Patent Application
20090303739
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to utility lights and, more specifically, to an adjustable utility light suitable for being suspended from the hood of a vehicle or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
While working on automobiles, automobile mechanics frequently use utility lights to illuminate remote or recessed areas of the automobile. Such conditions are particularly aggravated when working on automobile engines, which are covered by a hood blocking room or ambient light. It would be especially useful to introduce an adjustable utility light suitable to illuminate the remote and recessed compartments of an automobile engine.
Existing products include a fluorescent light fixture connected to a bracket featuring spring-loaded hooks that allow the bracket to be temporarily installed under the vehicle hood or inserted in other places on the vehicle. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,573 for a droplight construction. The light disclosed in the aforementioned patent includes a hollow frame and retractable and rotatable hooks at each end of the frame, at least one of the hooks being connected through a spring to a center post of the frame. Incandescent lamp sockets are provided at opposing ends of the frame. One problem with the construction is the requirement that the springs within the frame be connected to a center post in the frame, which is not very accessible. The resulting construction is, therefore, more complex to assemble and more costly to manufacture than necessary.
A portable work light is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,679, which has a fluorescent-type lamp and a pair of fasteners attached to the tube. A cord is formed as an adjustable loop. Fasteners are provided for suspending the work light to the cord. However, such work light requires an external adjustable loop that needs to be placed around a member, such as the hood of an automobile. The entire cord assembly, therefore, is exposed, making the cord more susceptible to damage from sharp objects, including the edges of the hood itself. The elongate cord can also engage or snag other items in a workshop or garage, making the item cumbersome to use.
A magnetically mounted work light is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,614 that includes a pair of magnetic base members for supporting a light on a magnetic surface. Arcuate arms extend from each of the base members and a fluorescent light is supported at an end of the arms spaced from the base members. The arms may be pivoted relative to the base members in order to position the light at a desired location relative to a work area. However, such magnetically mounted light may not be as stably secured, to the extent desired, to a surface, such as a hood of an automobile. Jarring the light with a tool or other device might cause the light to be knocked off the magnetic supporting surface. Also, being made of a welded construction with arcuate arms, the work light is bulky and difficult to store when not in use. Similar remarks can be made of the fluorescent utility light disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,815.
An adjustable florescent light is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,863 that includes gripping members, which only slightly extend the axial length of the light and do not securely attach to the underside of a hood. This invention, as well as the others aforementioned, casts a blanket of overhead light illuminating the top surface of the under hood compartments of an automobile. However, this neither any other prior art utility light amply illuminates the remote and recessed compartments under vehicle hoods.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable utility light that does not have the disadvantages inherent in the utility lights that have been known.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable utility light that is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an adjustable utility light that is convenient to use.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a utility light that can be well secured to the underside of an automobile with minimum risk that the light will be inadvertently jarred loose.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide an adjustable utility light as in the previous objects that provides concentrated illumination to remote and recessed areas of automobile-underhood compartments.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an adjustable utility light as in the previous objects that is particularly suitable for providing illumination during maintenance and repair of automobiles, light trucks and similar vehicles.
In order to achieve the above objects, as well as others that will become apparent hereinafter, an adjustable light for suspension from an object having a nominal width and lateral edges comprises an elongated rigid frame having opposing ends, having two clips each being connected proximal to a separate opposing frame end, a frame axial axis, and opposing upper and lower surfaces. The frame opposing ends are clamped to the underside of a typical automobile hood by the clips when the hood is raised in a fixed position. The frame is electrically connected to a power source.
The adjustable light also comprises a plurality of pendant light fixtures, each comprising a light fixture head; and a repositionable semi-rigid elongated extension. One end of each extension is detachably and electrically connected to the frame lower surface and the other extension end is detachably and electrically connected to one of the light fixture heads. Each extension is repositionable so as an auto mechanic working under an automobile hood could reposition each pendant light fixture by bending one of the extensions to variously illuminate remote and recessed areas under the hood; wherein once bent into position, the extension remains rigid unless and until the user repositions the extension.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent upon a reading of the following brief descriptions of the drawing figures, detailed descriptions of preferred embodiments of the invention, the appended claims and drawings.
