Abstract:
A hand-carriable baton for displaying at least one chemiluminescent light stick which provides a determinate period of ambient light includes an elongated tubular body having first and second ends, and an inner bore coequal in length with the body. The bore is closed at the first end by a removably securable cap to which a lanyard is attached, and secured to the second end is a socket member. One illumination producer in the form of a chemiluminescent light stick is mounted to the socket member for projecting outwardly therefrom for providing ambient light of fixed duration while a second illumination producer, also a chemiluminescent light stick, is stored within the bore for replacing the first light stick. The tubular body also includes an anti-rotation element adjacent the second end to prevent the device from rolling away from the user if dropped on any ground surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a holder for providing ambient light, and, more particularly, relates to a hand-held or portable baton for displaying and storing light sticks. 
     Among the common devices which provide light for an area or surface are candles, lamps, flashlights, streetlights, lanterns, and flares. Such lights have general purpose as well as recreational and safety uses. When flashlights, lanterns, and flares (which can be hand-held or mounted on sawhorses, stands, and barriers) are used in safety, hazard, and emergency situations, their purposes are varied, such as illuminating a dangerous area, like a collapsed structure, a washed out road or bridge, or a traffic accident scene. Flashlights, lanterns, and flares are also commonly used to assist in traffic and crowd control at public gatherings and events, such as fairs; air, boat, and car shows; and sporting competitions of all kinds. 
     One disadvantage of flares, in particular, is that they drip a noxious chemical substance during their use. When used by public safety and emergency personnel, such as police officers, firefighters, and EMT&#39;s, the flares are mounted on the road or road berm or held or waved by the public safety personnel for signaling to pedestrians and drivers that they are approaching a dangerous situation and should exercise caution in proceeding therethrough. However, if hand-held, the flares will drip and splatter the noxious substance on the uniform of the personnel, which will soil the uniforms and cause unsightly and/or unsafe holes to be produced thereon. New uniforms must then be purchased which are quite often an out-of-pocket expense for the personnel. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     While flashlights, lamps, lanterns, and flares have been, and continue to be, used in various emergency and public safety situations, they have a number of shortcomings, especially when they must be held, carried, or manually waved by public safety personnel for extended periods of time. Waving lamps, lanterns, and policemen&#39;s flashlights over an extended period of time produces muscle strain and fatigue for the user. In addition, these devices produce only white light and, depending upon the circumstances, white light may not be the most penetrating or visible. Moreover, in many emergency and danger situations, a beam of white light may not be the most desirable form of light for warning approaching pedestrians or vehicles of the dangerous condition. An example of a light displaying device is the lighted baton of U.S. Pat. No. Des. 370,276. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprehends a device for providing ambient light, and, more particularly, comprehends a hand-held or ground-mounted baton for displaying a first visible light source and storing therein a second light source. 
     The baton includes an elongated, generally tubular-shaped body having a first end and an opposite second end. The body also includes an inner bore which defines a storage chamber or compartment and is coequal in length with the body and extends from the first end to the second end. The first end of the body is closed by a removably securable cap or plug and mounted to the second end is a socket member. At least one illumination producer, generator or source in the form of a chemically-activated light stick is contained within the storage compartment, and a second light stick is mounted to the socket member so that a major portion of that light stick projects outwardly from the socket member for generating ambient illumination. A preferred light stick is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,642, and is incorporated herein by reference. The light sticks shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 331,889, Des. 356,276, and Des. 368,045 can also be used with the baton of the present invention. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,576,987 and 4,064,428 disclose light sticks composed of a range of compounds for producing chemiluminescent light, and both of these light sticks can be used with the baton of the present invention. 
     It is an objective of the present invention to provide a baton which is portable and easy to store and transport. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a baton which includes an auxiliary or secondary illumination source as a replacement for the primary illumination source. 
     Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a baton which is lighter than a policeman&#39;s flashlight and safety flare and thereby produces less muscle fatigue and strain from the policeman&#39;s continuous waving of the baton during emergency or public safety situations. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a baton which can be hand-held or carried pendent from the neck. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a baton having an illumination source which produces various colors of light in addition to the standard white light of a flashlight. 
     A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a baton having as its illumination source at least one chemiluminescent light stick whereby attaching the light stick to the baton allows the light stick to throw more light than if the light stick is hand-held because a substantial portion of the light stick body projects outwardly from the baton. 
     Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a baton that includes structure to raise the light emitting end off the ground when the baton is set on the ground. 
     These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the follow description and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the baton being held by an individual in the use disposition; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the baton with the body of the baton broken away; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the baton first shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a light stick first shown in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 5 is a sectioned elevational view of the baton first shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the baton  10  includes an elongated, generally tubular-shaped body  12  which has a diameter which permits the user to easily grip and hold the baton  10 . The body  12  defines a generally cylindrical, exterior surface or sidewall  14  and is preferably constructed from a lightweight and durable plastic, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), so that the body  12  is usable in all weather conditions. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the body  12  is cylindrically-shaped, but, in the alternative, the body  12  could be square or rectangular-shaped. The body  12  includes a first end  16 , an opposite second end  18 , and an interior sidewall  20  which is coequal in length with the body  12 . The annular, interior sidewall  20  further defines an internal passageway or bore  22  which is coextensive with the sidewall  20 . Furthermore, the bore  22  defines an internal storage chamber, receptacle, or compartment, the purpose of which will be more fully described hereinafter. The first end  16  can be threaded to receive a closure means, such as a removably securable cap  24 . The attachment of the cap  24  to the first end  16  closes or seals the bore  22  at the first end  16 . A plug could also be used in place of the cap  24 . In addition, the cap  24  includes a lanyard  26  which allows the user to wear the baton  10  pendent from the user&#39;s neck so that the user&#39;s hands are free for other tasks. 
     Illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and  5  is an illumination mounting means which can be integrally and permanently formed to the second end  18  of the body  12  or can be adapted for removable securement to the second end by being snapped or threaded thereon. The illumination mounting means of the present invention is a generally cylindrical-shaped socket member  28  which is mounted to the second end  18  of the body  12  so that the socket member  28  is in axial alignment with the bore  22  and the body  12 . The socket member  28  includes an interior, annular sidewall  30  which is circumjacent a socket passageway or bore  32 , and, when the socket member  28  is mounted to the second end  18  of the body  12 , both bores  22  and  32  are disposed in axial alignment with each other. The socket member  28  also includes an inner end  34  and an opposite outer end  36 . It is possible for the bore  32  of socket member  28  to terminate as a blind hole adjacent the inner end  34 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and  5 , the socket member  28  also includes an anti-rotation means to restrict and limit the ability of the baton  10  to roll away from the user and under vehicles or off of the road surface should the baton  10  be accidentally dropped by the user. The anti-rotation means for the baton  10  includes a plurality of upraised flat surfaces or flats  38  integrally formed on the exterior cylindrical surface of the socket member  28  and which project radially and laterally therefrom adjacent the outer end  36  of the socket member  28 . The flats  38  are also circumjacent the bore  32  of the socket member  28 . The lateral and radial extension of the flats  38  from the exterior surface of the socket member can be increased from that shown in FIGS. 1-3 and  5  whereby the second end  18  of the baton  10  will be raised up from the ground a distance determined by the lateral extension of the flats  38 . The baton  10  adjacent the first end  16  will remain on the ground, and the distance the second end  18  is raised above the ground will depend, in part, on the magnitude of the lateral extension of the flats  38  from the socket member  28 . The structure of the flats  38  both provides an anti-rotation means for the baton  10  as well as enhancing the display of light when the baton  10  is set upon the ground. 
