Illumination – Light fiber – rod – or pipe
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-27
2001-12-25
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light fiber, rod, or pipe
C362S278000, C362S285000, C362S556000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332703
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a lighting device that is made capable of irradiating light arbitrarily to a desired place.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGIES
Conventionally, so-called indoor light, such as fluorescence light, incandescent light, etc., which is installed on a ceiling surface has been used as a lighting device, for example in sickrooms in hospitals, etc. Due to the location of the lighting device, the lighting effects at the bedside of a patient lain in a sickroom in hospital become comparatively weak. Therefore, even when the indoor light is turned on, in order to examine the conditions of a patient in an accurate and detailed manner, it is required to use a flashlight such as a penlight, etc. to pinpoint parts of interest, in addition to the indoor light.
However, for examining the conditions of a patient with such a flashlight, it is necessary that the examiner has a flashlight, which is capable of irradiating light to parts of interest, readily available at hand; for this reason, one hand is occupied by holding such a flashlight, which has been considered problematic in terms of mechanical operations thereof.
Moreover, when a flashlight is used as a lighting device to examine, manipulate, or operate narrow and complex locations, the light from a hand-held flashlight is irradiated in a straight direction, which results in leaving some portions insufficiently irradiated, wherein portions to be observed cannot be fully illuminated as desired.
In connection with the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device that can irradiate light arbitrarily to a desired place.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
From one aspect of the present invention, which achieves the above object:
There is provided a lighting device having: a light irradiation portion comprised of a light-emitting element; a flexible shaft that is turnable or extensible to support the said light irradiation portion at the tip; extendible portions or that support the said flexible shaft at the base, house the flexible shaft, and provide nested housing for each of the extendible portions within one another; a drive portion that drives the light irradiation portion; a power supply portion that supplies electric power to the drive portion; and a case covering the drive portion at least, which more preferably covers the extendible portions, as well.
A lighting device according to the present invention may have a rotatable mechanism portion that rotates the above-mentioned light irradiation portion, between the light irradiation portion and the flexible shaft.
As the above-mentioned light irradiation portion, light-emitting elements can be used advantageously.
The above-mentioned extendible portions are preferably extended from the above-mentioned case, and can be housed in the said case when it is in the shortened state. Moreover, these extendible portions may be arranged so that they can be constructed to maintain a desired angle to the case.
Moreover, the above-mentioned case according to the present invention provides fixing portions to a wall surface, a ceiling surface, etc., and preferably has an electric power supply cable winding mechanism.
From another aspect of the present invention:
The above-mentioned case may be constructed to house the above-mentioned extendible portions, the drive portion, and the power supply portion comprised of dry cells, all of which portability can be attained.
Moreover, a lighting device according to the present invention is preferably comprised of the above-mentioned case serving as a case for various devices simultaneously, wherein the light irradiation portion lights up desired locations such as operation panels of various devices.
According to the above-mentioned construction, by extending the extendible portions as well as turning the flexible shaft, the light irradiation portion comprised of a light-emitting element at the tip can pinpoint a desired direction. Therefore, the light emitted from the light irradiation portion will be cast to the desired direction; thus, the desired location can be illuminated.
Furthermore, by housing the flexible shaft inside the extendible portions as well as shortening the extendible portions, both the flexible shaft and the extendible portions can be housed in the case compactly. Thus, physical space required for installation will be reduced. These extendible portions may be constructed to have a plurality of nested parts.
When the above-mentioned case is attached to a surface i.e., wall, ceiling, etc., and the light irradiation portion is made to light up desired locations, it is not necessary to handhold the case, the flexible shaft, or the light irradiation portion. Therefore, users can conduct desired operations with the use of both hands.
When the above-mentioned case is formed in shapes such as an oval, rectangle, or other arbitrary shapes that ensure portability, and is made to house the extendible portions, the drive portion, and the power supply portion comprised of dry cells, the lighting device as a whole can be carried around freely as a so-called penlight-type flashlight; and by housing the extendible portions and the flexible shaft in the case, carrying it around as a traditional penlight-type flashlight, and expanding the extendible portions and pulling out the flexible shaft while turning it if necessary, can be used to light up desired locations appropriately, even if they are in such locations as inner parts of various devices, etc.
When the above-mentioned case is constructed to serve as a case for various devices simultaneously, and the light irradiation portion is made to light up desired locations such as an operation panel of various devices, etc., the extendible portions and the flexible shaft can be housed in the case when not in use, otherwise, it can be effectively used to light up desired locations such as operation panels of various devices, etc. by expanding the extendible portions and pulling out the flexible shaft while turning it, if necessary.
From yet another aspect of the present invention, in addition to the construction described in the above-mentioned aspects;
The lighting device has a spring mechanism that provides the above-mentioned extendible portions and the flexible shaft with extensibility, and this spring mechanism provides a construction, where, as the flexible shaft extends, the nested extendible portions extend as well.
This spring mechanism may have lock mechanism, whereby when the apparatus is not in use, it can house the above-mentioned extendible portions and the flexible shaft in the case, and maintain them in their shortened state.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4414608 (1983-11-01), Furihata
patent: 4597030 (1986-06-01), Brody et al.
patent: 4870543 (1989-09-01), Born et al.
JP Patent Laid-open pub. No. Heisei 5-311733 (311733/1993) published on Nov. 22, 1990 with English abstract.
JP Patent Laid-open pub. No. Heisei 9-237501 (237501/1997) published on Sep. 9, 1997 with English abstract.
JP Patent Laid-open pub. No. Heisei 10-106331 (106331/1998) published on Apr. 24, 1998 with English abstract.
Minato Kiyotaka
Tamaoki Keiko
Tamaoki Satoshi
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
LAB. Sphere Corporation
O'Shea Sandra
Ward John Anthony
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