Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Portable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-02
2001-05-29
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Portable
C362S220000, C362S225000, C280S032600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238069
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mechanics creepers. More particularly, this invention relates to mechanics creepers including a mechanics light for illuminating a working area underneath a vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
Presently, there exist many types of mechanics lights for illuminating the working area of the mechanic. Mechanics lights may comprise a traditional “drop light” whereas other types of mechanics lights are integrated with mechanics seats or creepers.
More particularly, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,357, a work-illuminating electric lamp is disclosed as being supported by an upright support of a conventional mechanics seat. Casters on the bottom of the mechanics seat allow the mechanics seat to be rolled around the periphery of the vehicle being worked on and the upstanding electric lamp optimally illuminates the work area from above and behind the mechanic's head.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,698,731, 4,986,558 and 5,392,201 disclose various types of lights that are attached to or otherwise integrated with creepers. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,731, the light is integrated at the head portion of the mechanics creeper so as to optimally illuminate the underside of the vehicle from above the mechanic's head who is laying in a prone position on the mechanics creeper. U.S. Pat. 4,986,558 discloses paired, battery-operated lights which are mounted on an attachment to a mechanics creeper at opposing sides of the head portion of the mechanics creeper. The disclosures of each of the above-referenced patents are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Unfortunately, it should be readily apparent that the above-described lights for mechanics creepers and seats suffer from the disadvantage of requiring structural changes to the mechanics creeper or seat or otherwise requiring complicated methods for connecting the light to the mechanics creeper or seat. Moreover, the above-described mechanics lights generally require specially configured designs that can be incorporated into the mechanics creepers or seats as disclosed.
In view of the foregoing, there presently exists a need for a light bracket assembly for an “off-the-shelf” light that can be easily incorporated into a mechanics creeper without structural changes to the creeper itself. In this manner, the light bracket assembly may be easily retrofitted to existing designs of mechanics creepers as well as for sale in the aftermarket for retrofitting to existing mechanics creepers in wide use by mechanics.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the mechanics creeper art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an integrated mechanics creeper and light which optimally provides illumination from above and behind the mechanic's head while in a prone position on the mechanics creeper underneath a vehicle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a bracket assembly for mechanics lights that may be easily connected to existing designs of mechanics creepers.
Another object of this invention is to provide a light bracket assembly that may be easily connected to existing designs of mechanics creepers to allow conventional, off-the-shelf mechanics lights to be used in connection with a mechanics creeper to provide light from above and behind the mechanic's head.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
For the purpose of summarizing this invention, this invention comprises a light bracket assembly for connection to a conventional mechanics creeper allowing a conventional, off-the-shelf mechanics light to be stored in the bracket assembly so as to provide illumination from behind and above the mechanic's head while working underneath a vehicle.
More particularly, the bracket assembly of the invention comprises a frame member that is configured and dimensioned to connect to the ends of the opposing side frame members of the mechanics creeper at the head portion of the creeper. The assembly further comprises a pair of light brackets that are designed to snap onto opposing sides of the frame member in facing relationship so as to define a cradle for supporting the off-the-shelf mechanics light at the head of the creeper. The light brackets may alternatively be snapped to one of the side frame members of the creeper in facing relationship so as to define a cradle for supporting the off-the-shelf mechanics light at the side of the creeper.
Preferably, the light brackets include an attachment portion and a cradle portion. The attachment portion includes a cross-sectional configuration generally corresponding to the cross-sectional configuration of the frame member so as to be easily snap-fitted thereon without necessarily the need for fasteners such as bolts or rivets. The cradle portion preferably comprises a cross-sectional configuration that is generally non-circular such that when the mechanics light is cradled therein, the mechanics light is precluded from rolling therein. In this manner, the mechanics light may be cradled between the light brackets with its incandescent or fluorescent light illuminating upwardly above and behind the mechanic's head. The non-circular cross-sectional configuration of the respective cradle portions precludes longitudinal rotation of the light as it is being cradled. Moreover, since the mechanics light is merely being cradled in the light bracket, the mechanic may easily lift the light out of the cradle and use it as a conventional drop light.
The frame member is preferably connected to the ends of the side frame members of the mechanics creeper by forming at least the ends of the frame member of a tubular material and press-fitting the ends of the frame member over the ends of the side frames of the mechanics creeper. In this manner, no structural changes are required to be made to the mechanics creeper. The light bracket assembly of the invention may therefore be easily retrofitted to existing designs of mechanics creepers.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 353058 (1994-12-01), Dallas
patent: D. 365935 (1996-01-01), Dallas
patent: D. 406432 (1999-03-01), Taylor et al.
patent: D. 406683 (1999-03-01), Taylor et al.
patent: 4232357 (1980-11-01), Dietz
patent: 4698731 (1987-10-01), Johns, Sr.
patent: 4986558 (1991-01-01), Morris
patent: 5174592 (1992-12-01), Pool
patent: 5392201 (1995-02-01), Morley et al.
patent: 5730449 (1998-03-01), Miles
Alavi Ali
Holland & Knight LLP
O'Shea Sandra
United Auto Systems Inc.
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