Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/733,880, filed Dec. 10, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,403, the contents of which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to a portable light. In particular, it is concerned with a light which can be supported on a garment such as a cap, shirt, or jacket. In other instances, the light can be supported on a book, writing tablet, belt or the like. 
     Use of flashlights for mounting on clothing is known. This assists workers and security personnel in freeing the worker&#39;s hands so that other activities can be engaged in, while the light can be made to shine on a desired object. 
     The present invention is directed to an improved structure for mounting such a portable light on the garments or other paraphernalia associated with a person who needs to keep at least one hand, and preferably both hands, free for other activities. 
     The invention seeks to improve the known pocket lights and other techniques for mounting a flashlight in this manner. 
     SUMMARY 
     A portable flashlight includes a clip which has a base which is hingedly mounted with an anchor. A spring urges the base and the anchor together, and between the base and the anchor there can be located a support such as a garment or other paraphernalia associated with a user. The anchor and the base are engaged in the spring action by the clip effect so that the portable light can be securely mounted on the support which can be a user&#39;s garment. 
     On top of or as part of the anchor, there is a housing member, which mounts a movable, preferably, pivotally mounted head in which two LEDs are located. Movement of the head causes a protrusion on the head to move to a position different from a position when the head is closed on the support. The housing may be part of an overall housing for a combined anchor-housing structure. 
     When the head moves to the different position, it causes the protrusion to move relative to a circuit board in the housing and a circuit closes to activate the LEDs. This is effected by closing the circuit between batteries and the circuit board which are both located in the shell or casing formed the housing and the anchor. 
     The LEDs are mounted in the head which is located towards the rear of the portable light. A friction forming o-ring in the hinge which mounts the head with the housing acts to prevent the inadvertent closure or opening of the head relative to the housing. Accordingly, opening of the head on the housing causes the light to distend upwardly from the front face of the housing. 
     The light is further described with reference to the accompanied drawings and description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view viewed from the front of the portable light. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the portable light. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the portable light. 
         FIG. 4  is an under view of the portable light. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the portable light. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of the portable light. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the portable light showing the base plate, anchor plate, and hinge member with the head above the hinge member. 
         FIG. 8  is a view of the portable light with the head pivotably moved relative to the hinge member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Features of an embodiment are now discussed from an illustrative perspective. 
     A portable light for mounting on a support comprises an anchor to be secured with a support. There is a housing portion mounted to the anchor, and the housing portion includes a head for the light source. A switch for the light source is operable by movement of the head for the light source relative to the housing. The head is hingedly movable relative to the housing, and the switch is operable to turn the light source on when the head is moved from the housing. 
     The anchor cooperates with a base plate and the light and is mounted on the anchor on a position opposite to the base. The base and the anchor are hingedly connected, and a spring urges the base plate and the anchor towards each other. 
     The base and the anchor effectively form a clip for securing the light to a support. As such that the material for the support is locatable between the base and the anchor, and thereby the light is secured to the support for the light. 
     The head includes at least two light sources. The light sources are angled relative to the head to the extend a field of illumination forwardly from the rear of the head toward the forward end of the head. The field of illumination partly overlaps in the area at the forward end of the housing. The two light sources are spaced apart at a position remote from the forward end of the housing and the rear end of the housing. 
     The head includes a protrusion for extending through an aperture in a top face the housing. The protrusion acts to operate a switch when the protrusion moves between a position relative to the housing thereby to activate a switch between closure and opening. The protrusion is relatively fixed on an under plate of the head. The activation of the switch is effected by the location of the head relative to the position of the housing. 
     The housing and anchor are fixedly formed relative to each other. There is a friction element in a hinge between the head and the housing, thereby to inhibit movement between the head and housing. 
       FIG. 1  shows an anchor, in the form of a plate or housing  10 , which has mounted on one side a base element or plate  11 . A spring hinge pivoting connection  12  is formed so that between the anchor  10 , base plate  11  and the pivot rod  12 , there is a biasing force to cause the anchor and base to be urged together to form a clip. 
     Movement of the tail, handle or finger grip  13  which extends from the base  11  about the pivot rod  12   a  causes the front portion  14  of the base plate  11  to open. There is a leaf spring  12   b  which is mounted at the area of the hinge  12  so that it applies the spring action on the hinge  12 . The hinge area has two downwardly directed pillars between which there is mounted a central portion of the base  11  in the spring-hinge relationship. 
