Illumination – Self powered lamp – With support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-03-27
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Self powered lamp
With support
C362S191000, C362S208000, C362S388000, C362S382000, C362S418000, C362S197000, C362S198000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206542
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support device for a self-powered illumination device. More specifically, it relates to a support and mounting device for a flashlight, which allows a flashlight carried by the device to be positioned to illuminate a desired area.
b. Discussion of the Prior Art
Heretofore, illuminating device supports encompassed many various designs, including wire racks, stationary tripods, stationary two legged supports, magnets, clamps, wire rings, and many other support configurations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,457 discloses a hands free illuminating device support having an adjustable light reflector. The support device allows an illuminating device to be prepositioned in a supported or suspended orientation. The support device is comprised of flanges attached to either side of the illuminating device casing and extending downward, terminating in a flange bottom edge. The flanges are configured to receive and latch the reflector into a stored position. Each flange also has a rotor shaft bearing to rotatably receive a rotor shaft on a Z-axis to the flange. This allows the rotor and a rigid leg attached to the rotor to have 360° of Z-axis rotation. The rotor has a rotor shaft and leg shaft bearings which rotatably receive the leg shaft on a Y axis to the flange, thereby providing the leg with about 180° of Y-axis rotation to the flange. The rigid legs have a leg shaft on one end and a hooking means on the opposite end. This allows the legs to be rotated, as required to accommodate the device to various detent positions on the Y and Z-axes to provide prepositioned support or suspension for the illuminating device held by the support device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,623 shows a clip on support for a flashlight. U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,919shows a flashlight retainer that is flexible and has hooks for attaching it to a support. U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,148 teaches a flexible attached sleeve with support for a flashlight.
A commercially available product sold under the trademark “BENDYLIGHTS” has been found on sale during the week of Jun. 6, 1999. It consists of a cylindrical C-battery flashlight which is decorated with sunglasses/eyes on the head of the flashlight. It also includes a pair of bendable arms and legs in the form of caricature arms and legs, including an embedded bendable wire extending through each arm and leg. One wire joins both legs. One wire joins both arms. In both cases, the joining wires extend through the body of the flashlight and around the batteries. The BENDYLIGHTS products are integral with the body of the flashlight, and are not removable from the body of the flashlight.
None of the known prior art provides a simple device for supporting and mounting a flashlight, which device includes bendable appendages which are simply and easily rotated in the Y-axis and bendable in the X and Z-axis in order to allow a flashlight carried by the device to be positioned to illuminate a desired area
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to provide a flashlight support device which may be prepositioned or repositioned to illuminate a desired area in a manner such that the device need not be hand held, thereby leaving the hands of a user free.
It is another object of this invention to provide such a flashlight support device having a single rotor mechanism and bendable appendages in order to reduce manufacturing costs.
It is also an object of this invention to provide such a support device of such diverse capability, and having bendable appendages so that a flashlight carried by the device may be supported, suspended or hung in almost ang position, regardless of the configuration or orientation of the area in which it is to be used, thereby increasing the utility of the flashlight carried by the device.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a support device that is of such size and configuration that it offers no interference and does not add substantially to the size of the flashlight when it is hand held by a user.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a support device for a flashlight that is of simple but rugged design, and which, at the same time, is very easy to operate.
These and other objects are provided by a flashlight support device having a hollow open body. The hollow open body has at least one open end and is designed and dimensioned to removably fit over the body of a flashlight. There is at least one pair of adjustable and bendable legs attached to the hollow body for rotation in the Y-axis. Each pair of adjustable and bendable legs is located in substantially diametric opposition adjacent to one open end of the hollow open body. Each leg is comprised of a bendable material and is capable of being bent, without any additional mechanism, into substantially any position and configurations in the X and Z-axis. A rotation mechanism and the adjustable and bendable legs attached thereto allows each rotatable and bendable leg to be rotated into a number of incremental positions, over a range of a full 360°. In preferred embodiments, the flashlight support device has two opposed open ends, and there are at least two pairs of adjustable and bendable legs attached to the hollow body by rotation means for rotation in the Y-axis and located in substantially diametric opposition to one another.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, showing the contemplated novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2707228 (1955-04-01), Philipson
patent: 4739457 (1988-04-01), Orr
patent: 4897768 (1990-01-01), Thul
patent: 5016148 (1991-05-01), Kohm
patent: 5188450 (1993-02-01), Anderson
patent: 5608919 (1997-03-01), Case
patent: 5743623 (1998-04-01), Kerr
patent: 5931560 (1999-08-01), Hoffman
Case Richard N.
Ellenburg Howard Steve
Margolis Donald W.
O'Shea Sandra
RCP Enterprises, Inc.
Ton Anabel M
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