PEN-SIZE LED INSPECTION LAMP FOR DETECTION OF FLUORESCENT MATERIAL

• US 20030007346A1
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Spectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Garcia, Gustavo, Cooper, B. William
• Granted Patent: US 6,491,408 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/184
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6447 by visual observation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0221 Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A pen-size inspection lamp for detecting fluorescent materials. The inspection lamp includes a lamp housing, an extendible handle, and at least one LED.

Claims

1. An inspection lamp for detecting fluorescent materials, said inspection lamp comprising:

a LED pen light comprising;

a lamp housing;

a glass capsule enclosure located at the top of the lamp housing; and

a LED with a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm; and

an extendible handle.

2. An inspection lamp as in claim 1, wherein the LED lamp has a wavelength band having a peak intensity between about 315 nm and about 400 nm.

3. An inspection lamp as in claim 1, wherein the LED lamp has a wavelength band having a peak intensity between about 400 nm and about 480 nm.

4. An inspection lamp as in claim 1, wherein the LED lamp has a wavelength band having a peak intensity between about 360 nm and about 380 nm.

5. An inspection lamp as in claim 1, wherein the extendible handle is slidably engaged with the housing and further comprising a threaded top portion adapted to receive a locking mechanism for setting the inspection lamp to a desired length.

6. An inspection lamp as in claim 1, further comprising means for extending the inspection lamp from a shorter configuration to a longer configuration.

7. An inspection lamp for detecting fluorescent materials, said inspection lamp comprising:

a lamp housing;

an upper cylindrical portion;

a lower cylindrical portion;

a plurality of LEDs with a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm located within the lamp housing;

a device for illuminating the plurality of LEDs as desired; and

a device for selectively filtering the plurality of LEDs so that at least one LED will be emitted by the inspection lamp.

8. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises:

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity between about 315 nm to about 400 nm;

at least LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity between about 400 nm to about 480 nm; and

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm.

9. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises at least two LEDs with a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm.

10. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein the device for selectively filtering the plurality of LEDs is a light-impervious cover rotatably engaged with the top of said lamp housing.

11. An inspection lamp as in claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the light-impervious cover is transparent.

12. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the inspection lamp is flexible.

13. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the inspection lamp is extendible.

14. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the inspection lamp is flexible and extendible.

15. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein the inspection lamp comprises an upper flexible cylindrical portion and a lower rigid cylindrical portion.

16. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein the upper cylindrical portion is slidably engaged with the lower cylindrical portion.

17. An inspection lamp as in claim 16, wherein the upper cylindrical portion is flexible.

18. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein the LEDs comprises a glass enclosure capsule having a rounded tip.

19. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, further comprising a source of white light.

20. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, wherein the device for selectively filtering the plurality of LEDs is adapted to selectively filter the plurality of LEDs and an at least one source of white light.

21. An inspection lamp as in claim 7, further comprising means for extending the inspection lamp from a shorter configuration to a longer configuration.

22. An inspection lamp for detecting florescent materials, said inspection lamp comprising:

a lamp housing rotatably engaged with an upper cylindrical portion extending downward from the lamp housing;

a lower cylindrical portion;

a plurality of LEDs comprising a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm attached to the lamp housing; and

at least one electrical contract attached to each LED for selectively connecting at least one LED to a power source by rotating the lamp housing so as to illuminate at least one LED as desired.

23. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises:

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity between about 315 nm to about 400 nm;

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity between about 400 nm to about 480 nm; and

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm.

24. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises:

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity of about 315 nm to about 400 nm;

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity of about 400 nm to about 480 nm; and

at least one LED having a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises at least two LEDs each having a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm.25.

26. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the inspection lamp is flexible.

27. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the inspection lamp is extendible.

28. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the inspection lamp is flexible and extendible.

29. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein the inspection lamp comprises an upper flexible cylindrical portion and a lower rigid cylindrical portion.

30. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein the upper cylindrical portion is slidably engaged with the lower cylindrical portion.

31. An inspection lamp as in claim 30, wherein the upper cylindrical portion is flexible.

32. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, wherein an at least one source of white light and corresponding electrical contact is attached to the lamp housing.

33. An inspection lamp as in claim 22, further comprising means for extending the inspection lamp from a shorter configuration to a longer configuration.

35. An inspection lamp as in claim 34, wherein the extendible handle is a telescoping handle.

36. An inspection lamp as in claim 34, wherein a hinge is located intermediate the handle and the LED lamp assembly.

37. An inspection lamp as in claim 34, wherein at least one electrical storage battery is located in a battery housing located between the LED lamp assembly and the handle.

38. An inspection lamp as in claim 34, wherein the LED lamp assembly has at least two LEDs and wherein at least one of the LEDs has a wavelength band with a peak intensity below about 500 nm and wherein controls are provided to selectively illuminate one LED at a time.

39. An inspection lamp as in claim 34, further comprising means for extending the inspection lamp from a shorter configuration to a longer configuration.

34. An inspection lamp for detecting fluorescent materials, said inspection lamp comprising:

an extendible handle; and

a removable LED lamp assembly having at least one LED with a wavelength band having a peak intensity below about 500 nm.