Patent Publication Number: US-9835299-B2

Title: Hands free illumination assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to illumination devices and more particularly pertains to a new illumination device for providing hands free illumination. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a harness that may be worn. A plurality of flashlights is provided and each of the flashlights is movably coupled to the harness. Thus, each of the flashlights may illuminate an area when the harness is worn. Each of the flashlights is positionable at a selected angle with respect to the harness. Each of the flashlights may direct light onto a selected area. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a hands free illumination assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a front phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new illumination device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the hands free illumination assembly  10  generally comprises a harness  12  that may be worn. The harness  12  has a pair of shoulder straps  14  and a waist strap  16 . The harness  12  has a front side  18  and a back side  20  and each of the shoulder straps  14  is coupled to and extends upwardly from the waist strap  16 . Each of the shoulder straps  14  extends between the front side  18  and the back side  20  corresponding to the waist strap  16 . Thus, each of the shoulder straps  14  may be extended over shoulders when the harness  12  is worn having the waist strap  16  extending around a waist. 
     The waist strap  16  is split to define a pair of ends  22  of the waist strap  16 . A pair of buckles  24  is provided and each of the buckles  24  is coupled to an associated one of the ends  22 . The buckles  24  are matable with each other to retain the waist strap  16  around the waist. The shoulder straps  14  intersect each other such that the front side  18  and the back side  20  corresponding to the shoulder straps  14  forms an x. Each of the shoulder straps  14  has a pair of lateral edges  26 . 
     A plurality of flashlights  28  is provided and each of the flashlights  28  is movably coupled to the harness  12 . Thus, each of the flashlights  28  may illuminate an area when the harness  12  is worn. Each of the flashlights  28  is positionable at a selected angle with respect to the harness  12 . Thus, each of the flashlights  28  may direct light onto a selected area. 
     Each of the flashlights  28  includes a housing  30  and a mount  32 . The housing  30  has a forward side  34  and a rear side  36 . The forward side  34  has a plurality of first light emitters  38  coupled thereto. Each of the first light emitters  34  selectively emits light outwardly from the forward side  34 . Each of the first light emitters  38  may comprise an LED or the like. 
     The mount  30  has a first portion  40  and a second portion  42 . The first portion  40  comprises a sphere  44  that is coupled to the rear side  36  of the housing  30 . The second portion  42  comprises a cup  46  that is coupled to the front side  18  corresponding to the shoulder straps  14 . The sphere  44  is rotatably positioned within the cup  46 . Thus, the forward side  34  is positionable at a selected angle with respect to the front side  18  corresponding to the shoulders straps  14 . The flashlights  28  are spaced apart from each other and distributed along the shoulder straps  14 . Each of the flashlights  28  is electrically coupled together. 
     A plurality of reflective strips  48  is provided. Each of the reflective strips  48  is coupled to the shoulders straps  14 . Each of the reflective strips  48  is comprised of a light reflecting material. Thus, each of the reflective strips  48  reflects light thereby enhancing visibility of the harness  12 . The reflective strips  48  are coextensive with the lateral edges  26  of the shoulder straps  14 . 
     A plurality of second light emitters  50  is provided. Each of the second light emitters  50  is coupled to the front side  18  corresponding to the shoulder straps  14 . Thus, each of the second light emitters  50  may illuminate the area. The second light emitters  50  are spaced apart from each other and distributed along the shoulder straps  14 . Each of the second light emitters  50  is electrically coupled between each of the flashlights  28  such that the second light emitters  50  forms a circuit with the flashlights  28 . Each of the second light emitters  50  may comprise an LED or the like. 
     A power supply  52  is coupled an associated one of the shoulder straps  14 . The power supply  52  is electrically coupled to each of the flashlights  28 . The power supply  52  is electrically coupled to each of the second light emitters  50 . The power supply  52  comprises at least one battery  54 . A switch  56  is coupled to one of the flashlights  28  and the switch  56  may be manipulated. The switch  56  is electrically coupled to the power supply  52  such that the switch  56  turns the power supply  52  on and off. 
     In use, the harness  12  is worn when a task is to be performed in a low light environment. The switch  56  is manipulated to turn the power supply  52  on. Each of the first light emitters  38  and each of the second light emitters  50  emit light. Each of the flashlights  28  is manipulated to direct the light in a selected direction. Thus, the harness  12  provides hands free illumination directed to a selected location while the task is performed. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.