Flashlight having a light tube and stand

• US 5,893,629 A
• Filed: 05/05/1997
• Issued: 04/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Franklin L. Gubernick
• Original Assignee: Franklin L. Gubernick
• Inventors: Gubernick, Franklin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/851,171
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 362/186, 362/208, 362/84, 362/190, 362/278, 362/320
• US Class Current: 362/186
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/08 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements and reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/30 the coatings comprising photoluminescent substances
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00

Abstract

A marker flashlight and stand therefore is described. A tube of translucent, somewhat flexible material is adapted for releasable securement to the flashlight'"'"'s lamp section. When the flashlight is turned on, almost the entire tube of translucent material is caused to glow. The tube can also be coated with a phosphorescent material so that it is capable of glowing even when the flashlight is not producing light. The tube can be removed from the flashlight'"'"'s lamp section and placed about the body of the flashlight. The tube can be compressed so that the flashlight can still be received within a standard holster-type holder that has an interior area having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the flashlight'"'"'s body. The tube may include a strap for enabling the tube to be attached to a user'"'"'s clothing and be a holder for the flashlight.

The stand includes a wide base that is adjustably and releasably secured to the body of the flashlight. The stand can support the flashlight in a fixed position and can also be used to secure the flashlight to a user'"'"'s clothing. An aperture is located at one end of the base so that the stand can be hung from an existing hook or nail. In an alternate embodiment of the stand, the base includes two pivotally attached outriggers that enable a user to increase the effective width of the base.

Claims

1. A marker flashlight comprising:

a flashlight having a body portion and a lamp portion and wherein said lamp portion is capable of projecting a narrow beam of light;

a flexible light tube member having a tubular shape, an open first end, a closed second end, a hollow interior and is made of a translucent, semi-reflective rip-stop nylon fabric material; and

wherein the open first end of the light tube member is capable of being secured by a securement means to the lamp portion of said flashlight and wherein when said flashlight is actuated, light from said flashlight will enter said hollow interior area of said light tube member and be partially reflected by the material of said light tube member so that light will be emitted from a major portion of said light tube member.

2. The marker flashlight of claim 1 further comprising a securement cord attached at a first end to said light tube member and at a second end to said flashlight.

3. The marker flashlight of claim 1 wherein the open first end of the light tube member includes at least one tab means that extends outwardly from a major portion of said light tube member and functions as a convenient area onto which a user can grab in order to pull said light tube member at least partially onto an end of said flashlight.

4. The marker flashlight of claim 1 further comprising a resilient member secured to said light tube member and located proximate the open first end of said light tube member and wherein when the light tube member is placed onto the lamp portion of the flashlight, the resilient member is stretched and thereby functions as said securement means to maintain the light tube member on the flashlight.

5. The marker flashlight of claim 1 further comprising complementary sections of hook and loop fastening material secured to said light tube member and located proximate the open first end of said light tube member and wherein said sections of fastening material can be pressed together to thereby reduce a size dimension of an opening located at the open first end of the light tube member to thereby function as said securement means to maintain the light tube member on the flashlight.

6. The marker flashlight of claim 1 wherein the body portion of said flashlight has a predetermined diameter and wherein the hollow interior of the light tube member has a diameter at least equal to that of the body portion of the flashlight.

7. The marker flashlight of claim 1 further comprising a shape-maintaining means that functions to maintain the light tube member in an extended condition.

8. The marker flashlight of claim 7 wherein the shape-maintaining means is in the form of a substantially rigid rod secured to said light tube member and having a length that is substantially equal to that of the light tube member.

9. The marker flashlight of claim 1 wherein the light tube member includes a releasable attachment means that is capable of releasably attaching the light tube member to an article of a user'"'"'s clothing.

10. The marker flashlight of claim 9 wherein the releasable attachment means comprises a strap means that has one end that can be releasably attached to the light tube member.

11. The marker flashlight of claim 1 wherein the light tube member has at least a portion thereof coated with a phosphorescent material whereby said coated portion is capable of glowing with light even when the flashlight is not producing light.

12. The marker flashlight of claim 1 further comprising a stand means releasably and adjustably secured to the body portion of the flashlight by an adjustable securement means and wherein the stand means comprises a base member that has a width dimension that is at least equal to a width dimension of the body portion of the flashlight.

13. The marker flashlight of claim 12 wherein the stand means includes width adjustment means that can be adjusted by a user to change a width dimension of the base member.

14. The marker flashlight of claim 13 wherein the width adjustment means includes at least one outrigger pivotally secured to a major portion of the base member.

15. A marker flashlight comprising:

a flashlight having a body portion and a lamp portion and wherein said lamp portion is capable of projecting a narrow beam of light;

a flexible light tube member having a tubular shape, an open first end, a hollow interior and is made of a translucent, semi-reflective material;

a securement cord attached at a first end to said light tube member and at a second end to said flashlight; and

wherein the open first end of the light tube member is capable of being secured by a securement means to the lamp portion of said flashlight and wherein when said flashlight is actuated, light from said flashlight will enter said hollow interior area of said light tube member and be partially reflected by the material of said light tube member so that light will be emitted from a major portion of said light tube member.

16. A marker flashlight comprising:

a flashlight having a body portion and a lamp portion and wherein said lamp portion is capable of projecting a narrow beam of light;

a flexible light tube member having a tubular shape, an open first end, a hollow interior and is made of a translucent, semi-reflective material;

a shape-maintaining means in the form of a substantially rigid rod secured to said light tube member and having a length that is substantially equal to that of the light tube member and that functions to maintain the light tube member in an extended condition; and

wherein the open first end of the light tube member is capable of being secured by a securement means to the lamp portion of said flashlight and wherein when said flashlight is actuated, light from said flashlight will enter said hollow interior area of said light tube member and be partially reflected by the material of said light tube member so that light will be emitted from a major portion of said light tube member.

17. A marker flashlight comprising:

a flashlight having a body portion and a lamp portion and wherein said lamp portion is capable of projecting a narrow beam of light;

a flexible light tube member having a tubular shape, an open first end, a hollow interior and is made of a translucent, semi-reflective material; and

wherein the open first end of the light tube member is capable of being secured by a securement means to the lamp portion of said flashlight, wherein when said flashlight is actuated, light from said flashlight will enter said hollow interior area of said light tube member and be partially reflected by the material of said light tube member so that light will be emitted from a major portion of said light tube member, and wherein the light tube member has at least a portion thereof coated with a phosphorescent material whereby said coated portion is capable of glowing with light even when the flashlight is not producing light.