Patent Application
20170370536
N/A
The disclosure relates in general to lighting, and more particularly, to a work light assembly that can be utilized in a cordless fashion.
The use of work lights is known in the art. Many different work lights are presented. Drawbacks are known from these different work lights. For example, some such lights provide poor illumination. Others generate an abundance of heat and are difficult to operate. Still others require a cord and an outlet thereby limiting their usability in many different circumstances.
Therefore, there is a need for a cordless work light assembly that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.
The disclosure is directed to a work light assembly comprising a housing, and an outer shield. The housing has a handle portion and an illuminating portion, separated by a neck portion. The handle portion has an outer surface and an inner bore extending between an upper and a lower end thereof. The inner bore opening is at the lower end, and has a bore cover threadedly engaged so as to cover the inner bore. The illuminating portion has a proximal end at the neck portion and a distal end extending therefrom. An outward face that is generally perpendicular to an axis of the handle portion is provided, with a plurality of LED elements positioned thereon. A battery is positioned within the inner bore and coupled to a switch mounted on the handle portion. The battery is also coupled to the plurality of LED elements in electrical communication, so as to be cordless. The outer shield is coupled to the neck portion of the handle portion. The outer shield extends around at least a portion of the illuminating portion.
In some configurations, the bore cover includes a lower surface, and a magnet is coupled to the lower surface.
In some configurations, the handle portion further includes a base leg having a lower ledge surface.
In some configurations, the lower ledge surface is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the outward face.
In some configurations, the outer shield includes a flat portion. The flat portion of the outer shield defines a plane that is coplanar with the lower ledge surface.
In some configurations, the flat portion of the outer shell includes a magnet positioned thereon.
In some configurations, the outer shield includes a front edge. The front edge defines a plane that is one of parallel to and coplanar with a plane defined by the outward face.
In some configurations, a hook member is positioned on the outer shield that extends away from the handle portion and the illuminating portion.
In some configurations, the hook member has an axis about which the hook member can be rotated.
In some configurations, the handle portion is substantially cylindrical.
The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:
While this disclosure is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and described herein in detail a specific embodiment(s) with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification and is not intended to be limited to the embodiment(s) illustrated.
It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings by like reference characters. In addition, it will be understood that the drawings are merely schematic representations of the invention, and some of the components may have been distorted from actual scale for purposes of pictorial clarity.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to
The housing 12 includes handle portion 20 and illuminating portion 22. Preferably, the housing 12 is formed from two “case halves” that divide the housing into two elongated structures that have a generally semi-circular cross-sectional configuration. The handle portion is generally elongated so as to allow for the gripping of the work light assembly by a user. The handle portion 20 extends from lower end 30 to upper end 31. A neck portion 34 is disposed at the upper end (which may be configured to receive the outer shield 14, for coupling therewith).
The handle portion includes on outer surface 32 and an inner bore 33. The outer surface includes contoured portions that are structurally configured to receive or guide the fingers of the user. In the configuration shown, the upper portion of the handle portion includes an insert region that has three peaks that extend transversely thereacross. The switch 52 can be positioned on the back surface of the handle portion. In the configuration shown, the switch is a three position switch, namely, an off position in the middle with on positions on either side (of different intensities). The position of the switch is such that the index finger of the user or the thumb of the user can manipulate the switch while holding onto the light in an operational configuration.
With reference to
At the lower end of 30 of the handle portion 20 includes base leg 35. The base leg 35 allows for the laying of the work light assembly onto an outside surface without allowing the same to roll around. Additionally, the base leg is configured so that the light is directed in an upward direction (or another predetermined direction). The base leg 35 includes lower ledge surface 40 which contacts the outside surface.
The bore cover 36 provides a cover to the inner bore to provide closure thereto. In the configuration shown, the bore cover can form the housing for a battery pack, or may form a portion of the battery pack. The bore cover may be threaded onto the lower end of the inner bore, and may include a grasping outer face (in this case, an outer cylindrical configuration having knurls displaced along the outer surface thereof). Additionally, the bore cover may include a lower surface. The lower surface may comprise a magnetic material so as to be releasably attachable to an outer ferromagnetic surface. Generally, the bore cover has a substantially cylindrical configuration.
The illuminating portion 22 includes proximal end 45, distal end 46 and outward face 48. The proximal end 45 includes bulge region which extends from neck portion 34 of the upper end of the handle portion 20. The illuminating portion 22 includes outward face 48 which is positioned so as to direct light in a direction that is outward and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing 12. Additionally, the outward face 48 defines a plane, preferably, that is substantially parallel to the plane created by the lower ledge surface 40 of the base leg 35 of the handle portion 20.
A plurality of LED elements is disposed along the outward face 48, in this case, in a block-like “M” pattern. Of course, other configurations are contemplated, including random positions. Additionally, while the outward face 48 is shown as being substantially planar, other slightly convex or concave structures are contemplated as well. Additionally, in some configurations, the outward face may be configured to be rotatable about an axis that is generally central and parallel thereto. As such, the outward face (and the LED's) can be rotated side to side in some configurations. In other configurations, the outward face may be fixed.
It will be understood that the LED elements are coupled to the switch 52 and to the battery within the inner bore. Thus, when the switch is actuated, electrical flow is directed from the batteries to the LED's.
The outer shield 14 is shown as comprising outer surface 60, front edge 62, neck coupling member 64 and hook member 66. The outer shield is configured to extend about the back portion of the illuminating portion. The outer shield has a substantially hemispherical configuration, with the neck coupling member extending about the neck portion 34 of the handle portion 20. In some configurations, the neck coupling member may include a snap member which positively locks the neck coupling member in an encircling manner about the neck portion. In other configurations, a clamp may include a fastener or the like so as to clamp the neck coupling member about the neck portion. It will be understood that in other configurations, the neck portion may be integrally formed with the illuminating portion, or may comprise a press-fit component that is coupled in multiple different manners to the housing 12. In some configurations, the outer shield may have a flat region that is substantially coplanar with the lower ledge surface of the base leg, so that the work light assembly can rest on these two surfaces in a generally planar manner and in a stable manner. The outer shield may include magnets on the back 67 so as to enable coupling to outside surfaces. Additionally, an opening (in this case a triangular-like opening) 79 may be presented on the back so as to enable the coupling with a hook or the like on a wall or a suspended hook or other member which can be extended therethrough.
The outer shield terminates about the front edge 62 which generally forms a plane that is one of coplanar and generally parallel to the plane created by the outward face 48, so as to provide a frame therearound. Thus, the outer shield has a generally convex configuration forming cavity 72. In some configurations, a front shield, such as front shield 70 (
The hook member 66 is shown in
Advantageously, the work light assembly of the present configuration may utilize rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries. Additionally, the work light assembly is configured for use without any cords or the like, and through the magnets positioned on the bore cover and the outer shield, the work light may be coupled to an outside ferromagnetic structure. Additionally, the different configurations disclosed herein may be utilized in various combinations, and, it will be understood that the familiar style, with a substantially different configuration. For example, the cordless nature of the device with the additional utility is a combination that provides enhanced utility thereto.
The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the disclosure and the disclosure is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