     A garment or other paraphernalia of the user can enter through the mouth area  15  between the underside  16  of the anchor  10  and the top of the base element or plate  11 . The garment or other support will be located in the area  17  of the portable flashlight. 
     The anchor plate or housing  10  at its rear section has two upstanding pillars  18  and  19 . These form a second hinge about a pivot point or rod  20 . 
     A housing  21  is mounted on or with the anchor  10 , and there is also a slot  21   a  which extends between the anchor  10  and the support. The anchor  10  and the housing  21  are formed as a shell or casing. 
     Between the upstanding portions  18  and  19  there is a cylindrical sleeve  22  which is located for pivotal movement about the pivot or rod  20 . There is also a rubber o-ring  23  which is located around the axle rod  20 . This provides a friction effect so that the sleeve  22  is inhibited from unintentional movement about the axle rod  20 . The sleeve  22  is formed to extend from the rear portion of a head member  24 . The head member  24  also includes a bottom surface  25 . 
     On either side of the head  24  there are two tabs  24   a  and  24   b . These tabs facilitate the opening and the closing of the head  24  and adjacency with the top of the mating portion of the housing  21 . The head  24  is mounted on a top of the housing, and the top is on the side remote from the anchor. The head has a small protrusion  24   c  which clips into engagement in an indent  24   d  formed on a step wall formation adjacent to a top face of the housing  21 . This ensures a positive locking engagement when the head  24  is in a closed position on the housing  21 . 
     At the forward end of the head member  24  there are two apertures  26  and  27  for accommodating two LEDs  28  and  29  respectively. The LEDs  28  and  29  are mounted on a plate  30  which in turn is connected to a circuit board  31  through appropriate connected through wiring  32 . There is a switch activating protrusion  33  from the bottom surface  25  of the head  24 . The protrusion  33  is fixed and is moveable as the head  24  moves so that it can have different positions to activate a switch related to the circuit board  31 . As such in the closed position the protrusion is accommodated in an aperture  34  which leads to one side of the circuit board  31 . The circuit board  31  is mounted in the support housing  21  in a cavity formed by the outer shell of the housing  21 , which mounts the head  24 . Movement of the protrusion  33  acts to close a circuit and open a circuit as necessary. 
     The anchor  10  provides a housing for batteries  36  and  37  which are connected through a spring conductor  38  mounted in the base of the anchor  10 . When the housing and the anchor are closed together with the batteries in position the circuit is essentially made. The protrusion  33  operates through the aperture  34  packs to open a close this up at so as to power and keep our the LEDs in the head formation  24 . The circuit board  31  is suitably and fixed to the top of the shell forming the housing  21 . The wires  32  runs from underneath the shell through the portion adjacent the cylindrical sleeve  22  and into the head member  24  to connect with the LEDs  28  and  29 . 
     Many other forms of the invention exist, each differing from the other in matters of detail only. For instance instead of a two part housing and anchor there can be more components or even a single component. Different kind of clip formations can be provided. There may not be a spring mechanism associated with the clip. 
     Instead of two LEDs there may more or less and instead of the LEDs there can be other light sources. The system can be used for different lighting needs, even without the mounting clip. 
     There can be other securing techniques for permitting the light to be affixed to a support. The base can be made of an inherently spring like type material with a bias towards the bottom of the anchor. Other structure can be used to permit the securing of the light to the support. For instance a clip like structure similar to a gem clip can be used. The anchor and support can be formed as a different form. It can be an integral unit in which the batteries and circuit are mounted. 
     It is to be understood that aspects of this invention could be used in other applications, such as for use where an artisan needs hands free to work a tool. The light can also be clipped in positions to aim at different targets while a persons hands are free for other functions. The angle of the light can change as necessary by opening the head to any desired degree. Arrows shown on  FIG. 2  illustrate the movement possibilities of the head and the base. In some cases the clip may be dispensed with a releasable adhesive element employed on the anchor face for securing to a support. The head can be moved between a closed position and about 180 degrees opposite to the closed position. 
     The invention should be determined by the following claims.

Technology Category: f