 .  FIG. 7  illustrates only a few of the possible different shapes of housings  32 ,  70 ,  72 , and  74 . Each of these housing may have the features discussed above. Further, housing  74  illustrates multiple female outlets  76 , one per side, although these may also be on the bulb-shaped housing. 
     Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.