Inspection lamp with buck boost circuit control

• US 20090295307A1
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Spectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Spectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Duerr, John, Garcia, Gustavo
• Application Number:
  US12/454,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20090295307A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's

Abstract

A lamp for fluorescent inspection having a housing with a first end and a second end. The first end includes a head having at least one LED which emits light with a wavelength designed to excite a material so as to produce fluorescence. The switch controls power the a circuit within the housing for powering the at least one LED. The circuit retards voltage when voltage exceeds a first threshold. In one embodiment the circuit boosts voltage when voltage drops below a second threshold, and blocks voltage when voltage drops below a third threshold.

Claims

1. A lamp for fluorescent inspection, with at least one LED which emits light with a wavelength designed to excite a material so as to produce fluorescence, the inspection lamp comprising:

a housing having a first end and a second end;

the first end comprising a head, at least one light emitting diode and a window through which the at least one light emitting diode can emit light;

a switch mounted on the housing, the switch in communication with a circuit within the housing for powering the at least one light emitting diode; and

a power source for supplying power to the circuit;

wherein the circuit retards voltage to the at least one light emitting diode when voltage from the power source exceeds a first threshold.

2. A lamp of claim 1, wherein the circuit boosts voltage to the at least one light emitting diode when voltage from the one or more batteries drops below a second threshold, and blocks voltage to the at least one light emitting diode when voltage from the one or more batteries drops below a third threshold.

3. A lamp of claim 1, wherein the power source is one or more batteries, and wherein the second end includes a receptacle for holding the batteries, and a removably attachable end cap.

4. A lamp of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of light emitting diodes, each mounted within a chamber and surrounded by a reflective surface.

5. A lamp of claim 1, wherein the power source is a power cord for supplying line voltage from an external AC outlet.

6. A lamp of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a buck boost control circuit.

7. A lamp of claim 6, wherein the buck boost control circuit comprises a cascade connection of a step down converter and a step up converter.

8. A lamp of claim 2, wherein the first threshold is about 4.6 volts.

9. A lamp of claim 2, wherein the second threshold is about 3.8 volts.

10. A lamp of claim 2, wherein the third threshold is about 2.8 volts.

11. A lamp of claim 2, further comprising an indicator light.

12. A lamp of claim 11, wherein the indicator light is lit when the voltage drops below the third threshold.

13. A lamp of claim 4, wherein there are four light emitting diodes.

14. A lamp of claim 13, wherein the switch is configured as a switch for the circuit where, in a first stage of the circuit, power is supplied to at least one of the light emitting diodes from the power source, in a second stage of the circuit, power is supplied to at least three of the light emitting diodes from the power source, and in a third stage of the circuit, no power is provided to the light emitting diodes.

15. A lamp of claim 13, wherein a single UV light emitting diode is present in three of the chambers.

16. A lamp of claim 15, wherein a single white light emitting diode is present in one of the chambers.

17. A lamp of claim 16, wherein the UV light emitting diodes are illuminated in a first stage of the circuit and the white light emitting diode is illuminated in a second stage of the circuit.

18. A lamp of claim 3, wherein the one or more batteries are rechargeable batteries.