Patent Abstract:
1. A lighting device ( 2 ) having a light housing ( 6 ) including a light source ( 42, 44 ), said light housing rotatably connected to a body, said body having a rotatable connection means ( 22 ) to allow the light housing to be adjacent said body to define a narrow space ( 90 ) accessible in a base to top direction. 2. A lighting device ( 2 ) having a light source ( 42,44 ), a tubular lens ( 40, 50 ) surrounding said light source, a reflector ( 56 ) cooperating with an end of said tubular lens opposite to said light source. 3. A light housing ( 6 ) or a method of assembling a light housing ( 6 ), said light housing having a first side and a second side, a first side having a mounting spigot ( 52, 54 ), a second side having an aperture ( 62, 63 ), a tubular lens ( 48, 50 ) can pass through the aperture so that one end of the tubular lens is received in the mounting spigot, said aperture and said mounting spigot being in alignment.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to lighting devices such as flashlights and lanterns.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The flashlights and lanterns disclosed in PCT/AU00/00720 the lighting devices contained therein require improvements thereto to extend the uses of such lighting devices.  
           [0003]    In regards to the prior art discussed herein, the applicant does not concede that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or elsewhere, at the priority date of this application.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention provides a lighting device having a light housing including a light source being rotatably connected by a rotatable connection means to a lighting device body, said body having said rotatable connection means positioned so as to allow said light housing to lay adjacent said body and to define therebetween a narrow space which is accessible in a base to top direction.  
           [0005]    The body is preferably dimensioned so that the depth of said body is less than the height or width. The height and width are selected so as to be capable of fitting into a pocket on an article of clothing. Preferably said height is in the range of 4 cm to 14 cm. Preferably the width is in the range of 4 cm to 14 cm and preferably the depth is in the range of 1 cm to 4 cm. The body can include a fold out foot. The fold out foot can also include formations thereon to allow said lighting device to be hung. Preferably means are provided to releasably hold said light source adjacent to said lighting device body. In a preferred embodiment said means to releasably hold said light source adjacent to said lighting device body comprise one or more protrusions which act as a camming means to provide a bias which must be overcome in order to rotate said light source from a position adjacent to said lighting device body.  
           [0006]    The present invention also provides a lighting device having a light source assembly with a light source and a tubular lens surrounding said light source to provide an appearance similar to that of a fluorescent lamp when in use, said light source assembly being further characterised by the provision of a reflector co-operating with an end of said tubular lens opposite to said light source.  
           [0007]    Preferably said light source is an LED or incandescent lamp.  
           [0008]    Preferably said reflector is located within said tubular lens.  
           [0009]    The reflector can be located on the end of a spigot. The spigot can be used to mount or position said tubular lens in said lighting device.  
           [0010]    The reflector can be concave or convex. Preferably said reflector is dome shaped. Preferably said reflector and said cylindrical member are manufactured from the same material. The reflector and spigot can be integrally formed or alternatively joined together.  
           [0011]    Preferably said reflector and spigot are formed from white polymeric material. Preferably said spigot is of a cylindrical shape.  
           [0012]    The present invention further provides a light housing for a lighting device, said light housing including a first and second face and sides there around, a first side having a mounting spigot to receive one end of a tubular lens, and a second side opposite to said first side having an aperture therethrough, through which aperture tubular lens can pass and in which is received the other end of said tubular lens, said aperture and said mounting spigot being aligned.  
           [0013]    Preferably an internal face of one of said first or second faces includes a channel extending from said aperture to said spigot. Preferably the spigot is located in said first side so that when the tubular lens is mounted thereon, opposing locations on said tubular lens in the vicinity of said spigot are in contact with respective internal surfaces of said first and second face.  
           [0014]    Said first face can be one of the following:  
           [0015]    opaque and reflective on an internal face; transparent; translucent.  
           [0016]    The second face can be one or more of the following:  
           [0017]    transparent; translucent; or opaque and reflective on an internal face when said first face is transparent or translucent.  
           [0018]    Preferably said tubular lens is held in said light housing by a light source projecting through said aperture.  
           [0019]    The light source can pass into said tubular lens.  
           [0020]    The light source can be an LED or an incandescent lamp. Said light housing can include an open box with said first face and said sides, said second face being a cover which is attached to said box. Preferably said box is made from a white opaque reflective material and said cover is transparent.  
           [0021]    The invention further provides a method of assembling a light housing as described above, said method including the steps of:  
           [0022]    Attaching said cover to said box;  
           [0023]    inserting said tubular lens through said aperture;  
           [0024]    engaging said spigot with one end of said tubular lens;  
           [0025]    inserting said lighting source into the second end of said tubular lens; and  
           [0026]    securing said light source to said housing.  