     As shown in FIGS. 2,  3 , and  5 , in order to support or hold the illumination producer or generator to or within the socket member  28 , the socket member  28  can include a plurality of internal threads  40  disposed circumjacent the bore  32 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the socket member  28  can also include, in the alternative, a singular annular tooth or projection  42  projecting inwardly from the sidewall  30 . The projection  42  of FIG. 5 is helical in form but could be an annular horizontal projection instead. An alternative embodiment of the flats  38  could have them extend the length of the socket member  28  from the outer end  36  to the inner end  34 . Also, to enhance the visibility of the baton  10 , one or more bands or stripes  43  of fluorescent material can be painted or taped onto the body  12  of the tube  10  as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the illumination producer, generator, or source is at least one, and, as used with the baton  10  of the present invention, two commercially available chemiluminescent light sticks  44  that can be purchased from safety products suppliers and distributors, retail hardware stores, and hunting, camping, and outdoor equipment suppliers. One version of a light stick is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,642 and is incorporated in this specification by reference. Light sticks vary in the duration within which they produce light, and two common time durations are the one-half hour duration of high intensity ambient light production and the twelve hour time duration of ambient light production. The light produced is generally of the three primary colors: red, green, and blue. The baton  10  can contain and display light sticks  44  described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,642, as well as other light sticks currently available on the market. In order to initiate illumination, the user gently and slightly bends the light stick  44 , which action causes an internal chamber, tube, or casing to rupture, thereby causing the chemicals contained therein to admix with the chemicals contained within an outer casing or tube whereupon ambient light is produced and is viewable through the outer casing or tube. The light stick then returns to its normal longitudinal orientation. The light stick  44  includes a base end which generally has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the body of the light stick  44 . The light stick  44  also includes an opposite tapered or hook end which allows the light stick  44  to be tied to and dangled from a belt or pack when used by military personnel. Because the external casing or body of the light stick  44  is of a non-rigid, waxy, plastic composition, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or TEFLON, the light sticks are never directly inserted or mounted into the ground, but are most commonly held or waved by, for example, a police officer or fireman. 
     When the baton  10  is used by a police officer, fireman, or an EMT in a public safety and emergency situation, the cap  24  is temporarily removed so that one light stick  44  can be fully inserted within the bore  22  of the body  12  whereupon the bore  22  serves as the storage chamber or receptacle for containing that respective light stick  44 . The cap  24  is then reattached to the first end  16  for closing off the storage chamber at the first end  16  in order to prevent that light stick  44  from falling out. The second light stick  44  is then mounted to the socket member  28  and, for the present invention, the base of the second light stick  44  can simply be rotated several turns against the threads  40 , whereupon the surface of the base is scored by the threads  40 —or by the singular annular projection  42 —and is thereby secured to the socket member  28  at the outer end  36 . The surface hardness of the threads  40  or annular projection  42  must be greater than the surface hardness of the exterior sidewall  14  of the body of the light stick  44  so that the threads  40  or annular projections  42  can be easily dig into and grip the base as the light stick  44  is being rotated into the bore  32  of the socket member  28 . It is also possible for the base end of the light stick  44  to be press-fitted into the bore  32  for attaching the light stick  44  to the socket member  28 . A substantial portion of that light stick  44  will protrude outwardly from the socket member  28 , and that light stick  44  will be in axial alignment with the bore  32  as well as the bore  22  of the baton  10 . The light stick  44  mounted to the socket member  28  may be referred to as the in-use light stick, and the light stick  44  contained and stored within the storage compartment or receptacle defined by bore  22  may be referred to as the replacement light stick. Because a substantial portion of the body of the in-use light stick  44  will project out from the socket member  28 , this light stick  44  will throw out much more light than a normally hand-held light stick  44  wherein perhaps one-half of the body of the hand-held light stick  44 , and, thus, much of its light, will be obscured by the user&#39;s hand. Should the user desire to lay the baton  10  on the ground while the in-use light stick  44  is projecting from the socket member  28  and radiating light, the laterally-projecting flats  38  serve to raise the baton  10  off the ground at an angle determined by the magnitude of the lateral projection of the flats  38  from the external sidewall of the socket member  28 . This allows the light emanating from the light stick  34  to have more visibility at a greater distance. 
     Therefore, when the illumination producing chemicals of the in-use light stick  44  are exhausted, that light stick  44  can be removed from the bore  32  of the socket member  28  for proper disposal. The user can then remove the cap  24  from the first end  16  of the body  12  and withdraw the replacement light stick  44  from the bore  22  so that the replacement light stick  44  can be mounted to the socket member  28  and thereupon slightly bent to initiate the chemical reaction which causes the replacement light stick to produce ambient light for the user. In addition, the body  12  could be lengthened so that the bore  22  could store two or more light sticks  44  in series, or the body  12  could be widened so that two or more light sticks  44  could be placed side-by-side for storage therein. For proper fitting therein, the light sticks  44  may need to be flip-flopped so that the tapered end of one light stick  44  would be next to the base of an adjacent light stick  44 . 
     A number of different types of bases or stands could be used with the baton  10  in order to avoid physically inserting the baton  10  into the ground. The first end  16  of the body  12  would be inserted within or secured to such a base or stand, thereby freeing the user to move about the area unencumbered by holding or waving the baton  10 . 
     Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is believed to be the most practical preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom while still keeping within the scope of the invention.