Patent ID: 6877876

Claim:
An illumination device for utilizing a power source to power a bulb and shine a beam from the device, comprising: a housing having a cavity adapted to receive the power source, the housing having a font end, a longitudinal axis and a surface, the housing surface having a slot, and an aperture; a head assembly positioned on the housing front end, the head assembly having a lens and a reflector, the reflector having a rearwardly disposed aperture; a light assembly, positioned within the housing cavity, for positioning the bulb at or between a retracted and an extended position, said positions placing the bulb in spaced relationships with respect to the reflector such that the beam cast by the device is broader when the bulb is in the extended position, and narrower when the bulb is in the retracted position, the movement of the bulb being generally aligned with the housing longitudinal axis, the light assembly further comprising: a control knob; a lower member, in electronic communication with the power source, the lower member having an on-off switch, the switch being accessible and operable through the housing surface aperture; an upper member, attached to the lower member, the upper member having an inner surface defining a bore, the inner surface having a helical groove; a guide housing having a slot, the guide housing being closely received by the upper member bore, the control knob being attached to the guide housing and extending through the housing surface slot, such that movement of the control knob in the housing surface slot rotates the guide housing, the rotation being generally about the housing longitudinal axis; and a bulb extension member, in electronic communication with the bulb and in electronic communication with the power source through the lower member and the switch, the bulb extension member having a groove member and a receptacle for receiving the bulb, the guide housing closely receiving the bulb extension member such that the groove member extends through the guide housing slot and into the upper member helical groove, the rotation of the guide housing slot displacing the groove member as the guide housing is rotated by the control knob, the groove member following the upper member helical groove during said rotation, causing the bulb extension member to be displaced generally along the housing longitudinal axis, said displacement moving the bulb between the bulb extended and retracted positions, the displacement direction being determined by the direction in which the control knob is moved.