CLAMPING FLASHLIGHT

• US 20120020064A1
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
• Inventors: Pelletier, Thomas, McNeill, Brian, Vanderbeek, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 8,376,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/191
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/04 characterised by the provision of a light source housing portion adjustably fixed to the remainder of the device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0885 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/406 for portable lighting devices

Abstract

A flashlight includes a lamp head configured to emit light; a lamp head holder including a lower base, an upper base and a first pivot mount supported by the upper base, the upper base being rotatably connected to the lower base such that the upper base and the lower base are rotatable relative to each other about a first axis of rotation, and the lamp head being rotatably connected to the pivot mount such that the lamp head is rotatable relative to the upper base about a second axis of rotation defined by the pivot mount; and a clamp pivotably connected to the lower base of the lamp head holder.

Claims

1. A flashlight comprising:

a lamp head configured to carry a light source capable of emitting light; and

a clamp operatively connected to the lamp head and enabling the flashlight to be clamped to a structure, the clamp comprising a pair of clamp portions, at least one of the clamp portions being movable relative to the other to enable the clamp to be configurable between a clamp position and a release position;

wherein at least one of the clamp portions comprises an elongated structure forming a handle about which the fingers of a user can be wrapped for transporting the flashlight.

2. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the handle includes an elastomeric or rubber grip.

3. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein a length of the handle is in a range of 3 to 5 inches and wherein a diameter or height of the handle is at least ½

inch.

4. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the clamp is spring biased to force the pair of clamp portions toward each other.

5. The flashlight of claim 1, wherein the at least one clamp portion includes a casing configured to house a battery assembly to power the flashlight.

6. The flashlight of claim 1, further comprising a lock mechanism configured to lock the clamp relative to the lamp head at a plurality of selected positions.

7. The flashlight of claim 6, further comprising a lamp head holder operatively coupled to the lamp head and the clamp and wherein the lock mechanism includes a spring arranged in a lower base of the lamp head holder and a ball, said ball being operatively coupled to the spring and movable to a plurality of cavities formed in an upper base of the lamp head holder during rotation of the upper base relative to the lower base.

8. The flashlight of claim 7, wherein each of the upper and lower bases includes a rotation stop to prevent the rotation of the upper base relative to the lower base from exceeding 360°

.

9. The flashlight of claim 1, further comprising a lamp head holder operatively coupled to the lamp head and the clamp, wherein the lamp head holder includes a lower base, an upper base and a first pivot mount supported by the upper base, the upper base being rotatably connected to the lower base such that the upper base and the lower base are rotatable relative to each other about a first axis of rotation, and the lamp head being rotatably connected to the first pivot mount such that the lamp head is rotatable relative to the upper base about a second axis of rotation defined by the first pivot mount, the second axis of rotation being substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, and wherein the clamp is connected to the lower base.

10. The flashlight of claim 9, wherein the clamp portions are rotatable about a third axis of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation.

11. The flashlight of claim 10, wherein the lamp head holder includes a second pivot mount supported by the lower base, the second pivot mount configured to hold the clamp to allow the clamp portions to rotate about the third axis of rotation.

12. The flashlight of claim 9, wherein the angle of rotation of the upper base relative to the lower base is greater than 360°

.