Baton for displaying and storing light sticks

Details Baton for displaying and storing light sticks Baton for displaying and storing light sticks

1999-10-28

2001-04-17

Tso, Laura K. (Department: 2875)

Illumination

Light source or light source support and luminescent material

C362S102000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06217187

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a holder for providing ambient light, and, more particularly, relates to a hand-held or portable baton for displaying and storing light sticks.
Among the common devices which provide light for an area or surface are candles, lamps, flashlights, streetlights, lanterns, and flares. Such lights have general purpose as well as recreational and safety uses. When flashlights, lanterns, and flares (which can be hand-held or mounted on sawhorses, stands, and barriers) are used in safety, hazard, and emergency situations, their purposes are varied, such as illuminating a dangerous area, like a collapsed structure, a washed out road or bridge, or a traffic accident scene. Flashlights, lanterns, and flares are also commonly used to assist in traffic and crowd control at public gatherings and events, such as fairs; air, boat, and car shows; and sporting competitions of all kinds.
One disadvantage of flares, in particular, is that they drip a noxious chemical substance during their use. When used by public safety and emergency personnel, such as police officers, firefighters, and EMT's, the flares are mounted on the road or road berm or held or waved by the public safety personnel for signaling to pedestrians and drivers that they are approaching a dangerous situation and should exercise caution in proceeding therethrough. However, if hand-held, the flares will drip and splatter the noxious substance on the uniform of the personnel, which will soil the uniforms and cause unsightly and/or unsafe holes to be produced thereon. New uniforms must then be purchased which are quite often an out-of-pocket expense for the personnel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
While flashlights, lamps, lanterns, and flares have been, and continue to be, used in various emergency and public safety situations, they have a number of shortcomings, especially when they must be held, carried, or manually waved by public safety personnel for extended periods of time. Waving lamps, lanterns, and policemen's flashlights over an extended period of time produces muscle strain and fatigue for the user. In addition, these devices produce only white light and, depending upon the circumstances, white light may not be the most penetrating or visible. Moreover, in many emergency and danger situations, a beam of white light may not be the most desirable form of light for warning approaching pedestrians or vehicles of the dangerous condition. An example of a light displaying device is the lighted baton of U.S. Pat. No. Des. 370,276.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprehends a device for providing ambient light, and, more particularly, comprehends a hand-held or ground-mounted baton for displaying a first visible light source and storing therein a second light source.
The baton includes an elongated, generally tubular-shaped body having a first end and an opposite second end. The body also includes an inner bore which defines a storage chamber or compartment and is coequal in length with the body and extends from the first end to the second end. The first end of the body is closed by a removably securable cap or plug and mounted to the second end is a socket member. At least one illumination producer, generator or source in the form of a chemically-activated light stick is contained within the storage compartment, and a second light stick is mounted to the socket member so that a major portion of that light stick projects outwardly from the socket member for generating ambient illumination. A preferred light stick is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,642, and is incorporated herein by reference. The light sticks shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 331,889, Des. 356,276, and Des. 368,045 can also be used with the baton of the present invention. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,576,987 and 4,064,428 disclose light sticks composed of a range of compounds for producing chemiluminescent light, and both of these light sticks can be used with the baton of the present invention.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a baton which is portable and easy to store and transport.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a baton which includes an auxiliary or secondary illumination source as a replacement for the primary illumination source.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a baton which is lighter than a policeman's flashlight and safety flare and thereby produces less muscle fatigue and strain from the policeman's continuous waving of the baton during emergency or public safety situations.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a baton which can be hand-held or carried pendent from the neck.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a baton having an illumination source which produces various colors of light in addition to the standard white light of a flashlight.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a baton having as its illumination source at least one chemiluminescent light stick whereby attaching the light stick to the baton allows the light stick to throw more light than if the light stick is hand-held because a substantial portion of the light stick body projects outwardly from the baton.
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a baton that includes structure to raise the light emitting end off the ground when the baton is set on the ground.
These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the follow description and accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: D. 331889 (1992-12-01), Kaplan
patent: D. 356276 (1995-03-01), Liu et al.
patent: D. 368045 (1996-03-01), Akers, Sr.
patent: D. 370276 (1996-05-01), Davis
patent: 3576987 (1971-05-01), Voight et al.
patent: 4064428 (1977-12-01), Van Zandt
patent: 4508642 (1985-04-01), World
patent: 4812952 (1989-03-01), Clemens
patent: 5280743 (1994-01-01), Abel et al.
patent: 5307251 (1994-04-01), Shaffer
patent: 6065847 (2000-05-01), Palmer et al.
patent: 6070987 (2000-06-01), Jarvik

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