           [0027]    The spigot can be attached to said cover or to said box.  
           [0028]    The present invention also provides a method of assembling a light housing as described above, said method including the steps of:  
           [0029]    locating said light source through said aperture and attaching same to said housing;  
           [0030]    connecting one end of said tubular lens to said spigot on said cover;  
           [0031]    guiding the free end of said tubular lens onto said light source;  
           [0032]    rotating said cover around said light source until said cover engages said box;  
           [0033]    securing said cover to said box.  
           [0034]    The present invention further provides a light housing for a lighting device, said light housing including a light source holder at one end thereof, said light housing also including means to receive a mounting member at one end of said light housing opposite to said light source holder, said light housing being characterised by said light source holder allowing limited pivotal movement of said light source when said light source is mounted in said light source holder, said limited pivotal movement being in the range of 5° to 30°. This pivotal movement allows the light source to be oriented at an angle so that the lens assembly can be mounted thereon and rotated in position into the light housing.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0035]    An embodiment of the present invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a lighting device with all features fully extended;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with its light housing in the retracted position;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 4 illustrates a front perspective view of the lighting device of FIG. 3 with the foot retracted;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 5 illustrates a rear perspective view of the lighting device of FIG. 4;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-section through the middle of the lighting device of FIG. 4;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 7 illustrates a plan view of the light housing and some internal portions thereof;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 7A illustrates a front view of a printed circuit board;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 8 illustrates the cover of the light housing in plan view;  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the cover of FIG. 8;  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 10 illustrates the spigot;  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 11 illustrates the spigot in cross section; and  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view of a light box. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0049]    Illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a lighting device  2  which has a body  4  and a light housing  6 . The base of the body  4  has a foot  8  that is rotatably attached to the body  4 . The foot  8  is illustrated in the extended position.  
         [0050]    The body  4  includes a rear face  20  having a cover  10  the removal of which gains access to the battery or dry cell compartment and a switch  12  to switch on the light source assemblies  14  and  16  either both at the same time or one thereof  
         [0051]    The body  4  is of a generally rectangular construction having a light housing mounting  18  which is offset in a rearward direction from the rear face  20 . The light housing mounting  18  has rotatably attached to it the base  22  of the light housing  6 . The base  22  of the light housing  6  additionally includes two raised projections  23  which act as a camming means to releasably hold the light housing in a closed position against said body as will be described below.  
         [0052]    The body  4  is in the main of a generally rectangular prism shape where the height and width are dimensioned so as to be capable of fitting into a pocket on an article of clothing such as a top pocket of a shirt or jacket, pants or other clothing articles. To effect this the height is approximately 100 mm and the width is approximately 60 mm, and the depth is approximately 20 mm. Whilst these are the selected dimensions of the preferred embodiment the height could vary between 40 mm and 140 mm; the width could vary between 40 mm and 140 mm; and the depth can vary between 10 mm and 30 mm depending on pocket size.  
         [0053]    The foot  8  is pivoted at the forward most lower most edge  24  on the body  4 . As can be seen from FIG. 1 the foot  8  includes a key hole shaped slot  26  which allows the foot  8  to be attached to overhead rope or a tent rope etc to position the light for use by a user. Adjacent the slot  26  is a hole  28  which will allow the hanging of the light on a thin string or a twig or a nail of the like.  
         [0054]    As can be seen in FIGS.  1  to  4  the light housing  6  is able to be rotated from a fully retracted position such as that of FIGS.  3  to  5  to a fully extended position by travelling through an arc of greater than 180° to approximately 225° from its fully retracted position.  
         [0055]    The two raised projections  23  act as a camming means to provide a locking bias to releasably hold the light housing in the retracted position.  
         [0056]    The raised projections  23  are positioned on the base  22  of the light housing  6  such that when the light housing  6  is in a retracted position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the raised projections  23  are rotated beyond the crest of a curved edge  21  in the upper housing wall, between the light housing mountings  18 . In order to rotate the light housing  6  relative to the body  4  the raised projections  23  must be urged past a curved edge in the upper housing wall  21  between the light housing mountings  18 . In the retracted position the projections  23  rest against the upper housing wall  21  and exert a force against the upper housing wall  21  which holds the light housing  6  in the retracted position. Thus the force exerted by the raised projections  23  against the curved upper housing wall  21  provides a resistance against rotation of the light housing and releasably holds the light housing  6  in a retracted position.  
