Patent ID: 7367698

Claim:
A hand-held portable drop light, comprising: a handle having a first and a second end wherein the handle defines a handle interior accessible through an opening formed in the first end and wherein the handle contains a plurality of electrical components for operation of the light; a housing interconnected to the first end of the handle, wherein the housing defines a housing interior dimensioned so as to accommodate a light bulb, and wherein an aperture is formed within the housing which allows access to the handle interior; a cover, wherein the cover is configured so as to move between an engaged position, wherein the cover substantially spans the housing aperture so as to inhibit access to the housing interior, and a disengaged position wherein at least a portion of the cover is removed from the aperture so as to allow access to the housing interior; a mounting assembly positioned adjacent to the handle opening, wherein the mounting assembly is configured so as to removeably retain the light bulb and wherein the mounting assembly is moveable independent of the cover about a fixed pivot point between a retracted position, where the light bulb is positioned substantially within the housing interior, and an extended position, where at least a portion of the light bulb extends through the aperture when the cover is in the disengaged position, to thereby permit a user to grasp the light bulb from at least two sides to remove the light from the mounting assembly for replacement purposes without the cover being interposed between the two lateral sides of the light bulb and the user's hand; and said handle further comprising a lip which inhibits the mounting assembly from pivoting the light bulb through greater than a predetermined angle from the retracted to extended positions so as to inhibit access to the electrical components through the handle opening.