Patent Publication Number: US-9885465-B2

Title: Illumination devices

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Illumination devices may be used in the medical and dental fields to illuminate an area of interest. Illumination devices may be coupled to surgical loupes, dental loupes, masks, and other equipment or articles worn on the face or head. 
     Illumination devices having a light worn on the face or head may use a battery which is attached at the waist or other lower part of the body. These illumination devices use wires which extend between the light and the battery. These wires are long enough to become entangled in other equipment, detach from the light and/or battery, or render askew eyewear or other equipment worn on the face or head. 
     Illumination devices having a light and a battery may use connectors which require manual alignment and coupling. This manual alignment may be difficult to perform with gloves, in poorly lit conditions, or in areas that cannot be viewed directly by a user. 
     What is needed is an illumination device which does not require the use of wires extending from the face or head to the lower body. What is needed is an illumination device with connectors which reduce the need for manual alignment and coupling. 
     SUMMARY 
     Illumination devices are described. In one embodiment, an illumination device comprises a light configured to be coupled to a head of a user. The light may include a light connector. The illumination device also comprises a battery configured to be coupled to the light. The battery may include a battery connector. The illumination device also comprises a battery coupling device coupled to the battery. The battery coupling device may be configured to couple the battery to a body part of a user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A-1C  show one embodiment of an illumination device  1000 . 
         FIGS. 2A-2B  show other embodiments of an illumination device  1000  and a battery coupling device  1300 . 
         FIGS. 3A-3B  show embodiments of a light connector  1120  and a battery connector  1220 . 
         FIGS. 4A-4C  show another embodiment of a battery housing  1210  with a battery connector  1220 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1A-1C  show one embodiment of an illumination device  1000 .  FIG. 1A  shows a side view of illumination device  1000 .  FIG. 1B  shows a front view of illumination device  1000 .  FIG. 1C  shows a top view of illumination device  1000 . 
     Illumination device  1000  may include a light  1100 , a battery  1200 , and a battery coupling device  1300 . 
     Light  1100  may be configured to be coupled to eyewear, such as a surgical loupe or a dental loupe. Alternatively, light  1100  may be configured to be coupled to a mask, headwear, or any other article worn on the face or head. Light  1100  may include a light housing  1110 . Light  1100  may include a light connector  1120 . Light  1100  may include a light connector  1120 . Light connector  1120  may include a magnetic connector  1121 . Alternatively, light connector  1120  may include a mechanical connector such as a male or female jack, or any other suitable connector. Light  1100  may include a light wire  1130 . Light connector  1120  may be coupled to an end  1131  of light wire  1130 . Alternatively, light connector  1120  may be part of light housing  1110 . Light wire  1130  may be coupled to eyewear by one or more clips  1132 . Light connector  1120  and light wire  1130  may be configured to include one or more electrical couplings. 
     Battery  1200  is configured to be coupled to light  1100 . Battery  1200  may include an alkaline, nickel metal hydride, lithium ion, or any other suitable battery. Alternatively, battery  1200  may include any suitable power source. Battery  1200  may include a battery housing  1210 . Battery  1200  may include a battery connector  1220 . Battery connector  1220  may include a magnetic connector  1221 . Alternatively, battery connector  1220  may include a mechanical connector such as a male or female jack, or any other suitable connector. Battery connector  1220  may be configured to be coupled to light connector  1120 . Battery  1200  may include a battery wire  1230 . Battery connector  1220  may be coupled to an end  1231  of battery wire  1230 . Battery connector  1220  and battery wire  1230  may be configured to include one or more electrical couplings. 
     Battery coupling device  1300  is configured to be coupled to battery  1200 . Battery coupling device  1300  may be separate from battery  1200 , or formed integrally with battery  1200 . Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to be coupled to a user, such as the head, neck, or any other body part of a user. Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured so that it does not fully encircle a body part of a user. Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to grip or hold opposite sides of a body part of a user, such as opposite sides of a head of a user or opposite sides of a neck of a user, with sufficient force to keep battery  1200  in position, yet still be removable without the need for undoing any kind of fastener. This may facilitate the wearing and removal of battery coupling device  1300  by a user, including facilitating the wearing and/or removal by using only one hand. Alternatively, battery coupling device  1300  may fully encircle a body part of a user. 
     Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to wrap around a back of a body part of a user, such as a back of a head of a user or a back of a neck of a user. Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to position or hold battery  1200  in a vicinity of an anterior portion or back part of a body part of a user, such as behind a head of a user or behind a neck of a user. This helps to keep battery  1200  out of the way when in use, and may act as a counterbalance to light  1100 . 
     Alternatively, battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to wrap around a top of a body part of a user, such as a top of a head of a user, or any other portion of a body part of a user. Alternatively, battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to position or hold battery  1200  in a vicinity of a superior portion of a body part of a user, such as on top of a head of a user, or any other portion of a body part of a user, such as a side of a head of a user. 
     Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to fit over the ears of a user. Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to hook the ears of a user, such as over the outer ears of a user or into the inner ears of a user. This may help battery coupling device  1300  to be more securely coupled to a user. 
