COLLAPSIBLE LIGHT

• US 20140192543A1
• Filed: 02/16/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: DEIGHTON, Kevin, JUDD, Darren
• Granted Patent: US 9,303,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/419
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/245 Members limiting spreading of legs, e.g. "umbrella legs" for supports with three or more telescoping legs F16M11/34
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/28 Undercarriages for supports with one single telescoping pillar
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/32 Undercarriages for supports with three or more telescoping legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/38 by folding , e.g. pivoting or scissors tong mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/145 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/22 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A collapsible lighting device has a main body surrounded by a collar whose position is adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the main body. Pivotally connected or hinged legs are attached to the collar and to the main body with struts. When the collar is on one position, the legs deploy outward from the main body to the extent permitted by the struts, thereby allowing the legs to support the collapsible lighting device upright. A lamp head is attached to a member which telescope from the main body. When deployed, the lamp head can be switched on to provide illumination. When the collar is another position, the legs are drawn in toward the main body to form a cylindrical shape. The lam head can be positioned so that when the telescoping member is retracted into the main body, the collar surrounds the exterior of the lamp head, thus protecting the lamp head for transport. The overall cylindrical shape of the lighting device in the collapsed position facilitates transport, for example using a strap to carry the device on one'"'"'s back.

Claims

1. A collapsible lighting device comprising:

a main body having a cylindrical configuration;

a telescoping member adjustable within said main body;

a lamp head connected to said telescoping member by a pivoting connection;

an electrical connection between said lamp head and a power source;

a collar surrounding said main body, said collar being adjustable to a first collar position relative to said main body when said portable lighting device is in a deployed position, and to a second collar position relative to said main body when said collapsible lighting device is in a collapsed position; and

at least one leg pivotally connected to said collar and to said main body to support said main body in a generally vertical orientation when said collar is in said first collar position;

wherein said telescoping member has a longitudinal axis along which said telescoping member is adjustable in length, said pivoting connection between said lamp head and said telescoping member comprises an offset hinge having an axis of rotation that is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of said telescoping member.

2. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 1, wherein said offset hinge comprises a first member connected to a first end of said telescoping member for rotation relative to said telescoping member about said longitudinal axis of said telescoping member, a second member pivotally connected to said first member and pivotal about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to said direction of said longitudinal axis of said telescoping member.

3. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 2, wherein said pivot axis at which said second member pivotally connects to said first member is laterally offset from said longitudinal axis of said telescoping member.

4. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one bias member exerting a force that biases one end of said at least one leg outward from said main body.

5. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 4 wherein said at least one leg comprises a plurality of legs, each pivotally connected to said collar and to said main body to support said main body in said generally vertical orientation when said collar is in said first collar position.

6. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 5, wherein said collar is forced toward said first collar position by said at least one bias member when said at least one leg is forced outward from said main body by said at least one bias member.

7. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 6, said collar having openings that provide hand grips for allowing manual movement of said collar relative to said main body from said first collar position to said second collar position, against the force of said at least one bias member.

8. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 4, further comprising at least one latch having a first state to hold said at least one leg in a collapsed leg position and a second state to release said at least one leg and cause said at least one leg to pivot outward from said collapsed leg position to a deployed leg position under the bias force of said at least one bias member.

9. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 1, wherein said collar has a first collar portion and a second collar portion, said first collar portion having a wider outside diameter than said second collar portion, and wherein said at least one leg defines an outside diameter when said collapsible lighting device is in said collapsed position, said outside diameter of said at least one leg being approximate to said outside diameter of said first collar portion when said collapsible lighting device is in said collapsed position.

10. A collapsible lighting device comprising:

a main body having a cylindrical configuration;

a telescoping member adjustable within said main body;

a lamp head supported by said telescoping member;

an electrical connection between said lamp head and a power source;

a collar surrounding said main body, said collar being adjustable to a first collar position relative to said main body when said portable lighting device is in a deployed position, and to a second collar position relative to said main body when said collapsible lighting device is in a collapsed position;

at least one leg pivotally connected to said collar and to said main body to support said main body in a generally vertical orientation when said collar is in said first collar position; and

at least one bias member exerting a force that biases one end of said at least one leg outward from said main body.

11. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 10, wherein said collar is forced toward said first collar position by said at least one bias member when said at least one leg is forced outward from said main body by said at least one bias member.

12. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 11, said collar having openings that provide hand grips for allowing manual movement of said collar relative to said main body from said first collar position to said second collar position, against the force of said at least one bias member.

13. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 10, further comprising at least one latch having a first state to hold said at least one leg in a collapsed leg position and a second state to release said at least one leg and cause said at least one leg to pivot outward from said collapsed leg position to a deployed leg position under the bias force of said at least one bias member.

14. The collapsible lighting device recited in claim 10, wherein said collar has a first collar portion and a second collar portion, said first collar portion having a wider outside diameter than said second collar portion, and wherein said at least one leg defines an outside diameter when said collapsible lighting device is in said collapsed position, said outside diameter of said at least one leg being approximate to said outside diameter of said first collar portion when said collapsible lighting device is in said collapsed position.

15. A method of making a collapsible lighting device comprising:

providing a main body having a cylindrical configuration;

supporting a telescoping member within said main body;

connecting a lamp head to said telescoping member by a pivoting connection;

providing an electrical connection between said lamp head and a power source;

surrounding said main body with a collar that is adjustable to a first collar position relative to said main body when said portable lighting device is in a deployed position, and to a second collar position relative to said main body when said collapsible lighting device is in a collapsed position;

pivotally connecting at least one leg to said collar and to said main body to support said main body in a generally vertical orientation when said collar is in said first collar position;

wherein said telescoping member has a longitudinal axis along which said telescoping member is adjustable in length, said pivoting connection between said lamp head and said telescoping member comprises an offset hinge having an axis of rotation that is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of said telescoping member.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein said offset hinge comprises a first member connected to a first end of said telescoping member for rotation relative to said telescoping member about said longitudinal axis of said telescoping member, a second member pivotally connected to said first member and pivotal about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to said direction of said longitudinal axis of said telescoping member.

17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein said pivot axis at which said second member pivotally connects to said first member is laterally offset from said longitudinal axis of said telescoping member.

18. The method recited in claim 15, further comprising providing at least one bias member to exert a force that biases one end of said at least one leg outward from said main body.

19. The method recited in claim 18, further comprising providing at least one latch having a first state to hold said at least one leg in a collapsed leg position and a second state to release said at least one leg and cause said at least one leg to pivot outward from said collapsed leg position to a deployed leg position under the bias force of said at least one bias member.

20. The method recited in claim 15, wherein said collar has a first collar portion and a second collar portion, said first collar portion having a wider outside diameter than said second collar portion, and wherein said at least one leg defines an outside diameter when said collapsible lighting device is in said collapsed position, said outside diameter of said at least one leg being approximate to said outside diameter of said first collar portion when said collapsible lighting device is in said collapsed position.