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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to illumination devices and more particularly to a finger light that provides illumination adjacent to a finger to which it is attached, particularly for writing and illuminating such writing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Without proper illumination during a writing activity, many individuals find it difficult to operate in such environment. Various portable lighting sources are known in the art and include flashlights, lamps, and other lighting structures which are generally operated electrically and controlled by a switch.
There are times when only a small amount of light is necessary as when it is important to diminish any disturbance to others, operate with discretion and possible secrecy, and otherwise. To this end, a variety of finger lights have been developed as well as other manually operated and manually attached portable lighting devices. None of these devices are adapted for easy conversion to a portable magnifying light source that can be used for local illumination.
The present invention provides a finger light configuration that can be used for illuminating writing among other things.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new finger light which has many of the advantages of the finger lights known heretofore and many novel features that result in a finger light which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, taught, or even implied by any of the prior art finger lights, either alone or in any combination thereof.
The housing provides an enclosure for a light source and a replaceable power source. The light source may be a LED (Light Emitting Diode). The replaceable power source may be button cell batteries. The circuit between the batteries and the LED may be controlled by a switch, all of which may be contained in the housing. The switch may protrude from the housing for operation. A finger-engaging section may be removed or re-coupled to the switchable light source with its housing. A finger-engaging portion provides means by which removable engagement with the finger may occur with respect to the switchable light source.
By optional removal of the finger-engaging framework, a magnifying section may also be removably attached to the top of the housing and the switchable light source. The removable magnifying section may include an extension that spaces a lens or other magnifying device away from the front of the switchable light source to thereby enable illumination of an area generally beneath the lens.
The magnifying extension and the finger-engaging framework may be used separately or together. Optional detents may provide for adjustment of the finger-engaging portion with respect to its disposition relative to the housing of the switchable light source. The same or similar adjustment means may be present with respect to the magnifying extension.
In one embodiment, a finger light for local illumination adjacent a finger has a switchable light source sized for easy carrying by a finger between the first and second knuckle of the finger. The switchable light source transmits light downwardly relative to a main axis of the switchable light source at a forward end thereof. A removable finger-engaging section is removably coupled to the switchable light source and is adapted for engaging the finger between the first and second knuckle. In this way, the finger light is easily engageable by the finger and the finger light generally does not interfere with manual activities including the holding of a writing instrument and writing with the writing instrument.
In another embodiment, a magnifying light for local illumination of relatively small objects or relatively small portions of objects has a switchable light source generally sized for easy carrying by a finger between the first and second knuckle of the finger. The switchable light source transmits light downwardly relative to a main axis of the switchable light source at a forward end thereof. A removable magnification section is removably coupled to the switchable light source and is adapted for magnifying an area illuminated by the switchable light source. In this way, an area or object may be illuminated and magnified for better visual inspection.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a finger light comprises at least one LED (Light Emitting Diode) adapted for local illumination, at least one button cell adapted for use as a power source for the LED, wherein the button cell is operatively coupled between the LED and an electrical switch, and a housing adapted to operatively accommodate the LED, button cell and electrical switch. The finger light also comprises a framework adapted to engage at least one finger of a user's hand. The framework includes at least one channel configured to receive at least a portion of the housing. The LED within the received housing casts a light beam proximate to the tip of a writing instrument being used during a writing activity.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a magnifying light for local illumination comprises at least one LED adapted for use as a finger light source, at least one button cell adapted for use as a power source for the LED, wherein the button cell is operatively coupled between the LED and an electrical switch, and a finger light housing adapted to operatively accommodate the LED, button cell and electrical switch. The magnifying light also comprises at least one magnifying lens being disposed in operative proximity to the LED, and a lens chassis adapted to accommodate the magnifying lens such that the focus area of the magnifying lens substantially corresponds with the local area being illuminated by the LED. The lens chassis includes a channel section configured to receive at least one portion of the finger light housing. The channel section is adapted to allow slidable positional adjustment of the received finger light housing.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from a review of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the invention.
The present invention is generally shown by way of reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the exemplary embodiments may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the exemplary embodiments in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a finger light, as generally shown in
Finger light 14 further includes a finger-engaging framework 36 adapted to removably couple housing 22 to forefinger 16 (
Descending from center panel 38 are two oppositely disposed (right and left) wings 44, 46 configured to frictionally engage and capture forefinger 16 (
Portable magnifying light 60 may be easily constructed by removing finger-engaging framework 36 from housing 22 of finger light 14 and attaching the stand-alone finger light housing to a raised bottom channel section 80 of lens chassis 64. Bottom channel section 80 is defined between two ribs 82, 84 (
The finger light of the present invention may be adapted for attachment to a writing instrument, such as a pen, pencil and the like. Other suitable design configurations may be utilized as needed. The exemplary embodiments described hereinabove are merely illustrative of the general principles of the present invention. Various design modifications may be employed that would reside within the scope of the invention. Thus, by way of example, but not of limitation, alternative configurations may be utilized in accordance with the teachings herein. Accordingly, the drawings and description are illustrative and not meant to be a limitation thereof.
Moreover, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Thus, it is intended that the invention cover all embodiments and variations thereof as long as such embodiments and variations come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.