     In one embodiment, battery coupling device  1300  may include one or more arms  1310 . Arms  1310  may be configured to be coupled to battery  1200 . Arms  1310  may be configured to grip and hold opposite sides of a head of a user with sufficient force to keep battery  1200  in position behind a head of a user, yet still be removable without the need for undoing any kind of fastener. Arms  1310  may extend from battery  1200  to wrap around a back part of a head of a user. Arms  1310  may include arm ends  1311  at or near the sides of a head of a user, such as above the ears of a user. Arms  1310  may be curved or arcuate. Arms  1310  may be shaped to conform to a body part of a user, such as a head of a user or a neck of a user. Arms  1310  may come in different sizes to fit different users, and with varying grip or hold forces. Arms  1310  may be made of metal, plastic, wood, or any other suitable material. Arms  1310  may be flexible and bendable, with the gripping force provided by the arms  1310  themselves. Alternatively, arms  1310  may be rigid, with the gripping force provided by a spring or other device coupled to the arms. 
     Battery connectors  1220  may be coupled at or near one or more arm ends  1311 . Battery connectors  1220  may be formed separately or integrally with arm ends  1311 . Arms  1310  may be coupled to eyewear by one or more clips  1312 . Clips  1312  are optional, and may at least partially hold in place or stabilize arms  1310 . Battery wires  1230  may be coupled to run along the outside of arms  1310 , or may be coupled to run at least partially inside arms  1310 . Light wires  1130  may be configured to be long enough so that light connectors  1120  reach and may be coupled with battery connectors  1220 . 
       FIG. 2A  shows another embodiment of an illumination device  1000  and a battery coupling device  1300 . Battery coupling device  1300  may be configured to be coupled to an item worn by a user, such as a shirt, shirt collar, hat, or other article of clothing. Battery coupling device  1300  may include a clip  1320 . Clip  1320  may be configured to be secured to an item worn by a user, such as a shirt or shirt collar. Clip  1320  may be configured to secured to hair of a user. 
       FIG. 2B  shows another embodiment of an illumination device  1000  and a battery coupling device  1300 . Battery coupling device  1300  may include a button coupling  1330 . Button coupling  1330  may be configured to be coupled to a button on an article of clothing worn by a user. Button coupling  1330  may include a piece of fabric with one or more buttonholes configured to be coupled to a button. Button coupling  1330  may include one or more loops of string configured to be coupled to a button. Button coupling  1330  may include a piece of string with a loose end, configured to be wrapped one or more times around a button. Button coupling  1330  may be configured to be coupled to an article of clothing that includes include one or more buttons configured to be coupled to button coupling  1330 . For example, a shirt may include one or more buttons located in a vicinity of a back of a collar, an upper back portion, or any other part of the shirt where a user desires to couple battery  1200 . 
       FIGS. 3A-3B  show embodiments of light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220 . Light connector  1120  may include a magnetic connector  1121 . Battery connector  1220  may include a magnetic connector  1221 . Magnetic connectors  1121  and  1221  may be coupled tip-to-tip as shown in  FIG. 3A , in an overlapping configuration as shown in  FIG. 3B , or any other suitable fashion. Magnetic connectors  1121  and  1221  may be configured to couple to each other when brought in proximity with each other. One or both magnetic connectors  1121  and  1221  may include magnets and/or ferromagnetic materials which generate sufficient magnetic attraction to attract and couple to each other when brought in proximity or contact with each other. 
     In use, when light  1100  is worn by a user, and battery  1200  and battery coupling device  1300  are also worn, magnetic connectors  1121  of light  1100  are brought into proximity with magnetic connectors  1221  of battery  1200 , and magnetic connectors  1121  and magnetic connectors  1221  attract each other and become coupled to each other. This may be accompanied by an audible and/or tactile feedback such as a click or a snap. The use of magnetic connectors  1121  and  1221  may facilitate the coupling of light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220  by reducing the need for manual alignment and/or coupling, especially in areas that cannot be visualized directly by a user, such as the sides of the head. The use of magnetic connectors  1121  and  1221  may allow the coupling of light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220  without being able to see light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220 , in a “blind” fashion. 
     The use of light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220  allows the eyewear, mask, or headwear to be changed without removing battery  1200 . The use of light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220  allows the option of using other batteries, such as batteries worn on the belt. 
       FIGS. 4A-4C  show another embodiment of a battery housing  1210  with a battery connector  1220 .  FIG. 4A  shows a top view of battery housing  1210  coupled to a light connector  1120 .  FIG. 4B  shows a perspective view of battery housing  1210 .  FIG. 4C  shows an enlarged view of battery connector  1220 . In this embodiment, battery connector  1220  may be part of battery housing  1210 . Battery housing  1210  may include a guide  1211 . Guide  1211  may include a recess  1212  with walls  1213  that are angled to guide or funnel light connector  1120  to battery connector  1220 . Light connector  1120  may include a magnetic connector  1121 . Battery connector  1220  may include a magnetic connector  1221 . The use of magnetic connectors  1121  and  1221  may allow the coupling of light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220  without being able to see light connector  1120  and battery connector  1220 , in a “blind” fashion. 
     While the foregoing has been with reference to particular embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes in these embodiments may be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.