The above mentioned and other objects and features of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the appended drawings. In the course of the following detailed description, reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:
Buss Bar. A copper bar, strap, or other similar conductor that is not insulated, usually carries an electrical current, and connects electrical fixtures to electrical circuits.
Line Voltage Pendant Light Fixture. A low voltage track light fixture that does not contain a transformer to reduce the voltage from a 120 volts to 12 volts.
Power Track. A long, slender rigid frame made of extruded aluminum (other metal, or thermoplastic) channels, lined with plastic sleeves housing bus bars for providing power from remote power sources. An example is a residential-track-lighting track.
Clip. A clamp with a handle portion pivotally and operatively connected to a set of jaws. The jaws are biased together. The clip clamps to objects by squeezing the handle opening the jaws, placing the object in between the jaws, and releasing the handle.
Electrically Connected. Transferring an electrical current from an electrical power source to an electrical fixture in accordance with the National Electrical Code.
Power Source. An electrical power source, such as a 120 volt, duplex electrical receptacle.
Lamp. A low voltage (less than 110/120 volts) incandescent or halogen light bulb.
Transformer. An electrical transformer for reducing the current of a 110/120 volt electrical receptacle to a level suitable for low voltage line voltage pendant light fixtures.
Power Source Pack. A compacted electrical transformer for reducing the current of a 110/120 volt electrical receptacle to a level suitable for low voltage line voltage pendant light fixtures, that attaches to one end of a Power Track.
In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is made to
Two detachable clips 60 each comprising planar portions 64 sized to snug fit inside the upper channel 80, each being slidably inserted along the track axial axis 83 into the upper channel 80 proximal to separate said track ends 61 and 66. Each planar clip portion 64 is capable of sliding beyond the length of the track 55 effectively extending the length of the track 55, whereby the track length is retractable. The length of the track 55 is sized so as each clip 60 is capable of being fastened to the opposing lateral edges of the underside of a typical automobile hood (not shown). Being that the track length is retractable, as stated, the track 55 is capable of being fastened to automobile hoods of any size width.
Battery cables 56 comprising electrical wiring 57 and two clamps 58 are electrically connected to the bus bars 84 at one track end 61. The length of the cables 56 being sized such that the clamps 58 can be fastened to the leads of an automobile's battery while the hood is up and the clips 60 are fastened to said lateral hood edges (not shown).
This preferred embodiment further comprises a plurality of line voltage pendant light fixtures 86, comprising a semi-rigid corrugated tube 51; a fixture head 53 with a lamp (not shown) at one tube end 52; an electrical base 54 at the other tube end 70; electrical wiring (not shown) inside the tube 51 extending the length of the tube 51 connected to the electrical base 54 and fixture head 53. Each electrical base 54 is inserted inside the lower channel 81 electrically contacting the electrically conductive bus bars 84; whereby power is capable of being transferred from the car battery, through the cables 56, through the bus bars 84, through the electrical wring, to the fixture head 53 lighting the lamp (not shown). The corrugated tubing 51 is repositionable so as a mechanic working under the hood could reposition each line voltage pendant light fixture 86 by bending the tubing 51 to variously illuminate remote and recessed areas under the hood, including engine components; wherein once bent into position, the tubing 51 remains rigid unless and until the user repositions the tubing 51.
This preferred embodiment manifests a variety of advantages over the prior art. First, the preferred embodiment uses clips 60 that tightly clasp to the lateral edges of an automobile hood making it very easy to secure the apparatus to the underside of a hood, making inadvertently jarring loose the clips very unlikely. All of the prior art utility lights did not securely fasten to the hood. Second, being that the clips 60 slidably attach to the track 55, having planar portions 64 that fit into the track upper channels 80 sliding along the track axial axis 83, the apparatus can be adjusted to clamp to the lateral sides of any size automobile hood by simply sliding the clips 60 along the upper channels 80. The ideal length of the track 55 is sized to match the width of an average size SUV. However, the track length is retractable by virtue of the slidable clips, enabling the power track 50 to be fastened to any size hood.