         [0057]    The light device  2  differs from the one disclosed in PCT/AU00/00720 in that the light housing  6  if preferably contained within a light box  30  as illustrated in FIG. 12 having an opaque rear face  32  and a clear forward cover  34 . The forward rear and rear locations refer to the light housing  6  when it is in the fully extended position. As can be seen from FIG. 5 the front cover  34  is rearwardly facing in the fully retracted position. The light box  30  as illustrated in FIG. 12 includes two shallow, curved in cross section, channels  33  in which can sit tubular lenses  48  and  50 .  
         [0058]    As illustrated in FIG. 6 in cross section, the fully retracted lighting device  2  has four AA sized batteries  36  contained in the battery housing  38  which is closed by the cover  10  when secured in place by the latch  40 .  
         [0059]    Preferably the rear face  32  of the light box  30  does not allow light to be transmitted therethrough, but acts as a reflector to assist in projecting light through the forward cover  34 . In order to achieve this end one or more of the surfaces of the rear face  32  can either be coated in a reflective material, or have a reflective element, such as a reflective adhesive film or metallic reflector attached thereto. Alternatively, the rear face  32  can be formed of an opaque reflective material, such as a white plastics material. Furthermore the surface of the rear face  32 , which is closest to the tubular lenses  48 ,  50  can be textured to provide a diffuse reflection, or polished to provide a specular reflection.  
         [0060]    As can be seen from FIGS.  1  to  6  the light housing  6  is made from light box  30  and holds the two light source assemblies  14  and  16 . The light sources assemblies  14  and  16  are comprised of LEDs  42  and  44  respectively, translucent tubular lenses  48  and  50  respectively and securing spigots  52  and  54  respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 7 the LEDs  42  and  44  are mounted on a printed circuit board  46 . The printed circuit board  46  is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 7A.  
         [0061]    Each securing spigot  52  and  54  includes a domed end  56  which is a reflector of light emitted from the LEDs  42  and  44 . The spigots  54  and  52  are illustrated in more detail in FIG. 10. The spigots  54  and  52  have a peg  58  extending away from the dome  56  and a generally cylindrical body  60 . The outside diameter of the cylindrical body  60  is sized so that the spigots  52  and  54  can slide into the internal diameter of the tubular lenses  48  and  50 . In turn the tubular lenses  48  and  50  are sized so as to receive within their internal diameter the respective LEDs  42  and  44 .  
         [0062]    As can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 12 the light box  30  has two apertures  63  and  62  which allow for the assembly of the lights source assemblies  14  and  16  within the light box  30 . This will be described in more detail below.  
         [0063]    Illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 the cover  34  has two flanges  64  which each have an aperture  66  therethrough. The flanges  64  also have a curved projection  65 , which will sit in the channel  33  when the cover  34  is attached to light box  30 . The aperture  66  receives the peg  58  on each of spigots  52  and  54  so as to mount the spigots  52  and  54  on the cover as illustrated in FIG. 7.  
         [0064]    For this embodiment to assemble the light housing  6 , the pivoting base  22  (which is made up of rear half  68  and front half  70 ), and the light box  30  are assembled together with the printed circuit board  46  and LEDs  42  and  44 . To do this assembly spigots (not illustrated) on front half  70  are received in apertures  72  on light box mounting  74  to form an interim sub assembly. The printed circuit board  46  and soldered LEDs  42  and  44  are connected by wires to the body  4  which wires pass through stub axles  76  on the light housing mounting  18 . The printed circuit board  46  is then positioned so that the LEDs  42  and  44  protrude into the apertures  62  and  60  respectively. The printed circuit board  46  is prevented from moving on the front half  70  by means of a series of ribs or projections (not illustrated). The front half  70  and clipped in light box  30  with the printed circuit board  46  are then mated with the rear half  68  around the stub axle  76  (there are two of these hollow stub axles or cantilevered pivots  76  but only one is visible) so as to sandwich the axle  76  between the halves  70  and  68  which in turn are sandwiching the end of the light box  30  at the other end of halves  70  and  68 . The halves  70  and  68  are then secured by four screws  78  and  80 . The screws  80  pass into the spigots on front half  70  which pass through the aperture  72  on light box mounting  74 . During this sub assembly the cover  34  is not in position.  
         [0065]    Next the spigots  52  and  54  are mounted onto the cover  34  by insertion into apertures  66  in flanges  64 .  
         [0066]    The mounting of the printed circuit board  46  between the halves  68  and  70  is such that the printed circuit board  46  is allowed a small degree of rotation in the direction of arrow  80 . This small degree of rotation measuring approximately 5° to 30° allows the LEDs  42  and  44  to assume an elevation relative to the rear face  32 .  
