Lighting device with switchable light sources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8944626-B2
Application number	US-201213474960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2012
Priority date	Oct 9, 2008
Publication date	Feb 3, 2015
Grant date	Feb 3, 2015

Abstract

Various lighting devices and related methods are provided. In one example, a lighting device includes a main member including a central axis. The lighting device also includes a bezel surrounding at least a portion of the main member and adapted to be concentrically rotated about the central axis. The lighting device also includes a lens asymmetrically disposed in the bezel and adapted to rotate with the bezel. The lens includes a light inlet offset from the central axis. The lighting device also includes a plurality of light sources fixed relative to the main member. Rotation of the bezel relative to the main member causes the light inlet to rotate through an arc about the central axis to selectively align different ones of the light sources with the light inlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting device comprising:
a main member comprising a central axis;
a bezel surrounding at least a portion of the main member and adapted to be concentrically rotated about the central axis;
a lens asymmetrically disposed in the bezel and adapted to rotate with the bezel, the lens comprising a light inlet offset from the central axis; and
a plurality of light sources fixed relative to the main member, wherein rotation of the bezel relative to the main member causes the light inlet to rotate through an arc about the central axis to selectively align different ones of the light sources with the light inlet.

2. The lighting device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one pin protruding from the main member;
a plurality of slots in the bezel adapted to selectively receive the pin; and
a resilient mechanism adapted to axially bias the bezel toward the main member to engage the pin with corresponding ones of the slots to prevent rotation of the bezel relative to the main member when the bezel is situated at selected angular positions.

3. The lighting device of claim 2 , wherein the resilient mechanism is a wave spring.

4. The lighting device of claim 3 , wherein the wave spring protrudes into a first recess in an exterior surface of the main member and a second recess in an interior surface of the bezel to resist complete removal of the bezel from main member.

5. The lighting device of claim 1 , further comprising an o-ring disposed between the main member and the bezel, wherein an interior surface of the bezel is adapted to contact the o-ring as the bezel rotates about the central axis.

6. The lighting device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a circumferential groove disposed in an exterior surface of the main member;
a magnet fixed relative to an interior surface of the bezel and adapted to slide within the circumferential groove as the bezel is rotated relative to the main member; and
at least one sensor fixed relative to the main member and adapted to detect a proximity of the magnet to the sensor and provide one or more control signals to selectively switch at least one of the light sources on or off based on the detected proximity.

7. The lighting device of claim 6 , wherein the circumferential groove comprises first and second ends adapted to receive the magnet and define a rotation range of the bezel relative to the main member.

8. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the main member is a heat sink.

9. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein a first one of the light sources is a visible light emitting diode (LED) and a second one of the light sources is an infrared LED.

10. The lighting device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a body;
a head attached to the body, wherein the head comprises the main member, the bezel, the lens, and the light sources; and
wherein the body is adapted to be attached to a firearm.

11. A firearm comprising:
a mounting mechanism; and
the lighting device of claim 10 attached by the mounting mechanism.

12. A method of operating a lighting device, the lighting device comprising a main member comprising a central axis, a bezel surrounding at least a portion of the main member, a lens asymmetrically disposed in the bezel and adapted to rotate with the bezel and comprising a light inlet offset from the central axis, and a plurality of light sources fixed relative to the main member, the method comprising:
concentrically rotating the bezel about the central axis relative to the main member, wherein the rotating causes the light inlet to rotate through an arc about the central axis to selectively align different ones of the light sources with the light inlet.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lighting device further comprises at least one pin protruding from the main member, a plurality of slots in the bezel adapted to selectively receive the pin, and a resilient mechanism adapted to axially bias the bezel toward the main member to engage the pin with corresponding ones of the slots to prevent rotation of the bezel relative to the main member when the bezel is situated at selected angular positions, the method further comprising:
prior to the rotating, urging the bezel axially away from the main member and against the axial bias of the resilient mechanism, wherein the urging causes the pin to disengage with a first one of the slots; and
after the rotating, releasing the bezel, wherein the axial bias of the resilient mechanism causes the pin to engage with a second one or the slots.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the resilient mechanism is a wave spring.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the wave spring protrudes into a first recess in an exterior surface of the main member and a second recess in an interior surface of the bezel to resist complete removal of the bezel from main member.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein an interior surface of the bezel contacts an o-ring disposed between the main member and the bezel during the rotating.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the lighting device further comprises a circumferential groove disposed in an exterior surface of the main member, a magnet fixed relative to an interior surface of the bezel, and at least one sensor fixed relative to the main member, the method further comprising:
sliding the magnet within the circumferential groove during the rotating;
detecting a proximity of the magnet to the sensor; and
providing one or more control signals to selectively switch at least one of the light sources on or off based on the detected proximity.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the circumferential groove comprises first and second ends adapted to receive the magnet and define a rotation range of the bezel relative to the main member.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the main member is a heat sink.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein a first one of the light sources is a visible light emitting diode (LED) and a second one of the light sources is an infrared LED.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
attaching the lighting device to a firearm.

Assignees

• Matthews John W
• Picciotta Michael D
• Wells William
• Surefire Llc

Inventors

• Matthews John W
• Picciotta Michael D
• Wells William

Classifications

• F41G11/003

  Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems" · CPC title

• F41G1/35

  for illuminating the target {, e.g. flash lights} · CPC title

• F21L4/025

  the light sources being of different shape or type · CPC title

• F21V23/0414 Primary

  specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices · CPC title