Third, unlike the prior art, which only provides overhead lighting from florescent lights fixed in one position or bulky fixed incandescent lights capable of rotating only, or flash lights, which must be held by the mechanic; the present invention enables a mechanic to cast concentrated light (just like a flashlight) on any recessed area under the hood. To reposition the light, the mechanic only has to bend the extension 51 and move the fixture head to any position under the hood. Because the extension 51 is semi-rigid, the bent shape of the extension will not unfurl due to the weight of the fixture head. Typical prior art track fixture heads contain heavy transformers. The increased weight of the fixture would unfurl a bent extension 15 making repositioning of the fixture head 53 difficult. The present invention overcomes this problem by using line voltage pendant light fixture heads 53, which can be made much smaller and lighter in weight. Line voltage pendant light fixtures generate more heat than typical track lights. This disadvantage can be overcome by insulating the extensions 51. To reach very remote recessed areas under an automobile hood, it is best to have at least one extension 53 long enough to reach the underside of the engine while the apparatus is attached to the hood with the hood is raised.
Still referring to
Another advantage of the present invention is its light weight. The track 55, comprising the channels 80 and 81, as stated, is very light weight, because it can be made of light weight material such as aluminum or thermoplastic. Stainless-steel corrugated gas piping is ideal for the tubing 51, because it is durable, and is designed to maintain its shape when bent; and therefore will not unfurl under the weight of the fixture head 53; and such piping is light weight. The invention will work even if the tube unfurls due to the weight of the pendent light. However, the invention works best when the tubing retains its configuration unless and until the user bends the tubing.
Miniature flashlight heads can and should be used as the fixture heads 53, which also are very light weight, and dissipate very little heat. Typical residential track light electrical bases can and should be used as the electrical base 54, which are light weight and very easy to install. If the aforementioned preferred elements are used, the entire present invention weighs very little. And because it contains the clips 60 and battery cable clamps 58, the present invention can be stored anywhere in the garage by clamping one of the clips 60 or battery cable clamps to a protrusion.
To connect the electrical base 54 to the lower channel 81, the electrical base 54 is simply inserted into the lower channel 81 and the electrical base 54 is turned in one direction, usually to the right. The electrical base 54 is equipped with electrical contact tabs (not shown) and snug fits into the lower channel 81. When the electrical base is turned to the right, the tabs contact the bus bars and the electrical base locks into place, the normal way a track light electrical base fastens to a track light.
The present invention is very easy to use, as stated, and economical to make. Power tracks are widely used as tracks for residential track lighting. An off-the-shelf track does not usually contain an upper channel 80. However, coupled with the above description and appended drawings, one skilled in the art could adapt an off-the-shelf track to receive the slidable clips 60. The same is true as to the other components of the present invention. If given the desired use of the tubing, the average corrugated tube manufacturer is skilled enough to make extensions with the semi-rigid properties described herein.
In stead of using battery cables 56, a miniature transformer can be used. Such transformers are typically used for residential track lighting, and are sized to attach to one of the ends of a typical residential-track-lighting track. These transformers usually are directly connected to electrical wiring connected to a power source. However, it is well known how to make miniature transformers that either connect to electrical wiring connected to an electrical plug, or that are rechargeable by an electrical power pack, or simply powered by a series of dry cell batteries connected to the transformer. In the latter case, a compartment could be added to one or both of the elongate tracks 55 to hold the batteries. These preferred embodiments are very advantageous. The battery powered embodiments could be used where electrical power sources are unavailable, such as on the highway at night when a motorist breaks down.
Still referring to
It will be evident, therefore, that a very simple and inexpensive construction of the adjustable underhood light in accordance with the present invention satisfies all of the objects cited above and overcomes all of the disadvantages inherent in prior art utility lights. While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications will be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein and as defined in the appended claims.
