Portable light having a forward facing light and a rearward facing light

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378744-B2
Application number	US-201715460707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2017
Priority date	Apr 5, 2016
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A portable light may comprise: a light housing including a first housing and a light head that is pivotable relative to the first housing; one or more light sources including an illumination light source in the light head; an electrical switch for selectively energizing the one or more light sources; and a detector of the pivoted position of the light head relative to the first housing for energizing and/or de-energizing one or more of the light sources. Other features of the light may include: a rear facing light source that may have one or more light sources, or an elongated clip, or a pivotable elongated clip, or one or more accessories mountable to a clip, or a combination thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable light comprising:
a light housing defining a forward end and a rearward end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, said light housing including a first housing and a light head that is pivotable relative to the longitudinal axis and said first housing;
an illumination light source in said light head that is selectively energizable for directing light outwardly from said light head;
a second light source in said first housing that is selectively energizable for directing light outwardly from said first housing in a direction different from that of said illumination light source;
an electrical switch for selectively energizing said illumination light source and/or said second light source to produce light; and
a detector of the pivoted position of said light head relative to said first housing configured for energizing and/or de-energizing said second light source when said light head is pivoted to be proximate to said first housing, whereby the proximity of said light head and said first housing is detected by said detector.

2. The portable light of claim 1 wherein said second light source further comprises:
an optical element configured for receiving first light produced by a first light producing element and second light produced by a second light producing element, wherein said optical element is configured for directing the first light and the second light in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis defined by said light housing.

3. The portable light of claim 1 wherein said detector detects said light head being pivoted relative to said first housing by more than a predetermined angle for selectively energizing said second light source.

4. The portable light of claim 3 wherein the predetermined angle:
is in the range of about 60° to about 90′; or
is in the range of about 85° to about 90°.

5. The portable light of claim 1 wherein said detector comprises: a magnet supported by one of said light head and said first housing and a detector of a magnetic field supported by the other of said light head and said first housing, wherein said detector detects the magnetic field of said magnet when said light head is pivoted relative to said first housing by a predetermined angle.

6. The portable light of claim 5 wherein the predetermined angle:
is in the range of about 60° to about 90°; or
is in the range of about 85° to about 90°.

7. The portable light of claim 5 wherein said detector of a magnetic field includes a Hall-effect sensor or a reed switch.

8. The portable light of claim 1 further comprising:
an elongated clip attached to said light housing and extending along said light housing substantially in the longitudinal direction; or
a hanger ring attached to said light housing proximate said illumination light source; or
an elongated clip attached to said light housing and extending along said light housing substantially in the longitudinal direction and a hanger ring attached to said light housing proximate said illumination light source.

9. The portable light of claim 8 wherein:
when said portable light includes said elongated clip, said elongated clip is configured to be rotatable about said light housing; and
when said portable light includes said hanger ring, said hanger ring is attached to said light housing proximate said illumination light source and is configured to be stowed adjacent said light housing and deployed away from said light housing.

10. A portable light comprising:
a light housing defining a forward and a rearward end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, said light housing including a first housing and a light head that is pivotable relative to the longitudinal axis and said first housing;
an illumination light source in said pivotable light head and selectively energizable for directing light outwardly from said pivotable light head at a forward end of said light housing;
a second light source selectively energizable for directing light outwardly from a rearward end of said light housing, wherein said second light source includes at least a first light producing element configured for producing a first light;
an electrical switch for selectively energizing said illumination light source, or said first light producing element, or said illumination light source and said first light producing element, to produce light; and
a detector of the pivoted position of said pivotable light head relative to said first housing for energizing and/or de-energizing said first light producing element when said light head is pivoted to be proximate to said first housing, whereby the proximity of said light head and said first housing is detected by said detector.

11. The portable light of claim 10 wherein said detector detects said light head being pivoted relative to said first housing by more than a predetermined angle for selectively energizing and/or de-energizing the one or more of said first light producing element.

12. The portable light of claim 11 wherein the predetermined angle:
is in the range of about 60° to about 90′; or
is in the range of about 85° to about 90°.

13. The portable light of claim 10 wherein said detector comprises: a magnet supported by one of said light head and said first housing and a detector of a magnetic field supported by the other of said light head and said first housing, wherein said detector detects the magnetic field of said magnet when said light head is pivoted relative to said first housing by a predetermined angle.

14. The portable light of claim 13 wherein the predetermined angle:
is in the range of about 60° to about 90°; or
is in the range of about 85° to about 90°.

15. The portable light of claim 12 wherein said detector of a magnetic field includes a Hall-effect sensor or a reed switch.

16. The portable light of claim 10 wherein said second light source further includes:
a second light producing element configured for producing a second light;
wherein said electrical switch is for selectively energizing said illumination light source, or said first light producing element, or said second light producing element, or any combination of said illumination light source, said first light producing element, and said second light producing element to produce light; and
wherein said detector of the pivoted position of said light head relative to said first housing is for energizing and/or de-energizing said first light producing element, or said second light producing element, or both of said first and second light producing elements.

17. The portable light of claim 16 wherein said second light source further comprises:
an optical element configured for receiving the first light produced by said first light producing element and the second light produced by said second light producing element and for directing the first light and the second light rearwardly in a direction substantially parallel to the axis defined by said light housing.

18. The portable light of claim 17 :
wherein said optical element comprises a reflector configured for directing light outwardly from the rearward end of said light housing and along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis direction;
wherein said first light producing element is configured for directing the first light substantially parallel to the axis defined by said reflector; and
wherein said second light producing element is configured for directing the second light substantially transversely to the axis defined by said reflector, wherein said reflector

Assignees

• Streamlight Inc

Inventors

• Arena Francis D
• Kelley Thomas J
• Worman William D

Classifications

• F21V23/0442

  activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors · CPC title

• F21V7/0075

  for portable lighting devices · CPC title

• F21L4/027

  the light sources being a LED · CPC title

• G02B6/0096

  the lights guides being of the hollow type · CPC title

• F21V21/0885

  for portable lighting devices · CPC title