         [0067]    To assemble the light source assemblies  14  and  16 , the distal ends of the tubular lenses  48  and  50  are loosely mounted onto the cover  34  at one end by slipping the lenses  48  and  50  over the spigots  52  and  54 . Then the cover  34  is held at an angle whereby the proximal ends of the tubular lenses  48  and  50  receive at least a portion of the extremities of the LEDs  42  and  44 . The channels  33  assist in guiding the tubular lenses  48  and  50  to the LEDs  42  and  44 . The cover  34  is then moved towards the light box  32  so that four downwardly extending spigots  80  on cover  34  will be received in cylindrical mounts  82  on the light box  30 . As the cover  34  approaches the light box  30  pressure or force is applied to the cover  34  so as to sandwich the tubular lenses  48  and  50  between their respective LEDs  42  and  44  and spigots  52  and  54 .  
         [0068]    The LED end of the tubular lenses  48  and  50  pass through a raised entry  84  on the light box  30  which prevents any lateral movement of the tubular lenses  48  or  50  when the light housing assembly  6  is completed. Any axial movement of the tubular lenses  48  and  50  is prevented by the LEDs  42  and  44  (and spigots  52  and  54 ) which have a flanged end as is common with LEDs. Once the respective spigots  80  and cylindrical mounts  84  are aligned, the cover  34  is simply clipped into place with flexible spigots  86  being pushed towards the centre of the cover  34  until they are aligned with an aperture  88  in the light box  30 , where upon the spigots  86  will proceed into aperture  88  to thus lock the cover  34  in position on the light box. Once this happens the tubular lenses  48  and  50  are located in the channels  33 . The two longitudinal edges of the channels  33  will thus keep the tubular lenses straight when the light housing  6  is assembled and in use.  
         [0069]    In an alternative method of assembly the cover  34  can be pre-subassembled to the light box  30 . In this assembly method, the cover  34  will first have attached to it the spigots  52  and  54 . Once this sub-assembly is completed the tubular lenses  48  and  50  can be passed through the apertures  62  and  64  and guided by channels  33  so that the distal end of the tubular lenses  48  and  50  will be placed over the spigots  52  and  54  with the proximal end of the tubular lenses  48  and  50  protruding through the raised entries  84 .  
         [0070]    The next stage in the assembly of the light housing  6  is to mount the light box  30  by means of apertures  72  on light box mounting  74  onto the front half  70  of the light housing base  22  to form an interim sub assembly. At this point the printed circuit board  46  and the two LEDs  42  and  44  can then be positioned into the proximal ends of the tubular lens  48  and  50  thus securing the two tubular lenses  48  and  50  in position. The printed circuit board  46  is then held in the light housing by the rear half  68  of the base  22  being attached while simultaneously capturing the hollow stub axles  76 . The power supply leads for the LEDs  42  and  44  pass through the hollow stub axles  76 .  
         [0071]    With this alternative method if desired, the spigots  52  and  54  need not be mounted to the cover  34  per se but rather could be attached or received by the wall  31  of the light box  30  opposite to the wall  37  containing apertures  62  and  64 . In which case the assembly procedure will continue as described in the alternative assembly method.  
         [0072]    A lighting device  2  such as that described above provides a space  90  between the rear panel  32  and the cover  10  when the foot  8  is in the retracted position as illustrated in the cross section of FIG. 6.  
         [0073]    The space  90  between cover  10  and rear panel  32  can be widened by rotating these two components relative to each other to a small extent, say 5° to 10°. Because of the retraction of the foot  8 , access to the space  90  is clear and unobstructed thus allowing the body  4  to be placed in a pocket with the material of the pocket lying inside the space  90 . Additionally the body  4  can be held by a user&#39;s belt; pant&#39;s elastic; draw cord; string or chain around a person&#39;s neck, to the person with the light housing  6  rotated to a position whereby it is ready for use.  
         [0074]    The pivotal connection between the light housing  6  and body  4  can be provided with a degree of friction or resistance to movement. This friction or resistance can assist the lighting device  2  to sandwich a pocket wall in an effective manner. Gravity will keep the lighting device on the pocket wall providing the direction of opening or entry to the pocket will allow gravity to act in a positive manner. Otherwise the degree of friction or resistance to rotation the light housing will assist in positioning the light  2  to allow use of the light  2 . In a particularly advantageous embodiment a locking mechanism, such as the camming action of the raised protrusions  23  as described above, can be used to providing a small clamping force to hold the lighting device  2  in place whilst hung on a pocket or the like.  
         [0075]    If desired the light  2  can be hung from the neck line of an article of clothing so as to centre the light and allow reading therewith in low light situations such as when travelling, camping purposes, aeroplanes and the like.  
         [0076]    It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.  
         [0077]    The foregoing describes embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5