LED inspection lamp

• US 20030123254A1
• Filed: 12/31/2001
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alltemp Products Company Limited (DiversiTech Holdings, Inc.), R.J. Doran & Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Brasscorp Limited
• Inventors: Lemons, Thomas M., Klipstein, Donald L., Brass, Jack, Doran, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,979,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6447 by visual observation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8803 Visual inspection measuring projectors G01B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0627 Use of several LED's for spectral resolution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/804 Surgical or dental spotlight

Abstract

An LED inspection lamp has a plurality of LED sources, each source for emitting electromagnetic radiation at a different peak wavelength, each different peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a different leak detection dye. A lens may be associated with each LED so that radiation passing through all lenses from their associated LEDs is superimposed in a target area at a target distance from the lenses. Another LED inspection lamp has a plurality of LEDs emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and a lens associated with each LED so that the electromagnetic radiation passing through all lenses from their associated LEDs is superimposed in a target area at a target distance from the lenses. A lens adaptor has a lens housing for attachment to an LED inspection lamp with a single LED emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and a lens within the housing, the lens and housing associating the lens with the LED so that substantially all of the radiation from the LED passes through the lens and is focused in a target area at a target distance from the lenses. Another lens adaptor has a lens housing and a lens, the lens housing for attachment to an LED inspection lamp with a plurality of LEDs emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and the lens for associating with each LED when the lens housing is attached to the inspection lamp so that the radiation passing through all lenses from their associated LEDs is superimposed in a target area at a target distance from the lenses.

Claims

1. An inspection lamp having light emitting diodes as a source of radiation suitable for causing visible fluorescence of fluorescent materials, where said light emitting diodes are substantially non-identical in spectral characteristics of their emitted radiation, such that at least one but not all of said light emitting diodes in said inspection lamp produce wavelengths of radiation that are favorable for causing visible fluorescence of some fluorescent materials, and such that one or more different said light emitting diodes in said inspection lamp produce substantially different wavelengths of radiation which are more favorable than the wavelengths of first said light emitting diode(s) for causing visible fluorescence of some fluorescent materials other than first said fluorescent materials.

2. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 where at least one light emitting diode has a peak emission wavelength in the ultraviolet and having at least one light emitting diode with a peak emission wavelength that is visible but suitable for causing visible fluorescence of fluorescent materials.

3. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 where at least one light emitting diode produces mostly blue visible light and where at least one light emitting diode produces mostly visible violet light or ultraviolet radiation.

4. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 3 where at least one light emitting diode has a peak emission wavelength in the range of 425 to 480 nanometers and at least one light emitting diode has a peak emission wavelength in the range of 360 to 430 nanometers.

5. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 having one or more lenses to collimate the radiation produced by at least some of the light emitting diodes.

6. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 5 where the radiation produced by each light emitting diode is collimated by a separate lens associated with or mounted forward from each said light emitting diode.

7. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 having a handle.

8. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 7 where the handle shares a longitudinal axis with the inspection lamp as a whole.

9. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 7 where the handle does not share an axis with any other major portion of said inspection lamp.

10. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 designed to accept one or more dry cells as a source of power.

11. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 designed to accept power from an external power source.

12. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 11 where the external power source is a source of direct current with a voltage of substantially 12 volts.

13. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 11 where the external power source is a source of alternating current with a voltage of substantially 110-125 volts.

14. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 11 where the external power source is a source of alternating current with a voltage of substantially 220-240 volts.

15. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 having one or more rechargeable cells as a source of power.

16. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 15 further having means to recharge its rechargeable cells.

17. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 having one or more dropping resistors to limit the amount of current which flows through at least one of the light emitting diodes.

18. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 having non-switching current regulation means to control the amount of current which flows through at least one of the light emitting diodes.

19. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 having switching current regulation means to control the amount of current which flows through at least one of the light emitting diodes.

20. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 of such design that at least one of the light emitting diodes does not require separate means to limit or control the amount of current flowing through said light emitting diode.

21. A module having light emitting diodes that are substantially non-identical and which produce a variety of wavelengths suitable for exciting a variety of fluorescent dyes, and suitable for replacing the bulb and/or the reflector of a flashlight so as to achieve an inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1.

22. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 containing one or more light emitting diode modules as set forth in claim 21.

23. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 having one or more light emitting diode modules, where at least one light emitting diode module has only one type of light emitting diode but the inspection lamp as a whole includes more than one type of light emitting diode so as to produce a variety of wavelengths suitable for exciting a variety of fluorescent dyes.

24. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 23 where at least one light emitting diode module is of a type suitable as a bulb replacement in a flashlight.

65. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 where any of the light emitting diodes are superluminescent diodes.

66. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 1 where any of the light emitting diodes are laser diodes.

67. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 66 where any of the laser diodes is intended to normally operate in a laser mode.

68. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 66 where any of the laser diodes is intended to normally operate in a non-laser mode.

69. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 66 where oblong beams from each laser diode are directed into different directions so as to achieve an overall beam pattern that is not oblong.

70. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 66 having optical means to correct the oblong characteristics of the beams produced by most types of laser diodes.

71. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 70 having one more cylindrical lenses to correct the oblong characteristic of the laser diodes.

72. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 66 where the oblong beam characteristic of laser diodes is corrected with optics other than cylindrical lenses.

73. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 66 having laser diodes of such design as to produce beams not having the oblong characteristic typical of laser diodes.

74. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 66 where the oblong beam characteristic typical of laser diodes is not corrected.

25. An inspection lamp having:

a. Two or more light emitting diodes which produce radiation suitable for causing visible fluorescence of fluorescent materials,

b. A lens forward from each of said light emitting diodes to collimate the radiation from each light emitting diode into a beam,

such that the beams of radiation individually associated with each of said light emitting diodes project forward from said lenses and merge together.

26. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 where the individual beams project forward from each lens are parallel to each other.

27. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 where the individual beams converge towards each other such that the axes of the beams intersect with each other at a specific distance forward of the lenses.

28. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 27 where the individual beams have an angular diameter greater than any angle between any two axes of said beams, such that some area can be illuminated by all said beams at any distance from the lenses greater than distance from the lenses to the point at which the beam axes intersect.

29. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 where the lenses are comprised by a single piece of suitable transparent material.

30. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 27 where each lens has a center of curvature of at least one curved surface displaced from the axis of its associated light emitting diode so as to form a beam having an axis that is not parallel to said axis of said light emitting diode.

31. A lens assembly having a longitudinal axis and convex lenses each having at least one curved surface with a center of curvature at a location other than on a line parallel to said lens assembly axis and passing through the center of the area of said lens, so as to be suitable to comprise the lenses of an inspection lamp as set forth in claim 30.

32. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 having a handle.

33. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 32 where the handle shares a longitudinal axis with the inspection lamp as a whole.

34. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 32 where the handle does not share an axis with any other major portion of said inspection lamp.

35. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 designed to accept one or more dry cells as a source of power.

36. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 designed to accept power from an external power source.

37. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 36 where the external power source is a source of direct current with a voltage of substantially 12 volts.

38. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 36 where the external power source is a source of alternating current with a voltage of substantially 110-125 volts.

39. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 36 where the external power source is a source of alternating current with a voltage of substantially 220-240 volts.

40. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 having one or more rechargeable cells as a source of power.

41. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 40 further having means to recharge its rechargeable cells.

42. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 having dropping resistors to limit the amount of current that flows through at least one of the light emitting diodes.

43. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 having non-switching current regulation means to control the amount of current which flows through at least one of the light emitting diodes.

44. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 having switching current regulation means to control the amount of current which flows through at least one of the light emitting diodes.

45. An inspection lamp as set-forth in claim 25 of such design that at least one of the light emitting diodes does not require separate means to limit or control the amount of current flowing through said light emitting diode.

46. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 where the light emitting diodes differ significantly in spectral characteristics so as to cause visible fluorescence from fluorescent substances which visibly fluoresce from the output of one or more but not all of said light emitting diodes.

47. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 46 where at least one light emitting diode has a peak wavelength shorter than 425 nanometers and at least one light emitting diode has a peak wavelength longer than 425 nanometers.

48. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 46 having separate switches for each type of light emitting diode comprised within said inspection lamp.

50. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 having at least one light emitting diode with a peak wavelength less than 425 nanometers and at least one light emitting diode with a peak wavelength greater than 425 nanometers.

58. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 25 where the lenses are part of a lens assembly that is movable to permit adjustment of beam characteristics.

59. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 58 wherein the distance between the lens assembly and the light emitting diodes is adjustable so as to permit changing the distance at which beam components formed by each light emitting diode and each associated lens element are best-formed.

60. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 58 where the LED locations can be changed to permit adjustment of the angle at which beam elements formed by each lens of the lens assembly converge towards each other.

61. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 60 where the distance between lens centers is smaller than the distance between the centers of their associated light emitting diodes so that the beam components formed by each lens from its associated light emitting diode converge towards each other.

62. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 61 where the beam components formed by each lens from its associated light emitting diode converge towards each other so that all beam components coincide at a distance which can be changed by changing the locations of the LEDs.

63. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 62 where the distance between the lens assembly and the light emitting diodes is adjustable so as to permit adjustment of the distance at which beam components are focused in addition to permitting adjustment of the distance at which beam elements are coinciding with each other.

64. An inspection lamp as set forth in claim 63 further incorporating means to restrict the possible adjustments to a range of adjustments where the beam elements are best-formed at the same distance forward from said inspection lamp at which said beam elements are coinciding with each other.

49. An inspection lamp having at least one light emitting diode with a peak wavelength which is ultraviolet and at least one light emitting diode having a peak wavelength which is visible.

51. An LED inspection lamp, comprising:

a plurality of LED sources, each source for emitting electromagnetic radiation at a different peak wavelength, each different peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a different leak detection dye.

52. The LED inspection lamp of claim 51, further comprising:

a lens associated with each LED so that radiation passing through all lenses from their associated LEDs is substantially superimposed to a target area at a target distance from the lenses.

53. An LED inspection lamp, comprising:

a single LED for emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and a lens associated with the LED so that substantially all of the radiation passing through the lens is substantially directed to a target area at a target distance from the lenses.

54. An LED inspection lamp, comprising:

a plurality of LEDs emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and a lens associated with each LED so that the electromagnetic radiation passing through all lenses from their associated LEDs is substantially superimposed to a target area at a target distance from the lenses.

55. A lens adaptor, comprising:

a lens housing for attachment to an LED inspection lamp with a single LED emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and a lens within the housing, the lens and housing associating the lens with the LED so that substantially all of the radiation passing through the lens from the LED is substantially directed to a target area at a target distance from the lenses.

56. A lens adaptor, comprising:

a lens housing and lenses, the lens housing for attachment to an LED inspection lamp with a plurality of LEDs emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and the lenses for associating with each LED when the lens housing is attached to the inspection lamp so that the radiation passing through all lenses from their associated LEDs is substantially superimposed to a target area at a target distance from the lenses.

57. A lens and LED assembly for use within a flashlight casing, the assembly comprising:

a plurality of LEDs emitting electromagnetic radiation at a peak wavelength for causing visible fluorescence in a leak detection dye, and a lens associated with each LED so that the electromagnetic radiation passing through all lenses from their associated LEDs is substantially superimposed to a target area at a target distance from the lenses, and the assembly is shaped to fit within the flashlight casing.